Digi 6300-CX User manual
Digi 6300-CX
LTE Cellular Extender
User Guide
Revision history 90002316
Revision Date Decription
A January
2019
Initial release of Digi-branded version of the Digi 6300-CX LTE Cellular
Extender User Guide.
Trademarks and copyright
Digi, Digi International, and the Digi logo are trademarks or registered trademarks in the United
States and other countries worldwide. All other trademarks mentioned in this document are the
property of their respective owners.
© 2019 Digi International Inc. All rights reserved.
Disclaimers
Information in this document is subject to change without notice and does not represent a
commitment on the part of Digi International. Digi provides this document “as is,” without warranty of
any kind, expressed or implied, including, but not limited to, the implied warranties of fitness or
merchantability for a particular purpose. Digi may make improvements and/or changes in this manual
or in the product(s) and/or the program(s) described in this manual at any time.
Warranty
To view product warranty information, go to the following website:
www.digi.com/howtobuy/terms
Customer support
Gather support information: Before contacting Digi technical support for help, gather the following
information:
Product name and model
Product serial number (s)
Firmware version
Operating system/browser (if applicable)
Logs (from time of reported issue)
Trace (if possible)
Description of issue
Steps to reproduce
Contact Digi technical support: Digi offers multiple technical support plans and service packages.
Contact us at +1 952.912.3444 or visit us at www.digi.com/support.
Digi 6300-CX LTE Cellular Extender User Guide 2
Contents
Welcome
Package contents 7
Ports and connectors 8
Device status 9
Signal strength 10
Initial setup
Back of Digi 6300-CX 12
Site survey 12
Site survey troubleshooting 13
Physical installation 13
Connecting to the site network with local power 13
Connecting to the site network with remote power 13
Remote power trouble shooting 14
Configuring device 14
Network managed configuration 14
Local configuration 15
Local device management 15
Troubleshooting
Resetting your device 17
Establising backup connectivity via Ethernet Port 17
Out-of-band SMS commands 17
Getting started with aView
About aView 19
Viewing and editing group configurations 19
Upgrading firmware 19
Defining a custom APN 20
Using remote commands 20
Immediately update device 21
Establishing WAN connectivity via Ethernet port 21
Passthrough/bridge mode 21
Router mode 22
Learning more 23
Digi 6300-CX LTE Cellular Extender User Guide 4
Welcome Package contents
Digi 6300-CX LTE Cellular Extender User Guide 7
Package contents
Item
Descripti
on
Digi
6300-CX
unit
Universa
l power
supply
unit
Tempora
ry batter
pack
Ethernet
cable
Welcome Ports and connectors
Digi 6300-CX LTE Cellular Extender User Guide 8
Item
Descripti
on
Antenna
s (2x)
Mountin
g
bracket
Mountin
g
accessori
es
Passive
Power-
over-
Ethernet
(PoE)
injector
cable
Welcome
card
Ports and connectors
Back of Digi 6300-CX
Welcome Device status
Digi 6300-CX LTE Cellular Extender User Guide 9
Device status
Once power has been established, your device will initialize and attempt to connect to the network.
Device initialization may take 30-60 seconds. By default your Digi 6300-CX will attempt to use DHCP to
establish an Internet connection through its cellular modem.
Indicator lights on the Wireless Strength Indicator show you the Cellular Network Signal Strength.
Network Indicator Light on the front left of the device indicates network status.
Solid Yellow
Initializing or starting up
Solid Green
Is connected to 2G or 3G and also has an Ethernet connection.
Flashing Yellow
In the process of connecting to the cellular network and to a device on its Ethernet
port.
Flashing Blue
Is connected to 4G LTE and in the process of connecting to a device on its Ethernet
port.
Welcome Signal strength
Digi 6300-CX LTE Cellular Extender User Guide 10
Solid Yellow
Initializing or starting up
Flashing White
Has Ethernet connection and is in the process of connecting to cellular network with
its modem.
Solid Blue
Is connected to 4G LTE and also has an Ethernet connection.
Signal strength
Initial setup Back of Digi 6300-CX
Digi 6300-CX LTE Cellular Extender User Guide 12
Back of Digi 6300-CX
1. Insert the activated SIM card provided by your cellular network operator. You should hear a
click sound once the SIM is completely inserted.
2. For maximum performance, attach both of the included antennas. While gripping the metal
connector section with your thumb and forefinger, and tighten until secure. Do not tighten the
antenna by holding any part of the plastic antenna housing.
Note If you are using only one antenna, you must attach the one antenna to the main antenna
port labeled ANT2.
3. Connect the power supply unit, or if doing a site survey, attach the temporary battery pack,
and follow the instructions in the “Site Survey” section below.
Site survey
A cellular site survey is not necessary if your anticipated installation location is known to have strong
cellular signal strength. If you are unsure of available cellular signal strength or are choosing between
several installation locations, follow the below instructions to perform a site survey to determine your
best possible installation location.
1. Follow the steps in the “Initial Setup” section above. During a site survey it is useful to use the
included battery pack instead of the power supply unit to power the Digi 6300-CX. The battery
pack will power your device for approximately two hours while you perform your site survey.
