Communication apparatus for industrial communication network can be operated redundantly and method of operating a communication network

Communication apparatus for industrial communication network operable redundantly, with - at least a first and a second unit transmitting and receiving (11, 12) each have an interface for a network connection the industrial communication network (2), wherein both units transmit and receive have a direction identical network and an identifier identical apparatus, - a unit of signal processing (13) connected to the first and second transmitter unit and reception for data transmission without irregularities within the industrial communication network, wherein the processing unit signals has a multiplexing unit (131) for parallel transmission of data packets to send to both drive units, and a processing unit redundancy (132) to treat the data packets received by both receiving units, and wherein the processing unit Redun Dancia comprises a filter unit (133), which is designed for detecting packets received redundant data, - at least one network connection to an automation device (31-33), connected to the signal processing unit to via a coupling element (14), wherein - the first and / or second unit transmitter and receiver are designed for transmission of data affected by irregularities and for a no irregularities, within the industrial communication network both, and you can be selectively switched to a transmission mode affected by irregularities or without irregularities, where only in the transmission mode without irregularities each data packet is duplicated by a device sending communication and sent to a receiver in two different ways, - to the first and / or second emission and reception unit is connected an evaluation unit (138), which is designed for detecting packets transmission data affected by irregularities or without irregularities within the industrial communication network, wherein a data packet affected by irregularities or without irregularities present in at least one data field default, a characterization for a way of respective transmission, - the processing unit redundancy and the filter unit are disabled upon detection of a data packet to be transmitted affected by irregularities, - the processing unit redundancy is designed for transmission without buffering data packets received by both receiving units, the coupling element, - the first and / or second unit transmission and reception is associated a memory unit (139) which is designed for controlling at least one data packet to be transmitted affected by irregularities, for a preset time period, in transmission mode affected by irreg ularidades.