--- title: "Mini PLC4406 Ethernet (ACDC)" url: "https://maker.wiznet.io/matthew/resellers/mini-plc4406-ethernet-acdc/" markdown_url: "https://maker.wiznet.io/matthew/resellers/mini-plc4406-ethernet-acdc/md" type: "VAR: Value-Added Reseller Products" author: "AC - DC" author_url: "https://www.acdcelectronics.ro/index_files/automat_programabil_mini_plc4406.html" editor: "WIZnet" editor_url: "https://maker.wiznet.io/" original_author: "AC - DC" original_url: "https://www.acdcelectronics.ro/index_files/automat_programabil_mini_plc4406.html" published: "2026-09-08" language: "en" likes: 0 views: 84 comments: 0 source: "WIZnet Makers (https://maker.wiznet.io/)" --- # Mini PLC4406 Ethernet (ACDC) > AC-DC Mini PLC4406 combines W5500 Ethernet, ESP8266 control, and Wi-Fi AP expansion for school bells and other small automation systems. Original author: AC - DC (source: https://www.acdcelectronics.ro/index_files/automat_programabil_mini_plc4406.html) ## Article ## AC-DC Mini PLC4406 Ethernet: W5500 Wired Networking and ESP8266 Wi-Fi AP for Small Automation Systems ![](https://maker.wiznet.io/upload/ckeditor5/314972428%5F1790713159%2Epng) Source: ### Overview Scheduling school bells or switching facility lighting requires both a controller that operates on site and a way to manage its settings. **Mini PLC4406 Ethernet**, supplied by Romanian company **AC-DC Echipamente Electronice**, is an enclosed controller designed for these small-scale automation tasks. The manufacturer explicitly identifies an ESP8266-based control system and an internally installed **W5500 SPI network board**. ([Official product description](https://www.acdcelectronics.ro/index_files/automat_programabil_mini_plc4406.html?utm_source=chatgpt.com)) Rather than asking users to assemble a development board, relays, and an enclosure, AC-DC supplies the controller with application-specific software. A Windows application called **Dispatcher server PC** provides configuration and management. One documented application is **school-bell automation**, using either an existing electric bell or an audio system. ([School-bell operating manual](https://www.acdcelectronics.ro/mini_plc4406_clopotelul_scolii_manual_de_utilizare.pdf?utm_source=chatgpt.com)) ### About AC-DC Echipamente Electronice **AC-DC Echipamente Electronice SRL** is an electronics company based in Cluj-Napoca, Romania. Its official website presents the Mini PLC4406 family, remote monitoring and control applications, communication converters, and ESP8266 development resources. Sales and technical enquiries are handled through the manufacturer’s published telephone and email contacts. ([Company contact information](https://www.acdcelectronics.ro/index_files/contact.html?utm_source=chatgpt.com), [Company website](https://www.acdcelectronics.ro/?utm_source=chatgpt.com)) The company combines hardware with application development. Alongside its documented automation packages, it offers customer-specific remote-control and data-acquisition software. Mini PLC4406 is therefore presented not simply as a general-purpose board, but as **a controller configured to solve a particular facility-management task**. ([Company website](https://www.acdcelectronics.ro/?utm_source=chatgpt.com)) ### What Is Mini PLC4406 Ethernet? Mini PLC4406 Ethernet is a **small programmable controller that reads input signals and operates relay outputs**. Ethernet carries information between the controller and a management PC, while the installed application and physical I/O perform the on-site automation. ([Official product description](https://www.acdcelectronics.ro/index_files/automat_programabil_mini_plc4406.html?utm_source=chatgpt.com)) The product family includes Ethernet, Wi-Fi, and GPRS versions. The Ethernet model uses W5500. The SIM800C modem and SMS features described for the GPRS version belong to that separate configuration and should not be treated as standard Ethernet-model features. ([Official product description](https://www.acdcelectronics.ro/index_files/automat_programabil_mini_plc4406.html?utm_source=chatgpt.com)) ### Main Specifications | Item | Manufacturer-Published Information | | --- | --- | | Product | Mini PLC4406 Ethernet | | Control processor | ESP8266 | | Ethernet | Internally