This article explains how you can remotely access multiple IP ranges (subnets) using VLANs, despite the IXrouter not having VLAN support built in. This enables you to remotely access your entire machine line, even if parts of it are configured for different IP ranges.
You will need an additional piece of hardware that will function as the gateway between the IXrouter's LAN IP range and the additional IP ranges you wish to remotely access (example below).
This additional hardware needs to support VLANs and also needs to support routing traffic between the VLANs. The most common hardware capable of this is called a "layer 3 switch" or a "managed switch". Note that your switch may support VLANs, but may not support routing between the VLANs. Make sure that both are supported.
Configure the managed switch
Before you can configure the IXrouter, you'll need to configure the managed switch. For detailed steps please refer to your switch's manual or contact the manufacturer.
- Configure a port on the managed switch with a unique IP address in the same IP range as the LAN of the IXrouter.
- Connect that port to an available LAN port of the IXrouter.
- Configure the other ports of the managed switch for the other IP ranges that you wish to remotely access and connect them to the corresponding devices (PLC, HMI, etc).
Configure the IXrouter
Once your managed switch is configured and connected, you can configure the IXrouter.
- Excluding the IP range that you configured on the IXrouter's LAN, you'll need to add an additional subnet behind external gateway for every other IP range that you configured on the managed switch.