Wireless Seemoto network installation - Device

placement

Table of Contents
Contents...................................................................................................................................... 3
1.

Device placement.................................................................................................................... 3
1.1.

Cheking the devices.......................................................................................................... 3

1.2.

Gateway positioning.......................................................................................................... 3

1.2.1.
1.3.

Gateway positioning by examples................................................................................. 4

Sensor placement............................................................................................................. 5

1.3.1.

Sensor placement by examples.................................................................................... 6

1.3.2.

Sensor connection - LED indicator................................................................................ 7

Contents
This guide will help you to install the Seemoto devices with the best possible wireless network (NW)
performance. In a wireless network the longest possible distance between the gateway device and the
sensor depends heavily on the surrounding environment. The most significant variables for the NW are:
The distance between the devices
Structures in between them
Gateway placement and
Signal reflections
While installing the NW, you should note that the signal doesnt always travel the shortest route
between the devices. Therefore the absolute distance between the gateway and the sensor is not
necessarily the most significant parameter. The signal from the sensor closest to the gateway may have
to travel a significantly longer route because it travels e.g. by reflecting from the opposite wall.

1. Device placement
1.1.

Checking the devices

In case none of your sensors are connecting to the service, make sure that the gateway device is
plugged into the mains current. Also make sure that the plug your gateway is using is constantly on
instead of using a socket with on/off -switch. You can be sure that the gateway is plugged in correctly if
data from any of the sensors is visible on the Seemoto service. You should also note that a very weak
mobile phone network (GSM/GPRS) affects the gateway performance.
The next thing to check is that the sensors are attached to the fixing plates and not closely surrounded
by structures like stored goods. A sensor detached from the fixing plate is turned off and not
measuring.

1.2.

Gateway positioning

The gateway device has a metal sticker where its IMEI code can be found. Combine the IMEI code with
the name of the place where you place the gateway. E.g.:
IMEI 357467030419114 -> On top of the Fridge nr.4
IMEI 357467030419220 -> On top of the storage room cabinet
With this information the devices will be easier to locate in the future.
The Gateway placement is the most important thing for the coverage area of a wireless network. The
signal is the strongest when traveling directly between the gateway and the sensor, but usually the
signal travels through reflections. A gateway can cover much larger area if there are clean walls for the
signal to reflect from. E.g. in pharmacies the walls are often covered by shelves from floor to ceiling.
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In such case the signal reflection from the jars or cardboard boxes is very weak and therefore the
gateway should be placed in front of the refrigerators.

Mount the gateway in a place with the best possible visibility to the sensors.
Try to limit the structures between the gateway and the sensors.
From the signal point of view, metal walls and heavy doors are the worst structures.
Please note that people are structures too.
If you have sensors both inside fridges and outside them (measuring rooms temperature), place
the gateway closer to the fridges since their walls weaken the signal significantly.
You should always place the gateway higher up so there wont be so many structures (shelves,
cabinets, people) in between it and the sensors.
Rather place the gateway on top of a cabinet than on a table.

1. Additional elevation for the Gateway

2. Gateway attached to a cabinet wall.

Even on top of a cabinet you should elevate the gateway by attaching it e.g. to a holder or a
stand. After the elevation the cabinet itself will not block the signal travelling diagonally
downwards.
The signal of the gateway is strongest from the front direction of the device, so
do not place the gateway lying on top of the cabinet. In that case the strongest
signal will direct towards the ceiling.
You should take into account the material of the wall if you need to mount the
gateway directly on a wall. A wall made of concrete or metal will weaken the signal significantly.
Wooden or plastic structures dont have the same effect. If the optimal place of the gateway is
on a concrete wall, we would recommend attaching the gateway first on a separate base to
avoid immediate contact to the wall.

1.2.1. Gateway positioning by examples

You can think of the gateway as a flashlight. A flashlight pointing away from the wall can be seen
brightly on the opposite wall, but its light is very dim a few meters away on the same wall. For this
reason its possible that a sensor close by and mounted on the same wall with the gateway doesnt
connect and at the same time another sensor on the opposite wall, much further away, does connect.

DO install this way:

The gateway is placed on top of an office cabinet and elevated further up by placing it on a
special holder. (See picture 1.)
The gateway is attached to a cabinet wall. (See picture 2.)
The gateway is in front of the fridges.
The gateway is in the center of the space. All sensors are in upwards position facing the
gateway.
The gateway is in the same room with the fridges. The room temperature sensors will probably
still connect from the adjacent room. Given that the walls and doors in between are not too
heavy.

