Symbol Technologies VRC 6940 User Manual

VRC 6940

Product Reference Guide

VRC 6940

Product Reference Guide

72-37641-02

Revision B

June 2001

No part of this publication may be reproduced or used in any form, or by any electrical or mechanical means, without permission in writing from Symbol. This includes electronic or mechanical means, such as photocopying, recording, or information storage and retrieval systems. The material in this manual is subject to change without notice.

The software is provided strictly on an “as is” basis. All software, including firmware, furnished to the user is on a licensed basis. Symbol grants to the user a non-transferable and non-exclusive license to use each software or firmware program delivered hereunder (licensed program). Except as noted below, such license may not be assigned, sublicensed, or otherwise transferred by the user without prior written consent of Symbol. No right to copy a licensed program in whole or in part is granted, except as permitted under copyright law. The user shall not modify, merge, or incorporate any form or portion of a licensed program with other program material, create a derivative work from a licensed program, or use a licensed program in a network without written permission from Symbol. The user agrees to maintain Symbol’s copyright notice on the licensed programs delivered hereunder, and to include the same on any authorized copies it makes, in whole or in part. The user agrees not to decompile, disassemble, decode, or reverse engineer any licensed program delivered to the user or any portion thereof.

Symbol reserves the right to make changes to any software or product to improve reliability, function, or design.

Symbol does not assume any product liability arising out of, or in connection with, the application or use of any product, circuit, or application described herein.

No license is granted, either expressly or by implication, estoppel, or otherwise under any Symbol Technologies, Inc., intellectual property rights. An implied license only exists for equipment, circuits, and subsystems contained in Symbol products.

Symbol, Spectrum One, and Spectrum24 are registered trademarks of Symbol Technologies, Inc. Other product names mentioned in this manual may be trademarks or registered trademarks of their respective companies and are hereby acknowledged.

Symbol Technologies, Inc. One Symbol Plaza Holtsville, New York 11742-1300 http://www.symbol.com

Contents

About This Manual

Notational Conventions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . vii

Related Publications . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . viii

Contact and Service Information . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . viii

Chapter 1. Getting Started

Purpose of This Manual . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-1

Parts of a VRC 6940 Terminal . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-2

Options and Accessories. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-3

Options . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-3

Accessories . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-3

Radio Cards . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-3

Scanners . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-3

Printers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-4

Before You Use the Terminal.... . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-4

Chapter 2. Installing Hardware

Equipment Required. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-1

Hardware Installation. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-2

Providing Power: Vehicle Installations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-5

Providing Power: Wall or Workbench Installations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-7

Installation and the Internal Battery . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-8

Chapter 3. Configuring Spectrum24

Equipment Required. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-1

Configuring a Spectrum24 Radio Card. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-2

iii

VRC 6940 Product Reference Guide

Chapter 4. Installing Software

Equipment Required . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-1

Transferring and Installing Application Programs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-2

1. Prepare the PC for Communications and File Downloading. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-2

2. Provide a Reliable Power Source. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-4

3. Prepare the Terminal for Transferring Files . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-4

4. Start the File Transfer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-7

5. Complete the Installation of Transferred Files . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-8

Chapter 5. Operating a VRC 6940

Powering a Terminal On and Off . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-2

Powering On . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-2

Suspending or Turning Off the Terminal . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-2

Powering On or Off Automatically. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-3

Resetting a Terminal . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-3

Modifier Keys: SHIFT, FUNC and CTRL . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-4

Adjusting Brightness . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-6

Entering Data . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-6

Bar Code Scanning. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-7

Attaching an External Bar Code Scanner . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-7

Using a Bar Code Scanner. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .5-7

Moving a Terminal to a Different Power Source . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-8

Command Mode . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-8

Chapter 6. Troubleshooting

Troubleshooting a VRC 6940 Terminal. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-1

Error Messages . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-3

Scanning Problems. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-4

Terminal Stops Responding . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-4

1. Make Sure You are Within Range of an Access Point. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-4

2. Force the Terminal into Suspend . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-4

3. Restart After Forcing a Suspend . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-5

Booting a VRC 6940 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-5

Warm Boot. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-5

Cold Boot . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-6

Command Mode . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-7

If Rebooting Fails . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-7

Memory Transfer Analyzer (MTA) Utility . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-8

