RST Instruments RSTAR Affinity Gateway User manual

PSM0004A
All efforts have been made to ensure the accuracy and
completeness of the information contained in this
document. RST Instruments Ltd reserves the right to
change the information at any time and assumes no liability
for its accuracy.
Copyright © 2020. RST Instruments Ltd. All rights reserved.
Document Number: PSM0004A
Release Date: AUG 15, 2022
RSTAR Affinity Gateway
Installation and Commissioning Guide

RSTAR Affinity Gateway
Installation and Commissioning
Guide
PSM0004A RST Instruments Ltd. Page i
TABLE OF CONTENTS
1INTRODUCTION .......................................................................................................1
1.1 RSTAR Affinity Connectivity Solution ................................................................1
1.2 Intended Audience ............................................................................................2
1.3 Icons and Conventions Used In This Guide ......................................................2
1.4 Abbreviations and Acronyms.............................................................................2
1.5 RSTAR Affinity Gateway ...................................................................................3
1.6 RSTAR Affinity Dashboard................................................................................4
1.7 Security.............................................................................................................4
1.8 Connectivity Solution.........................................................................................4
1.9 Host Environment .............................................................................................4
1.10 Wireless Telemetry ...........................................................................................5
1.11 Networking Options...........................................................................................5
2SYSTEM OVERVIEW................................................................................................5
2.1 Overview...........................................................................................................5
2.2 Hardware Interfaces..........................................................................................7
2.3 Power Junction Box ..........................................................................................7
2.4 Pre-configured Options .....................................................................................9
3INSTALLATION PROCEDURES...............................................................................9
3.1 Installation Safety and Guidelines .....................................................................9
3.2 Installation Tools .............................................................................................10
3.3 Box Contents ..................................................................................................10
3.4 Install Gateway with Pole Mount Option ..........................................................11
3.5 Install Gateway with Wall or Panel Mount Option ............................................12
3.6 Install Antenna ................................................................................................13
3.7 Install a PoE Cable .........................................................................................13
3.8 Mount the Power Junction Box to a Wall.........................................................14
3.9 Install Optional Components ...........................................................................15
3.9.1 Install the Grounding Cable (Optional) ..................................................15
3.9.2 Install the PoE Cable (Optional) ............................................................16
3.9.3 Install the AC Line Cable (if using AC power)........................................17
3.9.4 Install the Solar Panel and Battery Pack (if using solar power)..............17
3.9.5 Install the Fiberglass Antenna for Outdoor Setup (Optional) .................18
4COMMISSIONING PROCEDURES .........................................................................18
4.1 RSTAR Affinity Gateway Identification Sheet ..................................................18
4.2 Commissioning Pre-requisites.........................................................................19
4.3 Linux Commands ............................................................................................19
4.4 Shell Scripts ....................................................................................................20
4.5 Commission The RSTAR Affinity Gateway......................................................20
4.5.1 Access Console from Secure Shell .......................................................21
4.5.2 Change Password (Optional) ................................................................22

RSTAR Affinity Gateway
Installation and Commissioning
Guide
PSM0004A RST Instruments Ltd. Page ii
4.5.3 Configure Network with RSTAR Affinity Software (Required)................22
4.6 Ethernet ..........................................................................................................22
4.6.1 Topology...............................................................................................23
4.6.2 Set Up Ethernet Connection .................................................................23
4.7 Wi-Fi ...............................................................................................................25
4.7.1 Topology...............................................................................................25
4.7.2 Set Up Wi-Fi Connection.......................................................................26
4.8 Cellular............................................................................................................28
4.8.1 Topology...............................................................................................28
4.8.2 Set Up Cellular Connection...................................................................28
4.8.3 Verify Network Settings.........................................................................29
4.8.4 Register a Gateway (On-premises only) ...............................................29
4.8.5 Retrieve the GUID and PIN from a Gateway .........................................31
4.8.6 Claim or Add Gateway to a Site ............................................................32
4.8.7 Set Up a Gateway Power Modes (Optional)..........................................33
4.8.8 Enable Power Management Service .....................................................35
4.8.9 Disable Power Management Service ....................................................35
4.8.10Pause Power Management Service ......................................................36
4.8.11Resume Power Management Service ...................................................36
4.8.12Show Power Management Service .......................................................36
4.8.13Log Out.................................................................................................36
LIST OF FIGURES
Figure 1: RSTAR Affinity Cloud and On-Premises Solution Diagram ..........................................1
Figure 2: RSTAR Affinity Gateway Device Overview...................................................................6
Figure 3: Gateway Hardware Interfaces – Top............................................................................7
Figure 4: Gateway Hardware Interfaces – Bottom.......................................................................7
Figure 5: Typical Junction Box Internal Layout............................................................................8
Figure 6: Junction Box Terminator Assignment...........................................................................8
Figure 7: RSTAR Affinity Gateway Box Contents (standard options).........................................10
Figure 8: Pole Mount Option .....................................................................................................11
Figure 9: Mounting Bracket .......................................................................................................12
Figure 10: Antenna Port ............................................................................................................13
Figure 11: PoE Cable Installation Order....................................................................................13
Figure 12: Power Junction Box Mounting Brackets ...................................................................14
Figure 13: Power Junction Box Ground Lug..............................................................................15
Figure 14: Power Junction Box Optional PoE Cable .................................................................16
Figure 15: Power Junction Box Optional AC Line Cable............................................................17
Figure 16: Ethernet Topology Diagram .....................................................................................23
Figure 17: Wi-Fi Topology Diagram...........................................................................................26
Figure 18: Cellular Topology Diagram.......................................................................................28

