Fixed RFID Reader Workflow
SAM integrates with both the Alien F800 and Impinj Speedway readers. For the Alien F800, the server establishes a listener service running on a default port 4000 to listen for tag reads. For the Impinj Speedway the server establishes a direct connection to the reader receiving tag reads through the LLRP protocol on port 5084.
SAM is able to store the MAC address, hostname, command port, and pertinent attenuation/sensitivity settings for each reader in the admin menu. For the Alien F800, if the RFID reader is on the same subnet as the SAM server, the server will automatically deploy the configuration settings for each defined reader through a network discovery listener. Otherwise if the hostname for each reader is defined, SAM will attempt to establish a direct connection to the reader to deploy the configuration on startup.
If the server is unable to establish a direct connection to the Alien F800 to deploy the configuration, then the reader will need to be preconfigured with the appropriate settings. The Impinj Speedway however will require the server to establish a direct connection to the device in order to send the tag reads.
The reader loops through all antennas in the antenna sequence to capture all reads. Each tag read gets sent through the tag stream over to the SAM server for further processing. The server will process tags according to the set sensitivity value and will read the tags into the tag buffer for a length of time specified by the set timeout. When the timeout has elapsed, the server will look up each tag value and get the associated record object and transfer each record based on the reader’s in location and out location setting. If a badge is scanned along with the records, the records will transfer to the location specified by the badge.
Network Configuration
The reader will connect to LAN via Ethernet. See the “Fixed RFID Reader Specifications” section for details on supported communication protocols/ports.
In order to access the web administration panel of the fixed RFID reader, you will need ensure port 80 (http protocol) on the reader’s local IP is accessible from within your internal network.
The reader will need to have the following defined in the network settings in order to be operable within a local network unless the reader can be assigned via DHCP in the client’s network:
Static IP assigned to the reader on the local network
Subnet Mask
Default Gateway
The Impinj Speedway and Alien F800 use different ports and protocols for accessing the administration interface and sending the tag reads to the server. The following is a list of ports that need to be opened on the reader for each reader type.
Alien F800
Web Administration Interface – Admin interface accessed by typing in the IP/Hostname in your web browser. Port 80 (HTTP protocol)
SAM To Reader – This will program the reader with the appropriate configuration SAM needs to establish the tagstream provided that the reader is on the same subnet, or if the hostname + port is defined for the reader. Port 23 (Command Port)
Alien RFID Gateway Demo Software – Automatically discovers and connects to readers visible on the network. Provides command line console once connected to manually edit reader settings. Port 23 (Command Port)
Reader To SAM – Sends tag reads to the server. Default Port 4000 (Can be changed in the server settings). If connecting to SAM via the cloud, ensure outbound port 4000 is open to the SAM enterprise server IP/Host. Currently the IP is: 69.63.135.178, but this is subject to change.
Impinj Speedway
Web Administration Interface – Interface accessed by typing in the IP/Hostname of the reader in your web browser, this is only used for determining the reader status and upgrading the firmware. Port 80 (HTTP protocol)
SAM – Programs the reader with needed configuration and receives tag reads. Port 5084 (LLRP Port). If connecting to SAM via the cloud, ensure this port is open to the SAM enterprise server IP/Host. Currently the IP is 69.63.135.178, but this is subject to change. This will need to be for both Inbound and Outbound communication.
ImpinJ ItemTest – GUI application for testing tag reads. Port 5084 (LLRP Port)
RShell – Shell interface for issuing low level commands to the reader. Port 22
Power Requirements
These are the corresponding power requirements for each reader type.
ALIEN F800
Standard 120/220 VAC 50/60 Hz outlet and the POE power supply (provided with the reader kit) or DC power cable.
The ALR-F800 has been certified to operate in accordance with FCC or other national requirements when powered by an 802.3af compliant network capable of supplying 12.95 watts minimum, or by using one of the power supplies listed below. Only the power supplies listed below may be used with the ALR-F800 reader:
ALR-F800, CORD PACK Power over Ethernet (PoE) Power Supply.
ALR-F800 12.0 V DC Power Supply.
IMPINJ SPEEDWAY
You have two choices for powering Speedway:
Power over Ethernet (PoE/PoE+)
External universal power supply
If your network switch is PoE-enabled, the Reader powers on when you connect it to the network. If you are using a listed/certified power supply, connect the AC power plug into a suitable 100–240VAC, 50–60 Hz power outlet. The listed/certified power supply is marked LPS or Class 2, with 24Vdc output, rated minimum 2.1A.
Reader Administration
There are a few ways to establish a connection from a client PC to a fixed reader in order to issue commands manually. Go here for information on each of these methods.
SAM will attempt to connect to each reader defined in the RFID reader admin and will program the reader with a base configuration with certain parameters specified. If you need to pre-configure the readers’ network settings or need to configure certain settings for security purposes then you’ll need to manually connect and set certain settings on the reader.
The full reference guides for each reader type supported by SAM are linked below for those maintaining the reader hardware and setting up specific configurations not otherwise specified. Below is general information on how to perform administrative functions for each reader and configure each reader accordingly.
