Control Network Newsletter
Adding BACnet/IP Devices to IT Networks
Systems integrators may encounter the need to add more BMS devices at a job site. Depending on the IP configuration at the site and IT policies, there may not be enough IP addresses available to integrate new BACnet/IP devices. The IT department may no longer be willing to support or allocate IP addresses for BMS devices. In this case, the IT department may ask the BMS contractor to configure a separate network for their BMS devices. In these situations, a Contemporary Controls EIGR IP router can be used to set up a separate subnet for the BMS devices, and the WAN port of the IP router can be connected to the IT network.
With this setup, the systems integrator is free to manage and configure their own BMS network. The IT department only needs to provide a single IP address for the IP router WAN port that connects to the IT network.
The IP router firewall also blocks broadcast messages, which helps to reduce BACnet/IP traffic on the IT network. If needed, a BACnet Broadcast Management Device (BBMD), such as the BASRT-B BACnet router, can be used to access any BMS device from the IT network.
IP routers enable BACnet/IP network segmentation which provides key advantages when adding devices to a BMS network. This capability lets systems integrators add BMS devices when IP address allocation is restricted or remove BACnet/IP devices from the existing IT network to limit BACnet/IP traffic.
For more information on the applications of our EIGR IP routers, refer to the EIGR Series Application Guide.