HIRSCHMANN MS4128-L3P EEC Managed Industrial Ethernet Switch
HIRSCHMANN MS4128-L3P EEC Managed Industrial Ethernet Switch
The Hirschmann MS4128-L3P EEC is a high-performance, fully managed, modular industrial Layer 3 Ethernet switch belonging to the renowned PowerMICE (Modular Industrial Communication Equipment) family. Engineered to support mission-critical automation and harsh environment operations, this switch seamlessly combines robust hardware flexibility with advanced routing and switching features.
The “EEC” (Extended Environmental Conditions) designation guarantees reliable, fanless operation across a broader temperature range, making it ideal for substation automation, traffic control, and heavy industrial settings.
Technical Parameter List
| Parameter | Specifications & Value |
| Brand / Manufacturer | Hirschmann (A Belden Brand) |
| Model Name | MS4128-L3P EEC |
| Order Number (SKU) | 943 009-303 (Standard EEC version) |
| Switching Mode | Store and Forward |
| Layer Management | Layer 3 Professional (L3P) Software |
| Port Capacity | Up to 28 ports total via hot-swappable media modules |
| Uplink Ports | Up to 4 Gigabit Ethernet (10/100/1000BASE-TX or SFP slots) |
| Fast Ethernet Ports | Up to 24 ports (10/100BASE-TX or 100BASE-FX) |
| Operating Voltage | Dual redundant 24 V DC inputs (18 V DC to 32 V DC) |
| Power Consumption | Approx. 15 W (excluding modules) |
| Protection Class | IP20 |
| Mounting Type | 35 mm DIN Rail |
| Dimensions (W x H x D) | 315 mm x 134 mm x 140 mm |
| Weight | Approx. 2.2 kg (chassis only) |
Product Features & Core Advantages
Fully Modular “Pick-and-Mix” Design: The chassis accepts a wide variety of hot-swappable media modules, allowing you to easily scale and mix copper (RJ45) and fiber (SFP or fixed transceiver) connections as your physical network demands evolve.
Advanced Layer 3 Routing: Equipped with Hirschmann’s Professional (L3P) Software, the switch goes beyond Layer 2 switching to support static routing, dynamic routing protocols (such as RIP and OSPF), multicast routing, and VRRP (Virtual Router Redundancy Protocol) for robust network segmentation.
High Availability & Redundancy: Featuring HIPER-Ring (with a recovery time of less than 50 ms), RSTP, MRP, Dual Homing, and link aggregation (LACP), ensuring your automation system maintains zero-downtime operations even during a link failure.
Industrial-Grade Security: Supports Access Control Lists (ACL), port-based security (802.1x), IEEE 802.1Q VLANs, SNMPv3. and secure device management via SSH/SSL.
Seamless PROFINET Integration: 100% compatible with PROFINET Real-Time (RT) environments, facilitating easy diagnostic feedback directly to PLCs.
Model Classification & Software Versions
The Hirschmann MS4128 series is classified by its software implementation levels to meet different budget and routing requirements:
MS4128-L2P (Layer 2 Professional): Fully featured Layer 2 industrial switch with robust redundancy and management.
MS4128-L3E (Layer 3 Enhanced): Introduces basic static routing and Layer 3 management capabilities.
MS4128-L3P (Layer 3 Professional): The premium configuration. Offers complete dynamic routing capabilities (OSPF, RIP), advanced multicast routing, and high-performance network backbone routing.
EEC (Extended Environmental Conditions) Variant: Specially ruggedized hardware version designed for wider temperature profiles and higher vibration tolerances.
Environmental Tolerance Conditions
The EEC variant is specifically optimized for harsh, unforgiving field environments:
Operating Temperature: Extended range from -40 °C to +70 °C (standard versions are limited to 0 °C to +60 °C).
Storage/Transport Temperature: -40 °C to +85 °C.
Relative Humidity: 10% to 95% (non-condensing).
Shock & Vibration Resistance: Tested to IEC 60068-2-27 (15 g, 11 ms duration) and IEC 60068-2-6 (vibration stability in cabinet setups).
Electromagnetic Compatibility (EMC): Enhanced immunity against electrostatic discharge (ESD) (EN 61000-4-2), radiated EMI (EN 61000-4-3), and fast transients/bursts (EN 61000-4-4).

MS4128-L3P
Installation Method
The modular chassis of the MS4128 series is designed for quick, secure cabinet mounting:
1.Mount the Chassis on DIN Rail:Chassis Positioning。
Hook the upper slot of the MS4128 backplate onto the top edge of a standard 35 mm DIN rail, then press down firmly until the bottom locking latch clicks into place securely.
2.Insert Media Modules:Slot Configuration。
Slide your desired MM2 or MM3 hot-swappable media modules into the vacant expansion slots on the switch backplane. Hand-tighten the module mounting screws to ensure proper electrical contact and earth grounding.
3.Connect Redundant Power:Terminal Block Wiring。
Wire your primary and secondary 24 V DC power sources to the 4-pin plug-in terminal block. This provides seamless redundant failover in case of power supply loss.
4.Establish Grounding:System Protection。
Connect a solid copper ground wire from the protective earth (PE) screw on the chassis to your local cabinet ground bus.
Operating Instructions & Commissioning
First-Time Access (IP Assignment): Out of the box, the switch does not have a default IP address. Use the free Hirschmann HiDiscovery software utility or a DHCP server to detect the switch by its MAC address and assign an IP.
Web Management: Open a secure browser session using the newly assigned IP address (https://[Your-IP]) to configure ports, VLANs, and advanced redundancy settings.
Console Configuration: For command-line access (CLI), connect a serial terminal cable to the RJ11 “V.24” interface port. Use standard serial settings (9600 bps, 8 data bits, no parity).
USB Configuration Backup: The unit supports the auto-configuration adapter (ACA21-USB). Plugging this in automatically saves your network configurations, allowing immediate, plug-and-play device replacement if needed