DIGI WVA User manual
Wireless Vehicle Bus Adapter (WVA)
Getting Started Guide
Revision history—90001929
Revision Date Description
E September 2017
F November 2017 Added information for reviewing fault codes in the
G June 2019
H January 2021
J February 2021
Trademarks and copyright
Digi, Digi International, and the Digi logo are trademarks or registered trademarks in the United
States and other countries worldwide. All other trademarks mentioned in this document are the
property of their respective owners.
© 2021 Digi International Inc. All rights reserved.
Disclaimers
Information in this document is subject to change without notice and does not represent a
commitment on the part of Digi International. Digi provides this document “as is,” without warranty of
any kind, expressed or implied, including, but not limited to, the implied warranties of fitness or
merchantability for a particular purpose. Digi may make improvements and/or changes in this manual
or in the product(s) and/or the program(s) described in this manual at any time.
n Updated to new format.
n Edited and updated content.
demo application.
Updated graphics in Network Service
Configuration page descriptions.
Added Anatel information.
Updated Anatel information.
Warranty
To view product warranty information, go to the following website:
www.digi.com/howtobuy/terms
Send comments
Documentation feedback: To provide feedback on this document, send your comments to
techcomm@digi.com.
Wireless Vehicle Bus Adapter (WVA) Getting Started Guide
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Customer support
Digi Technical Support: Digi offers multiple technical support plans and service packages to help our
customers get the most out of their Digi product. For information on Technical Support plans and
pricing, contact us at +1 952.912.3444 or visit us at www.digi.com/support.
Wireless Vehicle Bus Adapter (WVA) Getting Started Guide
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Contents
Wireless Vehicle Bus Adapter Getting Started Guide
Features 7
Setting up your Wireless Vehicle Bus Adapter 8
Connect the hardware
Verify product components 10
Optional equipment 10
Communications equipment 10
Recommended CANbus simulator model 11
Connect the WVAto a CANsimulator 11
Connect the WVA to a vehicle's diagnostic port 12
Remove the WVA from the diagnostic port 13
WVALEDs 14
Power LED 14
User-defined LED 14
Connect to the WVA
Connect to the WVA from a smart phone or tablet 16
Connect to the WVAfrom a laptop 16
Access and use the WVA web interface
Apply and save changes 19
Cancel changes to configuration settings 19
Open the web interface 19
Upload a file to the WVA 20
Configure the WVA
Configure wireless settings 22
Configure WVA for Wi-Fi Infrastructure mode 22
Configure WVA for Wi-Fi Direct 24
Configure CANbus baud rate (CANbus simulator use only) 27
Configure Python programs 28
Start or stop an already configured Python application 29
Determine whether Python applications are running 30
Configure network services 30
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Configure power management settings 31
About power management 33
Enable Remote Manager connectivity (optional) 33
Manage the WVA device
Rediscover the WVA 36
Reboot the WVA 37
Reset the WVAto factory defaults 37
Disable and enable the factory reset button 37
Disable the factory reset button 37
Enable the factory reset button 37
WVA filesystem and file management 37
Access/Browse the filesystem from device interfaces 38
View the system log 38
Log files and contents 39
View status information 42
Deployment decisions
Default behavior regarding time 43
Default behavior regarding Wi-Fi network connectivity 43
Default behavior regarding Remote Manager connectivity 43
Default behavior regarding IP address assignment 43
WVA web interface page descriptions
Adapter Status page descriptions 46
CANBus page descriptions 47
Device Information page descriptions 47
File Management page descriptions 49
Network Service Configuration page descriptions 50
Power Management Configuration page descriptions 51
Python Configuration page descriptions 52
Run the WVAdemo application
Get started 54
Learn the demo application software features 54
Build your own application 54
Download the demo application 54
Start the demo application and discover WVA devices 55
Discover the WVA 56
Connect to the WVA 56
Optional: Manually connect to the WVA 57
Review the demo application dashboard 57