installed W5500 SPI network board | | Wi-Fi AP | Software-enabled access-point functionality using ESP-12 is described for the Ethernet configuration | | Digital inputs | Four in the basic configuration | | Digital outputs | Two in the basic configuration, using normally open relay contacts | | Analogue measurements | Four 12-bit channels: internal ambient temperature, two external temperatures, and the unit’s supply voltage | | Flash memory | 4 MB | | Management software | Dispatcher server PC for Windows | | Network configuration | DHCP and fixed-IP setup procedures are documented | | Audio expansion | Separate MP3 player board with a 3.5 mm stereo output | | Power-supply example | The street-lighting application package lists a 230 V AC to 12 V DC, 1 A adapter | I/O and memory specifications come from the basic product description; AP and audio options are described in the manufacturer’s product list. The analogue channels have specified measurement purposes and **should not be interpreted as four general-purpose 0–10 V inputs**. Power arrangements and externally accessible contacts also need to be checked against the selected application package. ([Product specifications](https://www.acdcelectronics.ro/index_files/automat_programabil_mini_plc4406.html?utm_source=chatgpt.com), [Products and accessories](https://www.acdcelectronics.ro/index_files/produse_ac_dc_echipamente_electronice_srl.html?utm_source=chatgpt.com), [Street-lighting manual](https://www.acdcelectronics.ro/plc4406_automatizare_iluminat_stradal_manual_utilizare.pdf?utm_source=chatgpt.com)) ### How It Works: School-Bell Automation ![](https://maker.wiznet.io/upload/ckeditor5/314972428%5F1790714586%2Epng) AI-Generated Images ### Configure the Schedule on a PC In the **Clopoțelul Școlii** school-bell application, users configure lesson and break times, holidays, and audio settings through Dispatcher server PC. The PC and controller connect to the school’s LAN. The manual describes Mini PLC4406 as the client that connects to Dispatcher server PC. ([School-bell operating manual](https://www.acdcelectronics.ro/mini_plc4406_clopotelul_scolii_manual_de_utilizare.pdf?utm_source=chatgpt.com)) ### Execute the Stored Schedule Locally After configuration, the controller operates its relay according to the stored schedule. **The PC application does not have to remain connected for scheduled bell operation to continue.** The manufacturer explicitly describes bell operation as independent of the ongoing connection to Dispatcher server PC. ([School-bell operating manual](https://www.acdcelectronics.ro/mini_plc4406_clopotelul_scolii_manual_de_utilizare.pdf?utm_source=chatgpt.com)) ### Choose an Output for the Existing Installation For an electric bell, the system uses a relay contact. For an audio installation, an **optional MP3 player board** provides an audio output that connects to an amplifier. This board is separate from the Ethernet interface and is not described as standard equipment in every controller. ([School-bell product information](https://www.acdcelectronics.ro/index_files/clopotelul_scolii_new.html?utm_source=chatgpt.com)) The division of responsibilities is straightforward: **the PC manages the schedule, the controller executes it on site, and Ethernet transfers configuration and operating data between them.** ### Role of WIZnet: W5500 ### Ethernet Hardware Explicitly Identified by the Manufacturer The official product description states: > “Mini PLC4406 Ethernet foloseste placa de retea SPI cu W5500.” This translates to **“Mini PLC4406 Ethernet uses an SPI network board with W5500.”** The manufacturer also explains that the board is installed inside the controller. W5500 use is therefore confirmed by the product documentation, rather than inferred from an Ethernet connector or a configuration utility. ([Official Mini PLC4406 description](https://www.acdcelectronics.ro/index_files/automat_programabil_mini_plc4406.html?utm_source=chatgpt.com)) ### Separating Communication from On-Site Control W5500 connects to a host microcontroller over SPI and includes an Ethernet media-access controller and physical-layer interface. In Mini PLC4406, it provides the wired connection used for communication with the management PC. The ESP8266 application—not W5500 itself—determines relay behaviour and executes the school timetable. ([WIZnet W5500 documentation](https://docs.wiznet.io/Product/Chip/Ethernet/W5500?utm_source=chatgpt.com), [School-bell operating manual](https://www.acdcelectronics.ro/mini_plc4406_clopotelul_scolii_manual_de_utilizare.pdf?utm_source=chatgpt.com)) **W5500 provides wired connectivity; the ESP8266 and its application software perform the automation task.