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Installing and Configuring NI WLS/ENET-9163 Devices


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Before You Begin

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This document provides step-by-step instructions for installing and configuring your WLS/ENET-9163 C Series data acquisition (DAQ) device. Before you begin, you must install your application development environment (ADE) and NI-DAQmx driver software. Refer to the Installing NI LabVIEW and NI-DAQmx document for more information. 

For each device, follow the steps below to set up the wireless DAQ hardware and NI-DAQmx software.

Each WLS/ENET-9163 Series DAQ device is a combination of a WLS/ENET-9163 wireless/Ethernet carrier and an NI C Series measurement I/O module. The WLS/ENET-9163 provides Ethernet or wireless IEEE 802.11 (WLS-9163 only) connectivity back to a host PC. C Series modules combine A/D converters, signal conditioning, and signal connectivity in one package for measuring or generating one or more specific types of signal.

Figure 1. NI Ethernet and Wireless C Series Components

You can mount WLS/ENET-9163 DAQ devices on a desktop, DIN rail, or panel/wall. Your installation must meet the following requirements:

  • Allows 25.4 mm (1 in.) of clearance above and below the WLS/ENET-9163 Series device for air circulation.
  • Allows 50.8 mm (2 in.) of clearance in front of modules for common connector cabling, such as the 10-terminal detachable screw terminal connector.

You can use the WLS/ENET-9163 Series device on a desktop. For secure desktop use, adhere the supplied rubber standoffs to the underside of the device.

Figure 2. Rubber Standoffs for Desktop Use

Do not stack a WLS/ENET-9163 Series device on top of another. This transmitter must not be colocated or operated in conjunction with any other antenna or transmitter.

The DIN-Rail Mounting Kit (not included with WLS/ENET-9163 devices, part number 779689-01) contains one clip for mounting the device on a standard DIN rail. To mount the device on a DIN rail, fasten the DIN-rail clip to the device using a No. 2 Phillips screwdriver and four M4 X 17 screws. The screws are included in the DIN-rail kit. Make sure the DIN-rail kit is installed as illustrated in Figure 3, with the larger lip of the DIN rail positioned up. When the DIN-rail kit is properly installed, the WLS/ENET-9163 Series device is centered on the DIN rail.

Figure 3. NI WLS/ENET-9163 Series Device DIN-Rail Installation

Thread inserts are located in the WLS/ENET-9163 Series device for mounting it to a panel. Remove the C Series I/O module from the WLS/ENET-9163 carrier before you mount the carrier to the panel. Refer to Figure 4 for dimensions.

Figure 4. Device Panel Mounting Dimensions

Complete the following steps to prepare your WLS/ENET-9163 Series device for use:

  1. Make sure no cables/signals are connected to the C Series I/O module or the WLS/ENET-9163 carrier. Remove any protective covers from the C Series I/O module connector.
  2. Squeeze both module latches of the C Series I/O module and insert it into the WLS/ENET-9163 empty module slot. Press until both latches lock the module in place, as shown in Figure 1 above.
  3. For WLS-9163 devices only, attach the supplied antenna as shown in Figure 5.

Figure 5. WLS-9163 Carrier Antenna Assembly

  1. Make sure the WLS/ENET-9163 Series device power is disconnected.
  2. Attach a ring lug, as shown in Figure 6, to a 14 AWG (1.6 mm) wire. Connect the ring lug to the ground terminal on the bottom of the device using the ground screw. Attach the other end of the wire to the system ground.