Show graph view 58
Configure endpoints: subscriptions and alarms 58
Subscribe to an endpoint 59
Configure an endpoint as an alarm 61
Delete an alarm 63
Change application settings 64
Review fault codes 65
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Demo application issues 67
Demo application error messages 68
Demo application: Wi-Fi hotspot issues 68
Demo application: user login fails 68
Demo application: Connection Refused error (ECONNREFUSED) 69
Demo application: Connection has gone away error 69
Troubleshooting
Power LED is dark 72
Device is not discovered by Digi Device Discovery 73
Cannot open web interface or access web services 75
Cannot receive data from the CANbus 76
WVA does not connect to an access point 77
Wi-Fi access issues 78
Cannot discover device using Wi-Fi Direct 79
Cannot associate with WVA over Wi-Fi Direct in push-button mode 80
Cannot associate with WVA over Wi-Fi Direct in PIN mode 81
Wireless signal strength issues 82
Regulatory information
Anatel 83
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Wireless Vehicle Bus Adapter Getting Started Guide
The Wireless Vehicle Bus Adapter (WVA) is a telematics component that makes vehicle bus data
available through wireless communication. Using Wi-Fi, the WVA connects to other intelligent devices
or routers as a client, host, or through a Wi-Fi Direct connection. The WVA can accommodate vehicle
bus data in J1939/CAN or J1587/J1708 form.
You can use the WVA in a desktop development environment with a CAN bus simulator, and can install
it in a vehicle by plugging into the vehicle's diagnostic port.
The WVA provides an option for wireless connectivity within the vehicle cab as an alternative to wired
installation process. If you already have a system that includes an on-board computer (OBC) with Wi-Fi
capabilities in your vehicles, you can integrate the WVA into your existing system. If you have not yet
installed an OBC in your vehicles, you can use a smart phone, tablet, or rugged display combined with
a custom application to interact with the WVA.
Features
n Embedded Wi-Fi with b/g/n Internet speeds
n Standard Deutsch 9-pin diagnostic port connector
n Two J1939/CAN vehicle bus interfaces
n J1587/J1708 vehicle bus interface
n LEDs to indicate power and user-defined functions in applications
n 12 VDC power through a vehicle diagnostic port; can be powered directly from the vehicle
n Basic power management
n Custom buzzer for driver alerts
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Wireless Vehicle Bus Adapter Getting Started Guide Setting up your Wireless Vehicle Bus Adapter
n Web interface for configuration and management, password-protected
n Web services, a RESTful programming interface to vehicle data, password-protected
For detailed hardware specifications, see the Hardware topic of the Wireless Vehicle Bus Adapter (WVA)
Application Developer's Guide.
Setting up your Wireless Vehicle Bus Adapter
This Getting Started Guide walks you through the steps to set up your Wireless Vehicle Bus Adapter.
These steps include:
1. Connect the hardware
2. Evaluate deployment decisions
3. Connect to the WVA
4. Configure the WVA
5. Run the WVAdemo application
In addition, the Troubleshooting section provides troubleshooting tips.
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Connect the hardware
You can use the WVA for desktop development with a CAN simulator, or plug it into a vehicle's
diagnostic port.
Follow the steps in this section to connect the WVA hardware.
Verify product components 10
Recommended CANbus simulator model 11
Connect the WVAto a CANsimulator 11
Connect the WVA to a vehicle's diagnostic port 12
Remove the WVA from the diagnostic port 13
WVALEDs 14
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Connect the hardware Verify product components
Verify product components
The Wireless Vehicle Bus Adapter includes the following components. Make note of any missing or
damaged item and contact your supplier.
Wireless Vehicle Bus Adapter QR code label
Optional equipment
You can order the following equipment separately, if needed.
CAN bus simulator and optional recommended cabling for
connecting to the computer.
Note This part is not sold by Digi International Inc. See
Recommended CANbus simulator model for ordering
information.
Wiring harness
Digi part number 76000931
Communications equipment
You will need a mobile device to interact with the WVA, such as a laptop, tablet or smart phone.
