5
2 terms
5G NR (5G NR)
📡 Cellular & RF
5G New Radio. The air interface standard for 5G cellular networks defined by 3GPP. 5G NR supports both Sub-6 GHz (wide-area coverage) and mmWave (ultra-high-speed short-range) frequency bands. Industrial 5G NR routers from E-Lins support both SA (Standalone) and NSA (Non-Standalone) deployment modes, delivering up to 4 Gbps downlink.
5G RedCap (RedCap)
📡 Cellular & RF
5G Reduced Capability (also called NR-Light). A simplified version of 5G defined by 3GPP Release 17, designed for mid-tier IoT devices that need more capability than 4G Cat-M1 but less than full 5G. RedCap devices support up to 220 Mbps downlink at significantly lower cost and power consumption than full 5G, making them ideal for industrial monitoring applications.
A
3 terms
Access Point Name (APN)
📡 Cellular & RF
A gateway name used by a cellular device to connect to the mobile network's internet or private data service. In industrial IoT deployments, APN settings are configured on the router to connect to carrier networks or private enterprise APNs for secure data transmission. E-Lins routers support custom APN configuration for all major carriers.
ATEX (ATEX)
📋 Standards & Certs
A European directive (ATmosphères EXplosibles) that defines equipment standards for use in explosive atmospheres, such as oil & gas facilities, chemical plants, and grain storage. ATEX Zone 2 certified equipment, including selected E-Lins routers, is approved for use in areas where explosive gases may be present intermittently.
Automatic Failover
🌏Networking
A mechanism that automatically switches connectivity from a primary network link to a backup link when the primary fails. In dual-SIM industrial routers, automatic failover switches from SIM 1 to SIM 2 when packet loss or latency exceeds a configured threshold. E-Lins routers achieve SIM failover in under 3 seconds.
C
4 terms
Cat.12 LTE (Cat.12)
📡 Cellular & RF
An LTE Advanced device category supporting up to 600 Mbps downlink using 3-carrier aggregation. Cat.12 delivers near-5G performance on existing 4G infrastructure, ideal for high-bandwidth industrial applications such as HD video surveillance backhaul, edge computing gateways, and high-density IoT deployments.
Cat.4 LTE (Cat.4)
📡 Cellular & RF
An LTE device category defined by 3GPP that supports download speeds of up to 150 Mbps and upload speeds of up to 50 Mbps. Cat.4 is suitable for standard industrial IoT applications such as remote monitoring, smart metering, and SCADA data collection where moderate bandwidth is sufficient.
Cat.6 LTE (Cat.6)
📡 Cellular & RF
An LTE device category supporting up to 300 Mbps downlink via 2-carrier aggregation. Cat.6 provides higher throughput than Cat.4, making it suitable for applications requiring video streaming, real-time analytics, or high-frequency data collection from multiple field devices simultaneously.
Cellular Router
⚙️ Hardware
A router that uses cellular (4G LTE or 5G) as its primary or backup WAN connection. Industrial-grade cellular routers, such as those manufactured by E-Lins, include hardened housings, extended temperature range, serial interfaces (RS232/RS485), and features designed for mission-critical deployments where wireline connectivity is unavailable or unreliable.
D
3 terms
DI/DO (DI/DO)
🔌 Interfaces
Digital Input / Digital Output. Hardware interfaces that allow a router or gateway to read binary signals from field sensors (DI) and send control signals to actuators or relays (DO). DI/DO ports enable direct integration with industrial equipment for applications such as alarm monitoring, valve control, and equipment status reporting.
DIN Rail
⚙️ Hardware
A standardized 35mm metal rail used in electrical enclosures and industrial control panels for mounting equipment such as circuit breakers, PLCs, and network devices. DIN Rail mounting allows E-Lins routers to be securely installed in industrial control cabinets alongside other field equipment.
Dual SIM
📡 Cellular & RF
A router or modem equipped with two SIM card slots, enabling connectivity to two different cellular carriers simultaneously. Dual SIM configurations support automatic failover (switching to SIM 2 when SIM 1 fails), load balancing (distributing traffic across both carriers), and multi-carrier coverage optimization for deployments in regions where no single carrier provides complete coverage.
E
2 terms
Edge Computing
🌏Networking
Processing data near the source (at the "edge" of the network) rather than transmitting it to a central cloud server. In industrial IoT, edge computing on routers or gateways reduces latency, minimizes bandwidth consumption, and enables local decision-making even when cloud connectivity is interrupted.
eSIM (eSIM)
📡 Cellular & RF
Embedded SIM. A programmable SIM chip soldered directly to the device PCB, eliminating the need for a physical SIM card. eSIM allows remote carrier profile switching without physical access to the device — critical for large-scale IoT deployments where manual SIM swapping is impractical. Supported on selected E-Lins 5G router models.
