Network capacity

Hi all

We have been having few network related issues of late. Basically we have 100 plc racks all connected hub to hub through unmanaged switches. Lately we have lost our Wi-Fi access point and can only access the network via straight direct Ethernet connection, wireless keeps losing packets pretty sure this is router related issue.

Is there a method of determing the network capacity such as a Rockwell tool heath check? We use some stratix managed hubs for some machines in the system but they are for their own networks. The machines don't directly communicate with one another but are on a shared network.

Know it's a very opened question but it's a inherited system unfortunately.

Are you using producer consumer tags with multicast? Changing to unicast really quietens your network.

Plug Wireshark into the place where the AP was to see how much multicast/broadcast traffic is getting there.

1: Please tell me you don't have a bunch of hubs daisy chained together.

2: How many Hubs/Switches are daisy chained together in total, end to end? While there technically is no limit, if you ever incorporate a real network, with Spanning tree, Spanning tree protocol can only have a maximum of 7 switches daisy chained.

3: How are the machines on a shared network? Separate ENBT/EN2T cards for the machine and the plant networks? NAT? Just connecting a port from the machine switch to an enterprise switch?

Seriously, consider spending some money, and fixing things correctly. I'd start by installing a few IDF's (Intermediate Distribution Frame) around the facility, and home-run them to a central point. Then have a single drop from an IDF to a machine.

Keep your PLC IO/Drive traffic separate from your enterprise traffic.