Alien F800
Users can access the Web Administration Portal running on port 80 of the device. This provides a GUI for managing different services and settings without needing to manually enter commands to the command line interface. More specifically, this interface contains sections to view the reader status, upgrade the firmware, set parameters, and to view a tag log for debugging tag reads. This interface can be accessed by typing in the IP/hostname of the device in your web browser.
Alien also provides the Alien RFID Gateway Demo Software package which can be downloaded here:
https://www.alientechnology.com/download/alr-f800-software/?wpdmdl=7609&ind=YWxpZW4tZ2F0ZXdheV8yLTI2LTA1LmV4ZQ
This tool can be installed on Windows and provides an interface to automatically detect and connect to a reader either on a network or through the USB Console. Once connected, users can enter in commands to the Alien command line for programming the reader through port 23.
If the reader cannot be accessed via the network, then the reader will need to be connected via the USB Console. This uses a standard printer cable (USB Type A Male to B Male). When connected via the console, you can then use the Alien RFID Gateway Demo Software to connect to the appropriate COM port. The COM port in use can be determined from the device manager.
Default Login Credentials:
Username: alien
Password: password
For more information on all available commands, download the Reader Interface Guide available here:
https://www.alientechnology.com/download/alr-f800-documents/?wpdmdl=7608&ind=MTU3NTQ4MzIwMHdwZG1fODEwMTkzOC0wMDBfWV9HdWlkZSwgUmVhZGVyIEludGVyZmFjZS5wZGY
Impinj Speedway
For detailed instructions on installation and operations, view the ImpinJ Installation & Operations Guide here:
https://support.impinj.com/hc/article_attachments/360013825640/Impinj_SpeedwayR_installation_and_operations_guide_7.0.pdf
The Impinj Speedway does provide a Web Based Interface running on port 80; however this is only used for determining the reader status and upgrading the firmware. Users will need to connect with RShell through a command line application on port 22 in order to deploy specific commands. On windows, this can be accomplished by using PuTTy which can be downloaded here:
https://www.chiark.greenend.org.uk/~sgtatham/putty/latest.html
Default Login Credentials:
Username: root
Password: impinj
Keep in mind, in order for the ImpinJ reader to send tag reads to SAM, SAM will need to make a direct connection to the ImpinJ reader on port 5084. When SAM connects to the reader, it will deploy the base configuration based on the set parameters defined in the SAM administration interface.
For more information on all available commands, download the Impinj RShell Reference Manual here:
https://support.impinj.com/hc/article_attachments/360013817079/Impinj_RShell_Reference_Manual_7.0.pdf
Impinj does provide a GUI application called Iminj ItemTest for testing tag reads. This application can be downloaded here:
https://support.impinj.com/hc/article_attachments/360002574859/Impinj_ItemTest_1_14_0.zip
For the ImpinJ Speedway reader, visit the following article for specific Troubleshooting steps if you are having issues establishing a connection:
https://support.impinj.com/hc/en-us/articles/202756488-Troubleshooting-Reader-Connectivity-Issues
Reader Configuration
These are the settings that need to be configured in order for the fixed reader to communicate with the server.
ALIEN F800
Tagstream
TagStreamMode – ON
TagStreamAddress – Points to the SAM host. This needs to be set to the IP address/host of the server running SAM.
If testing the reader with the staging server at samdev.sscans.org, point the tagstream address to: 34.231.156.121:4000
If using the reader with our production server at samenterprise.app, point the tagstream address to: samenterprise.app:4000 or 69.63.135.178:4000
Otherwise, if SAM is being hosted on a local network, get the IP assigned to the SAM Server on the local network and assign it that along with the port of the RFID listener service
TagStreamCustomFormat – Needs to be set to: {mac: ‘${MAC}’, tag: ‘${TAGID}’, rssi: ${RSSI}, antenna: ${RX}}
AutoMode
AutoMode – “ON”
Antennas
AntennaSequence – 0 1 2 3
Read Power define by reader’s attenuation. Antenuation in the range of 0-150, 0 being max power.
TagList
PersistTime – -1
TagListAntennaCombine – ON
Acquire
AcqG2Q – 5
IMPINJ SPEEDWAY
Network Configuration
For the reader to be installed on a given network, you may need to further configure the network settings on the reader using the shell. This can be done through PuTTy or an equivalent SSH client. Communication through the RShell protocol is done through port 22.
Show the current network IP settings:
>show network ip summary
To configure the network settings to use a static IP, you can run the following command:
>config network ip static e,g, >config network ip static 192.168.20.116 255.255.255.0 192.168.20.1 192.168.20.255
For parameters not specified, the Reader will use default values derived from the values provided.
SAM III ADMIN
Ensure that the RFID Reader is defined in the SAM 3 admin as so:
The MAC address of the reader is the MAC address shown in status screen in the reader’s web interface and is printed on the side of the reader itself. Ensure that the MAC address is in all caps. For ImpinJ readers using the EOS embedded app’s HTTP notification, you will need to enter in the Serial Number under the MAC address field instead with no spaces, dashes, or colons.