F
3 terms
Failover
🌏Networking
See: Automatic Failover. The process of switching to a redundant network path or SIM card when the primary connection fails. Critical in industrial deployments where connectivity interruptions would halt operations or compromise safety.
Firewall
🔒 Security & VPN
A network security system that monitors and controls incoming and outgoing traffic based on predetermined rules. Industrial-grade routers such as E-Lins models include stateful firewalls with port filtering, IP whitelisting, and zone-based policies to prevent unauthorized access to field devices connected via serial or Ethernet interfaces.
FTP (FTP)
🔗 Protocols
File Transfer Protocol. A standard network protocol for transferring files between a client and server over TCP/IP. Some industrial routers support FTP clients for automated firmware updates or data file uploads from connected field devices to central servers.
G
3 terms
Gateway
⚙️ Hardware
A network device that acts as a bridge between two different protocols or networks. In industrial IoT, a gateway typically converts serial protocols (Modbus RTU, DNP3) to IP protocols (MQTT, TCP/IP) for transmission over cellular networks to cloud platforms or SCADA systems.
GRE (GRE)
🔗 Protocols
Generic Routing Encapsulation. A tunneling protocol that encapsulates a wide variety of network layer protocols inside virtual point-to-point links. Used in industrial router configurations to create private network tunnels between remote field sites and central data centers.
GSM (GSM)
📡 Cellular & RF
Global System for Mobile Communications. The second-generation (2G) cellular standard that defined how mobile networks operate. While largely superseded by 4G LTE and 5G for data applications, 2G/GSM is still used for SMS-based device management and fallback communications in some remote industrial deployments.
H
1 term
HSPA+ (HSPA+)
📡 Cellular & RF
Evolved High Speed Packet Access. A 3G data standard providing download speeds up to 42 Mbps. Some E-Lins 4G LTE routers include HSPA+ fallback capability for deployments in areas where 4G coverage is not yet available.
I
3 terms
Industrial IoT (IIoT)
🌏Networking
Industrial Internet of Things. The application of IoT technologies — sensors, connectivity, data analytics — to industrial environments such as manufacturing, energy, transportation, and utilities. IIoT enables remote monitoring, predictive maintenance, and process automation at scale. Industrial cellular routers are a core connectivity component of IIoT architectures.
IP Rating (IP)
📋 Standards & Certs
Ingress Protection rating. An IEC standard (IEC 60529) that classifies the degree of protection provided by an enclosure against solid objects and liquids. The first digit indicates protection against solids (0–6), the second against liquids (0–9). IP67 indicates dust-tight and waterproof to 1 meter for 30 minutes — common for outdoor industrial routers.
IPSec (IPSec)
🔒 Security & VPN
Internet Protocol Security. A suite of protocols that authenticates and encrypts IP packets to establish secure VPN tunnels. IPSec is widely used in industrial applications for secure SCADA communications between remote field sites and control centers. Supported natively on E-Lins industrial routers.
L
3 terms
L2TP (L2TP)
🔗 Protocols
Layer 2 Tunneling Protocol. A tunneling protocol often used in combination with IPSec for VPN connections. L2TP/IPSec provides encrypted tunnels suitable for connecting remote industrial sites to enterprise networks with strong authentication requirements.
LTE (LTE)
📡 Cellular & RF
Long-Term Evolution. The 4th-generation (4G) cellular standard defined by 3GPP. LTE provides significantly higher data rates and lower latency than 3G technologies, enabling real-time SCADA, video surveillance, and high-frequency data collection in industrial IoT applications. Variants include LTE-A (Advanced) with carrier aggregation for higher throughput.
LTE Cat-M1 (Cat-M1)
📡 Cellular & RF
LTE Category M1. A low-power wide-area (LPWA) cellular standard designed for simple IoT sensors with low data rates and long battery life. Cat-M1 is not suitable for industrial routers but is used for simple sensor nodes that complement industrial router-based IoT architectures.
M
4 terms
M2M (M2M)
🌏Networking
Machine-to-Machine communication. Direct communication between devices without human involvement, typically over cellular or wired networks. M2M is the predecessor to IoT and remains the dominant term in traditional industrial automation, SCADA, and utility metering applications. E-Lins products have supported M2M communications since 1999.
Modbus
🔗 Protocols
A serial communication protocol originally developed by Modicon in 1979, now the de-facto standard for industrial equipment communication. Modbus RTU operates over RS232 or RS485 serial links; Modbus TCP operates over Ethernet/IP networks. E-Lins routers support transparent serial-to-IP bridging for Modbus RTU to Modbus TCP conversion over cellular networks.
