FW Skyus Watcher User manual

User Guide
For Use with Skyus Modems
Skyus Watcher
TM

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Skyus Watcher User Guide
Preface
Copyright
© 2015 Feeney Wireless LLC, a Novatel Wireless company. All rights reserved.
This document may not be copied in part or otherwise reproduced without prior written consent from Feeney
Wireless except where specifically permitted under US and International copyright law.
Disclaimer
The information in this document is subject to change without notice. Feeney Wireless (“FW”) assumes no
responsibility for inaccuracies or omissions and specifically disclaims any liabilities, losses, or risks, personal or
otherwise, incurred as a consequence, directly or indirectly, of the use or application of any of the contents of this
document. For the latest documentation, contact your local supplier or visit us online at www.feeneywireless.com.
This publication may contain examples of screen captures and reports used in daily operations. Examples may
include fictitious names or individuals and companies. Any similarity to names and addresses of actual businesses or
persons is entirely coincidental.
Trademarks and Patents
Feeney Wireless and the FW logo are trademarks of Feeney Wireless LLC. Skyus, Skyus 3G, Skyus 4G, Skyus Global,
Skyus DS, Skyus- E, Skyus-X, CIRA, CIRA X, CIRA X2, and Axiom are trademarks of Feeney Wireless LLC. VaraSight and
the VaraSight logo are trademarks of Feeney Wireless LLC.
Other trade names used in this document may be trademarks or registered trademarks of the manufacturers or
vendors of the respective products.
Intended Use
Use this product only for the purpose it was designed for; refer to the datasheet and user documentation. For the
latest product information, visit us online at www.feeneywireless.com.
Document Control Number: 25-52-014-03(Revision B)

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Skyus Watcher User Guide
Table of Contents
Overview .......................................................................................................................................................................................................................4
Intended Audience..............................................................................................................................................................................................4
Scope.........................................................................................................................................................................................................................4
Installation Steps........................................................................................................................................................................................................4
Operating Systems....................................................................................................................................................................................................4
System Requirements.........................................................................................................................................................................................4
Installation of Skyus Watcher Utility...................................................................................................................................................................5
Download the Installer File...............................................................................................................................................................................5
Installation Procedure ........................................................................................................................................................................................5
Configuring Windows Event Log.........................................................................................................................................................................8
Microsoft .NET Framework..................................................................................................................................................................................10
Finishing the Installation .....................................................................................................................................................................................10
Skyus Watcher as a Service .................................................................................................................................................................................10
Skyus Watcher as an Application .....................................................................................................................................................................12
Skyus Watcher Interface and Configuration ................................................................................................................................................13
Status Panel.........................................................................................................................................................................................................13
Connection.....................................................................................................................................................................................................13
Signal Strength .............................................................................................................................................................................................13
Ping Check......................................................................................................................................................................................................14
Signal Quality ................................................................................................................................................................................................15
Modem Identification.................................................................................................................................................................................15
Configure Panel .................................................................................................................................................................................................16
Unlocking the Configure Panel ..............................................................................................................................................................16
Minimum Signal Strength 3G | 4G.........................................................................................................................................................17
Reset..................................................................................................................................................................................................................17
Ping Interval (Minutes)...............................................................................................................................................................................17
Ping URL/Alternate Ping URL ..................................................................................................................................................................17
Ping Retries/Retry Interval (Seconds)................................................................................................................................................... 17
Email Address................................................................................................................................................................................................17
CR Reporting URL and Interval ...............................................................................................................................................................18
Name (User Defined) ..................................................................................................................................................................................19
Receive Bytes/Transmit Bytes .................................................................................................................................................................19

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Skyus Watcher User Guide
Daily Mbyte Limit.........................................................................................................................................................................................19
Custom APN...................................................................................................................................................................................................19
Modem Reset Operation......................................................................................................................................................................................20
Contacting FW .........................................................................................................................................................................................................21
Online Library .....................................................................................................................................................................................................21

