Connecting to a Stage Smarts unit.

The Stage Smarts integrated remote supervision system is based on web server and web client model, just like a standard webpage works on the internet. The supervision system enables you to get real-time readings of how the connected units are operating and accurate load-data for the connected loads. The remote supervision is a standard feature in all of the smartPDU units and the C72tv power distribution unit. In the C12 and the C24 the system is optional and can be installed on order or retrofitted in units without it. The C-quad doesn’t have any type of supervision system since it is designed to work together with the C12 and / or the C24. Before trying to connect to a C12 or C24 make sure that there is a web server installed, without it your chances of success are somewhat limited to say the least. The C12 and C24 units have the designation B its label when delivered with an installed web server, for example: C24B-12 or C12B-22. Retrofitted A-type units should have its label changed to B-type if done properly.

Setting up the network.

A network system is comprised of ordinary ethernet components. All Stage Smarts units connect thru a Neutrik Ethercon connector that also can handle ordinary RJ45 connectors and cables. Standard CAT-5 cables are more than enough to handle the relative low amount of data sent from the units. The network needs to be managed by a DHCP-server for handling and distribution of IP-addresses. When the power distribution unit connect to the network it waits to receive an address, if no address is given to the unit it will give itself an address in the 169.254.x.x range after a period of time. This procedure makes it possible to connect one unit to one client directly without a router, but we don’t recommend this method because it can be a bit unstable depending on the configuration of the ethernet port on the client. The safest and most robust method is to use a router for the management of the network, this is also the only way to connect several units at once.

Finding and connecting to the units.

To connect to one or more units, you need to connect to just one of them, all the units will automatically share all data between each other if they are connected to the same network, so it doesn’t matter which one of the units you connect to. The easiest way to connect to the web server is to type in the IP-address or the unique serial number for that unit in the address bar in the browser you are using. The unique serial number utilizes WINS or Bonjour to discover the IP of the unit. Finding the IP-address for the unit is normally done with some IP-scanner software such as LanScan for OS X or the Free IP scanner for Windows. The image above shows a typical result from LanScan after a completed scan, the smartPDU200302 is highlighted and the IP-address is 192.168.8.107 for this particular unit. To find the same unit using the alternative method you should type the following in the browser address bar: For OSX: http://smartPDU200302.local For Windows: http://smartPDU200302 The unit should now be online and the webpage visible and working.