MQTT (MQTT)
🔗 Protocols
Message Queuing Telemetry Transport. A lightweight publish-subscribe messaging protocol designed for constrained devices and low-bandwidth, high-latency networks. Widely used in IIoT for transmitting sensor data to cloud platforms (AWS IoT, Azure IoT Hub). Supported natively on E-Lins routers as a built-in data reporting client.
MTBF (MTBF)
📋 Standards & Certs
Mean Time Between Failures. A reliability metric expressing the average time a device operates before a failure. Higher MTBF indicates greater reliability. E-Lins industrial routers are rated at MTBF > 200,000 hours — equivalent to over 22 years of continuous operation — achieved through industrial-grade component selection, conformal coating, and stress testing.
N
3 terms
NAT (NAT)
🌏Networking
Network Address Translation. A method of mapping multiple private IP addresses to a single public IP address. NAT is commonly used in industrial router configurations to allow multiple field devices (PLCs, sensors, cameras) connected to the LAN ports to share a single cellular IP address for internet connectivity.
NB-IoT (NB-IoT)
📡 Cellular & RF
Narrowband IoT. An LPWA cellular standard optimized for simple, stationary IoT devices with very low data rates and extended battery life. NB-IoT is suitable for smart meters, environmental sensors, and parking sensors — not for industrial routers, but often used alongside E-Lins router-based gateway architectures.
NMS (NMS)
🌏Networking
Network Management System. A software platform for monitoring, configuring, and managing network devices remotely. E-Lins provides a cloud-based NMS platform (also available for on-premise deployment) supporting centralized management of large fleets of industrial routers via web browser and API. Features include bulk firmware updates, configuration templates, real-time monitoring, and alert management.
O
3 terms
OpenVPN
🔒 Security & VPN
An open-source VPN protocol that uses SSL/TLS encryption. OpenVPN is widely deployed in industrial applications for creating secure site-to-site tunnels between remote field routers and central data centers, or for remote engineer access to field equipment for configuration and diagnostics.
OpenWrt
📋 Standards & Certs
An open-source Linux-based operating system for embedded network devices. Many industrial routers, including E-Lins models, are based on or compatible with OpenWrt, allowing advanced users to install custom packages, write automation scripts, and extend router functionality beyond the standard web UI.
OTA (OTA)
🌏Networking
Over-The-Air update. The ability to remotely update device firmware without physical access. OTA firmware updates are critical in industrial deployments where field devices may be in remote or physically inaccessible locations. E-Lins routers support OTA updates via the E-Lins NMS platform, with rollback protection in case of failed updates.
P
5 terms
PLC (PLC)
⚙️ Hardware
Programmable Logic Controller. An industrial digital computer used to control manufacturing processes, machinery, or assembly lines. PLCs communicate via serial protocols (Modbus RTU, Profibus) or Ethernet (EtherNet/IP, Profinet). E-Lins industrial routers connect PLCs to cellular networks for remote monitoring and control via SCADA systems.
PoE (PoE)
🔌 Interfaces
Power over Ethernet. A technology that delivers electrical power alongside data over standard Ethernet cables (IEEE 802.3af/at/bt). PoE eliminates the need for separate power supplies at remote locations. E-Lins PoE routers support both PoE input (powered by PoE switches) and PoE output (powering connected cameras, access points, or sensors).
PPP (PPP)
🔗 Protocols
Point-to-Point Protocol. A data link layer protocol used to establish direct connections between network nodes. PPP is used internally by cellular modules to establish IP connectivity over the cellular air interface, and is relevant for developers integrating cellular modems directly into embedded systems.
PPTP (PPTP)
🔒 Security & VPN
Point-to-Point Tunneling Protocol. An older VPN protocol with known security vulnerabilities; included in E-Lins routers for compatibility with legacy systems. For new deployments, OpenVPN or IPSec/L2TP is recommended for stronger encryption.
Private APN
📡 Cellular & RF
A dedicated Access Point Name provisioned by a mobile operator for a specific enterprise customer, providing a private IP network that bypasses the public internet. Private APNs are widely used in utilities, banking, and government IoT deployments for enhanced security. E-Lins routers fully support private APN configuration.
Q
1 term
QoS (QoS)
🌏Networking
Quality of Service. Traffic management techniques that prioritize certain types of network traffic to ensure performance for critical applications. In industrial routers, QoS ensures that SCADA control commands and alarm data are prioritized over lower-priority traffic such as routine telemetry or management traffic.