** ### Why Does the Ethernet Model Also Have a Wi-Fi AP? The distinction is between **the connection to the management network and local expansion connectivity**. The manufacturer’s separate product list explicitly describes software-enabled **Wi-Fi access-point functionality through ESP-12 in Ethernet and GPRS configurations**. This is evidence about the Ethernet version itself—not a feature transferred from the separately sold Wi-Fi model. ([Manufacturer product and expansion list](https://www.acdcelectronics.ro/index_files/produse_ac_dc_echipamente_electronice_srl.html?utm_source=chatgpt.com)) The same list describes a digital I/O expansion device that uses the AP functionality. This separately supplied device offers up to four relay outputs and five digital inputs. The documented arrangement therefore gives **W5500 the wired management-network role, while the ESP-12 AP supports local wireless expansion**. The supported expansion configuration depends on the supplied application. It should not be interpreted as automatic Wi-Fi failover after an Ethernet disconnection. ([Manufacturer AP and I/O expansion information](https://www.acdcelectronics.ro/index_files/produse_ac_dc_echipamente_electronice_srl.html?utm_source=chatgpt.com)) ### Software and Maintenance AC-DC documents the use of application software together with Dispatcher server PC. Operation across different LANs requires appropriate IP and router configuration, while a local installation can use a management PC within the school or facility network. ([Network commissioning guide](https://www.acdcelectronics.ro/mini_plc4406_dispatcher_server_in_lan_dif.pdf?utm_source=chatgpt.com)) Firmware distribution is not presented as a public source-repository workflow. The installation guide describes receiving a customer-specific `**.bin**`** firmware file by email** and programming it through a USB COM-port connection. Public tutorials or Arduino-style filenames therefore do not establish that the complete Mini PLC4406 product firmware is open source. ([Network commissioning and firmware guide](https://www.acdcelectronics.ro/mini_plc4406_dispatcher_server_in_lan_dif.pdf?utm_source=chatgpt.com)) The manufacturer states that customers run the application on their own PC without depending on an AC-DC-hosted server or paying a separate subscription. Internet-based time synchronization and online audio functions should still be distinguished from local schedule execution. ([Official product description](https://www.acdcelectronics.ro/index_files/automat_programabil_mini_plc4406.html?utm_source=chatgpt.com)) ### Products and Purchasing Channels ![](https://maker.wiznet.io/upload/ckeditor5/314972428%5F1790713365%2Epng) Source: The manufacturer’s public product list displays a price of **2,200 Romanian lei for Mini PLC4406 Ethernet**, with prices stated to **exclude VAT**. This is a listed price, not confirmation of current inventory, delivery time, or the inclusion of optional boards. Those details require confirmation when ordering. ([Manufacturer product and price list](https://www.acdcelectronics.ro/index_files/produse_ac_dc_echipamente_electronice_srl.html?utm_source=chatgpt.com)) The offering extends beyond the controller alone. AC-DC states that the school-bell application is included in the Ethernet controller’s price, while the MP3 player and I/O expansion hardware are listed separately. The street-lighting manual also identifies package contents such as the installed application, Dispatcher server PC, a power adapter, and a USB cable. ([School-bell product information](https://www.acdcelectronics.ro/index_files/clopotelul_scolii_new.html?utm_source=chatgpt.com), [Street-lighting application manual](https://www.acdcelectronics.ro/plc4406_automatizare_iluminat_stradal_manual_utilizare.pdf?utm_source=chatgpt.com)) Sales