ThingMagic Mercury 5, Mercury 4 User Manual
®
®
Mercury 4 / MERCURY 5
User Guide
Intelligent.
Network Ready.
Reads Any Tag.
Ignores Interference.
Gets More 100% Reads.
Mercury4/5 User Guide: (TM-M4/5-X-INSTALL) Rev. 2.4.5 February, 2007
THE TERMS AND CONDITIONS OF USE FOR THE PRODUCTS DESCRIBED IN THIS USER
GUIDE ARE GOVERNED BY AN END USER LICENSE AGREEMENT AND LIMITED
WARRANTY PROVIDED SEPARATELY.
Installation Requirement: This equipment must be installed by a ThingMagic representative or
an installer approved by ThingMagic. See www.thingmagic.com or contact your sales
representative for a list of approved partners.
Copyright Notice: This manual and documentation are reserved under and protected by the
copyright laws of the United States by ThingMagic, Inc. No part of this guide may be
reproduced in any form without the prior written permission of ThingMagic, Inc.
Trademark Notice: ThingMagic, Mercury, Reads Any Tag, and the ThingMagic logo are
trademarks or registered trademarks of ThingMagic, Inc. Other product names mentioned
herein may be trademarks or registered trademarks of ThingMagic, Inc. or other companies.
Cisco, Cisco Systems, the Cisco Systems logo, and the Cisco Square Bridge logo are registered
trademarks or trademarks of Cisco Systems, Inc. and/or its affiliates in the U.S. and certain
other countries.
Warranty Disclaimer: THINGMAGIC, INC. MAKES NO REPRESENTATION OR WARRANTY
WITH RESPECT TO THE CONTENTS HEREIN AND SPECIFICALLY DISCLAIMS ANY AND
ALL EXPRESS OR IMPLIED WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY OR FITNESS FOR A
PARTICULAR PURPOSE. Further, ThingMagic, Inc. reserves the right to revise this publication
and make changes from time to time in the content herein in its sole discretion without
obligation to notify any person of such revision or changes.
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expense and no part of it was developed using Government funds.
The U.S. Government’s rights to use, modify, reproduce, release, perform, display, or disclose the
technical data contained herein are restricted by paragraph (b)(3) of the Rights in Technical
Data--Noncommercial Items clause (DFARS 252.227-7013(b)(3)), as amended from time-totime. Any reproduction of technical data or portions thereof marked with this legend must also
reproduce the markings. Any person, other than the U.S. Government, who has been provided
access to such data must promptly notify ThingMagic, Inc.
ThingMagic, Inc.
One Broadway, 5th floor
Cambridge, MA 02142
866-833-4069
Mercury 4 / MERCURY 5 User Guide i
Contents
Mercury4/5 Reader User Guide . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1
About This Guide . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1
Setting Up For Single Reader Operation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2
Required Equipmentl. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .2
Set Up Procedure. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .2
Connect the Antenna(s) to the Reader. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . l3
Power-Up the Reader. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .5
Interpreting the Reader Indicator LEDs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .7
Connect Your PC to the Reader . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .8
Set Your PC’s TCP/IP Setting. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .9
Log On to Reader. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12
Networking the Reader. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14
Hardware Setup . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14
DHCP. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15
Automatic Hostname: m5-xxxxxx. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18
MAC Address . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18
Bonjour . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20
Controlling the Reader . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22
Using the Browser-Based Interface. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23
Status Page. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26
Query Page . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27
Read Tags. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28
Query Results . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 31
Bignum Checkbox . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 33
Show Raw. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 35
Raw Tag Data . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 35
Write Page . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 37
Write an ID to a Tag. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 38
Search For a Tag . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 38
i
Settings Page . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 39
RFID Protocol Settings. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 42
Network Settings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 43
Boot Option Settings. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 45
Security Settings. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 46
Firmware Update Page . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 47
Restart Page . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 49
Restarting the Reader. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 50
Diagnostics Page. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 51
Using Safe Mode . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 52
Reader RF Power. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 54
Reader RF Power Example. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 54
Setting the Reader RF Power . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 55
Mounting the Reader . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 56
Mounting the Antennas . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 57
Authorized Antenna and Antenna Cables . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 57
Variables Affecting Performance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 58
Environmental Conditions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 59
Tag Considerations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 60
Multiple Readers. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 61
M4 Specifications . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 62
Electrical . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 62
Reader. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 62
Separate Power Supply . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 62
Environmental . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 62
Mechanical. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 62
Reader . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 62
Supported UHF Tag Protocols . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 63
User Memory. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 63
M5 Specifications . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 64
Electrical . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 64
Reader. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 64
Separate Power Supply . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 64
Environmental . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 64
Mechanical. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 64
Reader . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 64
Supported UHF Tag Protocols . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 65
User Memory. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 65
Compliance, Warranty and IP Notices . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 66
Regulatory Compliance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 66
ii
Warranty Disclaimer and IP Notices. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 66
Appendix A: M4 Antenna Information . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . A-1
Authorized Antennas . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1
Antenna Cables . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3
Appendix B: M5 Antenna Information . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .B-1
Authorized Antennas . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1
Antenna Cables . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3
iii
About This Guide
This guide explains how to set up the Mercury4 or Mercury5 Reader, how to configure it for
network operation, and how to use the browser-based interface. Separate appendices contain
specifications and antenna information specific to each reader.
