NXP FRDM-IMXRT1186 Board Packs Four Ethernet Ports for $85
NXP's $85 FRDM-IMXRT1186 pairs an 800 MHz Cortex-M7 with a 300 MHz Cortex-M33 and four Ethernet ports, including 2 Gigabit TSN, for industrial builds.
NXP's new FRDM-IMXRT1186 is a development board for engineers who want to prototype industrial networking without hunting for extra hardware. Covered by CNX Software on September 29, 2026, the board puts a dual-core i.MX RT1186 crossover MCU next to four Ethernet ports and a standard Arduino-style header layout, for $85.
- The i.MX RT1186 combines an 800 MHz Arm Cortex-M7 with a 300 MHz Cortex-M33.
- Memory includes 64 Mbit HyperRAM, 512 Mbit HyperFlash and 128 Mbit QSPI flash.
- Four Ethernet ports: two Gigabit TSN ports and two Fast Ethernet ports for EtherCAT and TSN use.
- The board lists at $85, with MCUXpresso SDK, Zephyr and FreeRTOS support.
What is the FRDM-IMXRT1186?
FRDM is NXP's low-cost "freedom" board line. This one is built around the i.MX RT1186, a crossover MCU that aims for application-processor performance with microcontroller-style real-time behavior. The fast Cortex-M7 handles heavy control tasks while the Cortex-M33 can look after housekeeping or security roles.
Beyond the four Ethernet ports, the board adds a USB-C OTG port, a CAN transceiver, an on-board MCU-Link debugger with JTAG, and headers compatible with Arduino UNO R3 and other FRDM boards. That means existing shields and accessories can be reused for early experiments.
Why do four Ethernet ports matter?
Industrial machines often need several networks at once: a fieldbus for motor drives, a fast link to a controller, and a management port. Time-Sensitive Networking, or TSN, is designed to deliver data on a predictable schedule, and two of the ports are Gigabit TSN. The other two Fast Ethernet ports are aimed at EtherCAT and TSN use, according to the product information. NXP's page also lists support for industrial protocols including EtherCAT, PROFINET, EtherNet/IP, Modbus TCP and OPC UA, so one board can be used to evaluate several ecosystems.
How does it compare with NXP's other dev boards?
NXP has filled out its board family this summer. The FRDM i.MX 95 Pro board with 10GbE and dual M.2 slots targets Linux-class edge AI, while the MCX A5 family with post-quantum boot covers small secure microcontrollers. The IMXRT1186 sits in between, offering a real-time platform with lots of networking for factory and gateway designs.
Who is it for?
At $85, it is an approachable way for small teams, students and makers with industrial projects to try TSN and EtherCAT. CNX noted that the board is focused on industrial automation rather than consumer use. NXP's manual for the board is dated January 2026, so the platform is not brand new, and September 29 marks CNX's coverage rather than a confirmed launch date. More boards like this are collected in our mini computer section.
Sources: NXP: FRDM-IMXRT1186 development board — accessed September 30, 2026; CNX Software: NXP FRDM-IMXRT1186 development board features i.MX RT1186 crossover MCU, four Ethernet ports — September 29, 2026.
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