Technical Support Contacts. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-12

Contents

Chapter 7. Maintenance

Maintaining the Internal Battery. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-1

Storing the Terminal. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-2

Cleaning . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-2

Appendix A. Utilities and Diagnostic Tests

VRC 6940 Self Tests. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . A-2

Keyboard Test. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . A-4

DIAG24 Diagnostics Utility . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . A-5

DIAG24 Setup . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . A-5

Ping Test . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . A-8

Field Diagnostic Test . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . A-10

CFG24 Configurator Utility . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . A-12

Starting the Utility . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . A-12

Initializing the Radio . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . A-12

The Configurator Menu . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . A-13

View Config Parameters. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . A-13

ESS ID or Net ID . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . A-14

Subnet Mask . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . A-14

Default Router . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . A-15

Terminal IP Address . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . A-16

Diversity . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . A-16

MU Sleep Mode . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . A-17

Boot Mode . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . A-17

Power Management . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . A-18

Buffers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . A-19

Re-Transmit Delay . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . A-19

Rate Control . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . A-20

Scanner/RF Operation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . A-20

Flash Utility . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . A-21

Deleting. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . A-21

Copying . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . A-21

Renaming . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . A-21

Appendix B. Software Environment

Boot Sequence . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . B-2

LAN WorkPlace (LWP) Software . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . B-3

Software Files . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . B-3

VRC 6940 Product Reference Guide

Appendix C. Keyboard Layouts

Keyboard Character & Character Combination Illustrations. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . C-4

Appendix D. Environmental and Technical Specifications

Specifications . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . D-1

Scanner Port . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . D-2

COM1 Serial Port . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . D-3

Null Modem . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . D-4

Appendix E. Communications Status Codes

Communications Status Codes. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . E-1

Glossary

Index

About This Manual

This Product Reference Guide describes the VRC 6940 terminal. Topics include: hardware

installation, software configuration, operation, troubleshooting, and maintenance.

Notational Conventions

This document uses the following conventions:

“Operator” or “User” refers to anyone using a VRC 6940 terminal.

“Te rm i nal ” refers to a VRC 6940 terminal.

“You” refers to the System Administrator or Technical Support person using this

manual to install, configure, operate, maintain or troubleshoot a VRC 6940. Bold upper case type indicates a key on the terminal. For example: “Press ENTER”,

“Press J, then K”.

Courier

Italics are used:

" to identify menu items on a terminal screen " for variable names in usage and syntax descriptions " to highlight specific items in the general text " to identify chapters and sections in this and related documents

Bullets (♦) indicate:

" action items " lists of alternatives " lists of required steps that are not necessarily sequential

Sequential lists (e.g., those that describe step-by-step procedures) appear as

numbered lists.

type is used for command line text and file names.

vii

VRC 6940 Product Reference Guide

Related Publications

VRC 6900 Series Quick Reference Guide

p/n 72-37640-XX

Series 3000 Application Programmer's Guide

p/n 70-16308-XX Series 3000 Application Programmer’s Reference Manual

p/n 70-16309-XX

Series 3000 System Software Manual

p/n 70-16310-XX Spectrum 24 Network Terminal Technical Reference Guide — Radio Firmware and

Driver Guide Version 3 p/n 70-20193-XX

Spectrum 24 Ethernet Access Point User Guide

p/n 70-12057-XX Spectrum24 Wireless LAN Adapter Product Reference Guide

p/n 70-20505-XX

Contact and Service Information

If you have a problem with your equipment, contact the Symbol Support Center for your region. See

page vii for contact information. Before calling, have the model number, serial number, and several of

your bar code symbols at hand.

Call the Support Center from a phone near the scanning equipment so that the service person can try to talk you through your problem. If the equipment is found to be working properly and the problem is symbol readability, the Support Center will request samples of your bar codes for analysis at our plant.

If your problem cannot be solved over the phone, you may need to return your equipment for servicing. If that is necessary, you will be given specific directions.

