Hms FLB 3209-4G Extension Card Installation Guide

June 3, 2024
HMS

Hms FLB 3209-4G Extension Card

Important User Information

Disclaimer
The information in this document is for informational purposes only. Please inform HMS Networks of any inaccuracies or omissions found in this document. HMS Networks disclaims any responsibility or liability for any errors that may appear in this document.

HMS Networks reserves the right to modify its products in line with its policy of continuous product development. The information in this document shall therefore not be construed as a commitment on the part of HMS Networks and is subject to change without notice. HMS Networks makes no commitment to update or keep current the information in this document.

The data, examples and illustrations found in this document are included for illustrative purposes and are only intended to help improve understanding of the functionality and handling of the product. In view of the wide range of possible applications of the product, and because of the many variables and requirements associated with any particular implementation, HMS Networks cannot assume responsibility or liability for actual use based on the data, examples or illustrations included in this document nor for any damages incurred during installation of the product. Those responsible for the use of the product must acquire sufficient knowledge in order to ensure that the product is used correctly in their specific application and that the application meets all performance and safety requirements including any applicable laws, regulations, codes and standards.

Further, HMS Networks will under no circumstances assume liability or responsibility for any problems that may arise as a result from the use of undocumented features or functional side effects found outside the documented scope of the product. The effects caused by any direct or indirect use of such aspects of the product are undefined and may include e.g. compatibility issues and stability issues.

Preface

About This Document
This document describes the hardware of the FLB 3209 – 4G (APAC) extension card which belongs to the Ewon Flexy family
The Ewon Flexy family is a range of modular industrial gateway/router and as its name Ewon Flexy suggests, it has been designed to enable numerous different combinations of base units with extension cards.
For additional related documentation and file downloads, please visit www.ewon.biz/support

Document History

Version Date Description
1.0 2021-03-15 First release

Related Documents

Document Author Document ID
Ewon Flexy – Base Units HMS IG-0014-00
Ewon Flexy 205 HMS IG-0028-00
Omni-directional antenna 4G – 3G – 2G HMS KB-0274-00
Email & Text Messages (SMS) Relay HMS SSH-0046-00

Trademark Information
Ewon® is a registered trademark of HMS Industrial Networks SA. All other trademarks mentioned in this document are the property of their respective holders.

Product Summary

The present Installation Guide is focusing on the FLB 3209 – 4G (APAC) extension card which, as such, needs to be inserted in one of the Flexy base units to work.
The base units have their own Installation Guide which can be found in the Related Documents, p. 3.

This guide also addresses shortly how the extension cards integrate the base units as well as some recommendations on how to mount them. See Base Unit Slot Compatibility, p. 10 for more details.

Important note on SMS Feature
The modem component used in the FLB 3209 – 4G (APAC) extension card does not allow multiple concurrent accesses to its communication port. Therefore, the Ewon Flexy cannot perform a data connection (for its VPN tunnel to Talk2M) and send/receive SMS at the same time.

For this reason, the SMS feature has been disabled on the FLB 3209 – 4G (APAC) extension card. Only the reception of “wakeup SMS” — for the Talk2M wakeup feature — is supported.

It is possible to use the Talk2M SMS relay to convert emails sent from the Ewon Flexy into an SMS. However, using the Talk2M SMS relay generates fees. Check your Talk2M subscription details to know more about related cost.

For additional information about the Talk2M SMS relay, please refer to the document Email & Text Messages (SMS) Relay from Related Documents, p. 3.

Firmware Compatibility
Check label on the extension card for firmware compatibility. The Ewon Flexy base unit must be updated to the required firmware before insertion of the FLB 3209 – 4G (APAC) extension card.
The Ewon Flexy base unit will not boot correctly if an FLB 3209 – 4G (APAC) extension card is plugged in an Ewon Flexy with a firmware version under 14.4s0.

Safety, Environmental & Regulatory Information

Scope
The present heading addresses Safety, Environmental & Regulatory Information about the FLB 3209 – 4G (APAC) extension card.
This extension card belongs to the same compliance frame than the base units. In the present case of a telecommunication extension card, additional directives, standards and instructions apply.

ESD Damage Prevention

Always use ESD precautions when handling extension cards and / or opened base unit as they contain parts and assemblies susceptible to be damaged by electrostatic discharge (ESD).

The extension card described in this document is a module exposing both sides of an electronic printed circuit board. Therefore, it is packed in an antistatic ESD bag. In order to avoid ESD damage, the product must be handled with the necessary precaution including:

• Grounded ESD protective work surface
• Personnel grounding

Applicable Directives, Standards and Compliances

Applicable Safety Standards
The FLB 3209 fulfills the requirements of: EN 62368-1:2014 and A11:2017, UL 62368-1, CAN/CSA C22.2 No. 62368-1–14 Second Edition.

