Internet Access and Communication

Why is internet connection important for EV charging sites?

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All your charging stations need internet access. Don’t assume that they will be fine without connection. Over the lifetime of a charger, internet access only represents a marginal investment and provides significant advantages and savings, such as the following.

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• Remote monitoring of charger status and health
• Connect chargers to alert systems and applications
• Mandatory data reporting to state or federal grant programs
• Remote troubleshooting or maintenance
• Remote firmware updates and security upgrades
• Payment implementation and user access control

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How to connect EV chargers to the internet with routers?

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Modern chargers offer at least one of the following internet access options: integrated SIM card, ethernet connection for external routers, or wifi antenna. Large sites typically use external routers with wifi or ethernet connections. However, an external router offers much more advanced security settings, such as VPNs, multi-SIM slots, and fallback options. 

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Modern best-practice is to install an industrial router with an ethernet switch. All EV chargers are connected to the switch with TCP/IP, and the router uses a primary internet connection through fiber or cable. If the main internet access is interrupted, it falls back on the first SIM card. If the SIM card is broken or faulty, the router falls back to the second SIM card. You should also use SIM cards that operate across two or more cellular providers. This setup gives you high uptime and good charger connections.

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Charging stations connect through the OCPP protocol to your central charging management software. For any outgoing or incoming connections, you have to follow basic security principles. This means data encryption with TLS 1.3, authentication between systems using passwords or certificates, and security protocols https and wss. All three are important and are basic requirements when selecting software and hardware vendors. 

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Modern software tools  allow you to monitor charger connectivity. Since charging stations use WebSocket connection to your monitoring system, they automatically reconnect if the internet connection is interrupted. With this in place, even short interruptions don't affect your operations. 

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When installing routers, ethernet switches, and other communication devices on site, you need to install them inside locked rooms or a NEMA enclosure if outside. Installing NEMA enclosures might provide better SIM card reception and easier wiring, but means you have to ensure proper protection from other problems. Physical access to your communication modules are a critical security and uptime threat.

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How do you secure your EV charging depot and protect against hackers?

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Once charging stations are connected to the internet, you must consider cybersecurity. Any device becomes vulnerable to potential attackers when exposed to the World Wide Web. Since the EV charging and EV fleet industry is relatively young but rapidly growing, vendors have often had to cut corners to bring products to market. This isn’t an issue unless you experience a security incident.

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The main goal of providing solid security protection is to prevent others from:

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• “Reading” your charging data
• Changing or deleting data
• Manipulating devices and causing system failures

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To achieve this, charger manufacturers and software companies need to follow the same standards as more established industries, such as telecommunications. This essentially means:

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• Encrypting data using TLS 1.3
• Enforcing authentication of users (passwords, secrets, or security profiles)
• Using security protocols (HTTPS and WSS)
• Protecting your private networks with a firewall and proper router settings

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If you follow these four points and audit your vendors, you’ll likely be ahead of the rest of the industry. Additionally, you can ask vendors to become SOC 2 Type 2 certified, which enhances their internal processes, documentation handling, and physical security.

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Currently, EV fleet charging sites are not a primary target for hackers. However, this may change as sites grow larger. Upgrading to more secure technologies can be difficult after implementation and may sometimes require switching vendors. It's better to do this right from day one.

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