I forgot or lost my AFN authorization code - what do I do?
Just email or call our product support team. We will need your name and company contact data, and the AFN serial number, which may be found on a label on the bottom of the AFN enclosure.
Do I have to re-auth AFN via the serial port every time its powered up?
No. AFN only needs to be re-authorized if its network information is being changed. This security feature helps protect AFN installations. If AFN is stopped and re-started, it will come up running, and have the same network settings it was given at its initial authorization. If its network address was set to "obtain automatically", it will likely have a different address if it is moved from one network to another. The ISU software utility can be used to query AFN and obtain its current network address assignment - simply start the ISU application on any PC connected to the same LAN or network segment as AFN is, and select "Scan for any AFN IP address".
Can I still do the AFN initial authorization if I don't have a network?
Yes, but there are some things to consider since AFN configuration is done using a web browser. If you have no network at all, you could use ISU to auth AFN with a fixed IP (so you know its address), then use an ethernet crossover cable to connect a PC directly into the AFN LAN1 ethernet port. The PC must have its own IP address as fixed (since there is no network to assign it), and share the same subnet as what you assigned to AFN - else the two cannot communicate. The easy way to do this is just set up a new LAN connection under your network properties, and use that.
This direct-ethernet technique is also useful when AFN is already installed in the field, but you cannot get access to the network at that site. Once you know the AFN address, simply use the network crossover cable, disconnect AFN from their network, plug your cable in, and point the browser at the AFN address - its just like a network connection. (Don't forget to alter your PC's special LAN connection properties to match the network of that site).
Should I choose "fixed" or "automatic" for AFN's IP address?
This choice will depend on the network AFN is being connected to. If it will be used without network in its final installation, fixed IP is the best choice. Most networks assign addresses automatically (DHCP) and that will be used often - consult the network administrator where the AFN will be installed to determine if it should be set fixed or auto.
If you choose fixed, be sure the address you assign is outside any range of automatically-assigned addresses, or there could be conflict. Remember to record your choice for futures use, and if you are involved with multiple AFN units, consider keeping a list by serial number. Keep in mind that you can assign, for example, "auto" to meet the needs of the current network where you are configuring AFN, then immediately use ISU to set a fixed address if you plan to move AFN to another network that uses fixed addressing. Once you are done configuring, just stop AFN, and disconnect your existing network cable. Use ISU to re-set the address to fixed, then go install it - AFN will power up with its new setting and start running automatically.
We forgot or lost our AFN browser access password. Can you help?
Yes, we can re-program your unit, but we cannot bypass your password or get around it. Please call Compuquest, Inc. for a Return Authorization number, and send your unit to us. We will re-install the operating system software, and return it to you. Please record your passwords in a safe place!
AFN ruleset field "actrule" replaces the old AlphaSense "matchstrings" - what's different?
The actrule in AFN has the power of matchstrings on steriods. It works the way the old ones work and in addition, actrule supports Regular Expressions. They can be very simple, or make use of the incredible power of regex pattern matching -- its up to you! Here is a good regex tutorial.
I forgot the IP address of a remote AFN, so now I can't access it...
The network administrator of the remote network may be able to provide the address for you, but don't be suprised if you are told to make a record of things you may need in the future. Alternatively, ISU software may be used by someone at the remote site to query an AFN unit for its IP address,
How to combine multi-line data, or create custom data-block formats
Doing this is easy, and involves simple changes to the "eob" (end-of-block) entry in the AFN pararmeter file. Here is a complete table of codes, how to use them, and what they do.
How to monitor one or more remote data sources using AFN via modem
Leverage your AFN by enabling it to monitor several remote sources of data, and turn that data into messages based on your rules. This is also useful to centralize inbound messages from multiple AFN units in the field, triggering off of their SiteID (ruleset prefix field) for centralized filtering, translation, and message forwarding). Here is an app note describing how to do it.
How to make AFN dial into non-standard modems, low-speed modems, etc.
Some wireless messaging providers wrongly set their modems either to fixed-mode or fixed speed operation, which prevent worldwide standard modem connection methods from working. This can also occur if the modem you want AFN to dial into is low-speed-only. If you must connect to these modems using AFN, below are some addtional settings that you can add to whichever modem init string is being used - minit for data calls, and winit for wireless protocol calls. Simply append one of these to the existing init string. For each additional string shown below, first the string itself is shown, followed by description
\N%C0 - disables certain link negotiation and error management protocols not used by slow modems.
+MS=B212 - forces the modem to establish connections only at only 1200 or 300 baud
How to use AFN to receive and process alarms from Avaya or Lucent PBX
Monitor, filter, and process messages from one or more remote Avaya PBX sites using all the features and power of AFN. You can receive calls from distant Avaya or Lucent PBX units that can perform RMAT dialout of alarms. The AFN will process them, and deliver messsages, forward the data, and do whatever your ruleset has told it to! To set this up, just follow the directions here.