Note: Symbol Technologies is not responsible for any damages incurred during

shipment if the approved shipping container is not used. Shipping the units improperly can possibly void the warranty. If the original shipping container was not kept, contact Symbol to have another sent to you.

viii

About This Manual

Symbol Support Center

For service information, warranty information or technical assistance contact or call the Symbol

Support Center in:

Symbol Technologies, Inc.

United States

One Symbol Plaza Holtsville, New York 11742-1300 1-800-653-5350

United Kingdom

Symbol Technologies Symbol Place Winnersh Triangle, Berkshire RG41 5TP United Kingdom 0800 328 2424 (Inside UK) +44 208 945 7529 (Outside UK)

Australia

Symbol Technologies Pty. Ltd. 432 St. Kilda Road Melbourne, Victoria 3004 1-800-672-906 (Inside Australia) +61-3-9866-6044 (Outside Australia)

Denmark/Danmark

Symbol Technologies AS Gydevang 2, DK-3450 Allerod, Denmark 7020-1718 (Inside Denmark) +45-7020-1718 (Outside Denmark)

Finland/Suomi

Oy Symbol Technologies Kaupintie 8 A 6 FIN-00440 Helsinki, Finland 9 5407 580 (Inside Finland) +358 9 5407 580 (Outside Finland)

Symbol Technologies Canada, Inc.

Canada

2540 Matheson Boulevard East Mississauga, Ontario, Canada L4W 4Z2 905-629-7226

Asia/Pacific

Symbol Technologies Asia, Inc. 230 Victoria Street #04-05 Bugis Junction Office Tower Singapore 188024 337-6588 (Inside Singapore) +65-337-6588 (Outside Singapore)

Austria/Österreich

Symbol Technologies Austria GmbH Prinz-Eugen Strasse 70 Suite 3

2.Haus, 5.Stock 1040 Vienna, Austria 1-505-5794 (Inside Austria) +43-1-505-5794 (Outside Austria)

Europe/Mid-East Distributor Operations

Contact your local distributor or call +44 208 945 7360

France

Symbol Technologies France Centre d'Affaire d'Antony 3 Rue de la Renaissance 92184 Antony Cedex, France 01-40-96-52-21 (Inside France) +33-1-40-96-52-50 (Outside France)

VRC 6940 Product Reference Guide

Symbol Technologies GmbH Waldstrasse 68 D-63128 Dietzenbach, Germany 6074-49020 (Inside Germany) +49-6074-49020 (Outside Germany)

7900 Glades Road Suite 340 Boca Raton, Florida 33434 USA 1-800-347-0178 (Inside United States) +1-561-483-1275 (Outside United States)

Symbol Technologies Kerkplein 2, 7051 CX Postbus 24 7050 AA Varsseveld, Netherlands 315-271700 (Inside Netherlands) +31-315-271700 (Outside Netherlands)

Symbol Technologies Africa Inc. Block B2 Rutherford Estate 1 Scott Street Waverly 2090 Johannesburg Republic of South Africa 11-4405668 (Inside South Africa) +27-11-4405668 (Outside South Africa)

Symbol Technologies AB Albygatan 109D Solna Sweden 84452900 (Inside Sweden) +46 84452900 (Outside Sweden)

Customer support is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

Germany/Deutchland

Latin America Sales Support

Netherlands/Nederland

South Africa

Sweden/Sverige

Symbol Technologies Italia S.R.L.

Italy/Italia

Via Cristoforo Columbo, 49 20090 Trezzano S/N Navigilo Milano, Italy 2-484441 (Inside Italy) +39-02-484441 (Outside Italy)

Mexico/México

Symbol Technologies Mexico Ltd. Torre Picasso Boulevard Manuel Avila Camacho No 88 Lomas de Chapultepec CP 11000 Mexico City, DF, Mexico 5-520-1835 (Inside Mexico) +52-5-520-1835 (Outside Mexico)

Norway/Norge

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Spain/España

Symbol Technologies S.A. Edificioi la Piovera Azul C. Peonias, No. 2 - Sexta Planta 28042 Madrid, Spain 9-1-320-39-09 (Inside Spain) +34-9-1-320-39-09 (Outside Spain)

If you purchased your Symbol product from a Symbol Business Partner, contact that Business Partner for service.

