In this video you will learn how to access the XW-110’s setup pages, how to set it up on a network using DHCP, and how to configure it to send email alerts if the temperature exceeds a certain threshold.
VIDEO TRANSCRIPT:
The XW-110 is an easy-to-use wireless temperature sensor with a built-in web server. It measures environmental temperature using an internal sensor, or an optional external temperature probe. Users can view current temperature using a web browser or smart phone app, and the XW-110 can send temperature information via email. The XW-110 can be easily and quickly mounted to a wall or any other workable surface, and is also compatible with any Dallas Superconductors DS18B20 digital 1-wire sensor.
In this video you will learn how to access the XW-110’s setup pages, how to set it up on a network using DHCP, and how to configure it to send email alerts if the temperature exceeds a certain threshold.
These steps will also be very similar when accessing and configuring the XW-111’s setup pages.
Connecting to the XW-110 in Access Point Mode
The XW-110 is configured, out-of-the-box, to power up in Access Point mode, this mode allows you to wirelessly connect to the XW-110 using a computer or mobile device. In access point mode, the XW-110 looks like a wireless access point to your computer and you will select the access point the same way you would select any other access point; however, when the computer is connected to the XW-110 in this mode, the ONLY web pages that will be available to view in your browser will be the web pages generated by the XW-110. No Internet access is available while connected to the XW-110 in this mode. This mode is ONLY used for setting up the XW-110.
If you’re unsure whether your XW-110 is in Access Point mode, the Access Point button may be pressed at anytime by first making sure the device has power, then removing the XW-110 cover by taking a flat-head screwdriver and popping off the cover. Next, hold the ‘Access Point’ button down for 2 seconds.
Once in Access Point mode, you can connect to the XW-110 by viewing the available wireless networks on your computer or mobile device. If using Windows, click the Networking icon in the bottom-right corner of the task bar:
Connect directly to the device by selecting the XW-110 in the list of available networks. The wireless name will start with “XW110” and end in your device’s 6-digit serial number. Remember that Internet access will be unavailable until you reconnect to your regular wireless network. If you are unable to see the XW-110 wireless signal listed, try pressing the Access Point button again. Also make sure new batteries are installed, or the 5VDC power adapter is in use.
When your computer or mobile device is connected successfully to the XW-110, open an Internet browser and type in the default IP address: http://192.168.1.2
You should now be able to see the control page of your XW-110. If you’re unable to view this page, try repeating the last steps. It is also possible that your computer is attempting to reach the IP address via the Local Area Network. If this is the case, try disconnecting the Ethernet cable from the computer. Also ensure that your wireless network connection is set to use DHCP.
XW-110 Setup Pages
To navigate to the setup page, click in the address bar again, and edit the text to read the IP address followed by /setup.html
You will be prompted for a user name and password. The user name is “admin,” and the default password is “webrelay.” All lower case.
Once successfully logged in, you will see the setup page generated by the XW-110’s built-in web server. Here you have the option to use the XW-110 as a stand-alone or slave device. For now, we’ll leave it on Stand-alone.
Wi-Fi Networks Tab Settings
Next, click on the Wi-Fi Networks tab. Currently, this device is in Access-Point mode, so the first thing to do is connect it to your wireless network. By doing this, the XW-110 and your computer or mobile device will connect to each other through your local network instead of directly. In the SSID drop-down menu, select your wireless router.
If you are unable to see your wireless network, know that the device will only scan for the five strongest wireless signals upon bootup. To manually add your wireless SSID, select the “Other” option in the drop-down menu, enter the name of your wireless router, and other necessary information. Also you can try moving the XW-110 closer to your wireless point for a stronger signal, then power cycle the module, and press the Access Point button which allows you to access the setup pages again so that it can re-scan for wireless signals.
The XW-110 will automatically determine your wireless security encryption type. Please verify that the correct encryption is selected.
In the Security Key field, type in the password for your wireless network.
Under the IP settings, you first need to choose to use DHCP or a static IP address.
All devices on an IP network require an IP address. This is a unique address which identifies each device on the network. If you’re using DHCP, and a ControlByWeb device is connected to your network, another device on the network called a DHCP server detects the presence of the ControlByWeb device and automatically assigns it an IP address. On small networks, most DHCP servers are built into the router.
In order to access a ControlByWeb device’s control or setup pages, you must know its IP address. If a ControlByWeb device receives its IP address automatically from the DHCP server, the IP address may not always be the same, so you may not be able to find the ControlByWeb device on your network. For this reason, we usually recommend using a static IP address which is fixed and does not change, so that you can more easily access the device’s setup and control pages. However, for this example, since we only want to have the device send us periodic email alerts if the temperature exceeds a certain threshold, we do not need to know the IP address of the XW-110. So for this setup, next to the Use DHCP option, select Yes. This will automatically assign an IP address to the XW-110. (If we need to access this device at a later time, we can always press the Access Point button, and enter in the default IP address which will allow us to temporarily access the setup pages to make any changes.)
If you select “No,” you will need to enter a static IP address that is available on your network. If you’re unsure about what to enter, please consult your router’s users manual, or speak with your network administrator.