and technical enquiries are directed to **office@acdcelectronics.ro** and the manufacturer’s telephone contact. Application documentation also describes installation support through telephone, email, and demonstrations at the company’s premises. The commercial offering combines **hardware, application-specific configuration, and installation support**. ([Contact information](https://www.acdcelectronics.ro/index_files/contact.html?utm_source=chatgpt.com), [Street-lighting application manual](https://www.acdcelectronics.ro/plc4406_automatizare_iluminat_stradal_manual_utilizare.pdf?utm_source=chatgpt.com)) ### Application Market and Public Procurement Evidence The documented applications focus on **individual automation tasks such as school bells, facility lighting, and small remote-control installations**, rather than complete large-scale production-line control. The street-lighting application uses calculated sunrise and sunset times, while the school-bell page states that the product is listed in Romania’s **SICAP public-procurement catalogue under CPV 35121100-9**, the bell-equipment classification. ([Street-lighting manual](https://www.acdcelectronics.ro/plc4406_automatizare_iluminat_stradal_manual_utilizare.pdf?utm_source=chatgpt.com), [School-bell procurement information](https://www.acdcelectronics.ro/index_files/clopotelul_scolii_new.html?utm_source=chatgpt.com)) A source outside the manufacturer also provides a procurement indication. **Verificafirma**, a business-information service that republishes SEAP procurement information, lists a **December 9, 2025 purchase record for “Automat programabil Mini PLC4406” by Liceul Tehnologic Târnăveni**, with a value of **2,250 lei**. This is a secondary listing: it does not establish the Ethernet variant, unit quantity, or installation status. ([Secondary procurement listing](https://verificafirma.com/firma/4323306/liceul-tehnologic-tarnaveni?utm_source=chatgpt.com)) The available commercial evidence therefore consists of **application-specific packages, the manufacturer’s public-procurement listing information, and a purchase record naming the product family**. Cumulative Ethernet-model sales and the proportion supplied with AP expansion were not established in the reviewed sources. ### Product Communication: Application Guides and Installation Support ### Showing the Task Before the Hardware AC-DC presents school-bell and street-lighting applications through separate pages and manuals. School documentation includes **“Set up Breaks,” holiday configuration, and audio-selection screens**, allowing prospective users to see both the task the controller performs and the settings used to operate it. ([School-bell product page](https://www.acdcelectronics.ro/index_files/clopotelul_scolii_new.html?utm_source=chatgpt.com), [School-bell manual](https://www.acdcelectronics.ro/mini_plc4406_clopotelul_scolii_manual_de_utilizare.pdf?utm_source=chatgpt.com)) ### Connecting Technical Resources with Product Selection The website also provides ESP8266 and ESP-12 tutorials and development resources. Its development-board material includes references to schematics and Arduino examples. These are separate educational resources, not evidence that the finished controller’s complete firmware is publicly released. This gives the company two complementary types of content: **application documentation for product users and development material for electronics users**. ([ESP-12 development resources](https://www.acdcelectronics.ro/index_files/placa_test_pentru_wifi_esp_12_si_accesorii.html)) The school-product page also connects its application information with SICAP purchasing and direct support. The documented communication approach is **application explanation → operating screens and manuals → purchasing enquiries and installation support**. ([School-bell product information](https://www.acdcelectronics.ro/index_files/clopotelul_scolii_new.html?utm_source=chatgpt.com)) ### Why This Product Matters Mini PLC4406 Ethernet demonstrates why a controller based on a wireless-capable ESP8266 can still include **a dedicated W5500 wired-network interface**. The manufacturer separately documents ESP-12 AP functionality in the Ethernet configuration, assigning