The battery pack is not rechargeable and should be properly disposed of after use.
2. Move the Digi 6300-CX to different locations within your site to determine the best
compromise between signal strength and installation constraints. Since cellular signal strength
may fluctuate, it is important to wait at each location for 1 minute while observing the signal
strength indicator on the front of the device. Minimum cellular signal strength for proper
operation is 2 bars.
3. After the optimal location has been determined, remove the battery pack and connect either
the main power supply unit or PoE injector cable (see section labeled Using Remote Power for
more information).
Initial setup Site survey troubleshooting
Digi 6300-CX LTE Cellular Extender User Guide 13
Site survey troubleshooting
If you are unable to verify a location with a strong cellular signal:
nVerify your SIM has been activated with your cellular operator.
nIf cellular signal isn’t indicated on the Digi 6300-CX indoors, then take the device outdoors to
verify that your cellular network operator has coverage in your location.
nTry the device/antennas in different orientations and away from other nearby electronic
equipment at each test location.
nIf the outdoor cellular signal strength is less than 2 bars, it may be necessary to connect using
a different cellular network operator. This requires an activated SIM from the alternate cellular
network operator.
nRefer to Device status to use Digi 6300-CX indicator lights to aid in diagnosis.
Physical installation
Connecting to the site network with local power
Using the included Ethernet cable, connect the WAN port on the Digi 6300-CX to your site Gateway. By
default a DHCP request will be sent to the WAN Ethernet network.
1. Plug the power supply unit into an AC power outlet and connect to the 12V DC lead (4 pin
connector) of the POE injector cable.
2. Using the included CAT5 cable of a customer provide CAT5 (up to 300 feet) connect to your site
router or gateway and the WAN port of the Digi 6300-CX.
Connecting to the site network with remote power
If your device needs to be positioned some distance from either the nearest AC power outlet or site
network equipment, using the included passive Power-over-Ethernet (PoE) injector will simplify the
installation cabling and allow for improved cellular signal strength. The POE injector cable allows the
DC power and Ethernet connection to be run to the Digi 6300-CX via the Ethernet connection only.
Initial setup Configuring device
Digi 6300-CX LTE Cellular Extender User Guide 14
1. Plug the power supply unit into an AC power outlet and connect to the 12V DC lead (4 pin
connector) of the POE injector cable.
2. Connect the male RJ45 connector plug of the POE injector cable to the site network
equipment/router.
3. Connect a standard Ethernet cable from the RJ45 socket/jack on the POE injector cable,
(marked DC OUT), to the Ethernet port of the device.
Remote power trouble shooting
On the end of the POE injector cable (see diagram) there are two LEDs. The Red LED marked DC IN
will be illuminated if the Digi 6300-CX Power Supply Unit (PSU) in plugged in to a AC power outlet and
plugged into the POE Injector Cable.
If the red LED is not illuminated check the following:
nEnsure that the PSU is plugged into an AC power outlet and is receiving power.
nEnsure that the PSU’s power plug is correctly connected to the POE injector cable power input
socket. The proper orientation is for the lock tab and clip to align.
The Red LED marked DC IN and the Green LED marked DC OUT will both be illuminated on the POE
injector cable (see diagram) if you have properly connected the PSU and you have connect a length of
CAT5 cable properly to the POE injector cable and the Digi 6300-CX. If the red LED is illuminated and
the Green LED not illuminated check the following:
nEnsure that you have a good connection at both the ends of you CAT5 cable.
nCheck your CAT5 cable.
Configuring device
Network managed configuration
Your Digi 6300-CX has the capability to automatically sync and receive all settings from a centralized
cloud management tool, aView.
The aView management portal provides the following capabilities:
Initial setup Local device management
Digi 6300-CX LTE Cellular Extender User Guide 15
nMonitoring details including signal strength, network connectivity details (RSRP, CNTI, RSRQ,
Ec/Io, and so on), SIM card details (IMEI, IMSI, ESN, and so on), data transmitted/received, and
more.
nEmail notifications based on connectivity, device firmware, and signal strength.
nRemote control.
nOut of band SMS recovery.
Devices using aView typically require no additional configuration or set-up.
Local configuration
If your Digi 6300-CX is not provisioned in aView, it will use a default local configuration profile which
will enable basic cellular connectivity (primary or backup) to your device.
To change any default settings for a Digi 6300-CX not provisioned in aView refer to Local device
management.
Local device management
Note Digi recommends you manage your device centrally using aView.
If you are not using the aView portal, you must manage and configure your device via the local
interface.
Connect to the device using its Gateway IP address 192.168.210.1 by default.
Username: root
Password: default
Once logged in via the local web interface, click on the Configuration link. You will initially be shown a
limited set of configuration options. Start by enabling local management of the device.
1. Uncheck box next to Enable central management.
2. (optional) If this is the first time the device has been configured, you will also need to update
the root user's password, under Users -> Root -> Password.
3. Click Save.
After saving the profile, the device will no longer attempt to sync with aView and a full range of
available configuration options will be visible. Clicking the down arrow next to the name of a
configuration option will display a pop-up providing help details about that option, including any
default values.
