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End of Line Connectivity Test

End of Line Connectivity Test

Powerhouse Dynamics has now released an End of Line Connectivity Test utility for usage with ConnectWare integrations.

Benefits:

This utility allows OEMs to validate network connectivity, identify firmware or physical connection issues, update CWM firmware, and even provision devices with customer Wifi configurations all before shipping hardware to the customer. Usage of this utility will save time, complexity, and money on installations, RMAs, and truck rolls.

Requirements:

  1. An https://admin.sitesage.net user account with IoT Vendor role

  2. At least one specially designated Manufacturer Secure Access Point (SAP)

To get started with the tool, please reach out to connectware@powerhousedynamics.com for more information. Configuration Instructions: https://sitesage.atlassian.net/wiki/x/PwBYOg

Usage:

Login

Upon logging into admin.sitesage.net, navigate to the Manufacturer Connectivity Test tab.

Initiate Test

You can either scan the barcode on the label of the CWM (CWM2 only) or type in the 5-digit serial number in the first form:

CWM Grid

If the CWM is found and it’s currently connected to one of your Manufacturing SAPs, it will be shown in the ConnectWare Module Data grid. There are several important fields in this grid:

  1. CWM Last Connected: UTC timestamp of last received dataset from CWM

  2. CWM Connected Status: tells whether the CWM is online and if it’s firmware is already up to date

    1. note: if firmware is not up to date, the cloud will automatically kick off a firmware update

  3. HW: the hardware type of the CWM:

    1. 2: CWM2

    2. s: Sphere/CWM1

    3. v: Virtual CWM

  4. Active FW Download: indicates if there is an active firmware update in progress

  5. % download complete: progress indicator of the currently active firmware download

  6. Firmware Updated: indicates if firmware is currently updated (desired firmware = actual firmware)

  7. Last Wifi settings update command sent: provides the status and timestamp of the last network configuration command issues. This is useful as it shows the user if they’ve already issued the network command and whether or not it has been processed by the CWM.

Note: If any of these fields indicate that a CWM firmware update is in progress, it’s crucial that you wait for the download to be complete (Active FW Download: NO, % download complete: 100%, Firmware updated: YES) before issuing Wifi configuration commands. Once you issue the Wifi settings command, the CWM will fall offline (unless the furnished network is also being broadcast at the testing facility), and thus will not be able to complete the firmware update before shipping to the customer.

Connected Equipment (OKE) grid

If the CWM has discovered any Connected Equipment (OKE), they will be listed in the Connected Equipment Data grid:

Should you need to swap out a CWM during EOL testing, the cloud will now correctly allow you to do so. OKE’s can freely move between CWMs as long as the OKE and CWMs involved are not bound to an Open Kitchen location. Once bound to a location, the cloud will not allow OKEs to move CWMs automatically and instead the CWM replacement feature will need to be used (found in the Connectivity page’s CWM configuration modal under appropriate conditions).

Wifi Configuration

If you wish to push Wifi credentials to the CWM (only SSID/PSK are supported at time of writing), you will need to highlight the row in the grid (click anywhere in the row) and utilize the Custom Wifi form directly above the grid:

Note: if you wish to push wifi settings or utilize any of the additional functional buttons in the footer of the CWM Data grid, be sure to uncheck the “Auto Refresh” button above the grid. When the grid auto refreshes, any selected rows are unselected.

Note: the Show/Clear buttons in the Wifi configuration form reveal and obfuscate the SSID and password fields to the user.

Once the Last Wifi Settings Update Command Sent fields has a status of ‘processed’ and the CWM falls offline (it’s no longer connected to the MFG SAP, it’s now trying to join the Custom wifi network), and the expected OKE has been discovered, the test is considered complete and the test technician can move onto the next device.

SAP Grid

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The SAP Data grid displays connectivity data for your specially designated Manufacturing SAPs. You can use the Add and Delete SAP buttons in the grid footer to add or remove SAPs to your manufacturing account.

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Add new Manufacturing SAP
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Remove SAP from your manufacturing account

 

Once designated a Manufacturing SAP, it should not be used at any customer accounts nor bound to any Open Kitchen locations. If you wish to repurpose a manufacturing SAP at a customer location, you must first use the Delete SAP feature in this grid to make the SAP eligible for such use.

 

Updates

We will continue to enhance this tool with additional functionality in the near future (e.g. support for different network configurations, ability to test multiple/many CWMs simultaneously), so stay tuned for more updates!