R
3 terms
RS232 (RS232)
🔌 Interfaces
A serial communication standard defining electrical characteristics and timing for data transmission between devices. RS232 supports point-to-point communication over distances up to approximately 15 meters at speeds up to 115,200 bps. RS232 ports on E-Lins industrial routers enable direct connection to legacy field equipment, meters, and PLCs.
RS485 (RS485)
🔌 Interfaces
A multi-drop serial communication standard supporting communication between multiple devices on a single bus over distances up to 1,200 meters. RS485 is the dominant serial interface in industrial automation, used by Modbus RTU, DNP3, and other field protocols. E-Lins industrial routers include RS485 ports for direct integration with PLCs, RTUs, and field instrumentation.
RTU (RTU)
⚙️ Hardware
Remote Terminal Unit. A hardware device that monitors field conditions and transmits data to a central SCADA system. RTUs connect to field sensors and actuators via analog and digital I/O, communicating with the SCADA master over serial (RS232/RS485) or network links. E-Lins routers provide cellular backhaul for RTU data to SCADA control centers.
S
4 terms
SCADA (SCADA)
🌏Networking
Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition. An industrial control system architecture for monitoring and controlling field equipment across large geographic areas — typical applications include power grids, water treatment plants, oil pipelines, and transportation systems. E-Lins industrial routers are widely deployed as cellular backhaul for SCADA systems, connecting remote RTUs and PLCs to central control servers via VPN tunnels.
SIM (SIM)
📡 Cellular & RF
Subscriber Identity Module. A removable smart card that identifies and authenticates a mobile subscriber on a cellular network. Industrial applications typically use nano SIM or micro SIM form factors. E-Lins industrial routers support standard physical SIM cards; selected models also support eSIM for remote profile management.
SNMP (SNMP)
🔗 Protocols
Simple Network Management Protocol. A standard protocol for collecting and organizing information about network devices and modifying device behavior. SNMP v1/v2c/v3 support is included in E-Lins industrial routers, enabling integration with enterprise NMS platforms such as Nagios, Zabbix, and PRTG for centralized device monitoring.
Sub-6 GHz
📡 Cellular & RF
The frequency band below 6 GHz used by 5G networks for wide-area coverage. Sub-6 GHz 5G (including the 3.5 GHz n78 band widely deployed globally) provides longer range than mmWave but lower peak speeds. All E-Lins 5G industrial routers support Sub-6 GHz bands for maximum coverage in industrial deployments.
T
1 term
TCP/IP (TCP/IP)
🔗 Protocols
Transmission Control Protocol / Internet Protocol. The foundational protocol suite of the internet and modern networks. TCP provides reliable, ordered, error-checked delivery of data; IP handles addressing and routing. All E-Lins industrial router communications use TCP/IP over cellular or Ethernet networks.
U
1 term
UDP (UDP)
🔗 Protocols
User Datagram Protocol. A connectionless transport protocol that sends data without establishing a connection or guaranteeing delivery. UDP is used in applications where low latency is more important than reliability, such as real-time sensor streaming, VoIP, and certain SCADA protocols. Some industrial routers support UDP-based transparent serial tunneling.
V
2 terms
VLAN (VLAN)
🌏Networking
Virtual Local Area Network. A logical subdivision of a physical network that allows devices to be grouped independently of their physical location. VLANs on industrial routers enable traffic segmentation — for example, separating OT (operational technology) network traffic from IT management traffic within the same physical infrastructure.
VPN (VPN)
🔒 Security & VPN
Virtual Private Network. An encrypted tunnel between two network endpoints over a public network (typically the internet or cellular network). VPNs are essential in industrial IoT for securing SCADA communications between remote field devices and control centers. E-Lins industrial routers support OpenVPN, IPSec, L2TP, PPTP, and GRE tunneling protocols.
W
3 terms
WAN (WAN)
🌏Networking
Wide Area Network. A network that spans a large geographic area. In industrial router terminology, the WAN port typically connects to the upstream network (either cellular via the built-in modem, or wired Ethernet from a broadband modem). E-Lins industrial routers feature 1× WAN + 4× LAN Ethernet ports alongside the cellular WAN interface.
Watchdog Timer
⚙️ Hardware
A hardware or software timer that automatically resets a device if the system fails to respond within a configured time interval. Industrial routers use watchdog timers to automatically reboot and restore connectivity after a software crash or hang — critical in remote deployments where manual intervention is impossible.
Wi-Fi (Wi-Fi)
🔌 Interfaces
Wireless local area network technology based on the IEEE 802.11 standards. Selected E-Lins industrial routers include integrated dual-band Wi-Fi (2.4 GHz + 5 GHz) for local access and bridging wireless sensor networks to the cellular backhaul.