The local management portal offers the same configuration options as aView, although changes made
here will not sync with the cloud.
Note Passwords are case sensitive. (The default credentials are all lower case.)
Troubleshooting Resetting your device
Digi 6300-CX LTE Cellular Extender User Guide 17
Resetting your device
To reset the device to factory default settings, press the RESET/ERASE switch on the rear of the
device. This will erase all device specific settings and firmware updates and restore the device to its
original firmware and settings.
Establising backup connectivity via Ethernet Port
If the device cannot connect using a cellular connection, use the following steps to use the Ethernet
WAN connection.
1. Restore the device to its factory default settings.
2. Connect the Ethernet port of the device to the site network equipment/router. This may be
done either directly with an Ethernet cable or via the POE injector cable. See Physical
installation. Check for solid LINK and flashing ACTIVITY LEDs on the device WAN Ethernet port.
3. Ensure the router connected to the Ethernet port of the Digi 6300-CX is configured with an IP
address of 192.168.210.254/24. The Digi 6300-CX will try to use this address as its gateway IP
address for backup connectivity.
4. Observe the Device status and Signal strength to aid in diagnosis.
Note Backup Connectivity via Ethernet Port and WAN connectivity via Ethernet Port features cannot
be used at the same time. If you use the steps listed here to set the Digi 6300-CX Ethernet port as a
backup connection for itself, the Digi 6300-CX will not be able to provide WAN connectivity to client
device(s).
Out-of-band SMS commands
Note This feature is only available via aView.
A set of emergency remote commands can be sent via SMS to the device to provide Out-Of Band
(OOB) recovery for the device. These SMS commands allow you to perform actions such as factory
resets, reboot the device, and restore to the backup firmware partition, all without requiring the
device to have an active IP (WAN) connection. Similar to the standard remote commands, these can be
used to provide control over the device without any on-site interaction. To utilize this feature, SMS
must be enabled for the SIM card used by the device. The complete list of SMS commands is defined in
the aView User Manual.
Getting started with aView
About aView 19
Viewing and editing group configurations 19
Upgrading firmware 19
Defining a custom APN 20
Using remote commands 20
Immediately update device 21
Establishing WAN connectivity via Ethernet port 21
Passthrough/bridge mode 21
Router mode 22
Learning more 23
Digi 6300-CX LTE Cellular Extender User Guide 18
Getting started with aView About aView
Digi 6300-CX LTE Cellular Extender User Guide 19
About aView
The following actions are typically performed by your network administrator.
Changes can be made either at the device or group level. Select override from any given menu item to
edit its inherited value, or navigate to the Digi 6300-CX group configuration page to update the config
profile shared between all devices belonging to this group.
It is recommended that aView centrally manages the Digi 6300-CX devices; only resort to local
management as necessary. For any questions regarding how to access aView, please contact Digi
support or your purchasing partner.
Viewing and editing group configurations
To bring up a device in the configuration portal:
1. Use the search bar to filter devices by MAC address.
Note The device MAC address is on its bottom label.
2. Select the MAC address of your unit and bring up its Details page.
3. Navigate to the Configuration tab of the left-side menu.
4. Follow the Edit Group Configuration link.
5. Adjust the necessary settings, clicking the Update button to apply any changes.
Devices will automatically apply configuration updates after the next daily sync (1am UTC by default).
Refer to Using remote commands for details on how to apply changes sooner.
Upgrading firmware
WARNING! When the Digi 6300-CX is updating firmware, its LEDs will flash red and yellow.
Do NOT remove power from the device during this process.
To view or select new firmware:
1. Navigate to the Configuration tab of the left-side menu.
2. Follow the Edit Group Configuration link.
3. Locate the Firmware pull-down menu.
4. Select on the intended version and wait for the settings to finish loading.
Getting started with aView Defining a custom APN
Digi 6300-CX LTE Cellular Extender User Guide 20
5. Click on the Update button at the bottom of the page to confirm firmware selection.
Defining a custom APN
If your device is unable to sync with aView because the device cannot establish a cellular connection
without a custom APN refer to Local device management.
1. Login to aView and use the Search tool to find the Digi 6300-CX by searching for its MAC
address.
2. Select the MAC address of the Digi 6300-CX to bring up its details page.
3. Select the View Configuration link in the Configuration section of the page.
4. Once viewing the configuration profile, select the Edit pencil icon at the top right of the page.
5. Type in the custom APN into the APN entry located in the Modem section of the configuration.
6. Optional: If the custom APN requires a specific username and password, please input those
into the Username and Password entries located in the Modem section of the configuration.
7. Click the Update button.
Using remote commands
aView maintains a connection to all online client devices registered with the service.
Using this tunnel, network administrators can send a specific set of remote commands that will be
received immediately as opposed to waiting to check in and apply any changes propagated from the
cloud. The following remote commands are available:
nCheck Status
nCheck Signal Strength
nPerform Speed Test
nARPing Attached Device
nSend Wake-on-LAN to Attached Device
nCheck Configuration
nReboot
Remote commands must be sent to each device in question. To do so, browse to the Device Details
screen and select the desired option from the Commands pull-down.
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