The frequently asked questions below provide information regarding SmartServer The frequently asked questions below provide information regarding SmartServer applications and references for more information:

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How do I use the SmartServer as a self-installed IP-852 router?

The SmartServer can be used as a self-installed IP-852 router, which allows you to create an IP-852 network with two or more SmartServer IoTs (e.g., connecting two buildings together) without using a LNS network integration tool to add the SmartServers to the existing LNS network. This application is similar to the i.LON 600 self-installed router as repeater feature. In addition to the SmartServer, you will need to purchase a U60.  In this case, the SmartServers are used as repeaters and repeat all the traffic on any FT-10/XF-1250/Power Line SmartServer to all the other channels connected to other SmartServers. This method is useful when a network integration tool does not support routers. In these cases, the SmartServers are physically connected to the existing network, but there are now two logical networkschannels:

• an IP-852 network, with only channel, which connects the building or floors with the SmartServers being only configured by the IP-852 configuration servera separate LNS network, which . No other integration tools are required.
• LON channel (U60/U70), which has all the other LON devices

See the Using the SmartServer as a Self-Installed IP-852 Router section in (Optional) Set up the IP-852 Configuration Server for more information.

Can the SmartServer automatically discover devices?

Yes, you can use the SmartServer to automatically discover BACnet, Modbus, and LON devices using the Discover button (Image Removed) on the Devices widget. Datapoint discovery is only supported for BACnet Devices. For LON and Modbus devices, you must import an XIF file prior to running device discovery.

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• To discover Modbus devices using the SmartServer, you first need to create a MOD file with unique identifier for that Modbus device type, and then import the file using the Device Types widget. During device discovery, if a Modbus device has that unique identifier, then that device is automatically added to the Devices widget. 

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• Using the SmartServer with LNS tools (IMM) – LON devices should be discovered with the LNS tool (e.g., IzoT CT or IzoT Net Server application). If you run discovery using the CMS Devices widget, then it may add any LON device that it discovers. Therefore, you need to run the iNex export after you run discovery using the CMS Devices widget. Otherwise, what you see in the CMS Devices widget may not be what you see in the LNS SmartServer IoT device  subsystem.
• Using the SmartServer as a standalone integration tool (DMM) – device discovery will add any discovered devices.

For LON device discovery, you can specify a domain ID or use the Enable Domain ID Discovery option on the LON Configuration page to check all 1-byte domains. When using Enable Domain ID Discovery option, the domain ID of the first device discovered, or the first service pin message received, will determine the domain ID that is used for all subsequent device discovery. See (Optional) Add a LON Interface for more information.

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Starting with SmartServer 3.4, LON devices can be discovered for a specific LON domain ID, or you can use LON domain ID discovery for one-byte domains. LON domain ID discovery chooses the domain ID based on the first discovered device, or if it receives a service message from a device. LON devices that are discovered using device discovery appear with current devices status (e.g., provisioned or unprovisioned), and for provisioned devices, device discovery preserves the existing connections (that is, connections continue to work after discovery is completed). 

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How can I use the SmartServer to do network recovery for an already provisioned LON network?

The SmartServer can discover devices but this feature cannot be used for automatic network recovery where you discover the existing provisioned devices on the network without modifying the devices configuration (like subnet/node ids or connections). Using the SmartServer device discovery process in almost all cases change the LON device's subnet/node ids and removes any existing connection which can cause any existing operational site to stop working.

Instead, use IzoT CT or IzoT Net Server as described below. If you still need to do device discovery for Modbus or BACnet, then disconnect the SmartServer from the LON channel before running device discovery in order to not bring down an operational LON network, finally connect the LON channel after discovery is done.

For LON network recovery, set the SmartServcer to IMM and use an existing IzoT CT or IzoT Net Server database, or use the CT Recover database from network feature or IzoT Net Server OpenLNS Database Recovery Wizard.

• If using the SmartServer RNI to discover the network, then make sure the SmartServer LON Configuration page Domain Id is not set for the same domain Id the existing network. 
  • If the SmartServer domain Id is set to the same Id as the working network then you may see a NS, #51 error.
• In CT, when creating the network, in the Naming dialog, the first dialog, select Recover database from network and then continue with the rest of creating a network.
  • After you recovering the network go to the network properties and put the network interface onnet.
  • The devices may show up in a different subnet or drawing page.
• Add an IP-70 channel and a SmartServer IoT device to the CT drawing or IzoT Net Server database.
• Change the SmartServer mode to IMM.
• Use the IzoT Net Export utility to import the IzoT CT network or IzoT Net Server database into the SmartServer.