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Connect the hardware Recommended CANbus simulator model
Recommended CANbus simulator model
For the CAN simulator, Digi recommends the following model and part number, which you can order
from the AU Group Electronics on-line store:
n Model: Au SAE J1939 Simulator-Gen II 1.00A (Engine Basic Edition)
n Part number: SIMJ1939-001
The CAN simulator connects directly to the WVA wiring harness.
You can also purchase cabling to connect the CAN simulator to a PC from AU Group Electronics.
Connect the WVAto a CANsimulator
Follow this process to connect a WVA device to a CAN simulator.
Note You can skip this process if you are connecting the WVA to a vehicle. See Connect the WVA to a
vehicle's diagnostic port.
1. Before you begin, you should manually set the baud rate for the CANsimulator. See Configure
CANbus baud rate (CANbus simulator use only).
2. Locate the alignment pin on the WVA and the wiring harness.
3. Following the pin alignment indicated by the alignment pin, connect the WVA to the 9-pin
connector of the wiring harness. Locate the locking ring on the base of the WVA and twist it
clockwise to lock in place.
4. On the wiring harness, connect the wiring leads labeled CAN J1939 or J1708 to the BUS
connector of the CAN simulator, following the CAN simulator’s installation instructions. The
image shows only one CAN connection. Connect additional J1939/CAN or J1587/J1708 leads as
required.
CAUTION! Do not allow bare wires of the wiring harness to touch the CAN
simulator. Touching the bare wires to the CAN simulator can cause a short circuit
which can damage the CAN simulator.
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Connect the hardware Connect the WVA to a vehicle's diagnostic port
5. Connect the power supply for the cable harness to a power source.
CAUTION! When the WVA is being used with a CAN simulator, please note that its baud
rate must be manually set to 250000. Failure to set the baud rate to 250000 results in a
baud rate mismatch, which impacts vehicle bus data. An indicator that the baud rate is
set wrong is the apparent absence of vehicle data. See Configure CANbus baud rate
(CANbus simulator use only) and Cannot receive data from the CANbus.
Connect the WVA to a vehicle's diagnostic port
Follow this process to connect a WVA to a vehicle's diagnostic port.
Note You can skip this process if you are connecting a WVA device to a CAN simulator. See Connect the
WVAto a CANsimulator.
The WVA is compatible with 9-pin diagnostic ports only.
1. Consult the vehicle’s owner’s manual to locate the diagnostic port of the vehicle.
2. Locate the alignment pin on the WVA and diagnostic port.
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Connect the hardware Remove the WVA from the diagnostic port
3. Connect the WVA to the diagnostic port. Twist the WVA locking ring clockwise to lock.
Remove the WVA from the diagnostic port
You can remove the WVA from the diagnostic port in a vehicle.
1. Twist the WVA locking ring counterclockwise.
2. Pull the WVA from the diagnostic port.
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Connect the hardware WVALEDs
WVALEDs
The WVA has several LEDs on the top of the device:
Power LED
n Off (dark): No power. For more information, see Power LED is dark.
n Solid green: The device is powered.
Note The WVA must be powered on and able to connect with a wireless network to work as
expected. You can confirm that the WVA can connect to a wireless network in the Network
Connectivity Status section in the Device Information page in the web interface. For more
information, see Device Information page descriptions.
n Blinking green: An update of the firmware for the device is in progress.
User-defined LED
The user-defined LED allows you to set LED functionality as needed for your particular application. By
default, this LED is not enabled.
For more information on programming the user-defined LED, see the Wireless Vehicle Bus Adapter
Application Developer's Guide.
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Connect to the WVA
After you have connected the WVA to a CAN simulator or plugged it into a vehicle's diagnostic port, you
can connect to the WVA from a smart phone, tablet, or laptop. This enables you to configure the WVA
settings, view device status, perform firmware updates, and view a log of system events.
Connect to the WVA from a smart phone or tablet 16
Connect to the WVAfrom a laptop 16
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Connect to the WVA Connect to the WVA from a smart phone or tablet
The WVA has several default startup and operation behaviors that should be considered in your own
network's setup and operation. For more information, see Deployment decisions.
