Introduction
Before MachineMetrics can collect data from any machine, you will need to configure the network settings on your Edge Device. This step is necessary regardless of whether you have a wired or wireless integration.
Topics covered in this article
This article contains the following topics:
- What is an Edge Device?
- Activating and Configuring your Edge Device
- Video Demo of Edge Management Settings
- Edge Management Bluetooth setup (Legacy)
Want a quick reference guide? Click here for a PDF download of our Edge Activation and Installation Guide
What is an Edge Device?
The MachineMetrics Edge Device is a small industrial computer that hosts our proprietary software. It collects and buffers machine data, and migrates that data to the cloud. It may be possible (or necessary!) to use a Virtual Edge, which is a customer supplied Windows server or PC, on which our proprietary software is installed.
Types of Edge Devices:
Standard Edge Device
A standard Edge is the small industrial computer that hosts the MachineMetrics software and collects machine data. It is capable of collecting data of up to 50 machines simultaneously if on a hardwired network. It is also capable of connecting to your shop's wifi signal if you've opted for a wireless network.
Virtual Edge
A Virtual Edge refers to MachineMetrics proprietary software running on a customer-supplied Windows Server or PC. This may be required for certain machine connections, or you may opt for this option simply for your convenience.
Activating and Configuring your Edge Device
There are two processes available to manage Edge settings:
- On-Edge Setup (Recommended)
- Note: Please contact support if you are unsure if your Edge device is running the latest version of the software.
- Edge Management Bluetooth setup (Legacy)
On-Edge Setup (Recommended)
The On-Edge Setup is a three step process that involves -
- Physical device setup (monitor, keyboard, mouse)
- Connecting your device to the internet
- Activating your device
Begin by connecting, a monitor, mouse, and keyboard to the Edge Device.
If you are using a wired connection, plug the ethernet cable into the Edge Device.
Next, plug the power adapter into the Edge Device and power on the device.
Once the Edge Device powers on and loads the software you should see the following Welcome screen.
Click "Let's get started" to begin the activation process.
Connecting to the internet
Select your Connection method
WiFi
Select your WiFi network from the list.
Enter your Wifi password.
*If you need to adjust DNS settings or use a static IP click "More settings" at the bottom of the form.
Ethernet
Select your ethernet port from the list and then continue to Activation.
- If additional settings are required for your network to access the internet, select edit on the ethernet port you need to configure.
Activate Your Device
Once your device is successfully connected to the internet, click the Activation button. For the simplest setup, it is recommended that you login to your MachineMetrics account on your mobile phone to complete this step.
QR Code Activation: Scan the QR code using your mobile device that is logged in to your MachineMetrics account. You will see a confirmation screen displaying the Activation Code. Select Add Edge Device to continue. Your device should now be activated! Continue to Authentication to access your device settings.
Authentication
To access your Edge Device Settings you must first Authenticate your user access to the device.
Scan the QR code using your mobile device that is logged in to your MachineMetrics account. You will see a confirmation screen displaying the Authentication Code. Enter the Authentication on the Edge Device screen to access your device settings.
On-Edge Device Management
Once Authenticated you will see the following screen.
From here you can:
- View Device details
- Run Diagnostics
- Manage WiFi and Ethernet Connections
Edge Management
Accessing Edge Management
Interested in a tour of Edge Management in the product? Visit this link!
*Please note, only MachineMetrics customers who have Supervisor access or above and are logged into the application will have access to the tour in the link above.
Log into your MachineMetrics account- click on Settings in the sidebar navigation, and select Edge Management from the menu. This will open up a list of current Edge Devices connected to your company, as well as the option to add a new device.
Note: Mobile devices with IOS operating systems are no longer used to configure Edge Devices using Bluetooth, you must use Chrome on a Mac, PC or Android mobile device with Bluetooth LE connectivity to set up your new device using a Chrome browser.
Edge Management Bluetooth setup (Legacy)
IMPORTANT:
- Before following any of the below steps, please make certain that Bluetooth is enabled on your computer or on whatever wireless device you will be using.
- The following steps will only work from a Chrome browser on a computer. This will not work on iOS devices, such as iPhones and iPads.
