Introduction: What Is a CAN-to-Fiber Converter?

In industrial automation, the CAN bus (Controller Area Network) has become a core fieldbus connecting sensors, actuators and PLCs, thanks to its high reliability, real-time performance and flexibility. However, in harsh industrial environments with strong electromagnetic interference, long-distance transmission (over 1 km) or high voltage differences, traditional copper-cable CAN bus suffers severe signal attenuation, sharply degraded noise immunity and even communication interruption.

A CAN-to-fiber converter exists precisely to solve this. By converting CAN electrical signals to optical signals and using fiber as the transmission medium, it dramatically extends communication distance and raises noise immunity. Its core value:

• Electrical isolation: fiber provides complete electrical isolation, suppressing ground-loop interference and surge, protecting equipment.

• Ultra-long transmission: single-mode fiber can reach 20 km or more, far beyond the 1 km CAN limit.

• EMI immunity: fiber is immune to electromagnetic (EMI) and radio-frequency (RFI) interference, ideal for drives, motors and high-power equipment.

• High reliability: low loss and attenuation for stable, reliable communication.

The ECAN-F02 from Chengdu EBYTE Electronic Technology Co., Ltd. integrates dual fiber interfaces and ring-network communication into an industrial-grade CAN-to-fiber intelligent converter, delivering high-reliability, high-flexibility solutions for complex industrial sites.

Who It's For

ECAN-F02 serves five core user groups, precisely solving their rigid needs:

ECAN-F02 Product Overview

The ECAN-F02 is a next-generation industrial-grade CAN-to-fiber intelligent converter developed by EBYTE. It accepts DC 9–36V wide-voltage input to adapt to complex industrial power environments. It integrates 1 standard CAN bus interface and 2 standard single-mode dual-core SC fiber interfaces, enabling bidirectional, transparent, lossless real-time conversion between CAN data and optical signals with microsecond-level conversion latency for high fidelity and instant response.

Core Configuration

Features & Model Comparison

ECAN-F02 Key Features

1. Dual fiber interfaces, ring-network capable — 2 standard single-mode dual-core SC fiber interfaces support point-to-point and flexible ring topology. In ring mode, a fault at one point automatically reroutes data via the backup path for link redundancy and self-healing, ideal for continuity-critical industrial sites.

2. Ultra-long distance, strong noise immunity — single-mode fiber up to 20 km; complete electrical isolation suppresses EMI, RFI and ground-loop interference for stable communication under strong EMI.

3. Hardware DIP configuration, tune-and-use — 5-bit DIP switch: the first 4 bits configure CAN baud rate, the last bit configures the termination resistor. Supports 5K–1Mbps CAN baud rates and a selectable built-in 120Ω termination. No host software needed — truly tune-and-use.

4. Wide-voltage power & dual isolation — DC 9–36V with reverse-connection protection; power and signal dual isolation improves noise immunity and reliability for long-term operation.

5. Remote firmware upgrade — via Type-C, easing future evolution and maintenance.

Series Comparison

Detailed Technical Specifications

 Basic Parameters

Interface Description

Device Configuration

• Configure CAN baud rate via DIP bits 1–4: supports 1000k / 800k / 500k / 400k / 250k / 200k / 125k / 100k / 80k / 50k / 40k / 20k / 13.33k / 10k / 5k bps. Note: restart the device after changing the baud rate.

• Configure termination resistor via DIP bit 5: set to "ON" to enable the built-in 120Ω termination. Typically enable it on the two farthest nodes of the CAN network.

Fiber Connection Notes

For dual-core fiber, follow the rule RX-to-TX and TX-to-RX: one end's transmitter connects to the other end's receiver, and vice versa.

Application Scenarios

CAN Communication Under Strong EMI

Scenario: dense drives, servos, high-power motors and welders generate strong EMI that disrupts copper CAN links, causing packet loss and interruption.
Solution: use ECAN-F02 in pairs.
Description: convert two CAN devices (e.g. PLC and drive) to fiber via ECAN-F02, connected by single-mode fiber. The dual power/signal isolation eliminates ground-loop interference, and fiber eliminates EMI, delivering 100% reliable communication in harsh EMI.

Ultra-Long-Distance CAN Networking

Scenario: oil fields, mines, water plants, wind farms — devices spread over 1 km to 10+ km; traditional CAN cannot reach reliably.
Solution: use ECAN-F02 in pairs.
Description: deploy one ECAN-F02 at each end, connected by single-mode fiber. Low-loss single-mode fiber reaches up to 20 km without repeaters, enabling reliable remote-to-control-room communication with lower cabling and maintenance cost.

High-Reliability Fiber Ring Network

Scenario: rail transit, power systems, data centers — a single-point failure could cripple the system, requiring redundant networks.
Solution: network multiple ECAN-F02 into a fiber ring.
Description: use the dual fiber interfaces to daisy-chain devices into a ring. When a link fails at one point, ECAN-F02 automatically uses the backup path and reroutes data, achieving self-healing with no communication interruption.

Legacy Device Retrofit & Upgrade

Scenario: factories with aging CAN devices, degraded wiring, poor noise immunity, high upgrade cost.
Solution: ECAN-F02 as conversion nodes.
Description: no need to replace old devices — connect ECAN-F02 at both ends of the CAN bus to upgrade the copper network to fiber, solving all distance and interference problems while retaining existing equipment for low-cost smooth migration. Future remote firmware upgrades enable continued evolution.

FAQ

Q1: No communication after connecting fiber — what to do?
Check wiring (RX to the other device's TX, TX to its RX — the most common mistake); check fiber/SC connectors are fully seated, no break or excessive bending; confirm DC 9–36V power with correct polarity; check CAN_H/L/G wiring for shorts/opens; confirm both ECAN-F02 and CAN devices use the same baud rate (restart after change).

Q2: Can't reach 20 km — what to do?
Confirm single-mode (not multi-mode, typically <2 km) fiber; check optical power/connectors for dust or damage causing excessive attenuation; consider real-world factors — fiber quality, splice points, temperature — and estimate link budget.

Q3: How is ring self-healing implemented?
The dual fiber interfaces support a physical ring topology. During normal operation data travels around the ring. When a fiber breaks or a device loses power, ECAN-F02 detects the fault and immediately activates the backup path, rerouting data in the other direction for millisecond-level self-healing with no interruption.

Q4: How to configure the CAN baud rate?
Use DIP bits 1–4 on the side. Refer to the manual's configuration table for the baud-rate mapping. Restart the device after configuring.

Q5: How to enable the termination resistor?
Use DIP bit 5; set it to "ON" to enable the built-in 120Ω termination. Typically enable it on the two farthest nodes of the CAN network.