DALI · Concepts
Networking
The ways a station connects (Ethernet, Wi-Fi, cellular and its own hotspot) and the safety net that undoes a network change that cuts the station off.
A station can use several connections at once. It uses them to upload data, to be reached by people and SCADA systems, and to keep its clock right. All of them are set up on the Network page, which Admins and Factory can open.
The connections
| Connection | What it is for | Set it up |
|---|---|---|
| Ethernet | A wired link to the site network. Automatic address (DHCP) or a fixed address. | Set a static IP |
| Wi-Fi | The station joins an existing wireless network. | Connect to Wi-Fi |
| Cellular | A SIM card gives the station its own internet link, for uploads from remote sites. | Set up cellular |
| Hotspot | The station makes its own Wi-Fi network so a person on site can reach the console. | Use the hotspot |
Uploads (Live3 and cloud destinations) go out over whichever connection has internet.
The hotspot
The hotspot is for people standing next to the station. It is a separate Wi-Fi network made by the station itself:
- Its name is
XTM-followed by the last four digits of the station's serial number. - On firmware 4.1 and later each station has its own random hotspot password. An Admin can show it on the Network page.
- The console is at
https://192.168.4.1while you are connected to it. - It turns itself off after a set time: 15, 30, 60 or 120 minutes.
- You can start it with the button on the station, from the Network page, or from the Live3 app, which can wake it over Bluetooth.
The hotspot is only a way in to the console. It does not give the station internet.
The safety net on network changes
A wrong network setting can cut a station off, and a station on a remote site is a long drive away. So on firmware 4.1 and later, every network change is guarded, whoever makes it: the console, the Live3 app, Live3 on the web, or a configuration restore.
- 1
The station keeps a copy of the settings that worked, then applies your change.
- 2
It watches for a short while. A banner in the console counts down. If nothing got worse (a connection that had internet still has it, a new connection comes up), the change is kept by itself. You can also click Keep this change to confirm early, or More time if you need longer to check.
- 3
If the station has lost its connection when the time runs out, it puts the previous settings back by itself. Only the sections you changed are restored. This works even if the station restarts during the wait.
Hotspot changes are not guarded, because the hotspot is what you would use to recover.
One thing to know: if the whole site loses internet during the wait, the station cannot tell that apart from a bad change and puts a good change back. Make the change again once the site is back online. See Recover from a bad network change.
Being reached from other systems
| Who connects to the station | How |
|---|---|
| A browser, for the console | HTTPS on the station's address |
| A SCADA system or PLC | The Modbus TCP slave, if turned on (port 502 by default). See Modbus slave register map. |
| Aeron support | Only through remote support, while you have it turned on. See Remote support. |
Keep the station behind your site firewall and allow only what you use. See Security.