RSTAR Affinity Gateway
Installation and Commissioning
Guide
PSM0004A RST Instruments Ltd. Page iii
LIST OF TABLES
Table 1: Gateway Identification Sheet.......................................................................................19
Table 2: Common Linux Console Commands ...........................................................................19
Table 3: Custom Shell Scripts Commands ................................................................................20
Table 4: Interface Metric ...........................................................................................................25

RSTAR Affinity Gateway
Installation and Commissioning
Guide
PSM0004A RST Instruments Ltd. Page
1
1 INTRODUCTION
1.1 RSTAR AFFINITY CONNECTIVITY SOLUTION
The RSTAR Affinity Connectivity Solution comprises data loggers, gateways, secure
communications for data telemetry, and mobile and desktop applications. RSTAR
Affinity is a complete industrial internet of things (IIoT) solution for reliable, real-time
data flow from your worksite to your desktop – all from a single vendor.
The RSTAR Affinity Connectivity Solution is a scalable and flexible system that can
be customized to satisfy the complex and demanding requirements for data
collection. The topology and communications options including cell and LoRaWAN
radio protocol (for better signal and range), cover all on-site and remote monitoring
scenarios.
Figure 1: RSTAR Affinity Cloud and On-Premises Solution Diagram

RSTAR Affinity Gateway
Installation and Commissioning
Guide
PSM0004A RST Instruments Ltd. Page
2
1.2 INTENDED AUDIENCE
This guide is for the service personnel responsible for installing and commissioning
an RSTAR Affinity gateway.
1.3 ICONS AND CONVENTIONS USED IN THIS GUIDE
This guide uses the following icons to call attention to important information.
WARNING: This icon appears when an operating procedure or practice, if not
correctly followed, could result in personal injury or loss of life.
CAUTION: This icon appears when an operating procedure or practice, if not
strictly observed, could result in damage to or destruction of equipment.
CHECK: This icon appears to remind you of quality-related features.
NOTE: This icon appears to highlight specific non-safety related information.
Cmd This style shows commands or responses on the SSH terminal.
1.4 ABBREVIATIONS AND ACRONYMS
This section lists abbreviations and acronyms used in the document.
Abbreviation or
acronym
Definition
AES Advanced Encryption Standard is an encryption technique that uses a
128, 192, or 256-bit key to encrypt data.
AWG American Wire Gauge is the standard wire size in North America. In
AWG, the larger the number, the smaller the wire diameter and
thickness. The largest standard size is 0000 AWG, and 40 AWG is the
smallest standard size.
DHCP Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol is a network management protocol
used to automate the process of configuring devices on IP networks,
allowing them to use network services such as DNS, NTP, and any
communication protocol based on UDP or TCP.
GUID Globally Unique Identification Number is a unique 128-bit identification
number that RSTAR Affinity incorporates in all data communication
between the gateway, data loggers, and server endpoints.
LoRa From the term “long range” is a proprietary low-power wide-area
network modulation technique which allows a gateway to communicate
with data loggers.

