Currently, 4G industrial routers are widely used in M2M industries in the IoT industry chain, such as smart networks, smart transportation, smart homes, smart finance, industrial automation, public safety, environmental protection, digital Medical and other fields. 4G industrial routers are widely used and support 4G/3G/WIFI/VPN networking modes and serial DTU and wired/wireless dual backup functions.
DTU is a kind of wireless terminal equipment specially used to convert serial data into IP data or convert IP data into serial data for transmission through a wireless communication network. It is widely used in gas and water systems. Water conservancy, geology and other industries.
Although both transmit data, there are obvious differences between the two:
1. Appearance interface
4G industrial router: The external interface usually has a network port, which provides wireless networking functions for network devices. Data transmission requires the network device to actively access the center to complete the data transmission. Usually 4G industrial routers will provide multiple network interface methods of WAN port, LAN or freely switchable WAN/LAN port. You can customize the matching interface method according to the connection method in the project. .
4G DTU: The appearance interface generally only provides serial interface connection. 4G DTU is mainly used for two-way transparent transmission between serial data and IP data. What should I do if some projects need to use both the network port and the serial port? In the current era of rapid technological development, 4G industrial routers and 4G DTU functions have been integrated.
2. Data access interface
4G industrial router: Provides 1 network interface for data access. The terminal device only needs to use the IP address of the 4G router network port as the gateway. The terminal device must use the specified IP address or Only by specifying an address in the IP address segment can the 4G router exchange data with the server host of the specified IP address or the server host in the IP address segment. All other unset addresses of the 4G router cannot communicate with each other.
4G DTU: Data access generally also provides serial or network interfaces, but their purpose is for dialing, not for being a real gateway. For example, the 4G DTU of the serial interface is used in After connecting to the terminal device and completing the dial-up, the 4G DTU is regarded as a new network device of the terminal device, and the address of the terminal device uses the address bound to the new network device; and the 4G DTU of the network interface Similar to China Telecom’s ADSL Internet access, the device generally needs to complete a dialing action.
3. How to use
4G industrial router: It can convert Ethernet and fieldbus communication protocols. You only need to set the IP address specified by the 4G router on the terminal device as the gateway. If the specified IP address (or specified IP address segment) is not set, the communication function cannot be implemented.
4G DTU: The main purpose is to implement dial-up, not a real gateway. For example, after the 4G DTU is connected to the terminal device and completes the dial-up process, the 4G DTU can be used as a new network device, and the terminal device address can use this 4G DTU binding address.
4. Application environment
4G industrial router: usually with VPN/APN function and private network encryption. In addition, 4G industrial router with WIFI function is suitable for projects with outdoor WIFI wireless signal coverage.
4G DTU: The transmission distance used in field terminals is relatively scattered and the data communication rate is high. Therefore, the real-time performance of 4G DTU can satisfy most industrial fields and is usually used for data collection and monitoring systems. For example, charging pile remote monitoring systems, environmental detection systems, real-time energy consumption monitoring, dam water conservancy project monitoring applications, etc.
5. Anti-interference of server network
4G industrial router: Data transmission must comply with preset regulations, otherwise communication cannot be carried out correctly, reducing the possibility of unnecessary network traffic; at the same time, it can ensure that the server is processed according to key processing such as the sequence number sent. Data will not be replayed or resent.
4G DTU: There is no relevant filtering during data transmission, so other machines can directly send some illegal information to the device terminal through the network. At the same time, 4G DTU increases unnecessary network traffic; at the same time, the data does not If appropriate processing is performed, the replay or retransmission of wireless data may cause system anomalies, thus posing security risks.
6. IP address used
4G industrial router: The IP address used by terminal equipment using a 4G industrial router is any IP address or address in an IP address segment that can be set by oneself. This is also different from the IP address assigned by the UIM card.
4G DTU: The IP address used by terminal equipment using 4G DTU is generally the IP address assigned by UIM card dial-up (this IP address is designated by 3A).
7. Transmission security
4G industrial router: Terminal equipment using a 4G industrial router must use a specified IP address, and communication with any other address is not possible; after the data of the terminal equipment passes through the 4G industrial router, it uses a wireless network What is transmitted is encrypted content. Generally, the intercepted data transmitted in the wireless network cannot be decrypted. The encrypted data can only be correctly decrypted by the designated communication server; at the same time, all data has a Through key processing such as unique corresponding serial numbers, 4G industrial routers ensure that terminal device data will not be replayed or retransmitted.
4G DTU: There is no such restriction on the IP address used by terminal equipment using 4G DTU, so as long as an IP address can be assigned, it can communicate with the server system. After the data of the terminal equipment passes through 4G DTU, it is transmitted wirelessly. The content transmitted by the network is generally only processed by the IP header. To intercept the data transmitted in the wireless network, simply remove the header information and the transmitted data will be displayed; at the same time, the data is not processed accordingly. , 4G DTU may cause the replay or retransmission of wireless data to cause system anomalies, thus posing security risks.
8. Security of wireless access
4G router: Data exchange using a 4G router uses a secure tunnel established between the wireless router and the communication server. All data exchange can only be from end (terminal device) to end (server), and any other intermediate to The data at both ends cannot be communicated effectively, which means that the wireless network provider cannot enter any system at both ends of the communication.
4G DTU: Data exchange using 4G DTU uses the data exchange process within the wireless network provider, allowing the wireless network provider to easily enter any system at both ends of the communication.
9. Data compression and transmission
Using 4G industrial routers, large data packets can be compressed first and then transmitted, thereby reducing network traffic, increasing network bandwidth, and improving data transmission efficiency (except for pictures and images with high compression ratios).
When using 4G DTU, data is generally not compressed during data transmission.
10. Processing of exchange data
The communication server is the core of the 4G industrial router, so the center server must be installed with a host for the 4G industrial router to communicate. All data exchanged by the device must be encrypted, decrypted, verified, routed, etc. Processing, using 4G DTU has no other intermediate servers, but a direct connection to the central server.
Whether it is an industrial 4G router or a DTU, they are all devices used in the IoT industry to transparently transmit wireless network data for industrial equipment. In terms of data transmission, each has its own advantages. For example, industrial 4G routers have great advantages in the transmission of surveillance videos. However, in areas with scattered transmission distances, 4G DTU with higher data communication rates has its own advantages. Advantage.