The HTTP Server setting determines when the XW-110’s web server is on. When enabled, this setting keeps the web server on so that you may access these setup and control pages at any time. If you’re using batteries to power the device, we recommend setting this to “No.” With the HTTP server turned OFF, the device will periodically wake up, measure the temperature, send an email alert (if needed), and go back into low-power mode. The frequency of how often it does this, is set in the Sensor tab, which we’ll talk about later in the video. To clarify, if you only need to use the XW-110 to send out email or text alerts for high or low alarms, and you are not accessing the web pages on the device, you do not need the web server enabled. However, if you want to view the XW-110’s setup page or real-time temperature, you will need to enable the HTTP server.
In regards to battery life, a pair of AA batteries will last about 7 days with the HTTP server enabled; however, if the HTTP server is disabled, a pair of AA batteries can last between 6 to 18 months depending on other settings.
The HTTP Port default is set to port 80. We recommended leaving this at its default port unless you need to access this device outside of your local network. If you do need to access this device from any location, you will need to use port forwarding on your router.
Once you’re done with these settings, click Submit. These WiFi network settings will only go into effect once the device is rebooted or power-cycled. You can still make other setting changes to the device before you reboot or power-cycle. If you will be disabling the HTTP server, make sure to make all settings’ changes prior to rebooting the module.
Setting Up Email
Select the Email tab at the top. There are two sections to this page. The Status Notification section allows you to select which type of emails you would like to receive.
Email on Low Battery will send a notification when the batteries read less than 15%. If no batteries are used, then the XW-110 will send a “low battery” alert whenever power is lost and restored.
Weekly Status Email will send one email notification 7 days after the last email it sent, to notify you that the module is still functioning properly, which is useful if you’re away from the XW-110 site.
We recommend to set both the Email on low battery alarm and weekly email status to Yes.
The XW devices require the use of an email server (known as an SMTP server) in order to SEND emails. In this field you will enter in the SMTP server address that is associated with your email address, which can easily be found by doing a quick web search. For example, if you’re using Gmail, you will enter, smtp.gmail.com, then port 465, and check SSL. Then you’ll enter in your email username and password. You will also enter your email address in the Return Email field.
Once you have that entered, you can now specify up to three different email addresses to RECEIVE the email alerts. These may be any email addresses or cell phone numbers, using email-to-text. For example, if you’re using Verizon, you would enter in your phone number (with no spaces or dashes) followed by “@vtext.com.” You may need to search online for “Email to Text” for your specific cellular provider.
The Test Email button will only be available once you have completed the XW-110 set up, and can access it on your network.
Once you have entered your settings and verified they work properly, press the “Submit” button.
If you will be leaving the HTTP Server Enabled in the WiFi Networks tab, you can enter in a Password for these setup pages, and an optional password for the Control page.
Sensor Tab – High and Low Temperature Alerts
In the Sensor tab, you can enter a description for the sensor, which will appear in Email notifications, and on the Control Page (if the HTTP server is left enabled).
The Update Interval setting selects how often the XW-110 will measure the temperature. When operating the XW-110 with a DC power supply, this setting can be set to update as frequently as you need; however, if powering the XW-110 using batteries, realize that every measurement will require energy from the battery. To obtain the best battery life, set the Update Interval for as long as possible for your application. For example, when monitoring the temperature of a freezer, use an Update Interval of 15 minutes or so, or for outdoor temperatures, which change slowly, use a longer interval such as 30 minutes or more.
The High and Low alarms specify at which temperatures the XW-110 will send an email notification.
The deadband setting prevents email alarms from being triggered excessively when the measurement value hovers around the alarm point. For example, if the high alarm is set at 100°F with a dead band of 1°, the high alarm will occur at 100°F; however, it will not reset until the temperature drops below 99°F (100°F – 1.0°F). For low alarms, if the temperature falls below a low alarm threshold of 32°F, the low alarm will not reset until the temperature rises above 33°F (32°F + 1.0°F).
The Email Option allows you to set when you would like the XW-110 to send email notifications in regards to the high and low alarm thresholds. By default it is set to No email messages; however, you have several options to choose from depending on your application.
Submit Settings & Rebooting
When you are finished, click the “Submit” button.
When you are finished with all of your changes, and have submitted your settings, you can now reboot the device. To do this, click on the “Main” tab and click “Reboot.”
You are now ready to receive email and text alerts if the temperature exceeds your high or low thresholds.
Testing the XW-110
Now that the XW-110 is set up, test the unit by heating or cooling the temperature sensor beyond the high or low threshold to verify that you receive an email alert. You may be able to use an ice cube or hair dryer to change the temperature of the sensor. Be sure to keep the sensor temperature beyond the alarm threshold for a longer time than the Update Interval time, that you entered in the settings.
If you don’t receive an alert, double check your wifi, email, and alert settings by connecting to the unit in access point mode once again. After checking your settings, remember to reboot the unit in order to reconnect to your Wi-Fi network. If you still cannot get the alerts to work please see our Wireless Products Troubleshooting Video (Coming Soon).
Also, for more information about this product, please see its detailed users manual located on our website.