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SA-SSI Networking Configuration

The following applies to firmware version 751 and above.


Introduction

The logger requires an Internet connection to connect to the Centrix server. The logger can be configured in two modes:

  1. Ethernet only
  2. Ethernet with GPRS fallback

Note: where the Ethernet cable has no physical connection the logger will fall-back to GPRS immediately. It will always try an Ethernet connection first if that is available.

The following notes describe the basic settings and how to view the current operating mode. It is strongly advised that before leaving site, the logger is restarted, and that the configuration is verified as described in the final section.

Configuration Pages

These are configured on the logger from the configuration page:

Enter the passcode:

Now select "Internet Access"

The default settings are as follows:

Ethernet Only Configuration

To disable the Modem (and leave it powered down on logger start) Select "Power Modem" which will update the display as follows:

The ethernet port can be setup to use DHCP, or with a static IP address. For DHCP setups, the Ethernet IP and route fields will be ignored.

Ethernet IP example: 192.168.1.2/24 (where 192.168.1.2 is the address, and 24 gives the net-mask, sometimes represented as 255.255.255.0).

Default Route example: 192.168.1.1

DNS example: 8.8.8.8

Where possible it's recommended that DHCP is used. An example configuration for a GSM setup is shown below:

Ethernet with GSM Fallback

The logger will always attempt to use the Ethernet port if it is connected. Where Ethernet is not available (or is failing to allow the logger to make a connection), it will fall back to using GSM. The "Power Modem" selection must be made, and the APN, Password and Username set (note: blanks are not allowed). The following shows a correct configuration:

Finalising Configuration

To update the logger's configuration, select "Update":

The logger will prompt to write GPRS and Ethernet settings:

You should reboot the logger once changes have been made, and ensure that the logger is operating as expected after the restart:

Viewing current connection state

The connection state can be viewed from the status page which is accessed by selecting "Status" from the front screen:

Internet and Modem State

There are two relevant indicators displayed:

The "Modem Power" indicator has two states:

  • Black - modem is powered down
  • Green - modem is powered up

The "Internet" indicator will display two states:

  • Red - no internet connection available
  • Green - Internet connection established

When the logger is attempting to connect to the Internet it will show "Internet : info_1/2" where 1 & 2 will update. These simply indicate that the logger is attempting to connect. It may take several minutes for the logger to connect to the internet. When changing cables and/or settings, the logger will only update its state when it attempts to change something internally. This is a background task and it may take many minutes for the logger to update/connect. If no internet connection can be established, the logger is configured to reboot automatically.

To view the currently configured IP settings, select the "Internet" button:

This will display a list of the current IP addresses associated with the logger.

Centrix Connection

The Centrix connection state is also shown on the status page:

There are three states displayed:

  • Red - there is no active connection to Centrix.
  • Green - Centrix connection is active.
  • Amber - the connection has been idle for more than one minute.

The logger makes connection attempts every five minutes, so should the link fail, it will take several minutes for it to be re-established. This is asynchronous from the loggers checks on the Internet connection, so it is possible for these to be out of synchronisation.