Allen‑Bradley 1783-HMS16TG4CGR – Managed Industrial Ethernet Switch for High-Density, Gigabit Control Networks

The 1783-HMS16TG4CGR sits in Allen‑Bradley’s Stratix managed switch family and is tailored for control cabinets that need a lot of reliable Gigabit ports in a small footprint. From my experience, this model is chosen when teams want 16 copper Gigabit ports for controllers/IO and 4 SFP uplinks for backbone or long-distance fiber—without compromising industrial temperature and redundancy. You might notice the “CGR” suffix; that typically indicates a conformal‑coated hardware build and an image set with routing-capable features in many cases, which helps in harsher environments and segmented architectures.

Company’s Order Placement Process and Guarantees

Key Features

• 20-port Gigabit density (16 RJ45 + 4 SFP) – Connect controllers, HMIs, and drives on copper while reserving SFPs for fiber uplinks or rings.
• Industrial design with conformal coating – The CGR build typically supports harsher atmospheres and cabinet condensation better than non‑coated variants.
• Managed Layer 2 with Layer 3 capability – VLANs, IGMP Snooping/Querier, QoS, and—on routing-enabled images—static routing to segment cells without a separate router.
• Time‑sensitive control traffic – IEEE 802.1p/DSCP QoS and commonly PTP/IEEE‑1588 support on this family help prioritize motion and I/O traffic.
• Redundant power inputs – Dual 24 VDC inputs for higher availability; switchover is seamless in most cases.
• Integration with EtherNet/IP – Add‑on profiles and diagnostics visible in Studio 5000 or FactoryTalk tools simplify commissioning and troubleshooting.
• Flexible SFP choices – Use 1G SX/LX SFPs to match your fiber type and distance; ideal for plant backbone or remote MCCs.
• Secure management options – Typical features include user roles, secure protocols, ACLs, and port security to keep OT networks tidy and compliant.

Technical Specifications

Application Fields

I typically see the 1783-HMS16TG4CGR in production cells where you need lots of local device ports and clean uplinks to the plant backbone. Good fits include:

• Automotive body, paint, and final assembly lines consolidating robots, vision, and safety I/O
• Food & beverage packaging skids with redundant 24 VDC power and fiber runs to the main rack rooms
• Water/Wastewater plants segmenting process areas with VLANs and using SFPs for outdoor cabinets
• Material handling systems linking PLCs, VFDs, and scanners while reserving routing between zones
• Oil & gas OEM skids where conformal coating and extended temperature are often requested

Advantages & Value

• Reliability – Conformal coating and dual DC inputs reduce nuisance downtime, especially in humid or dusty cabinets.
• Compatibility – Plays nicely with ControlLogix/CompactLogix and EtherNet/IP devices; diagnostics visible where maintenance already works.
• Lifecycle & support – A mainstream catalog family from Allen‑Bradley, which usually means longer availability and firmware cadence.
• Total cost – With 20 Gigabit ports in one box, you can trim extra media converters and intermediate switches.
• Security posture – Role‑based access and common OT controls (ACLs, port security) make audits less painful.

Quick customer note: a packaging OEM swapped a mixed set of unmanaged switches for this model and shaved hours off commissioning because the CIP diagnostics highlighted mis‑patched VLANs immediately. It seems minor, but it saved them a truck roll on week one.

Installation & Maintenance

• Cabinet & mounting – Mount on grounded DIN‑rail or panel; keep 50 mm (2 in) clearance on sides/top for airflow; avoid direct heat sources.
• Power wiring – Provide two isolated 24 VDC supplies for redundancy; 18–32 VDC accepted. Use ferrules and label the alarm relay if used.
• Networking – Use industrial‑grade Cat6/Cat6a for Gigabit copper; match SFPs to fiber type (SX for MMF, LX for SMF). Verify VLAN and IGMP settings before live I/O.
• Grounding & shielding – Bond the enclosure and follow single‑point grounding practices; shield VFD cable runs away from data paths.
• Maintenance – Export config backups after changes; schedule firmware updates during planned downtime; dust the vents; check power terminal torque annually.
• Time sync – If using motion or sequence-of-events, enable PTP/IEEE‑1588 and set boundary/transparent mode to match the controller strategy.

Quality & Certifications

• CE, cULus Listing to industrial control equipment standards (UL 508) and RoHS compliance
• Often specified for Class I, Div 2 / ATEX Zone 2 installations on this product family; verify against your exact SKU and environment
• Manufacturer firmware and security advisories available for validated patching workflows
• Our warranty: 365 days replacement/repair support from shipment

Helpful Accessories (Typical)

• 1G SFP transceivers (e.g., SX/LX types) matched to fiber distance and connectors
• 24 VDC industrial power supplies with redundancy modules
• Pre-terminated industrial Ethernet patch cords and fiber jumpers for cabinet routing
• DIN‑rail power distribution and surge protection for clean DC feeds