For the latest version of this guide go to:http://www.symbol.com/manuals.

Chapter 1 Getting Started

VRC 6940 terminals are rugged mobile computer terminals that communicate by radio with

a host computer on Spectrum24

networks. End-users view network applications and data on the terminal’s 8-line screen, and use its keyboard or an attached scanner to enter and transmit data.

The terminal uses the DR-DOS standard IBM PC-DOS

™

V3.41 operating system, compatible with the industry-

. DR-DOS provides access to a number of commercially available programming tools. Symbol can provide additional programming tools for easier system programming and access to special features.

VRC 6940 features include:

8 line x 40 column screen display

54-key keyboard

DOS operating system and 16-bit processing

compatibility with laser scanners and pen-based bar code readers

support for industrial software applications

support for spread-spectrum radio frequency technology

Purpose of This Manual

This manual is for Information Systems and Technical Support personnel who are responsible for installing and supporting VRC 6940 terminals. It describes how to install, configure and maintain a terminal. For information on day-to-day operation for end-users, see the VRC 6940 Terminal Quick Reference Guide (p/n 72-37640-XX).

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VRC 6940 Product Reference Guide

Parts of a VRC 6940 Terminal

Standard Parts

A standard VRC 6940 terminal includes these standard parts:

Terminal with attached vehicle-mount bracket

Bracket knobs (2)

External DC power cable

Internal PCMCIA radio card for use with a Symbol Spectrum24 network

VRC 6940 Terminal Quick Reference Guide (p/n 72-37640-XX)

Front

Antenna (accessory option)

Display Screen

Keyb oa rd

Ve h i c le - mo u n t B r ac k e t

Scanner Connector (Remove plug cover before using)

F1 F2 F3 F4 F5 ABCDEFG 78 HIJKLMN 45 OPQRSTU 12 VWXYZ

BACK ON/OFF CTRL

SHIFT FUNC

CLEAR

ENTER

Back

RS-232 Connector (Remove plug cover before using)

Figure 1-1. Parts of a VRC 6940

Bracket Knob

Power Connector

1-2

Options and Accessories

Options

You can also order the VRC 6940 with these options:

Keyboard backlight

Internal heating device

Accessories

You can order these VRC 6940 accessories separately from Symbol:

Scanner cable

RS-232 cable

Primary antenna

Vehicle-mounted antenna

Spectrum24® PCMCIA radio card

AC Universal Power Supply

AC cable

DC cable

Getting Started

Note: Contact your Symbol Sales representative to order the cable

appropriate for your country.

Radio Cards

VRC 6940 models include an internal PCMCIA radio card for use with a Symbol Spectrum24 network. For other information on radio cards, contact Symbol Technologies.

Scanners

The VRC 6940 terminal can use these Symbol laser scanner models:

LS 2000

LS 3000

LS 5000

LS 9100

LT 1700

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VRC 6940 Product Reference Guide

Printers

The VRC 6940 terminal can use these Symbol printer models:

PS 1000

PS 200

Before You Use the Terminal...

Table 1-1. VRC 6940 Installation and Configuration Tasks

Task Where to Find the Instructions

Install the hardware in a vehicle or forklift, or on a wall or workbench.

Provide a primary AC or DC power source.

Charge the internal battery. See Installation and the Internal Battery on page

Configure the radio card. See Configuring a Spectrum24 Radio Card on

Transfer, install and configure software. See Transferring and Installing Application

See Hardware Installation page 2-2.

See Providing Power: Vehicle Installations on page 2-5.

2-8.

page 3-2.

Programs on page 4-2.

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Chapter 2 Installing Hardware

This chapter describes how to install a VRC 6940 terminal into a vehicle or onto a wall or workbench. Please read all of these instructions before you begin.

Caution

A properly trained technician must perform the installation. Improper installation can damage your vehicle.

Equipment Required

Vehicle Mounted VRC 6940

an External DC power cable (supplied with terminal).

minimum of two 3/8” bolts with self-locking nylon nuts.

a drill with a 7/16” drill bit.

