M5 nano non-PoE 24vdc or 12vdc

Morning all,

I'm trying to get some advice before create an order for my first wireless setup.

I have a Micrologix 1400 that has an Ethernet port but doesn't support PoE, its running with a 24vdc solar system (4 battery). What I would like to do is buy an M5 nanostation and power it off of the solar system, can wire it to run 24vdc or 12vdc. On the Laptop side I was hoping that there would be a way to connect another station using a 12vdc cigarette lighter adapter type of an application? Does this sound doable?

Does anyone have a different approach that they think would work better?

Thanks for your help community it's much appreciated!

I was not aware that they make a nano M5 that isn't POE. What "another station" are you planning to connect? Are you planning on connecting the laptop with a cat5 cable? Will you be using the cigarette lighter adapter to power an inverter for the laptop?
Hats off to you for asking for advice BEFORE you place the order!

Thank you for replying, I also posted on Ubiquiti's site and the solution that resulted was:

Here is what I'm intending to put together:

24VDC solar power ---> Tycon TP-DCDC-1224 9-36VDC In to 24VDC out ---> locoM5 nanostation

Which we have determined will work. Going from PLC to wireless and then run my laptops wireless to communicate with the PLC

I've only seen the nanostations used as access points or wireless bridges. IMHO, your laptop will have to be plugged into the RJ-45 jack to communicate with the micrologix.

Hmmm do you have an idea I could research as to go wirelessly to my laptop?

I frequently use an off the shelf wireless router to connect to a PLC during commissioning. AC power isn't always available, so I use a 24dc to 12dc adapter to replace the 120ac to 12dc adapter that comes with the wireless router. Depending on the location, this usually works reliably out to 100 feet or so. For security and economic reasons, I disconnect and take the router with me when I'm done.

A pair of the nano stations works fine for longer distances. You'll still have to plug into the poe data port, or second port of the off site nano station to get online with the plc, unless you add a wireless router on that end.

Yea it sounds like it will work for the short range that we are looking for. With the Tycon TP we will have PoE at the PLC.

You mentioned security issues using a wireless router, I can passcode my ladder logic into the Micrologix, have you found that gaining access to the PLC is simple even when passcode protected?

I've never tried because I've never left a functioning system on a wireless network.