Note You will need the QR code label included in the WVA packaging to connect to the WVA. Make sure
you have access to this label before you begin.
Connect to the WVA from a smart phone or tablet
Connecting to the WVA from a smart phone or tablet requires a QR code reader. If you do not already
have a QR code reader available on your phone or tablet, download one for your mobile device or
tablet.Digi recommends the QR code reader by Scan, Inc.
1. From your smart phone or tablet, download a QRCode Reader if you do not have one available.
a. Navigate to www.scan.me.
b. Click the Download App button to start the download process.
2. Set the WVA to factory defaults. Press and hold the button on the device for at least 10 seconds
to return the gateway to its initial state.
3. With the QR code reader, scan the QR code label shipped with your WVA.
4. A prompt appears, asking whether you want to connect to the WVA. Select Yes. Your device
connects to the WVA access point automatically.
If you are unable to connect to the WVA, see WVA does not connect to an access point.
Connect to the WVAfrom a laptop
Connecting to the WVA from a laptop requires the network security key from the QR code label
included in the WVA packaging.
1. Set the WVA to factory defaults before starting this procedure. Press and hold the button on
the device for at least 10 seconds to return the gateway to its initial state.
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Connect to the WVA Connect to the WVAfrom a laptop
2. The WVA appears in the list of available network connections as a wireless network access
point. The access point has a default name derived from the serial address for the device in this
format: wva-mac-address.
On the laptop, search the list of network connections for the access point name wva-mac-
address. For example: wva-00:40:4d:41:88:81
3. Select the access point name and click Connect to connect to the WVA as a wireless access
point. If you do not see the WVA in the connections list, or cannot connect to it, see WVA does
not connect to an access point.
4. Enter the network security key. This network security key is labeled PASS on the QR code label
in the WVA packaging.
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Access and use the WVA web interface
The WVA has a web interface for configuring device settings, viewing device status, performing
firmware updates, and viewing a log of system events.
See the topics below for more detailed information:
Apply and save changes 19
Cancel changes to configuration settings 19
Open the web interface 19
Upload a file to the WVA 20
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Access and use the WVA web interface Apply and save changes
Apply and save changes
The web interface runs locally on the device, which means that the interface always maintains and
displays the latest settings in the Digi device. On each screen, clicking Apply saves any configuration
changes to the Digi device.
Cancel changes to configuration settings
Click the Refresh or Reload button on the web browser to reload the page. Any changes made since
the last time you clicked the Apply button are reset to their original values.
Open the web interface
Use the WVA web interface to configure device settings, view device status and system settings, and
perform firmware updates.
Note Before you can open the web interface, you must connected to the WVA. For more information
see Connect to the WVA.
1. Go to a browser and access the web interface using the default IP address for the WVA access
point: 192.168.100.1
2. The first time you attempt to access the WVA, a certificate management prompt appears. Click
Proceed Anyway.
3. A login prompt appears.
n For username, enter admin.
n For password, enter admin.
Note You can change the password from the default at a later time on the Configuration >
Admin Password page.
4. The Device Information page appears. This page is also known as the Home page. You can
return to it at any time in the interface by clicking Home in the menu on the left side. For
information about the sections in the Device Information page, see Device Information page
descriptions.
Note If you cannot open this page for the WVA, see Cannot open web interface or access web
services.
5. You can make the configuration changes as needed by clicking a menu option in the left-hand
pane. When a change is made, click Apply to save any changes to the WVA device. For more
information, see Apply and save changes.
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Access and use the WVA web interface Upload a file to the WVA
Upload a file to the WVA
In the File Management page, you can manage custom applications, their associated data files, and
other files. You can also push firmware upload files to the device filesystem, pull log files from the
device filesystem, and load files onto the WVA. The File Management page also displays current
information about loaded files.
For more information about the File Management page, see File Management page descriptions.
This process explains how to upload files to the WVA, such as a Python script.