different roles to the wired management connection and local wireless expansion. ([Product description](https://www.acdcelectronics.ro/index_files/automat_programabil_mini_plc4406.html?utm_source=chatgpt.com), [AP expansion information](https://www.acdcelectronics.ro/index_files/produse_ac_dc_echipamente_electronice_srl.html?utm_source=chatgpt.com)) The end use is also concrete. A school timetable is transferred from a PC, and the on-site controller executes the stored schedule through a bell relay or optional audio hardware. **W5500 is part of a commercial combination of networking, control hardware, and application software for everyday facility operation.** ([School-bell operating manual](https://www.acdcelectronics.ro/mini_plc4406_clopotelul_scolii_manual_de_utilizare.pdf?utm_source=chatgpt.com)) ### Current Status and Limitations The supplied configuration should identify **the Ethernet model, application software, AP expansion support, and any audio board**. Features from the separate Wi-Fi or GPRS versions should not be assumed to apply to the Ethernet unit. AC-DC also retains documentation for the older PLC4404 generation, which should not be substituted for PLC4406 specifications. ([Product-family information](https://www.acdcelectronics.ro/index_files/automat_programabil_mini_plc4406.html?utm_source=chatgpt.com), [Earlier PLC4404 product information](https://www.acdcelectronics.ro/index_files/automat_programabil_mini_plc4404_usb.html)) Basic I/O counts and the contacts exposed in a particular application package may also differ. The school-bell manual describes a rear normally open contact, while the street-lighting manual uses the relay contact to operate a **separate load contactor**. Actual load connections must follow the selected application’s wiring and contact specifications. ([School-bell manual](https://www.acdcelectronics.ro/mini_plc4406_clopotelul_scolii_manual_de_utilizare.pdf?utm_source=chatgpt.com), [Street-lighting manual](https://www.acdcelectronics.ro/plc4406_automatizare_iluminat_stradal_manual_utilizare.pdf?utm_source=chatgpt.com)) ### Related WIZnet Maker Projects | Related Curation | Useful Comparison | | --- | --- | | [M-DUINO Ethernet, Wi-Fi and Bluetooth LE PLC](https://maker.wiznet.io/bruno/resellers/m-duino-plc-arduino-ethernet-wifi-bluetooth-le-58-i-os-analog-digital-plus/) | Presents a PLC with multiple communication options and a larger I/O offering. It provides a comparison between **an I/O-focused controller platform and a smaller controller supplied around application-specific packages**. | | [ESP32 Controller](https://maker.wiznet.io/mason/projects/esp32-controller/?utm_source=chatgpt.com) | Describes separate ESPHome Wi-Fi and W5500 Ethernet configurations. It helps distinguish **selecting a network profile** from Mini PLC4406 Ethernet’s documented **wired connection and local AP expansion roles**. | These references compare different products and integration approaches. They do not establish shared firmware or interoperability with Mini PLC4406. ([M-DUINO curation](https://maker.wiznet.io/bruno/resellers/m-duino-plc-arduino-ethernet-wifi-bluetooth-le-58-i-os-analog-digital-plus/), [ESP32 Controller curation](https://maker.wiznet.io/mason/projects/esp32-controller/?utm_source=chatgpt.com)) ### Conclusion AC-DC Mini PLC4406 Ethernet is a commercial automation controller combining a W5500 network board with ESP8266-based control. The manufacturer explicitly identifies the internal W5500 hardware and separately documents ESP-12 AP functionality for the Ethernet configuration. ([Product description](https://www.acdcelectronics.ro/index_files/automat_programabil_mini_plc4406.html?utm_source=chatgpt.com), [Product and expansion list](https://www.acdcelectronics.ro/index_files/produse_ac_dc_echipamente_electronice_srl.html?utm_source=chatgpt.com)) Its school-bell application makes the architecture easy to understand: **the PC manages settings, the controller executes the schedule locally, and W5500 connects those tasks through the wired network**. ([School-bell operating manual](https://www.acdcelectronics.ro/mini_plc4406_clopotelul_scolii_manual_de_utilizare.pdf?utm_source=chatgpt.com)) ### FAQ **Q. Where is W5500 use confirmed?A.