AdvanNet FAQ & Troubleshooting

- In this read mode the RF engine schedules the antenna switching automatically amongst the available RF ports (1, 2, 3 or 4)
- After 5 inventory rounds without new tags found, a new antenna is used.
- After the asynchOnTime period expires, the process start again at RF port 1
- The RF engine publishes reads as soon as they occur.

When it is advised?

- Whenever we need real time reads
- On any system without multiplexers
- Portals
- Etc

In the near future, the Autonomous read mode will support the use of multiplexers.

Sequential

How it works?

- In this read mode the RF engine waits for read commands
- Every read command specifies one antenna and a readTime
- All the reads are transferred back after the readTime expires

When it is advised?

Whenever we need the best read rate or we use multiplexers
- Inventories
- Smart shelves
- Cabinets

What is the best mode to do an inventory?

The procedure explained here serves to give some initial ideas to achieve the best read rate in the minimum read time.

In any application where we are interested in performing periodic or continuous inventories of a changing tag set, the procedure to select the best read mode would be as follows:

- Using the Sequential mode to understand the physical limits: RFID has physical limits, therefore we won't be able to achieve a rate read of 100% on any given scenario.

The Sequential mode will help us understand that limit

- Change the readTime per antenna: giving a large value (eg. 2000 ms) we will see which is the upper limit of the read rate:
  - Possible ways to overcome a limit are:
    - Use higher gain antennas
    - Use more antennas
  - Change the Session and Target settings
  - Etc
- Once we are happy with the read rate, it's time to change read mode and adjust settings
  - If mux are used:
    - Try using the Fast Multiplex mode
    - Try reducing the antenna readTime
  - If muxs are not being used
    - Try using the Automomous mode
    - Try reducing the antenna readTime

Which modes support the use of AdvanMux?

Currently Sequential and Fast Multiplexing are the only modes supported with AdvanMux.

Is LLRP supported?

No. There are no plans to implement LLRP in the near future.

Keonn readers and devices support two development SDK:

- REST SDK
- ThingMagic Mercury API for Java.

How to manually remove the device persisted settings?

When AdvanNet does not run embedded into a system, the persisted configuration can manually removed from the your PC.

The files are always located in the USER_HOME/.advannet/conf directory.

To remove them:

1. Locate your USER_HOME
  - Windows 7 & 8: C:\Users\{username}\.advannet\conf

- Windows XP, 2000 and 2003: C:\Documents and Settings\${username}\.advannet\conf

- Linux: /home/{username}/.advannet/conf

2. Remove all contents

How to manually remove the system persisted settings?

When AdvanNet does not run embedded into a system, the persisted configuration can manually removed from the your PC.

The file to be removed is located in the USER_HOME/.advannet/conf/systemConf.xml

To remove them:

1. Locate your USER_HOME
  - Windows 7 & 8: C:\Users\{username}\.advannet\conf
  - Windows XP, 2000 and 2003: C:\Documents and Settings\${username}\.advannet\conf
  - Linux

How to hide the MSDOS terminal?

To use AdvanNet hiding the MSDOS terminal follow the next steps:

1. Download the file AdvanNet.vbs.zip at the Downloads section and unzip it.
2. Go to the folder where AdvanNet was installed and Save the file AdvanNet.vbs in the "bin" folder.
3. Go to Start/All Programs/keonn/AdvanNet, right click on "Start AdvanNet" and go to properties.
4. Change the content of the "Target" from AdvanNet.bat to AdvanNet.vbs.
5. Start AdvanNet.

To test AdvanNet is better to use AdvanNet.bat because it allows us to see the log and be able to resolve the issues that could happen. Once AdvanNet is working properly, the terminal can be hidden.

RSSI measurement?

The RSSI (Received Signal Strength Indicator) is a measure of the backscattered signal from the RFID tag. In our case, it is expressed in dBm (see dBm wiki entry) units.

Some examples are

- 1 W = 30 dBm
- 1 mW = 0 dBm
- 0.0001mW = -40 dBm
- 0.00001mW = -50 dBm
- 1e-8 mW = -80 dBm

What can RSSI be used for?

The RSSI value gives an indication of what the distance between the RFID Antenna and the RFID tag might be. The environment can affect the RSSI value that the RFID tag response is giving, but, without taking this into account, the higher RSSI value, the closer the RFID tag is to the RFID antenna.

The following factors can affect the RSSI value:

- Liquid elements can absorb the RFID signal and can make the RSSI value lower although the RFID tag might be close to the RFID antenna.
- Metal surfaces or other reflecting materials can make the RFID signal bounce, creating the effect of having a tag more near or farther than it should.
- Metal or liquid elements attached to the RFID tags can affect also.

Frequency measurement?

The frequency is measured in KHz.

Is the sensitivity a hardware or software filter?

The EPCGen2 standard does not specify a way to tell the tag whether to respond according to its received RSSI value.

Therefore the sensitivity filter is a software filter implemented above the EPCGen2 SW implementation. Differently from the EPCGen2 SELECT mask feature that efficiently silents off tag sets.

I want to persist read data in the monitor, how this can be achieved?