7/16” hex wrench.

a connector for terminating the External DC power cable. Select one that mates with

your vehicle’s power supply. primary or external antenna (optional).

Wall or Workbench Mounted VRC 6940

AC universal power supply (Symbol p/n 50-14001-006)

AC line cable (Symbol p/n 23844-00-00)

DC power cable (Symbol p/n 25-39385-01)

minimum of two 3/8” bolts with self-locking nylon nuts

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VRC 6940 Product Reference Guide

a drill with a 7/16” drill bit

7/16” hex wrench

primary or external antenna (optional)

Hardware Installation

The physical requirements of the work area affect where you place the terminal. There are different installation options, depending on where you plan to locate it. Figure 2-1 shows a terminal mounted on a vehicle. Figure 2-2 shows a terminal mounted on a wall, and Figure

2-3 shows a terminal mounted on a workbench.

Caution

Do not install a VRC 6940 terminal in a location that will affect vehicle safety or driveability.

To install VRC 6940 hardware:

1. Prepare a mounting location:

a. Select a location to mount the

terminal. The terminal’s attached bracket has holes cut for bolts. Use these holes to mark bolt hole locations.

b. Prepare the mounting surface to

Installation Note: Mounting Locations

The bracket and terminal must be:

• firmly secured to a surface that can support the terminal’s weight — on a vehicle, wall or workbench

• secured with a minimum of two 3/8” diameter bolts and nylon self-locking nuts

• easy to for end-users to see and reach

accept two 3/8” bolts. Drill two holes with a 7/16” drill bit.

2. Install the terminal onto the mounting surface: a. Position the terminal on the mounting surface. b. Fasten it securely using a minimum of two 3/8” self-locking nuts.

3. Attach the Bracket Knobs. When you first unpack it, the terminal has hex bolts in place of the Bracket Knobs shown in Figures 2-1, 2-2, and 2-3. These knobs allow users to adjust the angle of the terminal.

a. Use a 7/16” hex wrench to remove the bolts. b. Replace them with the Bracket Knobs. c. To adjust the angle of the display, partially unscrew the Bracket Knobs. Then

adjust the angle of the terminal and re-tighten the knobs.

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Figure 2-1. Terminal Mounted on a Vehicle

Installing Hardware

Figure 2-2. Terminal Mounted on a Wall

BACK ON/OFF CTRL

F1 F2 F3 F4 F5 ABCDEFG 78 HIJKLMN 45 OPQRSTU 12 VWXYZ

SHIFT FUNC

CLEAR

ENTER

Figure 2-3. Terminal Mounted on a Workbench

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VRC 6940 Product Reference Guide

4. Optional: attach a primary antenna to the connector at the top of the terminal, as shown in Figure 2-4. To attach the antenna:

a. Place the metal end of the antenna onto the connector. b. Line up the posts with the connector openings and press down gently. c. Twist the bottom ring clockwise to lock it into position.

Back of Terminal

Antenna Connector

Figure 2-4. Attaching a Primary Antenna

5. Optional: install a vehicle-mounted antenna. Sometimes you can improve wireless communication by mounting an external antenna onto the vehicle, as shown in

Figure 2-5. Symbol has several different external antennas available. Contact your

Support Representative for more information. To connect an external vehicle-mounted antenna:

a. Secure the external antenna to an appropriate location on the vehicle. b. Connect one end of a coaxial cable to the terminal’s Antenna Connector. Connect

the other end to the vehicle-mounted antenna. Make the coaxial cable as short as possible to minimize signal loss.

Antenna

Coaxial Cable

2-4

Figure 2-5. Vehicle-Mounted Antenna

Installing Hardware

Providing Power: Vehicle Installations

VRC 6940 terminals can be powered by:

12V or 24V gas-powered vehicles

battery-powered vehicles, up to 60 volts

To provide power to a vehicle-installed VRC 6940:

1. Locate your vehicle’s power source. Always connect a VRC 6940 terminal to a

continuous or unswitched power source.

2. Prepare the External DC power cable. One end of the power cable fits into the

terminal’s DC Power connector. The other end has no connector (see Figure 2-6).

