Previous release notes available at cnArcher v1.1 Release Notes
What's New
Support for ePMP
You can now use cnArcher to install ePMP SMs. Download and store ePMP device firmware into cnArcher and update your SMs from your mobile device. Scan for APs, apply security credentials, align the SM, perform a link test and generate an installation summary including photographs. If you are using cnMaestro, then automatically onboard into cnMaestro and apply your provisioning template.
Home screen
Status section indicates if mobile device is communicating with the SM as well as SM's connectivity status to AP
Update SM Software
Update ePMP software directly from mobile device
AP Scan Results
- All of Aps that are visible to the SM will be displayed in AP Scan Results. To set the AP as the “Preferred AP”, click on the AP and then click the SET AS PREFERRED AP button to continue. (See picture on RIGHT)
- If you simply want the SM to register to the AP and continue with the installation, without setting any AP as the Preferred AP, wait for the Status window to show the SM state as REGISTERED to an AP. Then click the CONTINUE button. (See picture on LEFT)
Alignment
- Move the installed device antenna to sample twice the horizontal beam width and twice the vertical beam width of the SM being installed. This will ensure that the maximum signal strength has been sampled. Then, fine tune the SM antenna positioning so that the "Current" signal strength as close to the "Best" previously sampled value. Note: The vertical orange bar indicates the different of the current from the best in dB.
- The "Signal Strength Ratio" represents the difference in the receive power of the SM's two recievers. Ideally, both receivers receive the same power level, 0dB difference. In practice, it is best to try to achieve less than 1.0 dB difference.
Run Link Test
Run one or multiple link tests to characterize the throughput and modulation of the link.
Set device name and IP configuration details
WPA and RADIUS security can be set in the ePMP Settings section which is accessable from the MAIN MENU --> SETTINGS page.
Onboard in cnMaestro
If using cnMaestro, onboarding and apply optional configuration template.
Installation Summary
Photograph the completed installation and email an installation summary.
Work Orders
Work orders contain all of the customer specific details needed at the time of installation. They can eliminate the need for the installer to manually type these details during installs, therfore reducing the possibility of errors.
Previous installation summaries can be accessed from the Work Orders section in the main menu to view summaries or to complete cnMaestro onboarding. See cnArcher Release 1.1 for more information on work-orders.
Previous installation summaries can also be viewed from the Work Orders section in the main menu.
Quick Align
Use the Quick-Align feature to re-align already-deployed SMs, run link tests, photograph the install site and generate the summary without changing the SM’s existing configuration.
Factory Default Device
Factory default an ePMP SM from cnArcher by clicking on the status window of the home screen and then scroll down to the buttom of the detailed summary view to access the “Factory Default” button.
Deferred Onboarding
If for any reason, the installer cannot access cnMaestro during installation, onboarding can be deferred and the physical installation including installation photos and summary can be completed.
cnArcher communicates directly to the SM for most of the installation sequence. But when cnArcher is used with cnMaestro, the final step in the sequence requires that cnMaestro connect to cnMaestro in order to complete onboarding and apply an configuration template.
There are some circumstances where cnArcher cannot communicate with cnMaestro. In these situations, if cnArcher will present the installer with two options.
- Defer cnMaestro onboarding - If the installer defers onboarding, he still has the opportunity to capture installation photographs and review the installation summary. Later, when his mobile device has network connectivity, he can complete the cnMaestro onboarding by accessing the installation details from the Work Order screen.
- Omit cnMaestro onboarding – If the installer skips onboarding, he can then proceed to the photograph the installation and review the installation summary. The details of the installation are archived as a completed work order.
Option to Defer cnMaestro Onboarding
If cnArcher fails to connect to cnMaestro, the installer has three choices
- Defer onboarding until the mobile device can connect to cnMaestro
- Complete the device installation without onboarding this device in cnMaestro
- Manually resolve any issues which are preventing the mobile device from connecting to cnMaestro. Then click on the “Check Internet and Proceed” button.
By opting to defer onboarding, as shown below, the installation summary will indicate the onboarding status as “Deferred”.
Work Order
The work order screen can be used to find any installations for which onboarding was deferred.
Deferred Device Onboarding
When connectivity to cnMaestro exists, click on the above work order to complete the onboarding.
Bug Fixes
- PMP: When configuring PSK 128-bit or 256-bit keys, previously, cnArcher was incorrectly limiting these to 15 HEX characters. This is has been resolved. 32 and 64 HEX character PSK can now be entered.
Known Issues
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Problems discovering the SM from cnArcher’s home screen?
- Try enabling the Auto-disable Mobile Data from cnArhcer’s Settings (see screenshot below). In particular, users with Android OS version 8 or later may need to do this.
- For some device types, if both WiFi and Mobile Data are enabled, and the WiFi does not have an “internet connection” (as is the case when cnArcher’s WiFi is set to communicate to the SM), the mobile device will opt to use the mobile data rather than WiFi. This makes the SM impossible to discover. For devices that exhibit this behavior, enable the Auto-disable Mobile Data from cnArhcer’s Settings
- Some Android devices running “Oreo” OS (Android versions 8.x) may hang while “Downloading Manifest” when accessing the screen to download device software. As a work-around, temporarily disable “Mobile Data” on your mobile device and use the WiFi connection to download the software (PMP/ePMP)
- When scanning for ePMP Aps (AP Evaluation screen), cnArcher may display an "Error: null" notification. Click OK to acknowledge the error message and re-run the AP Evaluation one more time. The discovered ePMP Aps should now be displayed. (ePMP)
- When the PMP channel scan list exceeds 100 entries, cnArcher may not properly enable all of the channels for scanning. It is expected that in most deployments, much fewer than 100 frequencies are deployed throughout the network. (PMP)