Figure 6. Ring Lug (1) Attached to the Ground Screrw

  1. Attach a wire with a ring lug to all other C Series I/O module cable shields. You must connect this wire to the ground terminal of the device using the ground screw. The ground terminal of the device should not be attached to the common terminal on the C Series I/O module.
  2. Power on the WLS/ENET-9163 Series device using the included power adapter or other 9–30 VDC power source. The POWER LED will light up.
  3. Use the RJ45 port located on the WLS/ENET-9163 Series device interface to connect the device to an Ethernet network. Use a standard category 5 (CAT-5) or 5E (CAT-5E) Ethernet cable (a shielded cable is recommended) to connect the WLS/ENET-9163 Series device to an Ethernet hub or directly to a computer. The WLS/ENET-9163 carrier supports Auto-MDIX automatic crossover, so you can either use a standard Ethernet cable or an Ethernet crossover cable to connect the WLS/ENET-9163 Series device directly to your computer. After initial software configuration (outlined below), you can remove the Ethernet cable from the WLS-9163 Series device to use the device’s wireless capabilities.

NI WLS-9163 devices support IEEE 802.11b/g networks with open, WEP, or IEEE 802.11i (WPA2 Enterprise) security. You can use any standard 802.11b/g access point or wireless router to connect to your DAQ device. However, there are a number of factors you should take into consideration before setting up your wireless measurement system.

It is important to understand that unlike laptops or other Wi-Fi-enabled devices, WLS-9163 devices send large amounts of data “upstream.” This process can consume a significant portion of the available bandwidth on your wireless network. For example, an NI WLS-9234 device acquiring data at the full 51.2 kS/s sample rate on all four channels requires more than 6.5 Mbit/s of network bandwidth just for the raw data. The practical limit of an ideal IEEE 802.11g is approximately 24 Mbit/s, though most networks will not achieve even this number. Thus, you will likely need to set up a dedicated wireless network or dedicated wireless access point for high-bandwidth measurement applications.

IEEE 802.11 divides the 2.4 GHz frequency band into 11-14 overlapping channels, depending on your region of the world. The most common channels in use are 1, 6, and 11, because they do not overlap with each other.

Figure 7. Overlapping IEEE 802.11 Channels

When setting up a new wireless network or new wireless access point for your measurement application, you should choose an open channel on which to broadcast your signal. Most PC wireless network adapters include a configuration utility that can display existing Service Set Identifiers (SSIDs), channels, security, and signal strength. If you are using Windows Vista or Windows 7, you can type

netsh wlan show networks mode=bssid

at a command prompt to retrieve this information as well. Alternatively, many free tools, such as inSSIDer, exist to help you find an open channel.

Figure 8. Using inSSIDer to Find an Open IEEE 802.11 Channel

Once you have identified an open IEEE 802.11 channel, configure your wireless router or wireless access point to broadcast on that channel. Most devices use a configuration Web page to change wireless settings. Consult your router or access point documentation for details on this procedure.

WLS-9163 devices also support wireless ad hoc networks for connecting directly to a PC or laptop without the need for a wireless router or wireless access point. Learn more about configuring a wireless ad hoc network on Developer Zone.

Complete the following steps to configure your NI-DAQmx software for use with NI wireless DAQ hardware:

  1. Ensure that your host computer has network access to your WLS/ENET-9163 device.
  2. Launch Measurement & Automation Explorer (MAX).
  3. Expand Devices and Interfaces, right-click Network Devices, and select Find Network NI-DAQmx Devices.

Figure 9. Find Network NI-DAQmx Devices

If you plugged your device into an Ethernet port on your local subnet or directly into your computer, the device should appear in the list of available devices.

  1. Put a checkmark next to your device in the Available Devices window and click Add Selected Devices to add the device to MAX. The device will be listed under Network Devices in the configuration tree.

Figure 10. Adding WLS/ENET-9163 Devices to Devices and Interfaces

      If your device does not appear in Available Devices, wait until the POWER LED on the device is green and the STATUS LED turns off, then click Refresh List. If the device does not appear, try the following:

    1. If you connected your device directly to your computer, ensure your network card is configured to obtain an IP address automatically, then click Refresh List.
    2. If you plugged your device into an Ethernet port that is not on your subnet, try using its hostname. If your DHCP server is set up to automatically register hostnames, the device registers the hostname as WLS-<serial number>. Enter the hostname into the Add Device Manually field, and click the + button.
    3. If you know the device IP address, such as 192.168.0.2, enter it into the Add Device Manually field, and click the + button.