Plug in to the DC Power connector on the terminal

Cable End to be prepared

Figure 2-6. Preparing the External DC Power Cable

To prepare the External DC power cable end:

a. In-line fuse holder: if no fused output is

available, add a fuse-holder and 5 Amp fuse to the External DC power cable. Follow these steps and refer to Figure 2-7:

i. Strip back six inches of the cable jacket. ii. Cut about 5” from the red power wire

and strip 3/8” insulation from the wire.

iii. Strip 3/8” insulation from the fuse-

holder wire.

iv. Twist the stripped wire ends together

and splice them using a twist-on nylon

Installation Note: Power Sources

The ideal location for connecting a VRC 6940 External DC power cable would be a fused power source on the vehicle’s power distribution panel. If no fused power source is available, connect the terminal directly to a vehicle battery. In this case, Symbol recommends you use an in-line fuse holder and 5A slow-blow fuse. The fuse protects your vehicle from an electrical short on the power cable.

wire connector.

v. Make sure the fuse holder contains a 5 Amp slow-blow fuse. Wrap the wires

neatly, as necessary.

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VRC 6940 Product Reference Guide

Red power wire

In-line fuse holder with 5A slow-blow fuse

Twist-on nylon wire connector

Wrapped wires and fuse holder

ii.

iii.

iv.

Figure 2-7. Adding an In-line Fuse Holder

b. Route the External DC power cable from the terminal location to the connection

point for your vehicle’s power source.

See the Installation Note below.

! !

Installation Note: Cable Routing Caution

The means of routing and securing the External DC power cable from the terminal to the vehicle power source is extremely important. Hazards associated with improper wiring can be severe.

To avoid unintentional contact between the wire and any sharp edges, provide the cable with proper bushings and clamping where it passes through openings. If the wire is subjected to sharp surfaces and excess engine vibration, wiring harness insulation can wear away, causing a short between the bare wire and chassis. This can start a fire.

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Installing Hardware

3. Prepare the cable termination: Strip 3/8”

of insulation from the two wire ends and terminate them with a connector that matches your vehicle’s requirements. See the Installation Note, right, for more information.

a. Connect the red wire to the vehicle

power source. Connect the black wire to a vehicle ground wire or chassis ground.

b. Connect the External DC power cable

to your vehicle power source.

4. Insert the terminal end of the External

Installation Note: Cable Termination

How the cable terminates depends on your vehicle. If your vehicle has a power output connector, then attach a mating connector to the end of the power cable. You may be able to connect to a fuse panel with a commercially available connector. If your vehicle has no power output connector, attach a ring terminal (for a battery post) or blade terminal connector (for a fuse panel).

Consult your vehicle Owner’s Manual for information on how to access your vehicle’s power supply.

DC power cable into the terminal’s Power Connector. Align the red dot on the end of the power cable with the red dot on the Power Connector.

WARNING

A Lead Acid battery can leak Hydrogen gas. A spark anywhere near the battery can cause it to explode. Always make your final connection to power as far away from the battery as possible, i.e., connect the power cable to the battery first, then connect it to the terminal.

Providing Power: Wall or Workbench Installations

For wall or workbench-mounted terminals, or for operating a terminal while away from a vehicle, you can power an VRC 6940 from an AC universal power supply. You need the AC universal power supply, an AC line cable, and a DC power cable as listed on page 2-1.

To provide power from an AC source:

1. Insert the AC line cable into the AC connector on the AC universal power supply.

2. Plug the other end of the AC line cable into an AC wall outlet.

3. Insert the DC power cable into the DC connector on the AC universal power supply.

4. Plug the other end of the cable into the terminal’s Power Connector.

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VRC 6940 Product Reference Guide

Installation and the Internal Battery

A VRC 6940 terminal has an internal battery that powers the terminal if there is a temporary interruption, disconnection, or fluctuation in the main DC or AC power. We recommend that you save all data and close all applications before removing a terminal’s main power supply.

You cannot use the internal battery to operate the terminal.