- Users installing need to have a manager or executive role (access permission)
Pairing Your Edge Device
NOTE: The WiFi antennas must be installed in order to establish a Bluetooth connection to configure your Edge Device.
Next, with the Edge Device powered on and in close proximity to your Bluetooth enabled Mac or PC, select Add a New Device as shown below.
Note: The initial pairing process requires you to use Bluetooth to connect to the Edge Device, once this initial process is complete you can finish the setup using an internet connection.
Review the information required to add your new Edge Device before proceeding, there is a checkbox option to not show this message in the future. When you are ready to proceed, select I'm Ready!
There are two options for pairing your new Edge Device. Choose Enter Serial Number or Show All Devices.
Note: As illustrated in the above screenshot, navigating away from your Chrome browser, Bluetooth scanner, or the above modal will cancel the scanning and pairing process.
Option 1: Enter Serial Number
This will allow you to manually enter the serial number found on the underside of the Edge Device. as shown in the images below.
Option 2: Show All Devices
This option will use Bluetooth to search for available devices nearby.
Next, choose the Edge Device you would like to pair to. Select Pair, and upon successful pairing, you will receive a notification as well as two options.
Select Edit Configuration to choose network settings and configuration before adding the device. If you select Add Now, the device will appear in the list of your current Edge Devices along with the Status, Serial Number, Machines connected to the device, Model, and Network Information.
Configuring Your Edge Device
If you select Edit Configuration after pairing, you will be presented with a screen containing network information and setup for wireless and Ethernet. Your IT department should have the information required to complete this section.
Connecting via Wireless
First, if you are connecting your edge device to a wifi signal, ensure the toggle is set to On.
Next, you can choose from the drop-down menus if you will be using DHCP or setting a static IP address. Then you can choose the proper SSID (network name) you would like to connect to. You will need to enter the password for the network you choose to connect to.
Note: If you choose DHCP as the configuration, the IP address, Subnet, Gateway, and DNS will be automatically populated. If you choose a static configuration, these fields will need to be entered manually. You can also use the tooltip icon next to each heading for more information about them.
As shown in the image below, each connectivity option will display in the upper right corner the Internet Status.
Connecting via Ethernet
Note: Ethernet port one should be used to connect to the corporate network and to the internet. Ethernet port two should be used to connect directly to a machine.
Ethernet port one has the same configuration choices as wireless, either DHCP, or Static. It will not require you to choose a network name or enter a password. As with wireless configuration, DHCP will automatically populate the rest of the fields. Static configuration will require manual entry in these fields.
Ethernet Port Two should be used by the Edge device to receive data from machine(s). In order for the edge device to receive data from the machine(s), this port must be assigned a static IP address that is in the same range as the IP address(es) assigned to the machine(s).
Diagnostics
The new Edge Management Settings offers built-in capabilities to troubleshoot and diagnose Edge Device or network connectivity issues.
Refresh/Reboot Device
If you encounter problems connecting your Edge Device, you can Refresh Device or Reboot Device as the first troubleshooting step. Selecting Refresh Device will send a refresh signal to the device if it is stuck which will refresh the network connectivity. This is useful if you have changed your network configuration. If you choose Reboot Device, it will shut down and restart the device.
Test Connectivity
You can also test the connectivity by selecting Diagnostics in the left sidebar. There are two options, Automatic and Advanced.
The Automatic option will run built-in tests and will show a Pass/Fail result for each one. Select Run Test Now to begin the test.
Selecting the Advanced tab will allow you to narrow down the test parameters by address and network interface. For example: If you want to test the connection to a particular website address over wifi, you can type the site URL in the Address field and select Wifi from the Network Interface drop-down menu. This will then display the results of the ping test to that particular website or IP address.
Each of these test options includes the ability to Copy to Clipboard which allows you to easily share the results with MachineMetrics support or your IT.
Once your Edge Device is successfully connected to your company, the network has been configured, and your Machine(s) associated with the device are reporting data, you will see these updates in the associated fields on the Edge Management Settings home page.
If you encounter any problems setting up your Edge device or have any questions, please reach out to us at support@machinemetrics.com.
Comments
1 comment
Very useful troubleshooting steps!
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