DO NOT install this way:

1.3.

The gateway is on top of a fridge in a big room. (The signal would have a long way to reflect
back from the opposite wall. Possible structures in between would have to be penetrated twice.)
The gateway and the sensor are mounted on the same wall.
The gateway is placed low and therefore there are a lot of structures in between.
If the sensor is inside a fridge, there shouldnt be additional heavy structures between it and the
gateway.

Sensor placement

Every sensor has a unique MAC code. It can be found on a metal sticker on the back of the sensor (not
on the back of the fixing plate). Always write down the MAC code and combine it with the name of the
place where you put the sensor. E.g.:
MAC 0050c2fffeacd7c8 -> Fridge 1
MAC 0050c2fffeacd7d9 -> Fridge 2, etc.
The sensor placement is important for the wireless connection, but a poor positioning of the gateway
cant be fully compensated by good positioning of the sensor. If the distance between the gateway and
the sensor is long and there are structures in between them, it is important to pay attention also to the
sensor placement.
You may install the sensors e.g. by attaching them with their own sticker (at the back of the fixing plate)
or by using a small cable tie.

The sensor reception is the best possible when the sensor is in upright position with the front
side facing the gateway (or facing the fridge door when the sensor is placed inside a fridge.)
The signal is the weakest towards the short side of the sensor (top and bottom).
The antenna of the sensor is positioned at the very bottom of the sensor below the Seemoto
text.
When the sensor is inside a fridge or a cold
room, the metal walls weaken the signal.
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The glass doors of the fridges are often lead glass which is, on the signal point of view, just as
heavy as a metal door.
Water, or any other liquid, weakens the signal just as much as metal. Therefore it is important
that no liquids are placed too close (near touching distance) to the sensor.

1.3.1. Sensor placement by examples

DO install this way:

If there are grill shelves in the fridge, the best possible way of installing the sensors is to hang
them on the grill with a small cable tie. (see picture below)
Place the sensor in an upright position facing the door when possible.
In a fridge with metal drawers, place the sensor in upright position by attaching it on a plastic
partition near the fridge door.
The sensor can also be attached on a plastic box/ container placed on a shelf.
If the sensor is in adjacent room to the gateway, the front side should be facing the door.

3. A sensor attached with a cable tie.

DO NOT install this way:

Do not attach the sensor onto the inside wall of a fridge. It is always warmer than the air inside
the fridge.
If the fridge has metal drawers, do not place the sensor on the bottom of such drawer. The metal
front wall of the drawer together with the fridge door weakens the signal so much that it may no
longer be able to connect with the gateway.

1.3.2. Sensor connection - LED indicator

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The Seemoto sensors have red and green LED indicators which tell you whether or not the sensor was
able to connect with the gateway. When you attach the sensor to its fixing plate, it activates itself. Now it
starts to measure the temperature and tries to connect to a gateway. If the sensor was previously
detached from the fixing plate, it will check for the existence of the fixing plate once in every 90
seconds. During that time the sensor will blink once either the green LED to indicate established
connection or the red LED to indicate no connection established (slow cycle).
Once a sensor has detected the fixing plate, it will go for 30 minutes into a state where it blinks the LED
indicator within 15 seconds (fast cycle). You can make the installation faster by taking advantage of the
fast cycle of the LED lights.

First attach all sensors to their fixing plates and leave them attached.
Now when you move a sensor into e.g. a fridge, remove it from the fixing plate for 15 seconds
(until you see the red LED blink)
Then reattach the sensor to the fixing plate in its final installation position.
Now the green/ red LED indicates whether or not the connection was established.
In a fridge with a glass door, close the door immediately after the attachment and observe the
LED through the door. This way you will get a picture of the real situation.

LED functionality:

Attach the sensor to its fixing plate.

Wait for max 90 s (slow cycle) or 15 s (fast cycle) for a LED to blink.
Green LED indicates established connection.
Red LED indicates failed connection.
In case the sensor was already attached to the fixing plate for over 30 minutes, remove it and
wait for the red LED to blink (max 60 s).
Only after youve seen the red LED, reattach the sensor to its fixing plate and wait for the green/
red LED to indicate connection status.