A terminal’s internal battery may be depleted when you first install it. It charges itself from the terminal’s main power supply (DC or AC). If the main power supply is stable, you can plug in the terminal and use it immediately.

If the main power supply is not stable, there may be power interruptions that cause the terminal to reset itself during its first few hours of operation. If the terminal resets itself, you may lose unsaved data. To avoid this, we recommend that you plug in the terminal and allow it to charge for two hours before using it.

It takes 48 hours to fully charge the internal battery. A fully charged internal battery can maintain data for up to 72 hours if the unit is disconnected from its main power source. This time is reduced if the radio mode maintains continuous communication with a host.

Note: Reliable terminal operation during power interruptions cannot be

guaranteed without a fully charged internal battery. If the internal battery is not fully charged, a power interruption may cause the terminal to reset itself and erase valuable data.

2-8

Chapter 3 Configuring Spectrum24

Each VRC 6940 terminal has a Spectrum24 radio card that must be configured before the terminal can communicate with a Spectrum24 network. This chapter describes how to do this. For more information on Spectrum24 radio communications, see Spectrum24 Network Terminal Technical Reference Guide — Radio Firmware and Driver Guide Version 3 (p/n 7020193-XX).

Before you begin, read the procedures in this chapter all of the way through and provide a power source as described in Chapter 2.

Equipment Required

To configure the terminal and transfer applications, you need these items:

a VRC 6940 terminal

a reliable power source

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VRC 6940 Product Reference Guide

Configuring a Spectrum24 Radio Card

To configure a Spectrum24 radio card.

1. Provide a reliable power source. If you have not already done so, install the terminal hardware and provide a reliable

power source as described in Chapter 2. If the terminal is mounted in a vehicle, it can remain mounted as long as the internal battery is fully charged (see page 2-8) and you can position it close enough to the host PC for the cables to reach. Otherwise, remove it from the vehicle, position it on a workbench and provide operating power with a Symbol AC universal power supply.

Note: If there is a power interruption during configuration, simply restore

the power and start again at step two (Start the Terminal).

2. Start the terminal. The first time you power up a VRC 6940 terminal, press the ON/OFF key to start

the terminal, and let it run through a series of messages. The terminal loads essential utilities and system drivers and displays the CFG24 Configurator utility as shown in

Figure 3-1.

You can also start the CFG24 Configurator utility by typing command line and pressing ENTER.

CONFI GUR ATOR X.XX View config ESS Id Subnet Mask Default Router MU IP Address Diversity

CLR, Enter

Figure 3-1. The CFG24 Configurator Utility

3-2

CFG24

at a DOS

Configuring Spectrum24

3. Set Spectrum24 configuration

parameters. The CFG24 Configurator utility lets

you set Spectrum24 parameters in a text file on the RAM disk (D:\net.cfg). It also saves the parameters in a buffer in flash memory on the radio card. The radio driver and TCP/IP stack get their configuration parameters from net.cfg.

Table 3-1 summarizes Spectrum24

parameters. For more information on setting parameters, see CFG24

Configuration Note: Navigating the Menus

To navigate through the menus:

• Press UP or DOWN arrow keys to scroll

through menu options.

• To select, highlight the menu option you want, then press ENTER. A highlighted option shows up in reverse video .

• To erase an entire entry, press CTRL, and then D.

• To erase part of an entry, press BACK.

• To return to a previous menu, press

CLEAR.

• To exit to the DOS prompt, return to the Configurator menu and press CLEAR.

reverse video

Configurator Utility on page A-12.

Table 3-1. Spectrum24 Configuration Options

Option Description

View Config Displays the current Spectrum24 configuration.

ESS Id or Net Id A radio network ID that lets you differentiate between different radio

networks. All equipment on one network must use the same ESS Id or Net Id. Set this parameter to the same value specified for the Spectrum24 Access

Points (APs). An ESS Id requires a 32-character alphanumeric value. A Net

Id requires a three-character hexadecimal value (101 to 1FE).

Subnet Mask The network uses a Subnet Mask to determine whether or not one device can

communicate directly with another (e.g., a terminal trying to communicate with a host computer). The Subnet Mask depends on your facility’s IP address allocations. Set this option as advised by your Network Administrator. The default value is 255.0.0.0

Note: If you change the boot mode, the value set by a server overrides this

value. See Boot Mode.

