Westermo designs industrial networking platforms engineered for deterministic communication, long lifecycle operation, and stable performance in electrically and physically demanding environments. These technologies are applied where network behaviour directly influences control systems, protection schemes, and operational continuity.


Westermo industrial switch in a rail or substation environment

Deterministic Industrial Networks Built For Real-World Conditions

Westermo platforms are developed for environments where communication must remain predictable under failure, interference, and load.

Industrial networks do not fail under ideal conditions - they fail under stress. Westermo systems are designed to maintain controlled behaviour during those conditions, ensuring communication remains within defined limits.

This applies across:

  • Rail systems where timing defines safety
  • Substations where data integrity affects protection
  • Industrial plants where instability impacts production

The objective is not connectivity. It is predictable behaviour under real conditions.

Where This Applies

Rail & Transportation

EN 50155-compliant networking for onboard systems, signalling, train-to-ground communication, and trackside infrastructure.

Energy & Utilities

Substation automation, grid communication, and renewable energy networks operating under high EMI and long-distance fibre conditions.

Industrial & Process Environments

Mining, oil & gas, and manufacturing environments where physical and electrical stress require stable communication.

Infrastructure & Smart Systems

Road, tunnel, and distributed infrastructure where uptime and deterministic behaviour directly affect safety.

Explore Westermo Technologies

Water infrastructure network resilience design

Throughput Technologies partner ecosystem diagramme

Industrial Ethernet Switching - Edge, Backbone And Core

Switching platforms define how traffic behaves, how failures are handled, and how stability is maintained.

  • Lynx Series → Industrial edge switching (DIN rail, compact, low power). Extremely compact industrial switches (Layer 2/3) featuring low power consumption and high versatility for DIN rail installations.
  • Viper Series → Rail onboard switching (EN 50155 compliant). Specifically designed to meet EN 50155 railway standards for trackside and onboard train applications.
  • RedFox Series → High-performance backbone switching (Layer 3, rackmount), 19-inch rackmount industrial Gigabit routing switches intended for large, complex network backbones.

Key Technologies and Capabilities

  • High Availability: Supports technologies like FRNT (Fast Recovery Network Topology) and rapid re-connect for ring topologies
  • Power over Ethernet (PoE): Many models support PoE/PoE+ for powering devices like IP cameras directly from the switch.
  • Security: Features advanced, integrated security measures to protect industrial data communications.
  • Configuration: Managed using the WeConfig tool to easily manage network settings.

Industrial Routing & Secure Segmentation

Routing platforms define how networks are segmented, secured, and extended across distributed environments.

  • Merlin Series → Compact, highly secure cellular routers designed for IIoT, machine-to-machine (M2M), and smart grid applications. Cellular routers for IIoT, substations, and infrastructure

Supports:

  • Secure remote access
  • Network segmentation
  • Zero-touch deployment

Wireless Communication - Rail, Mobile And Distributed Systems

Wireless enables communication where fixed infrastructure cannot provide continuous or practical coverage. This is a core capability, not an extension.

  • Ibex Series → High-speed, rugged WLAN and LTE/5G routers designed for severe conditions, including on-train (EN 50155) and trackside (EN 50121-4) applications.
  • CyBox Series → EN 50155 wireless systems for rail and automotive. Passenger Wi-Fi, fleet management, real-time data.
  • Oryx Series (incl. Oryx 7000) → mmWave, multi-gigabit wireless. Train-to-trackside, inter-carriage connectivity.

Extending Networks Over Existing Infrastructure

Not all environments allow fibre deployment. Legacy infrastructure must be reused without compromising performance.

  • Wolverine Series → Ethernet extenders over copper. Long-distance communication without new cabling.

Simple And Robust Industrial Connectivity

Not all applications require managed complexity, but they still require industrial reliability.

  • SandCat Series → Unmanaged industrial switches. Compact, robust, protocol-transparent.

Edge Processing & Integrated Platforms

Some environments require local processing alongside communication to reduce dependency on central systems.

  • RCP Series → Rugged industrial computing platforms. High-performance processing in harsh environments.

Network Behaviour, Redundancy & Control (WeOS)

The operating system defines how the network behaves, not just how it connects.

WeOS → Deterministic switching, redundancy protocols, security and diagnostics.

Key Product Families (Complete Structure)

  • Viper → Rail onboard switching
  • Lynx → Industrial edge switching
  • RedFox → Backbone / aggregation
  • Falcon → High-capacity core
  • Merlin → Routing & segmentation
  • Ibex → Industrial wireless (LTE / 5G / WLAN)
  • CyBox → Rail wireless systems
  • Oryx → High-performance mmWave wireless
  • Wolverine → Ethernet extenders
  • SandCat → Unmanaged switching
  • RCP → Industrial computing platforms
Westermo network architecture diagram showing switching, routing, and wireless integration

How Westermo Fits Into Your Network Architecture

Westermo forms the communication backbone layer:

  • Industrial Ethernet Networks → Switching & routing
  • Network Resilience → Deterministic failover
  • Wireless Systems → Mobility & distributed connectivity
  • OT Cybersecurity → Segmentation & controlled access
  • Hybrid Infrastructure → Fibre + copper + wireless integration

Integration Context

Westermo provides the stable communication layer onto which:

are built. Without stable network behaviour, these systems cannot operate predictably.

Cybersecurity In Industrial Networks

Security in industrial environments is achieved by controlling communication behaviour, not just restricting access at the perimeter.

Westermo addresses cybersecurity by embedding control directly into the network infrastructure, ensuring that communication is structured, segmented, and predictable across industrial systems. Rather than acting as a standalone cybersecurity vendor, Westermo enables secure network design through its switching, routing, and operating platform capabilities.

Segmentation is central to this approach. Using Layer 2 and Layer 3 controls, VLAN structuring, and routing policies, Westermo platforms restrict how devices communicate across zones. This prevents uncontrolled lateral movement and ensures that systems only interact where explicitly permitted. The result is a network where access paths are defined and enforced, not assumed.

Secure remote access is implemented without bypassing this structure. Through VPN-based connectivity and controlled entry points, remote communication is introduced in a way that maintains segmentation and does not expose critical systems.

Deterministic network behaviour further strengthens security. When communication patterns are stable and predictable, anomalies become easier to detect and investigate, supporting faster response to potential threats.

Westermo integrates into broader industrial cybersecurity architectures by providing the stable, controlled network layer required for firewalls, monitoring systems, and secure access platforms to operate effectively.

Where Is Your Communication Stability Assumed - But Not Guaranteed?

Throughput Technologies advises on the selection and application of industrial networking platforms aligned to system behaviour, environmental conditions, and long-term operational requirements.

Talk with a Solutions Specialist.

What are you currently up against?

Fill out the online form.