EtherCAT

EtherCAT stands for Ethernet for Control Automation Technology.

It is a real-time communication protocol over standard Ethernet hardware

/ networks. In EtherCAT, the network topology has one central controller

that manages the communication of up to N (65.535) other devices.

EtherCAT devices transfer data “on the fly,” enabling high speed, high

throughput communication over the Ethernet physical layer.

EtherNET/IP

EtherNet/IP is an application-layer protocol that uses standard Ethernet

(TCP/UDP) communication to implement the Common Industrial Protocol

(CIP). CIP is frequently employed for reliable communication with various

automation components, including Ethernet-based PLCs, I/O modules and

field devices. Communication is facilitated through two primary methods:

implicit messaging, which uses UDP for time-critical, scheduled data

exchange at a fixed Requested Packet Interval (RPI), and explicit messaging,

which uses TCP for setting or retrieving object data for standard objects like

Identity and Message Router.