Before connecting the Smart Receiver
Before we get into the process of connecting or disconnecting the receivers, we need to take a few steps back for important information about installing the receiver.
TRACTIAN's Smart Receiver (also known as a gateway) requires an external power supply. It is therefore very important that, before positioning your receivers and sensors, you make sure that there are electrical connections close to the installation site.
To learn more about the installation of Smart Trac sensors, please refer to the positioning and fixing articles.
Important note: do not set up the receiver inside metal electrical panels, which may block the receiver’s signal. As for other types of electrical panels, such as plastic ones, there is no risk to receivers.
Receiver Range
The distance accepted by the Smart Receiver can be up to 328 feet in obstructed environments and up to 1 kilometer at open environments. In addition, a single receiver can communicate with up to 100 sensors on multiple channels, in parallel.
For best results in places with a large number of assets, it is recommended to use more receivers in the same area.
Installation Locations
It is recommended to install the receiver in elevated places, with its antenna facing the sensors. Additionally, choose locations without obstacles between the sensors and the receiver.
Receiver connection via Mobile Network
Plug the Receiver into a 127V or 220V socket;
The Smart Receiver will automatically connect to the best available mobile network;
During the connection process, you will see different colors on the receiver's LED, which indicate the connection status:
Once connected, the receiver's own network is created, and it can be connected to your industrial Wi-Fi.
If you need to restart the process, simply unplug the receiver and plug it back in.
Connecting the Receiver via Wi-Fi
Plug the receiver into a 127V or 220V socket;
Wait 10 seconds for the device's LED to light up white. This indicates that the Wi-Fi network configuration process can begin;
Search for available Wi-Fi networks with a mobile device. The network name will begin with TRACTIAN, followed by a unique 12-digit code;
Connect to this network and start the settings.
Configuring Wi-Fi
To set up Wi-Fi, simply fill in the SSID field and the password. The SSID is the name you give your Wi-Fi network, which allows you to identify it when you're in the process of connecting, for example.
If the network is hidden, you must fill in the other fields from DHCP to complete the connection.
If the network has firewalls
If your company's Wi-Fi network has firewalls, you need to ensure that the MAC Address of the Smart Receiver and the IP of the TRACTIAN server are authorized to allow proper communication. Follow the steps below:
Authorize the MAC Address of the Smart Receiver
Get the MAC Address of the Smart Receiver:
Find the MAC Address of the Receiver.
Access your network's Firewall settings:
Log into the administration panel of your router or Firewall. You can usually do this by typing the router's IP address into your browser (e.g. 192.168.1.1).
Add the MAC Address to the list of authorized devices:
In this panel, look for access control or security settings;
Find the "MAC Filtering" or "MAC Address Control" option;
Add the MAC Address of the Smart Receiver to the list of authorized devices.
Authorize the IP of the TRACTIAN server
Access your network's Firewall settings:
Access the administration panel of your router or Firewall.
Add the TRACTIAN server IP to the permissions:
Look for the Security settings or Firewall rules section;
Add a new permission rule for the TRACTIAN server address: conveyor.tractian.com.
Configuring TCP/IP port 8080
Access your network's Firewall settings:
Log into the administration panel of your router or Firewall.
Open TCP/IP port 8080:
Find the "Port Forwarding" or "Port Triggering" section;
Add a new rule to open TCP/IP port 8080;
Set the rule to allow incoming and outgoing traffic through this port.
Save the settings:
After adding the MAC Address, the IP of the server, and opening TCP/IP port 8080, save the settings in the administration panel of your router or Firewall.
Once you've finished filling in the details, click on “Save and Exit”. The desired Wi-Fi network is now configured on the receiver, which will connect to it automatically.
You can follow the progress of the connection by the colors displayed on the device's LED.
How to confirm that all Smart Receivers are connected via Wi-Fi
In addition to the green light, which indicates that the receiver has been successfully connected, you can use the step-by-step below:
Access the administration panel of your Wi-Fi network:
Access the administration panel of your router or Wi-Fi access point by typing the router's IP address into your browser (e.g. 192.168.1.1);
Then enter your username and password (which can be found on your router's label).
Check the list of connected devices:
Look for the section that displays all the devices currently connected to the Wi-Fi network;
Identify the Smart Receivers in the list. They are usually listed by device name or MAC address.
Confirm the connectivity of the Smart Receivers:
Check that all Smart Receivers appear in the list of connected devices and show an active connection status.
How to edit the network to add another Smart Receiver
Access the Smart Receiver configuration interface:
Connect to the Smart Receiver via Wi-Fi;
Open a web browser and enter the Smart Receiver's IP address (usually found in the device's manual or on the label).
Log in to the configuration interface:
Enter the username and password (also available in the device manual or on the label).
Access the network settings:
Find the network or Wi-Fi settings section;
Click on the option to edit the network or add a new network.
Add the information for the new Wi-Fi network:
Enter the SSID (network name) and password of the new Wi-Fi network you want to add;
Save the settings and connect the Smart Receiver to the new network.
Disconnecting the receiver to reconnect it to another network
To disconnect the receiver or gateway from the current mobile or Wi-Fi network and connect it to another available mobile network or a new Wi-Fi network, follow the instructions below:
Unplug your Smart Receiver, wait a few seconds and plug it back in;
Wait for the LED to show white, which will take about 10 seconds;
Access your mobile device's network settings and connect to the receiver's network, identified by "TRACTIAN" followed by 12 unique digits;
Next, the same configuration window used previously to connect your receiver to the company's Wi-Fi network will appear;
Click on "Edit", delete the information from all the fields, leaving them blank, and then click on "Save".
Wait 1 minute until the Smart Receiver to connect to the best available network. You can follow the automatic connection via its LED lights.
Important note: if you are disconnecting your Smart Receiver from a Wi-Fi network to connect it to another Wi-Fi network, follow the procedure described above first. After saving the network settings, follow the normal manual connection process described at the beginning of this article.