1. Open the WVA web interface. For instructions, see Open the web interface.
2. Click the Administration > File Management link in the WVA web interface. The File
Management page appears.
3. Click the Browse button to locate the file on your computer that you want to upload to the
WVA.
4. Click Update file to begin the file upload process.
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Configure the WVA
You can configure settings for the WVA in the web interface. You must first connect to the WVA. See
Connect to the WVA and Open the web interface to get started.
Once you have accessed the web interface, you can configure the WVA settings. The following topics
describe how to configure your WVA’s wireless settings and perform other set up and management
tasks.
Configure wireless settings 22
Configure CANbus baud rate (CANbus simulator use only) 27
Configure Python programs 28
Configure network services 30
Configure power management settings 31
Enable Remote Manager connectivity (optional) 33
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Configure the WVA Configure wireless settings
Configure wireless settings
Configure the WVA's wireless settings from the web interface to establish the wireless network
method.
Choose one of the following wireless network communication methods:
n As an access point. Wireless communication is possible with an access point that uses the
default IP address, an SSID, and a pre-shared key. The access point is always accessible at the
address 192.168.100.1 when devices connect to it.
n As a client device in a wireless network infrastructure: You must set up this type of
configuration for each type of wireless network in which you want the WVA to operate. The
web interface has a wizard for configuring the WVA as a client device. By default, when the WVA
connects to another access point as a client, which it can do in parallel with devices connecting
to it as an access point, it gets its IP address via DHCP. IP address assignment via DHCP is
enabled by default. For instructions on configuring the WVA as a client device, see Configure
WVA for Wi-Fi Infrastructure mode.
n Using Wi-Fi Direct. Wi-Fi Direct is a Wi-Fi standard that enables devices to connect easily with
each other without requiring a wireless access point and to communicate at typical Wi-Fi
speeds. Wi-Fi Direct requires a one-time configuration for WVA units, where you set how the
WVA user establishes a Wi-Fi Direct connection: by pressing the button on the WVA, or by
entering a PIN. After this configuration, users establish a Wi-FI Direct connection by a button
press or entering a PIN. In Wi-Fi Direct mode, the default IP address is 192.168.43.1 when
devices connect to it. For instructions on configuring the WVA to use Wi-Fi Direct, see Configure
WVA for Wi-Fi Direct.
CAUTION! Switching the WVA to Wi-Fi Direct mode disables access point mode. This
means the only way that you can access the WVA is through a device supporting Wi-Fi
Direct. If you cannot access the WVA, reset the device to factory defaults. For more
information, see Reset the WVAto factory defaults.
Configure WVA for Wi-Fi Infrastructure mode
To configure the WVA as a client device in a wireless network infrastructure:
1. Open the web interface.
2. In the web interface, go to Configuration > Wireless Network.
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Configure the WVA Configure wireless settings
3. The Wireless Network Configuration page appears. In the Interface Availability
Configuration section, click Infrastructure.
4. The Wi-Fi Infrastructure Wizard appears.
a. The wizard scans for available wireless networks, and displays them in a list.
b. Click Apply.
5. Select the security mode and enter the associated parameters for the security mode. If you do
not know these values, contact your network administrator. The default security mode for the
WVA is WPA-PSK.
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Configure the WVA Configure wireless settings
6. When the wizard completes, the WVA connects as a client to the wireless network you selected
in step 4. The WVA gets its IP address via DHCP.
Configure WVA for Wi-Fi Direct
To configure the WVA for access by Wi-Fi Direct:
1. Open the web interface.
2. In the web interface, go to Configuration > Wireless Network. The Wireless Network
Configuration page appears.
3. Under Interface Availability Configuration, click Wi-Fi Direct.
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Configure the WVA Configure wireless settings
4. The Wi-Fi Direct Wizard launches. The wizard prompts you for a device name and the method
for establishing the Wi-Fi Direct connection.
a. In the Device Name field, enter an identifier associated with the WVA. The
recommended name is the fleet ID for the vehicle, such as truck326:
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