For LON networks, do I need to purchase a U60 or U70?

To use the SmartServer on a LON network you will need to purchase at least one U60 or U70  network interface depending on the LON channel type you are using. The SmartServer can be used as a multi-port router which means it can support multiple U60s and U70s. U60s/U70 are not required for BACnet or Modbus devices. USB Network interfaces Types:

• U60 FT is an network interface for LON/IP-FT and LON-FT channels.
• U60 TP-1250 is an network interface for  LON/IP TP-1250 and LON TP-1250 channels.
• U70 PL-20 is an network interface for ON PL-20 and LON/IP PL-20 power line carrier networks. The U70 can be used with and without repeating. Power-line repeating is typically used for streetlight networks.
  • If using Power line repeating, only a single U70 can be used (i.e., U60s can't be used)

See Add a U60 or U70 LON Network Interface and Router for information on how many network interfaces are supported. U10s are not supported.

Can the SmartServer automatically discover devices?

Yes, you can use the SmartServer to automatically discover BACnet, Modbus, and LON devices using the Discover button (Image Added) on the Devices widget. Datapoint discovery is only supported for BACnet Devices. For LON and Modbus devices, you must import an XIF file prior to running device discovery. In most cases the device will show up in the SmartServer as unconfigured. To use the device you will in most case have to provision the discovered devices. Provisioning a LON devices will change the domain/subnet/node ids, change the datapoint values and remove any existing connection in the LON device.

When using the SmartServer device discovery any discovery provisioned LON device will in almost all cases have their subnet/node ids changed and all existing connections removed. This can cause an operational LON site to stop working.  Device discovery for BACnet and Modbus devices just finds these devices and allows you to access these devices.  If you still need to do device discovery for Modbus or BACnet, then disconnect the SmartServer from the LON channel before running device discovery in order to not bring down an operational LON network, finally connect the LON channel after discovery is done.

When started, device discovery will try to discover all devices on LON, Modbus, and if configured on the BACnet channel.

Protocols:

• BACnet – The SmartServer can automatically create a device type and discover the BACnet datapoints for each type of discovered BACnet device.  
• Modbus – The Modbus protocol does not support device discovery, but the SmartServer has a mechanism that can be used to discover Modbus devices.
  • To discover Modbus devices using the SmartServer, you first need to create a MOD file with unique identifier for that Modbus device type, and then import the file using the Device Types widget. During device discovery, if a Modbus device has that unique identifier, then that device is automatically added to the Devices widget. 
• LON  – If you import the device XIF before running device discovery, then any device that is discovered can be used. If you run discovery before importing the XIF, then the SmartServer will create a device type without datapoints, and you will need to remove these devices as they are not functional. 
  • There are two modes for discovering LON devices:
    • Using the SmartServer with LNS tools (IMM) – LON devices should be discovered with the LNS tool (e.g., IzoT CT or IzoT Net Server application). If you run discovery using the CMS Devices widget, then it may add any LON device that it discovers. Therefore, you need to run the IzoT Net Export utility after you run discovery using the CMS Devices widget. Otherwise, what you see in the CMS Devices widget may not be what you see in the LNS SmartServer IoT device  subsystem.
    • Using the SmartServer as a standalone integration tool (DMM) – device discovery will add any discovered devices.

  • For LON device discovery, you can specify a domain ID or use the Enable Domain ID Discovery option on the LON Configuration page to check all 1-byte domains. When using Enable Domain ID Discovery option, the domain ID of the first device discovered, or the first service pin message received, will determine the domain ID that is used for all subsequent device discovery. See (Optional) Add a LON Interface for more information.
    

