RWF WIRELESS RADIO INSTALLATION GUIDE

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2 TABLE OF CONTENTS General Installation... 1 Sign Radio Installation... 1 PC Radio Installation... 2 Quick Setup For Auto Configuration... 3 Configuring the host radio... 4 Standard PC Configuration... 4 Network Configuration... 6 Sign Programming from Internet Testing Communications Radio Security Radio Troubleshooting Multiple Host Radios, One PC

3 GENERAL INSTALLATION Two RWF radios are included with your sign: One for the host PC and one for the sign. Both radios are labeled accordingly. The radios cannot be switched. Doing so will result in communication failure. WARNING: Do not cut, splice, or modify the radio cables in any way. This will void the warranty on all radio parts. WARNING: If multiple RWF radios are to be connected to one PC, please see Multiple Host Radios, One PC on page 14. Connecting multiple radios to one PC without being specifically programmed will cause IP conflicts. One mounting bracket is supplied with each radio to make mounting easy. Both radios should be mounted vertically to ensure the best communications. Simply mount the bracket in a vertical position and then slip the radio into the bracket. The radios can also be mounted without the mounting bracket by using the pole mount and included cable tie. Do not place anything in front of the radios that could obstruct their RF signals. Do not mount the sign radio inside the sign. Make sure both radios are mounted vertically with their antennas pointing up towards the sky. Elevate the radios above any obstructions. SIGN RADIO INSTALLATION 1. Mount the sign radio vertically so that it will have clear line-of-sight with the PC radio. The tip of the antenna should point up towards the sky. Place it above or away from any obstructions. Both the radio and its cable are rated for outdoor use. 2. Pull the radio cable out of the extrusion on the back of the sign cabinet and make the connection to the sign radio. 1

4 PC RADIO INSTALLATION 1. Mount the PC radio vertically and within clear line-of-sight of the sign radio. Place it above or away from any obstructions. The best signal quality is achieved through line-of-sight placement. Mount the radios indoors if signal strength is good. If possible, mount the radio near a window. Both the radio and its cable are rated for outdoor use. 2. Route the radio cable from the radio to the host PC. The radio cable does not need to be placed in conduit, unless otherwise stated by local codes. Routing the cable through plenum spaces is not recommended, as the cable is not plenum rated. 3. Connect the radio cable to the POE port on the radio interface box. The interface box is not rated for outdoor use; it must be placed indoors. 4. Connect the AC cable, included with the interface box, to an AC outlet. Plug the other end of the AC cable into the interface box. 5. Connect the included 3 foot Ethernet cable to the LAN port on the interface box. Connect the other end to the Ethernet port of the PC. NOTE: If the PC s Ethernet port is already in use, then use the included USB to Ethernet adapter. 6. Plug the purple USB hardware lock into an available USB port on the host PC. This security device must be connected to the host PC for communications to occur. 2

5 QUICK SETUP FOR AUTO CONFIGURATION NEW to the Ignite software is the Auto Configuration feature. The Auto Configuration Wizard attempts to connect to the sign in order to download the configuration details from the sign controller. Follow these simple steps to configure Ignite and connect to the sign. 1. Be sure the sign is turned on. 2. Install Ignite on the host PC. If the sign does not have power, choose Configure Ignite Manually, and refer to the inside cover for Sign Configuration. 3. Follow step a for RWF connected directly to the PC or step b for RWF connected through a network. IMPORTANT: Connect the USB security hasp to the host PC now. a. RWF Radios: Connect the equipment to the host PC at this time. The drivers will install automatically. Click Next on the Auto Configuration Wizard. b. RWF Radio on a network: Click Network Connect Page and enter the static IP address of the RWF radio. The Wizard will attempt to connect to the sign and download the sign configuration. If communications are established, the Auto Configuration Successful screen will appear. Click Finish. The communications are now properly configured to schedule messages and update the sign. 4. Once Ignite has been configured for the sign, install the Easyart Graphics by inserting any of the included EasyArt discs. The correct size of EasyArt will be installed, or a prompt will appear to insert the next Easyart Graphics disc. If the Ignite Auto Configuration Wizard fails to connect to the sign, the Auto Configuration Failed message will appear. Check connections and power to the communication equipment and be sure the sign is playing a message before clicking Retry. If the problem persists, click View Log and review the error messages for possible solutions. If additional assistance is required, please call Watchfire tech support at