Mercury4 & 5
Reader User Guide
To learn more about the software operation of the Mercury 4 and Mercury5 readers, a Reader
Query Language (RQL) Reference Guide is available at http://www.thingmagic.com/html/
support/manuals.htm. RQL queries for accessing tags are built into the reader’s web interface
but you can get more out of your reader by modifying them.
ThingMagic’s low-level application programming interfaces (APIs) provide fine control over all
aspects of the reader. A separate API Programming Guide and software developer kit (SDK) is
available upon request from support@thingmagic.com.
Mercury4 & 5 Reader User Guide 1
Setting Up For Single Reader Operation
Setting Up For Single Reader Operation
The following section describes how to setup the reader for single reader operation. To setup
the reader as part of a larger scale deployment, see the section Networking the Reader
page 14.
Required Equipment
Enclosed with your Mercury4 and 5 reader are the following parts:
A Mercury4 (TM-M4-NA-02) or Mercury5 Reader (TM-M5-NA-02)
Power converter with extension power cable (3m (10ft)) (TM-M4-PS)
Shielded ethernet crossover cable (CAT5:TM-CAB-CROSS5)
This Mercury4 and 5 User Guide (TM-M4/5-X-INSTALL)
on
You’ll also need the following additional hardware:
Up to four Bistatic antennas
Two antenna cables for each antenna
A computer with a java-enabled web browser
Note
There is no software to install.
Set Up Procedure
The following pages detail these steps and show how to get you up and running quickly.
1. Connect the Antenna(s) to the Reader
2. Power-Up the Reader
3. Connect Your PC to the Reader
4. Set Your PC’s TCP/IP Setting
5. Log On to Reader
on page 5
on page 8
on page 9
on page 12
on page 3
2
Connect the Antenna(s) to the Reader
Note
Use only authorized antennas and cables to maintain FCC approval. See
A: Mercury4 Antenna Information on page 1.
Connect antennas to the ports before applying power to the reader. Any port not
having an antenna connected to it will be disabled when the reader is powered on.
See Authorized Antennas
on antennas.
Up to four antennas can be connected to the reader. Each antenna has two ports
which are connected in pairs to the reader: one for transmitting, the other for
receiving.
While either port can be used to transmit or receive, for best performance we
recommend using the top port for Transmit and the bottom for Receive. See the
figure.
in Appendix A: Mercury4 Antenna Information for details
Appendix
top port
top port
top port
Transmit
Transmit
Transmit
bottom port
bottom port
bottom port
Receive
Receive
Receive
3
1. Place the antennas upright.
2. When connecting each pair of antenna cables, follow the labels on the reader faceplate
as shown below.
Connecting Cable Pairs to Reader
3. Connect the top port of the antenna to the T-1 (transmit) port on the reader. Connect
the bottom port of the antenna to the R-1 (receive) port on the reader.
4. Repeat for the second through fourth antenna, if supplied, using T2 and R2, etc.
4
Power-Up the Reader
1. Plug the power supply into the reader’s power port. DC power input connector.
2. Connect the extension cord to the power supply and plug it into a 100-240VAC power
outlet. The reader will immediately begin powering up.
Note
There is no on/off switch on the reader.
3. While the reader is powering up, the power LED is be solid green. After approximately
60 seconds, the power LED will begin to pulse. The reader is now ready for operation.
Powering Up the Reader
5
6
Interpreting the Reader Indicator LEDs
There are four LEDs on the reader indicating reader activity:
Power – When solid, the reader is booting. When pulsing, reader is ready for
operation.
Module A – Operational only on older model Mercury4 readers.
Module B – Flashes continuously when RF is transmitting on any antenna.
Fault/Error – When solid red, the reader has crashed.
Two LEDs on top of the reader, labeled Status and Activity, are not currently
operational. See the figure.
Two small LEDs adjacent to the Ethernet port indicate Status (left) and Activity (right)
when connected to a PC or network plug. See the figure.
Status Activity
7
Connect Your PC to the Reader
Mercury5
These instructions are for directly connecting your computer to the reader. For instructions on
connecting the reader to a network, see the section Networking the Reader
1. Connect the enclosed shielded Ethernet crossover cable to your PC and to the reader.
Note
Straight-through shielded Ethernet cables are fine for connecting the reader to a
network.
on page 14.
ethernet port
The reader is now ready for operation.
ethernet port
crossover cable
8
Set Your PC’s TCP/IP Setting
These instructions assume you are using Windows XP. For other operating systems, consult
your network administrator.
To set your PCs TCP/IP setting use the following steps:
1. From the start bar, select Start →Control Panel.
2. Double-click the Network Connections icon.
3. Disable your PC’s wireless connection.
4. Double-click the the Local Area Connection icon. The Local Area Connection Status
window appears. See the figure.