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Skyus Watcher User Guide
Overview
Skyus Watcher is a connection watchdog utility designed to manage the Skyus , monitor the connection status with
ping check and signal strength monitoring logic, and reestablish the connection to the carrier if it is lost. Skyus
Watcher is designed to provide connection management generically for Skyus customers at a level sufficient to
ensure reliable connectivity in unattended IoT applications. Skyus Watcher also provides integration with
Crossroads, the application enablement platform that gives you visibility and control over your entire IoT network.
Installation of the Skyus Watcher into a Windows based system requires at a minimum two high level software
applications, the installation executable and the proper Microsoft .NET framework.
Intended Audience
This document is intended for users responsible for the initial set-up and configuration of the Skyus Watcher and
assumes the installer possesses a basic working knowledge of computer networking, wireless routing, and network
administration.
Scope
This document describes the latest release of Skyus Watcher, which may include different or enhanced features from
previous versions. It is provided as a supplement to work in conjunction with the applicable quick start guides
associated with your Skyus cellular modem. Please contact your FW Sales Representative for further information on
supported devices.
Installation Steps
. Complete the “Installation of Sierra Wireless Driver” section of the appropriate Skyus Quick Start Guide.
. Install the Skyus Watcher utility.
. If prompted, install the Microsoft .NET 4 Framework.
. Restart the system.
. Connect the Skyus modem.
. Verify a connection to the internet.
Operating Systems
The Skyus Watcher is designed for use with Windows 7 (Service Pack 1) or Windows 8.
System Requirements
•Windows 7 or Windows 8
•1.5 GHz processor
•4 GB RAM
•10 MB of free hard drive space
•Windows .NET 4
Some versions of Windows Embedded and Windows XP are also generally compatible. Due to the custom nature of
Windows Embedded and the removal of support for Windows XP, compatibility cannot be assured.
If you are attempting to use the utility on another platform, please contact your sales representative or FW technical
support.

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Skyus Watcher User Guide
Installation of Skyus Watcher Utility
Download the Installer File
To begin the installation process you will need to locate or download the utility’s executable installer file,
FeeneyWatcher2Installer.msi. If a copy has not been supplied to you, please download a version from the FW
Software Downloads page.
To download, click the Skyus Watcher Download Files button, complete the End User License Agreement (EULA)
form, and click Submit Form. Choose one of the following options to complete the download:
1. If you are working on the device you intend to use the Skyus Watcher with, proceed with installation on the
local drive.
2. If you are working on a device other than the one you intend to use the Skyus Watcher with, save the file to
a portable media device which you will use to install the drivers on the separate device.
Installation Procedure
Follow the steps below to install Skyus Watcher.
1. Double-click the installation file. The setup wizard will start.
Figure 1: Watcher Setup Wizard
2. Click Next.
3. Select the installation folder. By default, the setup wizard selects the location shown below. FW
recommends that you use the default location.

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Skyus Watcher User Guide
Figure 2: Watcher Installation Location
You can click the Disk Cost button to see how much space the installed program will use. You can also
select which users have access to the program, all users or just you.
4. Click Next. The setup wizard prompts you to confirm the installation. Click Next again.
Figure 3: Confirm Watcher Installation
As the installation progresses, a progress bar is displayed.

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Skyus Watcher User Guide
Figure 4: Watcher Installing
5. When the installation is complete, click Next, then Close.
6. The wizard will prompt you to perform a restart to finalize the installation. You can choose to restart later,
but the installation will not be complete until you do.
Figure 5: System Restart

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Skyus Watcher User Guide
Configuring the Windows Event Log
To ensure that the Skyus Watcher application can properly log event information (such as RSSI issues and ping check
failures), you may need to modify a property setting in the Computer Management console.
Follow these steps to configure the settings on a Windows 7 machine:
1. Click the Windows Start button and enter “computer management” in the search box.
Figure 6: Start Menu Search for Computer Management
2. In the search results, select the Computer Management program. The Computer Management console
opens.
3. On the left side of the console, expand Event Viewer and Applications and Service Logs. The FWW2Log
will be listed.

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Skyus Watcher User Guide
Figure 7: Computer Management Console
4. Right-click FWW2Log and select Properties. The properties dialog opens.
Figure 8: FWW2Log Properties

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Skyus Watcher User Guide
5. Verify that the overwrite option is selected, and click OK.
Microsoft .NET Framework
The Skyus Watcher is designed to be used with Microsoft’s .NET Framework Version 4 and above. To obtain, or
update, your .NET framework, follow the link below and proceed with the instructions for downloading and installing
this software.
http://www.microsoft.com/en-us/download/details.aspx?id=17851
Figure 9: NET Framework Download Page
NOTE: It is critical that you use the full version of .NET4 (dotNETFx40_Full_setup.exe).
Finishing the Installation
A system restart is required after installing Skyus driver files, installing the Skyus Watcher utility, and ensuring that
the Skyus is operating.
Skyus Watcher as a Service
Skyus Watcher will run as a background service with the default settings from FW. In order to verify that the service is
running, launch the Windows Task Manager and navigate to the Services tab. Scroll down the list of services until
you find “FeeneyWatcher2.” The status of the service should be “Running.” The figure below has been edited to show
only the Skyus Watcher service. Many more services will actually be listed.