The time an epc persists in the Monitor tab whie is not being read anymore is controlled through the timeWindow parameter in the RF & Antenna options tab.

In case you wanted to keep all reads in the Monitor tab, please select the Keep allreads parameter in the RF & Antenna tab.

The latter option is only available starting at version AdvanNet-2.1.4

How to change loud speaker volume?

You can adjust the level of the external loudspeaker.

Go to Events & Actions tab and adjust the Volume configuration:

- 1: minimum
- 10: maximum

Remember to save if you want to persist changes across reboots.

How to reset to factory defaults?

From AdvanNet System menu, it is possible to reset the factory settings to default.

How to reset the device temp data (logs/csvs)?

From AdvanNet System menu, it is possible to reset the temp data.

Troubleshooting

Settings are not persisted

Persisting the settings is a two-step process:

- Any change will automatically apply the current page settings during one AdvanNet session operation.

- Persist changes: Every configuration page will have a "Save" button to persist settings. Persisted settings are applied across reboots.

Where is AdvanNet version?

Go to system tab. There you can see AdvanNet, device and RF module versions

When connecting to AdvanNet, a Status Code: 404 shows up

For a short time period, the images of the devices got corrupted and that caused a "Status Code: 404" error when connecting to Advannet. If it is your case, and you get the following error:

Please, press the device's reset button for 10-15 seconds.

If the problem persists, you can reinstall Advannet by following the steps on AdvanNet SW Upgrade Utility.

After changing Linux files the device doesn't boot! Help!

The best way to revert changes made to the OS is by booting with an SD card and acessing the device filesystem to undo the changes:

- Boot the device with an SD image, to do so please follow these steps
- SSH into the device

1) Identify the boot disk

- Execute df. It should yield something like

keonn@AdvanReader-m2-60:~$ df

Filesystem 1K-blocks Used Available Use% Mounted on

rootfs 3706992 574944 2940408 17% /

udev 10240 0 10240 0% /dev

tmpfs 101660 480 101180 1% /run

/dev/mmcblk0p1 3706992 574944 2940408 17% /

tmpfs 254148 0 254148 0% /dev/shm

tmpfs 254148 0 254148 0% /sys/fs/cgroup

tmpfs 5120 8 5112 1% /run/lock

tmpfs 102400 0 102400 0% /run/user

tmpfs 254148 208 253940 1% /var/log

- Take note of the device mounted on /

2) Identify the internal NAND memory (to be modified)

- Run sudo fdisk -l

keonn@AdvanReader-m2-60:~$ sudo fdisk -l

Disk /dev/mmcblk0: 7948 MB, 7948206080 bytes

4 heads, 16 sectors/track, 242560 cylinders, total 15523840 sectors

Units = sectors of 1 * 512 = 512 bytes

Sector size (logical/physical): 512 bytes / 512 bytes

I/O size (minimum/optimal): 512 bytes / 512 bytes

Disk identifier: 0x6563df0f

Device Boot Start End Blocks Id System

/dev/mmcblk0p1 * 2048 7667711 3832832 83 Linux

Disk /dev/mmcblk1: 3925 MB, 3925868544 bytes

4 heads, 16 sectors/track, 119808 cylinders, total 7667712 sectors

Units = sectors of 1 * 512 = 512 bytes

Sector size (logical/physical): 512 bytes / 512 bytes

I/O size (minimum/optimal): 512 bytes / 512 bytes

Disk identifier: 0x00000000

Device Boot Start End Blocks Id System

/dev/mmcblk1p1 * 2048 7667711 3832832 83 Linux

Disk /dev/mmcblk1boot1: 1 MB, 1048576 bytes

4 heads, 16 sectors/track, 32 cylinders, total 2048 sectors

Units = sectors of 1 * 512 = 512 bytes

Sector size (logical/physical): 512 bytes / 512 bytes

I/O size (minimum/optimal): 512 bytes / 512 bytes

Disk identifier: 0x00000000

Disk /dev/mmcblk1boot1 doesn't contain a valid partition table

Disk /dev/mmcblk1boot0: 1 MB, 1048576 bytes

4 heads, 16 sectors/track, 32 cylinders, total 2048 sectors

Units = sectors of 1 * 512 = 512 bytes

Sector size (logical/physical): 512 bytes / 512 bytes

I/O size (minimum/optimal): 512 bytes / 512 bytes

Disk identifier: 0x00000000

Disk /dev/mmcblk1boot0 doesn't contain a valid partition table

The bold device matches with the previous so it's the SD card. The other device left (bold red) must be the internal memory. Usually in all machines is /dev/mmcblk1p1
In the case of being only one device in this list stop here. Something is wrong. Contact keonn support at support@keonn.com

3) Mount the internal NAND memory

Mount the other device in the list to a path like /mnt/ (e.g.: sudo mount /dev/mmcblk1p1 /mnt/ )
Executing ls /mnt/ should yield the contents of the device hard drive

4) Change the contents of the internal NAND memory

Undo the changes done to the particular file of the OS or overwrite it by a fresh copy from the sd. (e.g.: cp /etc/network/interfaces /mnt/etc/network/interfaces )
Persist the changes by executing: sudo sync
Turn off the device and extract the sd.
Turn the device back on.