    Note

    The SmartServer can do LON device discovery. However, if the site is operational system, it may no longer be operational after using device discovery. Once LON devices are discovered, you may need to provision the devices (subnet/node ids are changed, existing datapoint values go to default, and existing connections to devices are deleted).  If you need to add an existing network, or discover a working network, then first use an existing IzoT CT/IzoT Net Server database, or use OpenLNS Database Recovery Wizard, to do network recovery, then change the SmartServer to IMM mode, and finally use the IzoT Net Export utility to build up the network into the SmartServer. DO NOT use device discovery on an already working LON production site. If you mistakenly do so, then disconnect the SmartServer from the LON network and do a reset database. Deleting the devices in the CMS will also break the working network as the SmartServer will decommission the device before removing the device from the network.To delete LON devices, first remove the SmartServer from the LON network, then delete the LON devices, and finally re-add the SmartServer to the LON network after about 30 minutes (to allow the decommission command to timeout). Starting with SmartServer 3.4, LON devices can be discovered for a specific LON domain ID, or you can use LON domain ID discovery for one-byte domains. LON domain ID discovery chooses the domain ID based on the first discovered device, or if it receives a service message from a device. LON devices that are discovered using device discovery appear with current devices status (e.g., provisioned or unprovisioned). For provisioned devices, device discovery preserves the existing connections (that is, connections continue to work after discovery is completed).  For DMM, prior to SmartServer 3.4, discovered devices appear as unprovisioned (shown in blue in the CMS), requiring you to provision the device in order to use it. This process deletes all existing connections to the device. For IMM, you only need to run the IzoT Net Export utility after device discovery. If the SmartServer discovers LON devices, then only delete devices that are disconnected from the LON channel, otherwise the SmartServer will decommission the device before it deletes it from the CMS.   If you are doing device discovery starting with SmartServer 3.4 and higher, then the SmartServer will show any device that it sees using the current state of the edge device (i.e., if already commissioned, then it will show up as commissioned in the SmartServer CMS). If the SmartServer has a problem reading information from the device then the device will show up blue.

    
    

See also Discovering, Defining, or Importing Devices for more information.

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The SmartServer can be used to access BACnet devices either by performing device discovery, which discovers BACnet devices and their datapoints, or by manually creating the BACnet XIF file and defining datapoints that are used for each BACnet device.

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1. Create a BACnet XIF file that specifies the BACnet datapoints and how they are represented in the SmartServer. See (Optional) Creating a BACnet Device Interface (XIF) Definition for more information. The SmartServer BACnet discovery feature can be used to automatically discover BACnet datapoints and to automatically create the BACnet XIF file. The BACnet XIF file can also be manually created. See the Importing a Device Type section in Defining Device Types for more information.
2. Enable BACnet using the BACnet Configuration page. See (Optional) Setting up BACnet for more information.
3. Import the BACnet XIF file using the CMS Device Types widget. See the Importing a Device Type section in Defining Device Types for more information.
4. Add BACnet devices in one of the following ways:
   1. Use the CMS Devices widget to manually add the BACnet devices. See Discovering, Defining, or Importing Devices for more information. 

   2. Start device discovery using the CMS Devices widget. For each discovered BACnet device, the SmartServer will use the imported BACnet XIF file. If a BACnet XIF file is not found for a device, then one will be automatically created. See Discovering, Defining, or Importing Devices for more information. 

5. Provision the BACnet devices using the CMS Devices widget. See Provisioning Devices for more information.

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1. Create a Modbus XIF file that specifies the Modbus datapoints and how they are represented in the SmartServer. Modbus XIF files are manually created, but can then be used on one or more SmartServers. See (Optional) Creating a Modbus Device Interface (XIF) Definition for more information.

2. For Modbus RTU, configure the SmartServer RS-485 interface using the RS-485 Configuration page. See (Optional) Add a Modbus RTU Interface for more information. 
   

   Info
   The SmartServer IoT Pro EX Edition has two built-in RS-485 interfaces, and each IOX has its own RS-485 interface. For Modbus RTU, you can only use one of these RS-485 interfaces with a SmartServer. The other SmartServer, or IOX RS-485 interfaces, can be used for other protocols.

   
   

3. Import the Modbus XIF file using the CMS Device Types widget. See the Importing a Device Type section in Defining Device Types for more information.

   Info

   Modbus datapoints cannot be accessed directly from IzoT CT or IzoT Net Server. To do so, you will need to use a SmartServer internal device to map the Modbus datapoints to LON datapoints so that you can use IzoT CT to monitor and control Modbus devices. Go to the How do I access BACnet or Modbus datapoints in IzoT CT / IzoT Net Server section for information on using an internal device to map Modbus-to-LON datapoints.

   
   

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1. Configure the SmartServer to use Independent Management Mode (IMM) for LON devices using the CMS Devices widget. Device Management Mode (DMM) is the default. See (Optional) Switch Off LON Management for more information.
2. Export the LON database that has been created, or a subset of the database, to the SmartServer using the iNex Export tool the IzoT Net Export utility in order to access the LON devices in the SmartServer CMS. See Importing LON Devices from an LNS Network with IzoT CT.

3. If you are using iNexusing the IzoT Net Export utility, then you will need to add a SmartServer IoT device to the LON network. The SmartServer IoT should be added to an IP-70 channel. A separate IP-70 channel should be added for each SmartServer.
   