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Skyus Watcher User Guide
Figure 10: Windows Task Manager Services
You can launch the Services window for Skyus Watcher by selecting FeeneyWatcher2 and clicking the Services
button. On the Services window, you can stop, pause, or restart the service.
Figure 11: Services - FeeneyWatcher2
The FeeneyWatcher2 service will function as your connection manager without any need to launch the user
interface. To adjust Skyus Watcher settings, launch the Skyus Watcher application as described in the following
sections.

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Skyus Watcher User Guide
Skyus Watcher as an Application
You can run Skyus Watcher as an application to monitor the Skyus connection or configure settings. Select the
application from the Windows Start menu or navigate to the folder where you installed the program and double-
click the executable file, either FeeneyWirelessWatchdogUI.exe or FeeneyWirelessWatchdogUIWS.exe,
depending on the version installed.
IMPORTANT:If you are using a Skyus Watcher version earlier than 2.1.0.0, it is necessary to run the program
as an administrator in order to successfully launch the utility. To do this, right-click the Feeney Wireless
Watcher shortcut in the Start menu and select Properties. On the Compatibility tab, select “Run this
program as an administrator.” If this option is grayed out, you may need to log into your system with a user
account that supports sufficient privileges.
The user interface will look similar to the screen shown below. The values of the parameters vary by device and
connection status.
Figure 12: Skyus Watcher User Interface

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Skyus Watcher User Guide
Skyus Watcher Interface and Configuration
The following sections describe the functions of Skyus Watcher and provide instructions for configuring the
application.
Status Panel
The Status panel provides a dashboard of the connection status.
Figure 13: Status Panel
Connection
This parameter indicates the connection status as either “Up” or “Down.” Connection status is based on whether the
Skyus Watcher has successfully pinged either the first or alternate ping URL.
Note: Many cellular carriers will disconnect data sessions that have been idle for more than 60 seconds.
Some carriers will disconnect a session daily, independent of usage. Whether running as a service or an
application, Skyus Watcher will detect these disconnections and attempt to reestablish the connection.
Signal Strength
Signal Strength is the perceived signal strength (RSSI) in dBm. This value is updated every fifteen seconds.
When the level is at or above the minimum strength set on the Configurepanel, the value appears in green. When
the level is below the minimum, the value is shown in red (see Figure 14).
Note: This value is expressed as a negative number, so a value of -80, for example, would be higher than the
4G minimum of -120.
The network type (4G/3G/2G) is displayed to the right of the signal strength value.

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Skyus Watcher User Guide
Figure 14: Signal Strength Comparison
Ping Check
Ping Check shows the results of the last attempted ping check. If the primary ping check is successful, the Ping Check
value will be “Good.” If the primary ping check is unsuccessful but the secondary ping is successful, the Ping Check
value will be “Alt Good” and the status indicator will be half green and half red, as shown below. If both primary and
alternate ping checks fail, the Ping Check value will be “Timed Out,” the status indicator will be red, and the
Connection value will change to “Down.”
Figure 15: Ping Check Comparison

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Skyus Watcher User Guide
Signal Quality
Signal Quality is a measurement of the perceived signal quality in dB. This parameter is updated every fifteen
seconds. The minimum acceptable level of -9 or greater is determined by the system and is not user configurable.
Values of -9 or greater are displayed in green. Values of -10 or lower are displayed in red.
Note: This value is expressed as a negative number, so a value of -5, for example, would be higher than the
minimum of -9.
Figure 16: Signal Quality Comparison
Modem Identification
The remaining parameters on the Status panel show the identifying ESN and PTN of the Skyus modem being
monitored by Skyus Watcher.
Figure 17: Modem Identifier Information

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Skyus Watcher User Guide
Configure Panel
The Configurepanel provides access to settings that control the operation of Skyus Watcher. The default values of
these settings are shown below. All values are saved in register settings.
Figure 18: Configure Panel
Unlocking the Configure Panel
The Configure panel must be unlocked before you can change settings. Follow the steps below to do this.
1. Click the Lock icon in the top right corner of the panel. You are prompted to enter a password.
Figure 19: Password Prompt
The default password is 150509. FW recommends that you change the password after unlocking the panel
for the first time. The password can be a PIN or a passphrase. After entering the correct password, the panel
title bar changes as shown below.
Figure 20: Unlocked Configure Panel
2. To modify the password, click Edit Password. The Edit Password dialog box opens.