How to use AFN with Remote Support Software
AFN can make message dialout deliveries to Compuquest, Inc.'s Remote Support Software (RSS) just like the legacy AlphaSense products. It is important to remember that the AFN ruleset "prefix" field contain at least 4 characters for any rule that will be making a dialout delivery to RSS. If you dont want to "see" anything for the RSS SiteID field, simply enter 4 space characters in the prefix field. Use a value of 1 for the AFN ruleset "dialmode" field, and set RSS in Host Mode. The messages from AFN will arrive at RSS, be shown on the RSS screen and history list, be printable, trigger the sound alarm or screen popup, forward to another email address, etc. -- all the features of RSS running in Host Mode.
How to use a centralized AFN as a powerful filter & re-director for other AFN units
A very popular application for AFN is to deploy a single centralized AFN-PFP unit to serve as a filter, re-processor, and re-director for other remote AFN units. First, the centralized AFN is set up as described here. The remote AFN units are configured with rulesets containing some rules that perform dialmode 3 or 4 data dialout delivery to the modem that is connected to the centralized AFN. The remote AFN units also are given specific info in their "prefix" ruleset fields. (Not all remote AFN rules may call for dialout into the centralized unit...) The centralized AFN receives the dialout messages from the remote AFN units, and it keys off a combination of the prefix content, as well as message content, to perform further actions. This provides a very powerful method for temporarily cutting off unwanted incoming messages that would otherwise go direct to pagers, digital phones, or PDA's; filter certain sites that are experiencing special issues and send them to a designated individual temporarily; re-direct wireless or email messages to different and/or additional recipients; quickly activate or deactivate messaging when the remote AFN units are unaccessible, etc., etc. - lots of very useful capabilities that can be quickly set up, changed, or torn down.
How to prevent the AFN modem from answering its phone line
For AFN units having feature packages that include modems, simply change the minit and winit parameters from "S0=1" to S0=0". Be careful not to change any other portion of the existing string. Note: for AFN-PFP feature package, doing this will render Secure Access Mode unusable, obviously.
How to use AFN Secure Access Mode without the modem (direct-connect)
In supported feature packages, the Secure Access Mode of AFN provides for password protected access between AFN's modem and whatever equipment is connected to AFN as its host data source. This could be PBX, access control systems, security panels, factory automation systems, etc., and provides a powerful way for remote programming and query of the host equipment. At times, it may be desireable to use Secure Access Mode when you are near AFN - i.e., without the AFN modem. Here is how to do it: First, remove the AFN modem cable from Port1. Connect a null modem cable between AFN Port1 and a PC or laptop. Launch a Comm software application on the PC, connect to the correct port, and set for 9600, N,8,1 data. On the PC, touch the ENTER key, then type "CONNECT" (no quotes) followed by the ENTER key. You should then be at the AFN Secure Access Mode protected login... When finished, don't forget to re-attach the AFN modem.
How to leverage your AFN config files and speed AFN installations or changes
The parameter and ruleset files of AFN are changed using a browser edit screen for some very good reasons - including the ability to make very fast changes. Instead of editing each new AFN by hand, create some "master" files for both ruleset and parameter files - then just paste the entire file into the AFN browser window! You can have a new unit totally configured in 3 minutes. And, for rulesets, if your organization deploys a quantity of AFN units, use the ruleset master file as a template - entering all the possible rules you may want (including a line above the actual rule line explaining the rule), and enter them as comment lines. Paste that in, then un-comment the ones you need for that site or application - a very easy and speedy setup or change. No more having to take time to figure out the contents of a new rule each time. Field technicians can have master files and/or rule snippets right on their laptops for quick reference and error-free entry.
How to use AFN email extended authentication and security features
AFN provides support for extended email authentication (identification of the communication partner), privacy/confidentiality (communication is not intercepted or eavesdropped), and integrity (message has not been modified) features. This also includes strong encryption for your authentication password. To enable STARTTLS sessions for outbound email, the "elogin" and "epass" parameters must be defined. Test AFN email delivery - if it doesn't work, your entries are wrong, or your outbound email server does not support it - contact them, not Compuquest. Once AFN email is working with elogin and epass, edit the parameter file, and add " S" (no quotes, and there is a space char before the S) to the end of your epass entry. For example, if your epass was "d8aOpg8K4", change it to "d8aOpg8K4 S". All future AFN email deliveries will have the added security benefits, if your outbound email server supports them.
Formed in 1983, Compuquest, Inc. is a leading designer/manufacturer of hardware and software products for telecom, data communications, remote monitoring, and wireless messaging.