6 CONFIGURING THE HOST RADIO Once the radio hardware is installed, the PC must be configured properly. For standard installations using one dedicated computer for sign programming, follow the instructions in the Standard PC Configuration section below. For network installations that allow sign programming from any computer on the network, skip to the Network Configuration section. STANDARD PC CONFIGURATION NOTE: Screen shots are taken from Windows 7/Vista unless indicated. 1. On the PC, go to Start -> Control Panel. NOTE: For Windows XP users, go to Start and Run ncpa.cpl, then skip to step Open Network and Internet. 3. Open Network and Sharing Center. 4. Click Change adapter settings. 4

7 5. Right-click Local Area Connection and select Properties. NOTE: If using the included USB to Ethernet adapter, be sure to select the appropriate Local Area Connection. 6. Select Internet Protocol(TCP/IPV4) if you are using Win 7/Vista or Internet Protocol (TCP/IP) if you are using WinXP, and click Properties. 7. Set the IP address to the following and click OK. PC Setup is complete. You just finished the Standard Configuration. Install Ignite and test communications with the sign. 5

8 NETWORK CONFIGURATION The following instructions are only for users who want to communicate to their sign from any computer on their network, or who want to communicate to the sign from the Internet. WARNING: Any changes made to the configuration that are outside the instructions of this document may render the radio inoperable and unserviceable. WARNING: If the network IP scheme is x.x there will be communication problems. Please contact Watchfire Signs for recommendations on completing installation. NOTE: Screen shots are taken from Windows 7/Vista unless indicated. 1. A static IP address must be assigned to the radio for network use. This IP address should match IP addressing of the local network. If the customer has an IT Department, contact them for IP address assignments. You will need the following information for static IP address programming: a. IP address b. Subnet Mask c. Default Gateway d. Primary DNS IP (If unknown, use the same IP address as the Default Gateway) 2. Before putting the radio out on the network, program it locally using a PC. Connect the included 3 patch cable from the LAN port of the radio s black interface box to the Ethernet port on the PC. 3. On the PC, go to Start -> Control Panel. NOTE: For Windows XP users, go to Start and Run ncpa.cpl, then skip to step 7. 6

9 4. Open Network and Internet. 5. Open Network and Sharing Center. 6. Click Change adapter settings. 7. Right-click Local Area Connection and select Properties. 7

10 8. Select Internet Protocol(TCP/IPV4) if you are using Win 7/Vista or Internet Protocol (TCP/IP) if you are using WinXP, and click Properties. 9. Set the IP address to the following and click OK. 8

11 10. Open a web browser and type into the address bar and press Enter. (This is the pre-programmed IP by WatchFire Signs). 11. Type wfsadmin for User Name and wfsadmin for Password at the prompt. 12. Click the Network tab and scroll down to LAN NETWORK SETTINGS. Change the preprogrammed IP Address, Netmask, Gateway IP, and Primary DNS IP required by the IT administrator. Click the Change button at the bottom of the page. Once the Change button is clicked, an Apply button appears at the top of the page; click Apply. WARNING: DO NOT CHANGE THE WLAN NETWORK SETTINGS. 9

12 13. Once the changes are complete, close the web browser and disconnect the equipment from the PC. You can now connect the equipment to a network switch. 14. Open Ignite. Go to Tools -> Configuration. Click Sign Configuration from the Task List. In the Ethernet Communication section, change the Server Name to the IP address assigned to the radio in step 11. When finished, click Save. Setup is complete and you are ready to test communication with the sign. 10

13 SIGN PROGRAMMING FROM INTERNET Customers who want to program their sign from the internet must configure the radios on a local network as described in the Network Configuration section. The network administrator must then create a port forward on their router from the incoming internet modem to the radio IP address. The modem IP address and port should then be entered into the Server Name and Server Port in Ignite. TESTING COMMUNICATIONS Once PC and sign radios are powered on and connected to their necessary hardware, the LEDs can be used for general troubleshooting. Great Signal Good Signal Fair Signal Poor Signal Link Ethernet LAN Power Communications can be tested by running the Ignite graphics software and updating messages to the sign. 11