      4. If your device still does not appear, contact your system administrator to confirm that the network is working and that a firewall is not interfering with discovery. For additional troubleshooting resources for the WLS/ENET-9163, refer to the KnowledgeBase document, Troubleshooting Resources for the NI WLS/ENET-9163.

  1. Select your device under Network Devices to open the Network Config tab.

Figure 11. Network Configuration in MAX

  1. Enter the following information in the General Network Settings section:
    1. Hostname – The default is WLS-<serial number> or ENET-<serial number>. This field is limited to 32 characters.
    2. Comment – Use this field to enter notes, such as the device location.
  2. To set up the Ethernet connection on the Wired Configuration tab, select DHCP + Link-Local, DHCP, Static, or Link-Local from the Obtain IP Address Through pull-down menu.

Figure 12. Wired IP Address Settings

  1. If you selected DHCP from the Obtain IP Address Through pull-down menu, the IP Address, Subnet Mask, Gateway, and DNS Server fields are automatically populated after you save your settings. Otherwise, ask your network administrator for the correct settings.
  2. To set up the wireless connection (on the WLS-9163 only), click on the Wireless Configuration and select the country in which the device is operating from the Country pull-down menu. This is necessary to comply with local intentional emitter regulations.
  3. Click the Radio On checkbox to enable the radio. Selecting Radio On populates the Wireless Configuration tab with additional fields.

Figure 13. Wireless Configuration

  1. Select DHCP + Link-Local, DHCP, Static, or Link-Local from the Obtain IP Address Through pull-down menu.
  2. Select or enter the name of the wireless network to which you want to connect in the SSID field. Click on the magnifying glass icon to see a list of available SSIDs.
  3. From the Wireless Mode pull-down menu, select Infrastructure if you plan to connect your WLS-9xxx device to a wireless router or wireless access point. Select Ad Hoc if you plan to connect your WLS-9163 device directly to a PC.
  4. Select the type of authentication (Open, WEP, WPA Pre-Shared Key, WPA2 Pre-Shared Key, WPA Enterprise, or WPA2 Enterprise) used on the wireless network from the Authentication Type pull-down menu. Depending on your Authentication Type selection, different security fields will populate on the Wireless Configuration tab, as shown in Figure 13 above.
  5. If you are setting up a new wireless router or access point, the Authentication Type settings should match those of your router or access point. If you are connecting to an existing enterprise network, contact your network administrator for the appropriate settings and/or certificates.
  6. Click Save Settings after you have configured your authentication credentials.
  7. Click OK when the Apply Changes? dialog opens. You may have to wait up to a minute while the device reboots and establishes a network connection. The WLS LINK LED lights on the device indicating a connected and authenticated link.
  8. If Link Status (Wireless) in the Device Information section of the Network Config tab is listed as Down, click the Refresh button a few times. Link Status (Wireless) must be listed as Up before you can disconnect the Ethernet cable.
  9. When the device is properly configured, you can connect the device to your wireless by disconnecting the Ethernet cable from the device and clicking the Refresh button so that the Link Status (Wired) changes to Down. Refer to the KnowledgeBase document, Troubleshooting Resources for the NI WLS/ENET-9163 for more help with network configuration.

Figure 14. Wireless Link Status

  1. Right-click the device name and select Self-Test. When the self-test finishes, a message indicates successful verification or if an error occurred.

Figure 15. Self-Test

  1. Note that if you move the device to a new network, NI-DAQmx may lose the connection to the device. In this case, click Reconnect to provide NI-DAQmx with the new hostname or IP address.
 

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After rebooting your computer or adding new hardware to your system, you may see the NI Product Registration Wizard appear. Please take a moment to register your NI products to receive:

  • * Important product and driver updates
  • * Calibration reminders to keep your hardware in compliance
  • * Notifications about warranty expiration
  • * Simplified asset management for all your NI products on ni.com
 
 
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