Certifications
The FLB 3209 has been certified with the following certifications:

• Japan:
– RadioAct (GITEKI(MIC)ID): 003-160025
– elecomAct (JATEID): AD16-0014003
• Malaysia: check www.ewon.biz/support
• Thailand: check www.ewon.biz/support
• South Korea: in progress
• Australia/New Zealand: in progress

These certificates can be downloaded as PDF files on the Ewon support web site: www.ewon.biz/support

Hardware Description

Mechanical Layout and Interfaces

1 SMA-F Female antenna connector
2 SIM card drawer
3 Backplane connector
Extension Card Label

Label Location and Included Information
The identification label of the extension cards is placed on the solder side of the PCB. The different parts of the label are described below:

Label Description
PN Part Number (see syntax table below)
SN Serial Number in the form: MMMM-YYWW-SSSS- PP

•       MMMM : MTID (product related)

•       YYWW : Year and week

•       SSSS : Sequential manufacturing order

•       PP : Product type

Marks| CE, UL… certification number and logos if applicable

Part Number Structure for Extension Cards

FL| FL is the prefix for the extensions of the Ewon Flexy family| Only FL (constant)
---|---|---
Y| 1 alphabetic sign (CAP)

Defines the slots of the base module in which the extension card can be inserted.

| A| 2 first slots only| ●●○○
B| 2 last slots only| ○○●●
X| Any slots| ●●●●
C| Any slots. Available for Flexy 205 only.| ○○○○
XXXX_00| The extension card type. The suffix _00 is used for software options.
/S| The suffix might have an optional “/” character

It might also be blank or include “S” character => Indicates compliance with the UL/IEC/EN 60950 standard.

Front Panel LEDs

Hms FLB 3209-4G Extension Card 3

Item Mark Function
1 STAT Tricolor: Red / Orange / Green Green ON = Modem is online
2 Reception Signal level

Orange ON = level > 1 (poor signal)

3| ▅ ▆| Reception Signal level

Orange ON = level > 10 (signal ok)

4| ▅ ▆ ▇| Reception Signal level

Orange ON = level > 16 (good signal)

During the modem boot process, all 4 LEDs are steady orange. If they stay orange, it means the modem card was inserted in a wrong slot. This induces a base unit boot error pattern on its USR LED as well.
If all signal level LEDs are off, it either means that:

• the modem was not configured
• the modem configuration is invalid (including wrong PIN-code)
• there is no signal at all (level 0)
• there is a reception error (level 99)

Specifications of the FLB 3209
Item Value(s)
Bands & Frequencies LTE: B1, B3, B5, B7, B8, B18,B19,B21,B28,B38,B39,B40,B41

UMTS: B1, B5, B6, B8, B9, B19
Tx Output Power| LTE Band 1, 3, 5, 8, 18, 19, 21, 28, 39: Class 3 (0.25W);

LTE Band 7, 38, 40, 41: Class 3 (0.2W);

UMTS all Bands: class 3 (0.25W)

Antenna Connector| Type SMA-F Female
Antenna

(not included)

| Characteristic| Value(s)
Impedance| 50 Ohms
VSWR| <= 3:1 Absolute maximum limit

<= 2:1 Limit to fulfill all regulatory requirements

Input Power| > 33 dBm (2W) peak power in GSM

24 dBm average power in WCDMA

Tightening Torque| 0.5 Nm

In the absence of a torque wrench, a soft manual tightening is sufficient.

This device is intended to be used only in fixed applications. The antenna used for this transmitter has to be installed to provide a distance of at least 20 cm from any person and may not be co-located or operating in conjunction with any other antenna or transmitter.

Isolation Scheme
In the Installation Guide: “Ewon Flexy – Base Units” quoted in the Related Documents, details on the isolation scheme of the Flexy base units and the different extension cards can be found.

Ewon Flexy Extension Card Environmental Conditions

Characteristics Value
Operating Temperature -25 to +60°C
Storage temperature -40 to +70°C
Relative humidity 10 to 95% non-condensing
Operating altitude Up to maximum 2000m
Storage altitude Up to maximum 3000m

Plug the FLB 3209 into the Base Unit

Base Unit Slot Compatibility
The FLB 3209 must be inserted in one of the “B” slots of the base unit.
The reference code of the extension cards includes a letter defining their compatibility:

FLB xxxx: designate cards that fit into “B” slots.
In addition to the card reference, each type of extension card bears a visual compatibility symbol on its front panel:

Design Slot Type Flexy 205 Location Flexy 10x & 20x
○○●● B Any slot 2 last slots only

Ewon Flexy 205
As the Flexy 205 has room for 2 slots, the type slot compatibility rule doesn’t apply. The FLB 3209 can be inserted in both slots.

Ewon Flexy 10x & 20x
The FLB 3209 must be inserted in the “B” slots which are the two slots on the far right of the Flexy 10x & 20x.

Cards that fit only in one slot type have a mechanical mistake-proof security to prevent them from being inserted in an incorrect slot type.

SIM Card Insertion
A SIM card obtained from a wireless phone provider is necessary to communicate through the FLB 3209.
It must be inserted before inserting the extension card in the base unit as there is no external access to the SIM card holder.