5. Click the Properties button.
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6. Scroll down to the bottom of the list and select the Internet Protocol (TCP/IP) item.
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7. Click on the Properties button.
8. The Internet Protocol (TCP/IP) Properties window appears. (see below).
9. Select the radio button labeled “use the following IP address:”
10. Enter the settings as shown below.
IP address: 10.0.0.102
Subnet Mask: 255.255.255.0
Default Gateway: 10.0.0.1
11. Click OK to save and exit the window.
12. Click OK at the Local Area Connection Properties window.
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Log On to Reader
You may use any java-enabled web browser to log on to the reader.
Use the following steps to logon to the reader:
1. Launch your web browser and log on to the reader by entering the reader’s default IP
address of http://10.0.0.101/ in the address bar and pressing ENTER.
2. The log on dialog screen appears.
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3. Enter the default User name: “web” and Password: “radio” (all lower-case). Click OK.
4. The Mercury4 or Mercury5 reader displays its browser-based interface. The Status
Page is the initial page which appears.
Mercury5 Status Page
5. Check the Connected Antenna Ports. Green=Connected
Next Steps
To connect the reader to a network and log in remotely, see the section Networking
the Reader on page 14.
To start reading tags and control the reader, see the section Controlling the Reader
on page 22: it guides you through all the available reader functions including how to
read and write tags, change settings, load firmware and reboot the reader in safe
mode.
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Networking the Reader
You can set up the reader to use either manual IP addressing or DHCP. By default, the reader
has automatic addressing enabled: it boots up looking for a DHCP server.
DHCP can be used to automatically assign the reader’s IP address, subnet mask, default
gateway, NTP Server, DNS server and hostname. If the reader does not get a DHCP-assigned
IP address during its initial boot sequence, it defaults to the static IP address of 10.0.0.101, but
will periodically check to see if a DHCP server is available.
The following sections detail how to set up your PC and reader for automatic DHCP
configuration, as well as manually configuring the reader without a DHCP server and using the
ZeroConf protocol – Bonjour™ – for subnet reader discovery without a DHCP server.
DHCP on page 15
Bonjour on page 20
Networking the Reader
Hardware Setup
Whether you use DHCP or static network addressing, make sure the network is connected
before powering up the reader. If the reader does not get a lease from a DHCP server, it falls
back to its static IP address of 10.0.0.101, subnet mask 255.255.255.0 and gateway 10.0.0.1.
Before Setting Your Network Settings:
Connect one end of the Ethernet cabling to the reader and the other end to the
Ethernet switch or hub
Check that all antennas are securely connected, and power up your reader
Connect your computer to the same network as the reader
Note
To connect the reader to a network hub or switch, we recommend using shielded
UTP-Cat5 straight through Ethernet patch cabling.
Note
Some older 10baseT network hubs do not work properly with the reader. If you
encounter connectivity problems we recommend using nothing below
10/100baseT hubs/switches.
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DHCP
To enable automatic assigning of your PC’s IP address by DHCP, use the following steps.
1. From the Start bar, select Start → Control Panel.
2. Double click the Network Connections icon.
3. Disable your PC’s wireless connection, if one exists.
4. Double click the Local Area Connection icon.
5. The local area Connection Status window appears.
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6. Click the Properties button. The Local Area Connection Properties window appears.
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7. Scroll down to the bottom of the list and select the Internet Protocol (TCP/IP) item.
8. Click on the Properties button.
9. The Internet Protocol (TCP/IP) Properties window appears.
10. Select the radio button “Obtain an IP address automatically”.
11. Click the OK button to save and exit the Internet Protocol Properties window.
12. Click the OK button at the Local Area Connection Properties window.
13. Click the Close button at the Local Area Connection Status window.
14. Several moments pass as the PC saves its new network settings.
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Automatic Hostname: m5-xxxxxx
By default at startup, the reader generates an ‘automatic hostname’ by appending the last three
bytes of its MAC address to its hostname, such as m5-6b3043.
Please note that your network needs to have properly configured DNS servers if you wish to
connect to the reader via its hostname.
Typically, when using DHCP the DHCP server adds the hostname to the DNS server’s database
periodically.
MAC Address
The reader’s MAC address can be found on the back of the reader on a white label next to the
Ethernet port. You can also find the reader’s MAC address on the Status page.
The first 6 characters of the MAC address are ThingMagic’s manufacturer’s code. The last 6
characters of the MAC address are specific to the ThingMagic reader and are used for
automatic hostname addressing.
1. Obtain the reader’s MAC address, then launch your web browser and log on to the
reader by entering its automatic hostname in the address bar:
– For Mercury4: http://m4-xxxxxx (the last 6 characters of the reader’s MAC
address) and press Enter.
– For Mercury5: http://m5-xxxxxx.
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2. The reader’s logon dialog screen appears.
3. Enter “web” and “radio” in the User name and Password fields and click OK.
4. The reader’s Status page appears.
5. Check to see that all the Antenna ports are connected. Green = Connected.
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