   Info
   title Use-case considerations
   If you are only using the SmartServer for IP-852 routing, then the iNex Export tool the IzoT Net Export utility is not needed in this application. Instead, you will need to: Use the CMS Devices widget to change the SmartServer to use IMM for LON devices. See (Optional) Switch Off LON Management for more information. Enable IP-852 using the SmartServer LON Configuration page. Doing so allows you to use the SmartServer like an IP-852 router. See (Optional) Set up the IP-852 Configuration Server for more information. To support multiple U60s, configure the SmartServer routers to reduce traffic on the U60 channels by adding an IP-70 channel for the SmartServer backbone and connecting a router for IP-852, as well as a router for each U60, to the IP-70 channel. If you are using the SmartServer for scheduling, then consider using an internal device that is controlled by the scheduler. The iNex Export tool  The IzoT Net Export utility is not needed in this application. If you are only using the SmartServer to access Modbus or BACnet datapoints, then the iNex Export tool is the IzoT Net Export utility is not needed in this application. If you are using LON devices, and the built-in CMS features (i.e., scheduling, alarming, data logging, etc.), then you will need to use the iNex Export tool the IzoT Net Export utility to export some, or all, of the LON database. iNex IzoT Net Export utility requires that you use IzoT CT 4.2 or a newer version, or IzoT Net Server 4.2 or a newer version.

   
   

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1. Enable BACnet using the BACnet Configuration page. See (Optional) Setting up BACnet for more information. 
2. Create a BACnet XIF file (either using device discovery or manually). See (Optional) Creating a BACnet Device Interface (XIF) Definition for more information.
3. Import the BACnet XIF file using the CMS Device Types widget. See the Importing a Device Type section in Defining Device Types for more information.
4. Use the SmartServer CMS to add and provision the BACnet device. See Site Provisioning for more information.
5. Use an internal device to map the BACnet to LON datapoints.

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In IzoT CT /IzoT Net Server:

1. Enable BACnet using the BACnet Configuration page. See (Optional) Setting up BACnet for more information. 
2. Manually create a Modbus XIF file. See (Optional) Creating a Modbus Device Interface (XIF) Definition for more information.
3. Import the Modbus XIF file using the CMS Device Types widget. See the Importing a Device Type section in Defining Device Types for more information.
4. Use the SmartServer CMS to add and provision the Modbus device. See Site Provisioning for more information.
5. Use an internal device to map the Modbus to LON datapoints.

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1. Configure the SmartServer to use Independent Management Mode (IMM) for LON devices. Device Management Mode (DMM) is the default. See (Optional) Switch Off LON Management for more information. 
2. Use the iNex IzoT Net Export tool utility to export the LON database, or a subset of the database, to the SmartServer. See Importing LON Devices from an LNS Network with IzoT CT.

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1. Use an internal device to map the BACnet/Modbus datapoints to LON datapoints, which can be accessed with your LON integration tool. See (Optional) Setting up BACnet for information on how to do the mapping.
2. Use the localDev.exe application from the EnOcean github SmartServer GitHub repository to create an internal device with 64 empty LON Functional Blocks (FBs).

3. Use your integration tool, such as IzoT CT, to dynamically add datapoints to the internal device. If the LON and BACnet/Modbus datapoint types are similar, then you can use a connections (CON) file to do the mapping between the LON and BACnet/Modbus datapoints.
   
   For example, a float datapoint for the BACnet/Modbus translates directly to SNVT_temp_p. You can use shadowConnect.exe (from the EnOcean github SmartServer GitHub repository) if you have similar datapoint types.

   Info
   title Considerations for BAC and MOD files
   There are some limitations for BACnet XIF and Modbus XIF files when using shadowConnect.exe. Additionally, there are limitations for the names of dynamic datapoints added to IzoT CT/IzoT Net Server database. Once you add a dynamic datapoint into IzoT CT/IzoT Net Server, you cannot rename the datapoint. In this case, you must delete the datapoint and add a new datapoint with a new name. See Naming Considerations for BACnet XIF and Modbus XIF Files in the (Optional) Setting Datapoint Names for more information.

   
   

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• Using the built-in Node-RED editor. See SmartServer IoT Node-RED Tutorial for more information.
• Creating an internal app (e.g., node.js, Python). See Creating a Custom LON App for more information.
• Creating custom web pages. See Creating Custom Web Pages for more information.
• Using connections to connect device datapoints. See Setting Up up Datapoint Connections for more information.
• Using a third-party tool to setup and manage the SmartServer.

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