Default Router The Default Router is the node address that receives all packets destined for

remote networks. Set this as advised by your Network Administrator. The default value is 0.0.0.0

MU IP Address If a terminal is using a fixed IP address, enter it in this field. Networks use IP

addresses to determine where to send data that is being transmitted over the network.

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VRC 6940 Product Reference Guide

Table 3-1. Spectrum24 Configuration Options

Option Description

Diversity Determines how many antenna ports the radio will attempt to use for

communications. Match this setting to the number of antennas you’re using.

MU Sleep Mode If you set MU Sleep Mode to On, the radio stays on even if an application

powers down the terminal because of inactivity. The default setting is On.

Boot Mode Indicates the source of the terminal’s IP address. Options are Boot, DHCP or

Manual Entry. If you select Manual Entry, the terminal uses the IP address specified in MU IP Address. See page A-17 for more information.

Pwr Management If you set Pwr Management to PSP, the radio only powers up when there is

traffic on the network. If you set it to CAM, the radio is always ready to receive. The default setting is PSP.

Buffers Sets the number of data buffers used by the radio driver (4, 8 or 12).

ReXmit Delay If a terminal tries to transmit a packet and fails, it tries to re-transmit the

packet later. ReXmit Delay sets the length of time between re-transmissions. The options are short and long. The short option improves response time but uses more power. If there is high network traffic, or a high amount of electrical “noise” nearby, select short to improve response time.

Rate Control Determines which Spectrum24 Access Points a terminal can communicate

with. The options are 1Mb only, 2Mb only, 1Mb and 2 Mb. Select a parameter that matches the Rate Setting for the AP, if one has been specified. For more information see Spectrum24 Wireless LAN Adapter Product Reference Guide (p/n 70-20505-XX).

Scan/RF Op Determines whether or not the scanner and radio can operate at the same

time. Concurrent Op allows both to operate at the same time. Scan Stops RF causes the scanner to lock out the radio during an active scan.

Exit Closes the utility and displays a DOS prompt.

Note: If you are using a Spectrum24 card with the 802.11 protocol, the ESS

Id option appears on the menu. If you are using a Spectrum24 card with the Spring protocol, the Net Id option appears on the menu.

3-4

Configuring Spectrum24

4. When you finish setting Spectrum24 parameters, warm boot the terminal:

a. Press the ON/OFF key to suspend the terminal. b. Press and hold the SHIFT and L keys. c. Press and release the ON/OFF button. d. Release the SHIFT and L keys. " The terminal reloads the system drivers and attempts to associate with a

Spectrum24 AP.

" If the radio card is configured correctly, it tries to locate a bootp server, fails, and

boots to a DOS prompt. This means the radio card is working correctly. Proceed to step 5.

" If the radio card is not configured correctly, the CFG24 Configurator utility

reappears. Recheck your configuration parameters and perform another warm boot.

5. Turn the VRC 6940 off. You have successfully configured the Spectrum24 radio card. You may now

download and install application programs. See Transferring and Installing

Application Programs on page 4-2.

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VRC 6940 Product Reference Guide

3-6

Chapter 4 Installing Software

This chapter describes how to install application programs onto a terminal. VRC 6940 terminals have a number of drives available for storing user applications and data. For more information on available drive space, the software environment and a list of standard VRC 6940 software, see Appendix B, Software Environment.

Before you begin, read the procedures in this chapter all of the way through.

Equipment Required

To transfer applications, you need:

a VRC 6940 terminal

a Host PC

an RS-232 serial null modem cable with a 16-pin male connector at one end, and a

25-pin female connector at the other end a reliable power supply

software for transferring files from a Host PC to the terminal

See Tab le 4-1 for information on recommended software. Also see the Series 3000 Application Programmer's Reference Manual (p/n 70-16309-XX).

Table 4-1. Software Required for Transferring Files

Type of File to be Transferred Host PC Software VRC 6940 Software

HEX Image SENDHEX or WINHEX Program Loader

Other file types TFT3000 TDREM

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