14 RADIO SECURITY The RWF radios operate in the 2.4GHz spectrum using WPA2 encryption for communication. They do not operate on IEEE b/g (Wi-Fi) standard channels and are therefore undetectable by standard Wi-Fi devices. Customers who use the standard PC configuration, as specified in the RWF user manual, will in most cases be satisfied with the security features of the radios. The standard PC configuration typically consists of one dedicated PC for sign programming, and the PC is isolated from any computer network that contains sensitive data. Customers who use the network configuration, as specified in the RWF user manual, may have greater security concerns if the PC used for sign programming resides on a company network with sensitive data. These customers should be aware of the security features included in the RWF radios. The SSID is unique for each sign and is not broadcasted. Neither radio acts as a DHCP server, so a wireless computer cannot be handed a dynamic IP address. Each radio pair uses a WPA2-AES encryption key that is generated by Watchfire Signs and is unique to each sign. Watchfire Signs keeps all encryption keys confidential. Sign communications can only occur with a licensed copy of Ignite software and a USB security hasp. For more information concerning RWF radio security, contact Watchfire Signs technical support at or service@watchfiresigns.com. 12

15 RADIO TROUBLESHOOTING What does the error mean? Most problems with the radio or radio connection will result in a error in Ignite. Please check the following: 1. Verify Ignite is set to the correct Server Name (IP). This will be or an customer assigned static IP if plugged into a network. If the incorrect Server Name is entered, Ignite will try the default IP ( ). 2. Verify the radio is connected properly. The RWF Radio cable should be plugged into the port labeled POE. The 3 Ethernet patch cable should be plugged into the port labeled LAN. The POE box has a green LED on the top of it that indicates it is connected to power. 3. If the radio is plugged into the provided USB-to-Ethernet converter or to the host computer s network card, check the following. If the radio has been programmed to a static IP and plugged into the network, skip to step 4. a. Check the TCP/IP settings for the computer s network card or USB-to-Ethernet converter. Should be b. Verify the Local Area Connection is ENABLED. c. If using the provided USB-to-Ethernet converter, check Device Manager to verify ASIX. Fast Ethernet adapter is listed and is working. Both the 100Mbs and LAN lights should be lit (the LAN light will blink). If these lights are NOT lit, check connections at the POE box, converter box, and the twist lock connector on the HRWF. d. In a Web Browser, type to check settings through the AirOS interface. Username and password: wfsadmin 4. If the radio is connected to a network connection, check the following: a. In a Web Browser, type the static IP to check settings through the AirOS interface. Username and password: wfsadmin From the AirOS interface, verify the LAN IP/netmask/gateway has been changed and not the WLAN IP. The WLAN should ALWAYS be for the HRWF and for the SRWF. 5. If the IP of the host radio has been changed and forgotten, you can use the device discovery tool to determine the IP. When running this utility, if the error javaw.exe not found is encountered, download java from java.com 6. Check the lights on the HRWF (host radio) and SRWF (sign radio) a. The power light, link light < -- >, and the signal strength lights should be on all of the time. b. The link light < --- > on the HRWF shows a connection between the host radio and the Ethernet adaptor c. The link light < --- > on the SRWF shows a connection between the sign radio and the controller (bc550, m86) d. If the power or link lights are off, check the radio twist lock connector e. If the power and link lights are on but there are no signal strength lights, double verify clear line of site, both radios are at least 1 inch from metal f. Radios are sent out as a pair and can not be interchanged between signs. The radio pairs are programmed with unique SSID numbers. 13

16 7. If you still get a error check for Firewall and Anti-virus programs or try another PC. What does the Ignite error Error: Controller not responding. Unable to connect to the sign mean? Be sure the sign controller inside the sign is in operate mode. The sign should be playing the Watchfire message or the customer s last updated messages. What does Ignite error mean? This error can be caused by a network firewall. What will happen if I reset the radio using the AirOS interface? DO NOT reset factory default radio settings. This will cause the radio to be unusable. NOTE: If a radio needs re-programmed for a network installation and the current IP address of the radio is unknown, go to the following URL and download the Discovery Tool utility: Connect the PC radio to the computer as described in step 2 of the Network Configuration section. Run the utility to determine the IP address currently programmed into the radio. Set your Local Area Connection IP accordingly. MULTIPLE HOST RADIOS, ONE PC There are two methods to connect multiple Host RWF radios to one PC. A) Use both USB NICs or B) use one USB NIC and a small network switch. (switch provided by the end user) NIC is short for Network Interface Card. A. The third octet of the IP will be changed in one set of HRWF Radio and USB NIC. Here's a sample IP scheme: 1st NIC: IP GW st HRWF: IP nd NIC: IP GW nd HRWF: IP B. Using one USB NIC and a small network switch (supplied by the customer), change the last octet of the IP in one of the HRWF Radios. Here's a sample IP scheme: NIC: IP (GW ) 1st HRWF: IP nd HRWF: IP Refer to Network Configuration on page 7 for instructions on changing the IP of the HRWF, the network card, and the server name in Ignite. 14

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