|
Q: I am getting the
error message "Reader is not
responding" when I try to set the time on
the reader.
A: There are
two reasons for getting this error,
- Communication problem - If
all other functions in the software
return the same or similar error message
then the software is not communicating
with the reader. Please refer to
troubleshooting communication problems
for details.
- Internal clock in not
available – Some readers such as the
"J" reader do not have an
internal clock. When the software polls
data from these readers, it appends the
computer’s date and time to it. So
trying to set the time on such readers
will always fail.
Q: I am having a problem
uploading/downloading the access control list to
the reader.
A: If the
software is communicating with the reader
successfully yet it can not upload and download
the access control list, then the problem is
related to the type of hardware you are using.
The access control list can be downloaded and
uploaded to and from an SA/STA reader only. If
you are having a problem with this type of reader
make sure it is not operating in J mode.
Q: How can I switch between protocol
and non-protocol mode and vice versa?
A: First, make sure the
protocol setting in the software matches the
protocol setting in the reader. Second, change
the protocol setting on the reader through the
Set Serial Options command. Third, change the
setting in the software through the Protocol
Parameters command.
Turning the protocol off
Case 1. Protocol is turned OFF in the reader,
and turned ON in the software.
- Select the Protocol
Parameters command. Then select the Off
option to turn the protocol off in the
software.
Case 2. Protocol is
turned ON in the reader, and turned OFF in the
software.
- Select the Protocol
Parameters command. Then select the ON
option to turn the protocol on in the
software.
- Select the Set Reader
Options command. Then click on the
command button next to the ‘Turn
Protocol Off’ command after entering
the correct reader address.
- Select the Protocol
Parameters command. Then select the OFF
option to turn the protocol off in the
software.
Case 3. Protocol is
turned ON in the reader, and turned ON in the
software.
- Select the Set Reader
Options command. Then click on the
command button next to the ‘Turn
Protocol Off’ command after entering
the correct reader address.
- Select the Protocol
Parameters command. Then select the OFF
option to turn the protocol off in the
software.
Turning the protocol on
Case 1. Protocol is
turned ON in the reader, and turned OFF in the
software.
- Select the Protocol
Parameters command. Then select the ON
option to turn the protocol on in the
software.
Case 2. Protocol is
turned OFF in the reader, and turned ON in the
software.
- Select the Protocol
Parameters command. Then select the OFF
option to turn the protocol off in the
software.
- Select the Set Reader
Options command. Then click on the
command button next to the ‘Turn
Protocol On’ command after entering
the correct reader address.
- Select the Protocol
Parameters command. Then select the ON
option to turn the protocol on in the
software.
Case 3. Protocol is
turned OFF in the reader, and turned OFF in the
software.
- Select the Set Reader
Options command. Then click on the
command button next to the ‘Turn
Protocol ON’ command after entering
the correct reader address.
- Select the Protocol
Parameters command. Then select the ON
option to turn the protocol on in the
software.
Q: The LED is not coming on when I
scan an ID.
A: The LED on the reader
may be programmed to be disabled when an ID is
read. You can reprogram the LED on some readers
using the Set LED Options command.
When in protocol mode a J
reader, or an STA/SA, DC reader operating in J
emulation mode does not store the scanned data.
Therefore, the reader should be polled for data
when continuous scanning is required. To poll a J
reader, connect the reader to the PC and select
the Poll J Reader command.
Q: What is the difference between a
start/stop bit and a prefix/delimiter?
A: The start and stop
bits are extra characters that appear at the
beginning and end of the code. Every code has a
start and stop bit. You can program the reader to
transmit those characters or not to transmit
them. Whereas, the prefix or delimiter is a
single character that will appear before the
start bit and after the stop bit respectively.
The reader can be programmed to send a specific
prefix or delimiter character.
Q: When I program the LEDs in the
reader I get the message ‘Command
Acknowledged’ yet the reader is not
operating according to the programming commands.
A: While in SA/STA or DC
mode the LED on the reader operate according to
the defaults set by the manufacture and cannot be
reprogrammed to operate in a certain way after a
good read. However, a J reader or a reader
operating in J mode can have its LEDs operation
reprogrammed.
Q: How can I test the communication
on the reader?
A: With the current
version of the software you can test the
communication using any of the download/upload
and reader commands. Some commands may work with
some readers and not work with others such as the
Set Time command. One way to test the
communication is through the send command. Send a
command that will send back data such as the
‘V’ command which returns the version
number (you need to type a capital letter V and
check the serial programming command option).
Q: I changed the reader from J mode
to STA mode and now I cannot scan or poll the
data.
A: Before you switch the
reader from J mode to an STA mode poll any data
buffered in the reader. As mentioned before, the
reader will not accept any data if it is in J and
protocol mode until polled. Switch back to J
mode, poll the data then switch to STA mode.
Q: Which menus set the options in the
software and which set the options in the reader?
Which options should I set first?
A: All the menu commands
under the Setup main menu change the parameters
in the software. Whereas, the commands under the
Reader Commands main menu change the parameters
on the reader. If the parameter should be set in
both the software and the hardware (e.g. baud
rate) then start with the hardware first, then
set the parameter in the software.
Q: How can I tell which emulation
mode the reader is operating in?
A: The leds operate
according to the emulation mode the reader is in.
Consult the reader manual for information on the
leds’ operation.
Using the software, you can
tell the operating mode of the reader through the
poll functions. For example, if you have an STA
reader try polling it using Poll STA Reader
command. If the polling function returned the
message "Reader is not
responding…" or did not poll the
correct data, select another polling function
such as Poll J Reader and so on.
The following table shows the
format of the polled data.
| Reader Mode |
Polled Data |
| J |
ID#,Date,Time 000001,09/09/1999,08:00:04
|
| STA |
Status,Date,Time,ID# 0,09/09/99,08:00:04,000001
|
| SA |
Date Time ID# Access
Denied\Granted 09/09/99
09:00:04 000001 GRANTED
|
| DC |
Date,Time,ID# 09/09/99,09:00:04,000001
|
Q: When sending a command to the
reader, the reader sends back the same command to
the response box.
A: The communication
parameters on the reader and software may differ.
Change the communication parameters in the
software from the Setup menu, close and open the
port if it is open, then try to communicate with
the reader. If it responds then you will know the
settings the reader is set to. If it doesn’t
respond, change the settings again.
For example, change the data
bits to 7 and the parity to odd in the software.
Then send a command to the reader such as V to
get the version number. If it does not respond,
change the parity to even and so on.
Once the reader responds, you
can change its communication parameters through
the Set Serial Options. Do not forget to change
the communication parameters in the software
accordingly.
Q: The software is unable to
communicate with the reader.
A: If you are having
communication problems, make sure the following
conditions are satisfied:
- Does the selected port
exist on you PC?
- Is the reader connected to
the selected port?
- Does the communication
settings in the software match those on
the reader?
- Did you check the cables
for loose connections?
In addition to the above, when
communicating in protocol mode make sure the
following conditions are satisfied as well.
- Did you set the
communication settings in the software
and in the reader to the following: 8
data bits, 1 stop bit, no parity, baud
rate (1200-19200)?
- Does the protocol settings
in the software match those on the
reader?
- Does the reader’s
unit address match the unit address set
in the software?
|
