EIPStackGroup/OpENer

Free

OpENer is an EtherNet/IP stack for I/O adapter devices. It supports multiple I/O and explicit connections and includes objects and services for making EtherNet/IP-compliant products as defined in the ODVA specification.

FreeFree tier

Type

Open Source

Company

EIPStackGroup

Visit Website GitHub (38 stars)

About EIPStackGroup/OpENer

OpENer is an open-source EtherNet/IP stack designed for I/O adapter devices, compliant with the ODVA specification. It supports multiple I/O connections and explicit connections, and includes CIP objects and services to build EtherNet/IP-compliant products. Developed by EIPStackGroup, OpENer is highly portable, targeting POSIX systems (Linux, BSD) and Windows (via Visual Studio or Cygwin). It offers features such as real-time mode (OpENer_RT), library build support, and unit testing with CppUTest. The project includes community support through dedicated Google Groups for developers and users.

Key Features

EtherNet/IP stack for I/O adapter devices

Supports multiple I/O and explicit connections

Includes CIP objects and services per ODVA specification

Highly portable to POSIX and Windows platforms

Real-time capable mode (OpENer_RT) with RT kernel

Can be built and installed as a static or shared library

Unit test support via CppUTest

Community support via Google Groups (developers and users)

Pros & Cons

Pros

Open source under a permissive license
Rich set of CIP objects for compliance
Cross-platform (Linux, Windows, Cygwin)
Real-time capabilities for deterministic applications
Active community with mailing lists for support

Cons

Primarily designed for I/O adapters, not full scanner or controller functionality
Requires manual configuration and compilation with CMake
Real-time mode needs RT-patched kernel and capabilities (CAP_IPC_LOCK, CAP_SYS_NICE)
Limited documentation beyond the README and source code

Best For

Building EtherNet/IP-compliant I/O adapter devicesIndustrial automation and control systemsDeveloping CIP-based products for manufacturing environmentsEmbedded systems requiring a portable EtherNet/IP stack

FAQ

What is OpENer?

OpENer is an open-source EtherNet/IP stack for I/O adapter devices. It supports multiple I/O and explicit connections and includes CIP objects and services to make EtherNet/IP-compliant products as defined by ODVA.

What platforms does OpENer support?

OpENer is highly portable. The default version targets POSIX operating systems with a BSD-socket network interface (e.g., Linux). It also supports Windows through Cygwin or Visual Studio.

How do I compile OpENer on Linux?

Install CMake, gcc, make, binutils, and libcap-dev. Then run setup_posix.sh in the /bin/posix directory and invoke make. The executable can be run with ./src/ports/POSIX/OpENer interface_name (e.g., eth1).

Does OpENer support real-time operation?

Yes, OpENer has a real-time capable POSIX startup via the OpENer_RT option, which requires a kernel with full preemptive RT patches and activation of CAP_IPC_LOCK and CAP_SYS_NICE capabilities.

Can I integrate OpENer as a library?

Yes, by setting the CMake flag -DOPENER_INSTALL_AS_LIB and optionally -DBUILD_SHARED_LIBS=ON for a shared library. This has been tested on Linux/POSIX.