Articles in this section

Connect your IXrouter to the IXON Cloud via a Wi-Fi connection

  • Updated

The IXrouter is the hardware component which enables you to remotely access your machine as if you are on-site, but it first needs to be registered in the IXON Cloud using one of two methods:

This article explains how to set up your IXrouter to connect via a wireless connection, using the easy method, but you can later change this to a different connection type if that better suits the situation.

After your IXrouter is set up, you will be able to access and manage your IXrouter from within the IXON Cloud. You can then also add the unused connection types (wired, wireless, cellular) as backup connections, using failover.

Prerequisites

The steps to follow in order to set up your IXrouter are:

Create a configuration file

Important: before you begin

  • The IXrouter can't connect to a Wi-Fi network if it requires you to log in to a webpage or accept their terms of use first. Please use another Wi-Fi network if possible.
  • The IXrouter can only connect to 2.4GHz networks and only if they are on channels 1 - 11.
  • Special characters can be used for the SSID. But it cannot end with a space.
  • The LAN range (machine network, e.g. 192.168.140) needs to differ from the WAN range (company network). More information can be found here.

You will need to create a configuration file to register the IXrouter in the IXON Cloud. The company in which the configuration file is created, is the company where the IXrouter will register itself.

Some settings in the configuration file wizard may already be pre-filled, based on common use cases, to simplify the configuration process. To get to the configuration file wizard:

  • Go to the IXON Cloud Fleet Manager, which is also accessible via the Apps menu in the top right corner if you are currently in a different IXON Cloud app.
  • Open the main menu and select Tools , now click on [Start configuration] for the Router config-file.

You will be presented with different connection types for the initial registration in the IXON Cloud. Note that you can later change the primary connection type, and other settings, if needed.

  • Select the connection type "Wireless network" and click [Next] to continue.
  • Enter the name of the wireless network in the Network Name (SSID) field. The SSID is case sensitive.
  • If the network is protected by a password, please select This network is protected by a password, enter the password and click [Next].
  • Letting the IXrouter obtain an IP address automatically will be suitable for most situations. If you choose to enter a static IP address instead (requires firmware 3.22 or higher), be sure to always consult the local IT administrator for the correct network settings (IP address, network mask, default gateway, and DNS server).
  • If your customer wants to have on-site control over when remote access (VPN) is enabled, please select "Local control over remote accessibility" and choose one of the available options. More information about this feature, including eletrotechnical details, can be found here. Click [Next].
  • Enter a unique IP address for the IXrouter's LAN (machine network). Note that this IP address needs to be in the same range as the machine and that its last number needs to be different from the machine to prevent an IP conflict.
  • Click [Download file] to download the generated file, called ixrouter.conf, and save the file to the root directory of a USB flash drive. You may exit the configuration tool by clicking the X in the upper left corner.

Register your IXrouter

Once the configuration file is placed on a USB flash drive, you can start registering your IXrouter.

  • Connect the antenna to the IXrouter's Wi-Fi SMA connector.
  • Power on your IXrouter. Please consult the installation manual for details about the recommended power supply and wiring details.
  • Insert the USB flash drive into the IXrouter's USB port.
  • The IXrouter will automatically connect to the wireless network. Make sure it's in range of the network's access point.
  • Wait around 2 minutes for the IXrouter to configure and register itself.

ACT LED status

The IXrouter's ACT LED should blink blue quickly shortly after inserting the USB flash drive, indicating that the IXrouter is configuring itself.

If this hasn't happened after 1 minute, please check that the file is located in the root directory of the USB flash drive and that the file name is exactly "ixrouter.conf". Try a different USB flash drive if the problem persists.

After roughly 2 minutes, the IXrouter's ACT LED should be solid blue, indicating that it's registered in the IXON Cloud.

View our troubleshooting article for details about other ACT LED statuses.

Remove the USB flash drive
When the IXrouter is powered on, it reads all settings from the configuration file on the USB flash drive. Be sure to remove the USB flash drive once the IXrouter is registered. This prevents any later changes you make via the IXON Cloud to be overwritten with the old settings in the configuration file.

Activate your IXrouter

After a successful registration of your IXrouter, you can activate your IXrouter, making it ready for use.

  • Go back to the IXON Cloud Fleet Manager app, which is accessible from the Apps menu in the top right corner if you are currently in a different IXON Cloud app.
  • Open the main menu , and select Devices .

You will find a yellow bar at the top of your devices list, saying "New device". It also mentions your IXrouter's serial number (e.g. 17055202), which you can verify with the serial number on the side of the IXrouter.

  • Click the yellow bar, name your device as you see fit and select [Activate].

Help, I don't see a yellow bar.

Please read our troubleshooting article to get your IXrouter online.

Next step

The IXrouter is now set up and activated. You can now connect to your machine.