Beckhoff CU2508 Infrastructure 8 Port Multiplier

The Beckhoff CU2508 Infrastructure 8-Port Port Multiplier expands a single Gigabit Ethernet port on the controller into eight independent 100 Mbit/s Fast Ethernet networks with real-time capability, making it ideal for large EtherCAT or multi-network installations without adding more PC ports. It connects to the control IPC via a Gigabit uplink, and data is allocated to the correct 100BASE-TX port based on telegram-prefix analysis, then transmitted with microsecond-precise timing; frames received by the multiplier are provided with a timestamped prefix and sent to the PC over the Gigabit link. TwinCAT 3 supports the CU2508 with Ethernet (TCP/IP), EtherCAT, EAP and Real-time Ethernet, enabling extensive Ethernet deployments where multiple field networks are required and USB/RJ45 port expansion is insufficient. The unit also supports EtherCAT network synchronization across its ports, and two CU2508s can be used for redundancy or higher throughput on a single controller; cable redundancy with distributed clocks can be implemented using two ports. Built for robust industrial use, the CU2508 features a compact module form factor (approximately 146 mm W × 100 mm H × 30 mm D) and is powered from 24 V DC (18–30 V range) at about 250 mA via a 3-pin connector (+, −, PE). It supports up to 100 m twisted-pair cabling, provides LEDs for hardware diagnostics, and carries IP20 protection with CE and UL approvals for industrial environments.