The SIM card holder is located on the components side of the extension card. Carefully slide the SIM card in the holder as shown in the picture below. Make sure the card is fully inserted against its arrest, otherwise it could damage both the drawer and the SIM card when the extension card will be inserted in the base unit. Note the position of the cutoff (1) of the SIM card.

Extension Card Insertion

How to Insert into the Flexy Base Unit
Wait 30 seconds after turning off the equipment before inserting (or removing) an extension card to avoid possible damage to the base unit and the extension cards.
Remove the slot filler of the location the new card will be inserted. To do so, press on both ends of the cover, note that the hooks are off-centered.

1 Hooks to be pressed are off-centered. Press while pulling upwards
2 This metal tag soldered on the PCB acts as mistake-proof security

(mating stop in housing). Doesn’t apply on Flexy 205.

Insert the extension card carefully and slide it down until the hook clicks. Make sure the card is completely inserted.
DO NOT insist if a resistance is felt when trying to insert the card. This can occur if the extension card is inserted in a wrong slot type. In such case, check slot compatibility of the relevant extension card.
Boot the unit for the inserted extension cards to be detected. The web interface of the Flexy base unit has a diagnostic page showing the extension cards in their order of detection (from left to right).

If an extension card is inadvertently forced in a wrong slot, the base unit will detect the misplaced card and will not complete its boot process. Therefore, the unit will not be accessible through its LAN interface. The slot error is returned by the USR LED. (red ON 1 sec, OFF 0.5 sec).

Insertion of Multiple FLB 3209

Detection Order
The boot sequence of the base unit includes an automated detection of the inserted extension cards. This detection is done sequentially, slot per slot starting from left to right (when holding the base unit with its logo on the right side).

Software Compatibility
The base unit allows the insertion of multiple extension cards, sometimes of the same type. Some configurations including multiple extension cards, even if mechanically acceptable, are not supported by the embedded software. Cards in excess are ignored during the automated detection process which means that the base unit and its running extension cards will operate normally.
The Flexy firmware currently supports up to 1 FLB 3209.
The ignored card(s) will appear in the Diagnostic > Status > System Info > System but they will not be functional.

The picture above shows an example of a configuration that would be OK mechanically and power wise but would not be supported by the firmware.
During the boot process, the first 2 serial port extension cards are detected and both can be used.

In case of 2 single Ethernet cards, these 2 cards are also detected but the second Ethernet card is not supported by the firmware and cannot be used. The presence of this “ignored” card in the base unit does not alter the operation of the base unit itself nor does it alter its “accepted” extension cards.

Power Requirements

The “Power Requirements” concept doesn’t apply to Flexy 205 and its inserted extension cards.

The internal power converter of the Flexy base units has been dimensioned to cover a broad range of different combinations of extension cards. Users should make sure the total power demand of the extension cards does not exceed the capabilities of the base unit. That is why the notion of “Energy Points” has been introduced.

The Installation Guide “eWON Flexy – Base Units” includes a section giving the Available Energy Points of each type of base unit.
The power requirements of each extension card is expressed in Energy Demand Points. This number is meant to check whether the balance with the Available Energy Points of a given base unit with extension cards is OK or not.
The Energy Demand Points of the FLB 3209 is 8
The Installation Guide of the “eWON Flexy – Base Units” also includes examples of practical power balance calculations.

Powering on the Base Unit with its Extension Cards

When the base unit is powered on, it takes approximately 25 seconds for the unit to go through its self-test procedure. The slots in which the extension cards have been inserted and their type are detected during this process.
If the boot process completes normally, the following LED status should be observed:

• Base unit : USR LED flashing green slowly
• Extension card : None

If the USR LED of the base unit is flashing red, it might be because the extension card was improperly inserted (for example in a wrong slot).

Check Card Detection on the Embedded Web Page

The Flexy extension cards require no software configuration. They are automatically detected by the base unit when the device boots.

Connecting to the Embedded Web Server
Configure the network parameters to set the computer being used to reach the web interface on the same IP range than the LAN of the Ewon device.
Once both devices are in the same IP range, connect the PC to one of the LAN port of the Ewon device.
Open an Internet browser and access the homepage of the Ewon device by typing the LAN IP address in the URL field (the default address is http://10.0.0.53).
A dialog box will pop-up asking for credentials. Default ones are:

• login: adm
• password: adm

For security reasons, changing the default password adm is an absolute requirement. To change it, from the menu bar, click on Setup > Users and double click on the adm entry to edit and save its password.

Detected Cards Displayed in the System Page
Once connected to the embedded web pages of the Ewon device, the homepage displays the system status including detected extension cards.
To access in details the system status summary, click on Diagnostic > Status > System Info > System.

Modem Information Displayed in the Information Page
Extended information about the modem – including manufacturer, type and modem firmware version – is available in the Info page. The path to the Info page is: Diagnostic > Status > System Info > Info .

© 2021 HMS Industrial Networks Box 4126
300 04 Halmstad, Sweden
info@hms.se

References

Read User Manual Online (PDF format)

Read User Manual Online (PDF format)  >>

Download This Manual (PDF format)

Download this manual  >>

Related Manuals