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Top 10 FAQ
eKo Gateway / Base Radio
1. What is the maximum number of nodes eKo Gateway can support?
A single eKo Gateway can support up to 35 eKo nodes and 140 sensing points.
2. I don't have Ethernet connection at my vineyard. Can I
use Wifi or Cellular connection to connect to eKo Gateway?
The current support for the eKo Gateway is limited to Ethernet network. We have
plans to extend this to Wiifi and cellular networks.
3. How can I secure the data on my gateway server?
Few measures you can take to secure the data:
- Change the default passwords for your eKo Gateway
- Disable file sharing via the Gateway Administration page
eKo Node/Sensors
1. What sensors are supported by eKo Pro Series system?
The following sensors are currently supported by eKo Pro Series
system.
- eS1101 soil moisture and temperature sensors
- eS1201 ambient temperature and humidity sensors
In the next release, we will have support for the following additional sensors.
- Decagon EC-5 Water Content
- Decagon Leaf Wetness
- Davis Solar Radiation
2. How do I attach my own custom sensors to eKo Nodes?
eKo Nodes are designed to accommodate almost any type of low-power
sensor and allow for future support of many sensors. Two different types of sensor
interfaces are supported:
Simple for standard 2 and 3 wire sensors and Smart which uses Crossbow's ESB (Environmental
Sensor Bus) for intelligent sensors. As new sensors are introduced users will be
able to simply connect them to the nodes using the eKo's auto-identification scheme. Currently the sensor support is limited to eS1101 and eS1201 sensors included in
the kit. We would expand this sensor offering to may more sensor types in the future.
3. Which radio standard do the eKo Nodes use?
The eKo Node integrates an IRIS family processor/radio module. IRIS
provides a direct sequence spread spectrum radio (DSSS) supporting the 2.4 GHz global
ISM band that is compliant with IEEE 802.15.4 standard.
4. Which mesh routing protocol do the eKo Nodes use?
The eKo Nodes come preprogrammed and configured with Crossbow's
XMesh low-power networking protocol. This provides plug-and-play network scalability
for wireless sensor network.
5. What distance or range can I get between 2 neighboring
nodes?
Typical distance ranges from 600 to 1500' depending on placement,
obstacles, and radio interference.
6. How many nodes would I need per acre?
If the terrain is flat and the nodes can be located with good line
of sight, we estimate about one eKo Node per 20-25 acres. In hilly terrains, the
radio range could vary from 300 to 700' and we estimate about one eKo Node per 2-5
acres. For orchards, typical radio range is about 200' and we estimate about one
eKo Node per acre.
7. How long will the batteries last without the sunlight?
The eKo Nodes can run up to 3 months without any sunlight.
8. How long can the nodes go before I need to replace the
batteries?
eKo Nodes are solar-powered with rechargeable batteries to ensure
that the sensors stay up and running for years on out. Nodes can run up to 3 months
without sunlight. With reasonable solar hours, the batteries can last at least for
5 years.
9. What are some good deployment practices?
Below are some good deployment practices to consider:
- Determine the optimal antenna and mounting configuration for your base
radio and gateway.
- If the eKo Base Radio is located remotely from the nearest eKo Node,
consider using a repeater node.
- For high reliability consider a UPS (battery backup) to keep the gateway
powered during power outages
- If possible, place the eKo Nodes at least 5-12' above the ground. Radio
range will be reduced as the units are placed lower to the ground.
- A clear line-of-sight between units is preferable. Trees, foliage, and canopies
that are higher than the antennas will reduce radio range.
- Establish network by placing the first eKo Nodes close to the base
radio and then working outwards, trying to maintain the 'GREEN' LED indicators.
- After deploying the network, monitor the network for a few hours before
burying soil sensors in case the node needs to be moved or another node used as
a relay.
10. How can I use the data from the sensors to increase my
yield and optimize my irrigation?
Refer to the Appendix B of the eKo Pro Series manual for how to
use the sensor data optimize your crop inputs. You can also refer to the white paper
below to read how the data from eKo Pro Series system was used for greater yield,
higher quality and reduced water use.
eKoView Software
1. Where can I download and install software from?
eKoView software comes bundled and pre-installed on your eKo Gateway.
No download or installation is required. You can access eKoView from a simple web-browser
on a PC connected to the internet.
2. What are the system requirements to run eKoView?
The following are the minimum system requirements to run eKoView.
- PC connected to the Internet
- Web browser, e.g. Microsoft's Internet Explorer or Mozilla's Firefox
Adobe's Flash Player 9.x
3. How can I upgrade the eKoView software?
Crossbow may periodically provide an upgrade file to enable new
functionality, fix bugs, etc. You can download this file from Crossbow's support
site
http://www.xbow.com/eko/TechSupport.aspx to your PC. Each update
will have a security code associated with it to verify its integrity. You can use
Gateway Administration page to upgrade eKoView. Refer to the Appendix A of the eKo
Pro Series manual for detailed procedure.
4. How can I set-up alerts to send me SMS messages?
eKoView allows users to set-up alerts to send notification via email
or SMS if a pre-defined condition is met. This can be specified from the 'Add User'
dialog in the Manage Users page of the Configure tab. Choose to send alerts by Mobile
Text message, select the cellular provider and specify the number (10 digits without
any dashes or spaces).
5. How can I export all the data into Excel file?
From the chart tab, users can export the displayed data to a CSV
file. When viewing a chart, you can export the chart data by clicking on the 'Export
Data' link at the top left side of the page. This CSV file can be later opened using
MS Excel application.
6. How can I create custom charts and make them available
to others for viewing?
Once a chart is created, eKoView allows users to save a given chart
to be reloaded later.You can save the chart using a unique name for the chart. This
name can be used later by others to load and view the chart.
7. Where can I get SMTP mail settings for my mail server?
The Alert Mail Settings dialog window provides SMTP presets for
commonly used mail services such as Gmail, Yahoo Mail and Hotmail. If you are using
one of the other mail service provides (eg. Comcast, SBC, AT&T etc), you should
consult the service provider for these SMTP settings. You need to find out SMPT
host name, Port number and settings to specify in eKoView.
8. How can I sort the data in the tables?
When you are in any tabular view, left-clicking the column header allows you to
sort data by that field. To search for a particular set of data users can type a
search string into the top left search text box.As users type the string, the table
attempts to match rows which contain that search string.
eKo Accessories
1. Can I buy accessories from Crossbow?
Crossbow does offer several accessories to go with eKo Pro Series
system. Look under eKo accessories
page or contact
eko.sales@xbow.com for details.
2. What accessories are available?
Look under
eKo accessories page or contact eko.sales@xbow.com for details.
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