RSTAR Affinity Gateway
Installation and Commissioning
Guide
PSM0004A RST Instruments Ltd. Page
3
Abbreviation or
acronym
Definition
LoRaWAN Long Range Wide Area Network is a networking communication stack
based on the LoRa wireless technology.
LTE Long Term Evolution is a standard for wireless data transmission
commonly used by cellular providers worldwide. It is often referred to as
the 4G cellular with speeds much faster than 3G (UMTS/CDMA) cellular
technology.
LTE-FDD Frequency Division Duplex (frequencies for LTE) is a pair of frequencies
– one for uplink and another for downlink.
LTE-TDD Time Division Duplex (frequency band) is a transmission scheme that
requires only a single band for both the uplink and downlink.
MAC Media Access Control address is a unique identifier on a network
interface controller used for networking address in a network.
Metric The networking route metric specifies the networking priorities of each
network interface. The metric value is assigned to each network
interface where the network traffic is routed through an active network
interface with the smallest metric value.
MQTT MQ Telemetry Transport is a common lightweight, reliable, and secure
data transfer technology between computers. The MQTT publish and
subscribe architecture is commonly used in IIoT systems.
PoE Power over Ethernet is an electrical interface that combines both an
ethernet and power interface into one RJ45 connector. RSTAR Affinity
is connected to a power junction box through a single PoE interface for
both power and ethernet networking
SSH Secure Shell is a network protocol that gives a user a secure way to
access a computer over an unsecured network. The RSTAR Affinity
gateway computer is accessed through a secure shell protocol.
SSID Service Set Identifier is the Wi-Fi network access name.
SSL Secure Sockets Layer is security technology used to secure server to
browser transactions.
1.5 RSTAR AFFINITY GATEWAY
The RSTAR Affinity gateway allows for steady data transmission using cellular signal
to our secure cloud environment or straight to your own server. Bi-directional
communications push firmware and sensor settings over the air.
The gateway has a certified uptime of 99.9% built to withstand the harsh, real-world
field conditions, and is rated for temperatures of -40ºC to 60ºC. The unique
compartmentalized design separates power and instrument connections to keep
moisture out while still offering easy access for simple maintenance such as battery
replacement.
An RSTAR Affinity gateway in the LoRaWAN network has advanced communication
capability to store logged data locally and update the server through a back-haul

RSTAR Affinity Gateway
Installation and Commissioning
Guide
PSM0004A RST Instruments Ltd. Page
4
network. The gateway using LoRaWAN receives telemetry from RST Affinity data
loggers and tilt sensors (both using LoRaWAN) through LoRa radio. The data is
forwarded to the RST Affinity cloud server or an on-premises server through wired
internet, Wi-Fi, or cellular data.
Smart power saving modes allow the gateway to minimize power use in solar-
powered battery configuration.
1.6 RSTAR AFFINITY DASHBOARD
The RSTAR Affinity dashboard is the browser-based user-interface that has an
essential suite of mapping, graphing, data visualization, and reporting utilities
developed specifically for the geotechnical space.
The dashboard also has automatic and transparent field calculations, alarm
functionality, and a unique relative elevation mapping feature, along with user
management. The open API supports integration with third-party data management
and presentation software.
1.7 SECURITY
The RSTAR Affinity gateway is designed with the following security measures to
prevent data breaches:
the gateway and the RSTAR Affinity field app incorporates MQTT
authentication and authorization security algorithms
LoRaWAN wireless data packets are encrypted using Advanced Encryption
Standard (AES) 128 keys
RSTAR Affinity-managed remote access to the gateway software uses
Secure Shell (SSH) protocol over a private SSL tunnel
local access to the gateway software uses SSH protocol and customer-
configurable password
1.8 CONNECTIVITY SOLUTION
The RSTAR Affinity Connectivity Solution supports a variety of configurations to
meet complex operational challenges. Solutions include:
host environment options which can be on premise or in the cloud,
wireless telemetry using LoRaWAN,
gateway networking options include ethernet, built-in cellular, and Wi-Fi
1.9 HOST ENVIRONMENT
The RSTAR Affinity Connectivity Solution is hosted on Microsoft Azure cloud. The
cloud service is managed by RST which allows customers to be up and running
without the need for their own dedicated IT support team. The Azure environment
offers the benefits of computing redundancy, high security, and high availability.
The on-premises solution is available for customers who wish to host their own
environment. This solution offers customers the option to manage their own
deployments, upgrades, redundancy, and security. This solution is recommended for
customers with their own IT team capable of supporting technical challenges.

RSTAR Affinity Gateway
Installation and Commissioning
Guide
PSM0004A RST Instruments Ltd. Page
5
1.10 WIRELESS TELEMETRY
The RSTAR Affinity Connectivity Solution uses LoRaWAN for wireless telemetry (for
communication network) between gateways and data loggers. The LoRaWAN
wireless technology is used to build a private wireless network for applications where
small-sized payload is transmitted over long distances (in the range of kilometers)
with low-power consumption. This technology is ideal for sending low bandwidth
sensor data.
1.11 NETWORKING OPTIONS
The RSTAR Affinity Connectivity Solution is equipped with numerous networking
options between the RSTAR Affinity gateway and the cloud or on-premises hosts,
making it capable of working with data collection equipment in a variety of
challenging environments. The gateway may be configured to connect to the network
through ethernet, Wi-Fi or cellular.
By default, the gateway will choose a network option based on the least cost and
highest bandwidth option available. These network options, in order of preference,
are ethernet, Wi-Fi, and cellular.
2 SYSTEM OVERVIEW
2.1 OVERVIEW
The RSTAR Affinity gateway has an IP65 rated waterproof enclosure than can be
mounted using pole or wall mount options.

RSTAR Affinity Gateway
Installation and Commissioning
Guide
PSM0004A RST Instruments Ltd. Page
6
Figure 2: RSTAR Affinity Gateway Device Overview