** The manufacturer’s product description and product list explicitly identify an internal W5500 SPI network board in Mini PLC4406 Ethernet. ([Official product description](https://www.acdcelectronics.ro/index_files/automat_programabil_mini_plc4406.html?utm_source=chatgpt.com)) **Q. Does the Ethernet model also have Wi-Fi?A.** The manufacturer describes ESP-12-based AP functionality in the Ethernet configuration, including its use with digital I/O expansion. This does not establish automatic wireless failover after an Ethernet fault. ([AP and expansion information](https://www.acdcelectronics.ro/index_files/produse_ac_dc_echipamente_electronice_srl.html?utm_source=chatgpt.com)) **Q. Must the PC remain connected for school bells to operate?A.** According to the manual, the controller runs its stored schedule independently of the ongoing Dispatcher server PC connection. The PC is used for configuration and management. ([School-bell manual](https://www.acdcelectronics.ro/mini_plc4406_clopotelul_scolii_manual_de_utilizare.pdf?utm_source=chatgpt.com)) **Q. Are MP3 playback and SMS standard Ethernet-model features?A.** MP3 playback requires a separate player board. SMS is described for the GPRS model equipped with a SIM800C modem. ([Product and accessory list](https://www.acdcelectronics.ro/index_files/produse_ac_dc_echipamente_electronice_srl.html?utm_source=chatgpt.com)) ### Source Snapshot **Review date: September 29, 2026Scope: Mini PLC4406 Ethernet and the ESP-12 AP expansion configuration described by the manufacturer.Pricing: Manufacturer-published list price; stock, lead time, and final supply conditions require confirmation.** | Source | What It Supports | URL | | --- | --- | --- | | AC-DC product description | ESP8266, internal W5500 SPI board, basic I/O, and product variants | [Mini PLC4406](https://www.acdcelectronics.ro/index_files/automat_programabil_mini_plc4406.html?utm_source=chatgpt.com) | | Manufacturer product and price list | ESP-12 AP functionality in the Ethernet configuration, expansion hardware, MP3 board, listed price, and VAT terms | [Products and Prices](https://www.acdcelectronics.ro/index_files/produse_ac_dc_echipamente_electronice_srl.html?utm_source=chatgpt.com) | | Company website and contact page | Business activities, application development, and sales or support contacts | [Website](https://www.acdcelectronics.ro/?utm_source=chatgpt.com) · [Contact](https://www.acdcelectronics.ro/index_files/contact.html?utm_source=chatgpt.com) | | School-bell product information | Ethernet application, optional audio configuration, and SICAP listing information | [Clopoțelul Școlii](https://www.acdcelectronics.ro/index_files/clopotelul_scolii_new.html?utm_source=chatgpt.com) | | School-bell operating manual | PC and controller roles, scheduling, independent execution, and output arrangements | [School Bell Manual](https://www.acdcelectronics.ro/mini_plc4406_clopotelul_scolii_manual_de_utilizare.pdf?utm_source=chatgpt.com) | | Network commissioning guide | Fixed-IP and DHCP setup, customer-specific firmware distribution, and USB programming | [Network Commissioning](https://www.acdcelectronics.ro/mini_plc4406_dispatcher_server_in_lan_dif.pdf?utm_source=chatgpt.com) | | Street-lighting application manual | Sunrise/sunset-based operation, contactor wiring, package contents, and installation support | [Street Lighting Manual](https://www.acdcelectronics.ro/plc4406_automatizare_iluminat_stradal_manual_utilizare.pdf?utm_source=chatgpt.com) | | ESP-12 development resources | Schematics and Arduino examples for separate educational and development hardware | [ESP-12 Resources](https://www.acdcelectronics.ro/index_files/placa_test_pentru_wifi_esp_12_si_accesorii.html) | | WIZnet documentation | W5500 SPI interface and Ethernet functions | [W5500](https://docs.wiznet.io/Product/Chip/Ethernet/W5500?utm_source=chatgpt.com) | | Verificafirma procurement aggregation | A 2025 school purchase record naming Mini PLC4406; secondary SEAP data, not confirmation of variant, quantity, or installation | [School Procurement Listing](https://verificafirma.com/firma/4323306/liceul-tehnologic-tarnaveni?utm_source=chatgpt.com) | --- Source: https://maker.wiznet.io/matthew/resellers/mini-plc4406-ethernet-acdc/