Ultra compact, rugged bandwidth

RouterCore (Patent Pending) is a tiny, rugged Layer 3 router that packs serious networking capability into 68 x 49 x 40.13 mm.

With 16 × Gigabit Ethernet ports and 3 × 10Gbps interfaces in an embeddable module, RouterCore is designed for edge AI, autonomous systems and mobile compute platforms moving large amounts of data between cameras, sensors, computers and other onboard hardware.

It brings high-bandwidth networking, routing, precise timing, PoE, wireless connectivity and general-purpose interfaces together in a single compact module, without requiring a separate router, switch or interface board.

Designed around the SWaP constraints of drones, robotics, vehicles, satellites and other mobile platforms, RouterCore delivers high port density while keeping size, weight and power consumption low. It is built for systems operating in harsh environments across air, land, sea and space.

19 Ethernet interfaces in a tiny footprint

RouterCore provides:

• 16 × 10BASE-T / 100BASE-TX / 1000BASE-T Ethernet ports with integrated magnetics
• 3 × high-speed interfaces supporting 10GBASE-R, USXGMII, 1GBASE-X and SGMII
• Up to 90 W PoE on four Gigabit Ethernet ports
• CAN, UART, I2C, Wi-Fi6, BLE 5.4

That gives engineers enough network capacity to connect large sensor suites, cameras, edge computers and other high-bandwidth devices without building a network around several separate switches.

RouterCore can support security-critical and FIPS 140-3-oriented deployments. Its onboard Microchip SAM9X75 processor provides hardware-accelerated AES-128/192/256 and SHA/HMAC cryptography, together with a FIPS 140-3-compliant true random number generator (TRNG).

Hardware security features include authenticated and encrypted Secure Boot, one-time-programmable secure key storage, a Physical Unclonable Function (PUF) for hardware-derived keys, external-memory scrambling and hardware tamper protection.

Combined with OpenWrt, RouterCore supports secure networking features including stateful firewalling, IPsec/OpenVPN VPNs, SSH/TLS management and cryptographically signed software packages.

For security implementations, get in touch with our development partner, Tyr Labs (contact@tyrlaboratories.com).

Layer 2 + Layer 3 networking

RouterCore isn't just a high-port-count Ethernet switch. It includes Layer 2 and Layer 3 networking features for managing traffic directly at the edge.

Layer 3 functionality includes:

• 802.1Q tag-based and port-based VLANs
• Up to 4,096 VLANs
• Link aggregation groups
• Port control and status
• Energy Efficient Ethernet
• Port-based and tag-based QoS
• Speed, duplex and auto-MDIX configuration
• Port mirroring
• IGMP Multicast V1/V2/V3 and MLD

• Rapid Spanning Tree Protocol
• Firewalling
• WireGuard VPN
• SSH tunneling
• Tshark and TCPDump

RouterCore runs Linux/OpenWRT, giving engineers a familiar platform for configuring and managing networking directly onboard the system.

Precise timing for sensor-heavy systems

For applications where cameras, sensors and compute need to agree on exactly when something happened, RouterCore includes full IEEE 1588v2 Precision Time Protocol (PTP) support.

Supported timing modes include:

• Boundary / Transparent Clock
• End-to-end / Peer-to-peer
• gPTP industrial PTP profile 802.1AS
• Linux OpenWRT timing support

This makes RouterCore particularly useful in sensor fusion, autonomy, robotics and distributed compute systems where accurate synchronization between networked devices is important.

More than Ethernet

RouterCore also brings common embedded interfaces directly into the module, reducing the number of additional boards and adapters required around your network.

It includes:

• CAN-FD with timestamping
• 2 × UART, galvanically isolated
• 1 × I²C, galvanically isolated
• Wi-Fi 6
• Bluetooth Low Energy 5.4

At the center is a Microchip SAM7 processor with an 800 MHz ARM9 core, 2 Gbit DDR3L memory and crypto engine.

Designed to embed

RouterCore uses a 200-pin Samtec SEARAY stacking connector, allowing the module to become part of a larger embedded system rather than requiring a conventional standalone router enclosure.

You can use RouterCore with our RouterCore BaseBoard for a fast, ready-to-use implementation, or integrate the module directly onto your own custom PCB.

This makes it possible to build the networking around the mechanical and electrical requirements of your platform instead of designing the platform around a conventional router.

Wide power input for mobile platforms

RouterCore accepts a wide 5–60 VDC input, with reverse-polarity and overvoltage protection.

That wide input range makes it easier to integrate into battery-powered and vehicle systems without adding another dedicated power conversion stage just for the network.

Cooling is completely passive, with an aluminum 7075 chassis designed to dissipate heat without fans or other moving parts.

Built for harsh environments

RouterCore was designed around the conditions encountered by mobile systems rather than a server rack.

The module has been tested against environmental conditions including:

• Operating temperature: -70°C to +110°C
• Temperature shock: -50°C to +110°C, five-minute cycles
• Vibration: MIL-STD-810H Method 514.8
• Mechanical shock: MIL-STD-810H Method 516.8, including 75 g peak acceleration
• Low-pressure operation: MIL-STD-810H Method 500.6, including operation at 30,000 ft and rapid decompression testing
• Radiation tolerance: 20 krad(Si), operating

All of this is packed into a module designed for platforms where every gram, watt and cubic centimeter counts.

Hardware at a glance

• 16 × 10/100/1000BASE-T Ethernet
• 3 × 10GBASE-R / USXGMII / 1GBASE-X / SGMII
• Dimensions: 68 x 49 x 40.13 mm
• 4 × up to 90 W PoE
• Full IEEE 1588v2 PTP support
• CAN-FD, UART and I²C
• Wi-Fi 6 + Bluetooth 5.4
• Linux / OpenWRT
• 5–60 VDC input
• Passive cooling
• Samtec SEARAY 200-pin stacking interface
• MIL-STD-810H environmental testing
• 20 krad(Si) radiation tolerance

Use our RouterCore BaseBoard to get started quickly, or mount RouterCore directly to your PCB for a fully embedded implementation.

Check out our RouterCore BaseBoard for the module.

RouterCore Module Product Brief
RouterCore ECAD Symbol and Footprint