Best way to multiply machines to network

Can anyone help me, I have multiply machines all with multiple ip nodes in each, each machine has identical ip address for each node. I would like to connect these machines to the companies network but I don't want to change the ip address of nodes in the machines.

What is the best way to go about this? I think I can use a gateway,? Any advice?

Thanks in advance
Gareth

without knowing the exact network configuration it's hard to tell.
you could install a new network module just for the factory network the factory router should assign the new IP address for that network

The most straightforward thing would be to install a "Network Address Translation" appliance. Those plug into your automation LAN on one side and the enterprise network on the other, and provide a 1:1 map between IP addresses on each side.

So you could have as many PLCs as you wished that were addressed "192.168.1.2" on their automation LAN, and each one would appear on the enterprise LAN as a different address.

Most major automation vendors sell devices meant to work with their systems, and many commercially available routers can be configured to do the same thing.

Also, this is where if your company has an IT dept w/ a network engineer, they can help you out.

Agree with what has been said so far. Realistically, NAT is the typical solution. You need someone network savvy to help you do this. Plenty of controls folks can do it, but plant IT is a great place to start asking questions if you need to.

Ken Roach said:

The most straightforward thing would be to install a "Network Address Translation" appliance. Those plug into your automation LAN on one side and the enterprise network on the other, and provide a 1:1 map between IP addresses on each side.

So you could have as many PLCs as you wished that were addressed "192.168.1.2" on their automation LAN, and each one would appear on the enterprise LAN as a different address.

Most major automation vendors sell devices meant to work with their systems, and many commercially available routers can be configured to do the same thing.

Click to expand...

Ken, this explanation of yours very much interests me and would be grateful for some further clarifications. If I understand gareth_mint's requirements, the shop floor he is working at has a number of machines which cannot be connected to the same automation network as some of the machines are using same IP addresses. Please correct me if I am wrong. My question is: Is the solution you are recommending the use a "Network Address Translation" appliance for each PLC? In other words, on the IT network side you need one switch to which all these NAT appliances will be connected to talk to the IT side, and from the other side of the NAT appliance you would connect one PLC? Thanks for your patience and advice.

Well, your home router is a NAT device. Your own computer IP are usually something like 192.168.1.x or simiilar but so are everyone else's home PC. So your home router use NAT and get a public IP from your ISP.

Here's a good pictorial explanation, i have no related to this site, just something I found on search engine.

https://www.myplctechnology.com/2020/02/

Thank you everyone.
I understand that Nat solution you talk about, I will be having a conversation with our network engineers.

Thank you
Gareth

[FONT=&quot]Garath[/FONT]
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[FONT=&quot]Really consider an OT network that just connects to your machines and devices. Then have a single point of connection between OT and IT such as a SCADA or MES.[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot] [/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]For NAT in an OT we quite like MOXA devices.
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gareth_mint said:

Can anyone help me, I have multiply machines all with multiple ip nodes in each, each machine has identical ip address for each node. I would like to connect these machines to the company's network but I don't want to change the IP address of nodes in the machines.

What is the best way to go about this? I think I can use a gateway,? Any advice?

Thanks in advance
Gareth

Click to expand...

As Chris Taylor said above the best setup would be to incorporate a NAT interface on each machine (typically the core switch) to handle the identical IP addressing but you would be best to have an OT network to give network access to all machines. This ideally would be a separate network both in the physical and logical form to give the best security reliability and depending on the way you design it also redundancy.

Thanks again everyone

Dravik said:

Also, this is where if your company has an IT dept w/ a network engineer, they can help you out.

Click to expand...

Funny!

We generally have 1 NAT switch per machine & I think it cost about $ 1,000 per
.
Used for 2 reasons:
1. To isolate machines with identical internal IP Addresses
2. To isolate the internal PLC network from simple network mistakes, Like a vendor plugging in a laptop with an identical address as a PLC


We use 2 different physical choices & 2 different Layer choices

Physically we:
1. Replace the machines existing switch with a NAT enabled switch
2. Or buy a stand alone NAT that has only 2 ports (1 Corporate & 1 PLC Network)


Layer wise we:
1. Use Layer 3 NAT on non sensitive or critical equipment
2. Use Layer 2 NAT for 1 way communication, so others can only read the limited data that we publish to protect proprietary information

...................The Layer 2 NAT can be mapped for 1 direction, the other direction is Isolated
...................One way mapping is like taking the Cat 5 cable & cutting the 2 receive wires, only connecting the 2 transmit wires


.. Sometimes NAT is an option on a switch that cost a bit more to turn on
.. There may be switches that allow several separate NAT's in one switch
..