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Skyus Watcher User Guide
Figure 21: Edit Password
3. Enter the new password in both fields and click OK.
You can re-lock the Configure panel by clicking the Lock icon again.
Minimum Signal Strength 3G | 4G
The Minimum Signal Strength indicates the lowest acceptable signal value for both 3G and 4G networks. The default
for 3G is -110 and for 4G -120. The perceived Signal Strength is displayed on the Status panel. If the signal strength
remains below the minimum level continuously for 60 seconds, the Skyus modem will reset.
Reset
Use the Reset button to manually reset the Skyus modem. After clicking the button, the modem will reinitialize and
the connection will be temporarily lost.
Ping Interval (Minutes)
The Ping Interval indicates the number of minutes between ping attempts. Connection status is determined by the
success or failure of the primary and alternate ping checks. The default value is 15 minutes. To change the value,
enter the number of minutes in the box and then click outside the box.
Ping URL/Alternate Ping URL
The Ping URL and Alternate Ping URL are the sites used for periodic ping checks. If the primary URL is pinged
successfully, the alternate URL is not pinged and the connection is registered as “Up.” If both ping checks fail, the
connection is registered as “Down.”
The default primary ping URL is www.feeneywireless.com and the secondary is www.yahoo.com. To change either
value, enter the new URL in the box and then click outside the box to select the value.
Ping Retries/Retry Interval (Seconds)
The Ping Retries and Ping Retry Interval settings determine the number and frequency of ping retries
•Ping Retries – This is the number of times Skyus Watcher will attempt to ping the primary and alternate ping
sites if the ping fails. attempts the Skyus.
•Ping Retry Interval – This is the number of seconds Skyus Watcher will wait between ping attempts.
To adjust the the Ping Retries and Retry Interval settings, enter a value in the box and then click outside the box.
Email Address
To receive notifications when system events occur, enter an email address in this field. Skyus Watcher can only email
the specified address when the Skyus is actively connected. If the connection is down, the system will retain the last
50 events and forward them when the connection is reestablished.

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Skyus Watcher User Guide
You can set the email server properties by clicking the Set Server button, which opens the Email Server Settings
dialog box. (The Set Server button only appears when the Configure panel is unlocked.)
Figure 22: Email Server Settings Dialog Box
•URL/IP: Enter the URL or IP address of the email server.
•User Name: Enter the user name of the account.
•Password: Enter the password for the account.
•Email From: Enter text that will appear in the “From” field of the emails sent from Skyus Watcher.
•SSL: Check this box for standard email security. Uncheck it for no security layer.
CR Reporting URL and Interval
The CR Reporting URL is the Crossroads site to which Skyus data is reported. The CR Reporting Interval is the number
of seconds between reports to Crossroads. For more information about the Crossroads application enablement
platform contact your sales representative.
Figure 23: Crossroads Reporting Settings

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Skyus Watcher User Guide
Name (User Defined)
The Name field allows you to assign a name to identify the Skyus modem. This name will be associated with all RSSI
and Ping Failure resets reported in event logs and sent to the specified email address. Using unique identifiers helps
differentiate between multiple devices.
To change the Name, enter a value in the box and then click outside the box.
Receive Bytes/Transmit Bytes
This field shows the number of bytes received and transmitted since midnight. This field is not editable.
Daily Mbyte Limit
Daily Mbyte Limit allows you to enter a data transfer threshold. When this limit is reached, Skyus Watcher will send a
message to the specified email address. If no email address is entered, exceeding the limit will have no effect.
Custom APN
The Custom APN button appears in the title bar when you unlock the Configure panel. Skyus Watcher has pre-
defined APNs for each carrier. These APNs are installed by default. If you are using the Skyus in an application using
what is typically termed “Private Networking” by the cellular carrier, you will likely need to enter a custom APN that
you receive from the carrier.
To enter a custom APN, follow the steps below.
1. Click Custom APN. The Custom APN’s dialog box opens.
Figure 24: Custom APN Dialog Box
2. Type the APN in the Enter APN box and click Add. The new APN will appear in the Custom APN List.
3. Add additional APNs to the list as needed. Skyus Watcher will attempt to initialize using the APNs in the list
starting with the first APN and working its way down.
4. To re-prioritize the APN list, select an APN and press the UP or DN buttons. To remove an APN, select it and
click the Del button.
5. Click OK to save changes to the list or Cancel to discard the changes.
If Skyus Watcher cannot establish a connection using any custom APNs in the list, it will use the default APNs.