B&B Electronics announces its rugged, customer-configurable new SPECTRE
3G cellular router, designed to wirelessly connect remote
machine-to-machine (M2M) equipment over the CDMA and HSPA+ cellular
telephone networks, and for network back-up. Built for plug-and-play
simplicity with extensive remote management, deployment and
customization options, the SPECTRE 3G wirelessly extends local M2M
networks that are connected via Ethernet 10/100, RS-232 or RS-422/485.
Users manage the router’s robust configuration options, such as
automating firmware updates that reconfigure many routers
simultaneously, through a secure and easy-to-use Web interface or a
powerful scripting engine. A rugged metal casing with a wide operating
range (-30 to 60 degrees C) and DIN-Rail mounts make the SPECTRE 3G
ideal for M2M connectivity in harsh or remote environments.
This is the first of several cellular router offerings for the North
American market, following B&B’s acquisition of Conel in March.
The SPECTRE 3G is designed for both enterprise and industrial M2M
communications systems including: enterprise networking, intelligent
transportation systems/ITS (traffic, toll, parking),
security/camera-monitoring, transaction management (ATMs, point-of-sale,
kiosks, lottery), remote monitoring, industrial automation, energy
management (oil/gas/water distribution networks and grids), and
geological, environmental and weather-monitoring systems.
The router is offered in a flexible, modular format to fit customer
needs, with seven configurations possible that make it easier to
standardize, deploy and manage fleets of devices. Its standard
configuration includes one 10/100 Ethernet port, one USB host port, one
binary input/output (I/O) port and dual SIM card holders. (The second
SIM card holder provides network redundancy, as the router can
automatically switch between GSM service providers or plans, if one
connection fails.) Two expansion ports give customers the option to add
either more Ethernet ports (two additional for a total of three), Serial
ports (RS-232/485/422), or I/O ports. Another enhancement option is
Modbus TCP/IP to Modbus RTU, allowing cellular connectivity to Modbus
slave devices using the router’s RS-485 port found in industrial markets.
The easy-to-use R-SeeNet remote management platform allows users to
configure and manage multiple routers throughout a network, eliminating
the need to make policy changes a single router at a time or for on-site
technician visits. R-SeeNet lets network administrators monitor the
status and activities of routers with either a snapshot in time, or with
trending data to analyze patterns for efficiency gains. Variables
tracked include: amount of data transferred, signal strength, response
time, or number of PPP connections or channels connected.
The password-protected Web interface allows users to easily manage the
router’s robust configuration options, such as setting the router to
automatically upgrade its configuration and firmware from the operator’s
central server using Firmware-Over-The-Air (FOTA) technology. This
allows for seamless, simultaneous mass reconfiguration of every router
on the network. Additional easy-to-use diagnostic functions such as
automatic restart when connections are lost, and a hardware-monitoring
“watchdog,” ensure continuous communication.
A powerful scripting engine lets the router make decisions based on
user-identified conditions, which users insert using a special start-up
script window. Examples would include SMS and binary input configuration
or automatic switchover from a failing primary connection to a backup
connection over another network.
Users may also create four different profiles/configurations in one
router. This provides the option to switch between operating profiles,
either remotely through R-SeeNet, the local Web interface, SMS or
automatically through its on-board I/O.
The SPECTRE 3G supports a wide variety of VPN protocols including IPSec,
OpenVPN and GRE Tunneling. It also supports DHCP, NAT, NAT-T, SMTP,
DynDNS, NTP, VRRP, HTTPS, SSH, OSPF, RIP, BGP control by SMS and more.
The router’s seven configurations range from $449 to $649 MSRP. For more
product information: http://www.bb-elec.com/product_multi_family.asp?MultiFamilyId=178
About B&B Electronics:
Founded in 1981, B&B Electronics Manufacturing Co., Inc. provides M2M
connectivity solutions for wireless and wired networks based on serial,
Ethernet, wireless and USB communication technologies. Specializing in
connectivity out at the “edge” of networks in remote, harsh and
uncontrolled environments, the company is known globally for its easy to
use, rugged and reliable device networking products, as well as for its
knowledgeable technical support and responsive customer service. B&B
Electronics is located at 707 Dayton Road, P.O. Box 1040, Ottawa, IL
61350, 800-346-3119 and at www.bb-elec.com
on the Internet.
Editorial Note: The Press Room contains downloadable photographs: http://www.bb-elec.com/press-room.asp