The Reader Type needs to be set to either alienClass1 for Alien F800 based Fixed RFID readers, impinj for the ImpinJ Speedway reader, or eos when using the ImpinJ’s EOS embedded application.
The Reader Mode can be set to either streamdoorway or streamdirectionaldoorway.
Streamdoorway will check in or check out records to the locations specified by the In Location Name and Out Location Name values. It will transfer the record based on a read from any antenna attached to the reader.
Streamdirectionaldoorway will transfer a record based on the sequence of antennas. These sequences can be configured by highlighting the pertinent RFID reader entry and clicking the Sequences button in the table toolbar. The sequences are entered in as comma separated lists of antennas tied with In Location and Out Location parameters.
If a Hostname and Port is supplied and the reader is connected to the same network as the SAM server, SAM will attempt to connect to the reader and configure it with default values. If using the ImpinJ Speedway without EOS, the hostname is required.
The Timeout is the number of milliseconds that the server will read tags for once an initial tag has been read. Once the timeout has elapsed, it will transfer each distinct record that was scanned. In the example above, the timeout is set to 15000 or 15 seconds.
Sensitivity is the minimum RSSI required for the server to process a tag read.
SETTINGS FOR SECURITY & COMPLIANCE
Users will sometimes require altering or disabling certain features for security and compliance. For instance disabling the web administration portal may be necessary to satisfy certain security requirements. Below are instructions for disabling/altering certain features for each reader type.
ALIEN F800
Disabling the Web Server
Setting WWWPort to 0 effectively disables the reader’s web server, which may be desired by some for security reasons. Keep in mind, though, that one of the main mechanisms for upgrading the reader’s firmware uses the web server. This can be done by logging into the Web Administration Portal, on the left hand sidebar click on “settings” then click “network”. In the resulting page, you will see the “WWWPort” setting. Set that to “0” and click the “Save Settings” button in the top right. Changes to WWWPort take effect immediately.
Alternatively, you can install a patch to disable the Light HTTP Daemon entirely as outlined in the following tutorial:
https://support.samenterprise.app/tutorials/patching-alien-f800
Disabling SNMP
This will require supplying a patch in the firmware section of the reader’s web based administration interface. See the following tutorial for more details:
https://support.samenterprise.app/tutorials/patching-alien-f800
IMPINJ SPEEDWAY
Disabling the Web Server
The config network http menu allows the user to configure whether or not the http (web) server is enabled. To disable the web server, run the following command in the RShell terminal:
>config network http disable
Disabling SNMP
The config snmp menu allows the user to configure the SNMP settings for the Reader. The service can be completely disabled by typing in the following in the RShell terminal:
>config snmp service disable
Alternatively, if you just want to disable v1/v2 of the SNMP protocol, you can do that through the config snmp version command. This allows the user to configure whether SNMP version 2c and version 3 security models are enabled or disabled. Each model can be enabled or disabled separately. When version 2c is enabled, version 1 requests are also allowed (with the appropriate community string). For example, to simply disable v1/v2 run the following command in the RShell terminal:
>config snmp version 2c disable
FIXED RFID READER SPECIFICATIONS
| Manufacturer | Alien Technology |
|---|---|
| Model Number | ALR-F800 |
| Architecture | ARM9 677MHz processor, Linux, 512 MBytes DDR3 RAM, 2 GBytes Flash |
| Supported RFID Tag Protocols | EPC Gen 2; ISO 18000-6c |
| Reader Protocols | Alien Reader Protocol, LLRP |
| LAN Protocols | TCP/IP, NTP, DNS, DHCP, SNMP |
| Dense reader management | Dense Reader Mode, auto event triggering and event management |
| Frequency | 902.75 MHz – 927.25 MHz |
| Channels | 50 |
| Channel Spacing | 500 KHz |
| RF Power | ≥31.5 dBm |
| Power | Power over Ethernet or robust universal AC-DC power converter; 100-240 VAC, 50/60Hz |
| Communications | LAN TCPI/IP (RJ-45), RS-232 (DB-9 F), USB Host, USB Console |
| Antennas | 4 reverse polarity TNC monostatic ports; circular or linear polarization; near and far field compatible |
| General Purpose Inputs/Outputs | Optically isolated. 0-24VDC rail. 4 inputs. 8 outputs (1500mA capacity). |
| Dimensions | (L) 20.2 cm x (W) 19.1 cm x (D) 2.8 cm (7.5” x 7.9” x 1.1”) |
| Weight | 0.85 kg (1.88 lb) |
| Operating Temperature | -20°C to +50°C (-4°F to +122°F) |
| Dust and Moisture | IP53 and Plunum rated UL-2043 |
| LED Indicators | Power, CPU, Read, Sniff, Ant 0-3 |
| ROHS | EU 2002/95/EC compliant |
| Software SDK | Java, .NET, Ruby APIs |