TagMatiks AT Lite - iOS Help

Troubleshooting Your RFID Reader - ZEBRA RFD8500 Reader

 
Summary

This article describes common problems you may encounter using Zebra – RFD8500 RFID device and helps you to resolve them.

The possible issues are:

  • RFD8500 Device is not getting ON / OFF
  • RFD8500 Device is not connected with TagMatiks AT Lite application
  • RFD8500 Device is connected to another iOS/Android device
  • RFID Tags are not getting read in TagMatiks AT Lite application
A. Switching ON & OFF RFD8500 device

Switching ON the RFD8500 device:

1. Press the Main Power button continuously for 3 seconds only.

2. Then its LED lights up GREEN meaning power is on.

Figure 01: RFD8500 Reader - Turn ON

Switching OFF the RFD8500 device:

1. To switch off when the RFD8500 reader is on, press the Main Power button continuously for 3 seconds only.

2. Then its GREEN LED light is off, means RFD8500 device is powered off.

Figure 02: RFD8500 Reader - Turn OFF
B. RFD8500 device is not connected with TagMatiks AT Lite application

Immediately after when RFD8500 device is power on, the “Bluetooth Pairing” LED light will automatically start flashing Blue – this indicates that RFD8500 device is now in discoverable mode and ready to pair with a nearby iOS device.

Figure 03: RFD8500 Reader

NOTE: If the Bluetooth pairing light is not flashing, then you can press it for minimum 3 seconds to keep the RFD8500 device in pairing mode.

1. Open the TagMatiks AT Lite application and login into it.

2. On the Home Page, click on the Settings Icon (at the bottom right side of screen); as shown below[figure 04]

3. To make the connection with RFD8500 reader; press “Manage Reader” button - on the left-hand side of application (encircle in red color).

Figure 04: Home Page
Figure 05: Click Manage Reader

NOTE: Make sure the iOS device’s Bluetooth must be on.

4. Then multiple reader options will come on the display.

5. Select “Zebra RFID Readers” (highlighted with red).

6. Then a new window will open, named: “Readers List.”

7. Bring RFD8500 reader close to iOS device.

8. Application will show the discoverable reader’s name; as shown below image[figure 07]

Figure 06: Select Zebra RFID Readers
Figure 07: Available Zebra Readers

9. The reader’s name will be “RFD8500XXXXXXXXXXXXXX”; where “XXXXXXXXXXXXXX” is the 14-digit value of the RFD8500 device’s serial number.

10. In the above image, the value “17114523020247” is the 14-digit value of the RFD8500 device’s serial number.

Figure 08: No Available Readers

NOTE:

When no RFD8500 reader is there nearby the iOS device
OR
If the Bluetooth of RFD8500 reader is Off
OR
RFD8500 Reader is not in pairing mode.
OR
RFD8500 Reader is already paired with another iOS/Android device.

then TagMatiks AT Lite application will show “No Available Readers.” Refer below image.

11. Now press on the available Reader name.

12. Once you press on the reader's name, then the application will start making connection with the RFD8500 device.

13. On successful connection, an acknowledgment/pop window will come – stating that "RFD85001711452302047 has connected successfully", refer below image[figure 10]

Figure 09: Select Available Readers
Figure 10: Connected RFD8500 Readers

14. Application will also fetch the Model & Serial numbers of connected RFD8500 device; as shown in above image[figure 10].

C. RFD8500 Device is connected to another iOS/Android device

If the RFD8500 device is “ON” but couldn’t connect to the iOS device. Then there is a possibility that the RFD8500 device is already paired & connected to another iOS/Android device. To check the same, please follow following steps

I. RFD8500 device LED status check:

1. Check the status of the “Bluetooth Pairing” LED light.

2. If it is solid blue; means RFD8500 device is already in paired with another iOS/Android device; as shown in below image

Figure 11: Pairing RFD8500 Reader

3. Else “Bluetooth Pairing” LED light is flashing Blue – this shows that RFD8500 device is now in discoverable mode and ready to pair with a nearby iOS device.

II. On TagMatiks AT Lite Application: RFD8500 Reader check:

1. Press “Manage Reader” button - on the left-hand side of TagMatiks AT Lite application (highlighted in red color).

2. Select “ZEBRA RFID Readers” (highlighted with orange).

Figure 12: Click Manage Reader
Figure 13: Click Zebra RFID Readers

NOTE: Make sure the iOS device’s Bluetooth must be on and near to the RFD8500 reader.

3. Then a new window will open, named: “Readers List.”

4. If no reader comes/reflects in the reader list.

5. This means:

Either no RFD8500 RFID reader is there nearby the iOS device OR RFD8500 Reader is already paired with another iOS/Android device.

then TagMatiks AT Lite application will show “No Available Readers.” Refer below image.

Figure 14: No Available Readers
D. RFID Tags are not getting read in TagMatiks AT Lite application

In the TagMatiks AT Lite Application, please first ensure the configuration settings are in sync with the RFID tags.

1. Please click on the Settings Tab and then click on the “Configuration” under “Admin Settings”

2. Please click on “Asset Tag Format Configuration” under Asset Tag Format

3. A new window will open, where you can see tabs for Tagging Options, EPC Data and Other Memory Banks. As shown below:

Figure 15: Asset Tag Format Configuration Page

4. To modify the behaviour of associating RFID tags to assets; please read the article named:"Configuration Overview"

5. Once the tag format configuration is properly saved; go to “Home” page.

6. Press the “Inventory” button - on the bottom left-hand side of the application.

7. Then a new window will open, named: “Inventory.”

8. For taking the inventory, click on the any Location; like here it clicked on “San Francisco”.

Figure 16: Home Page
Figure 17: Select Inventory Location

9. Press the trigger button on the RFD8500 device; the application will start reading the RFID tags. Please refer below image[figure 18]

10. Once you Press the trigger button for “Stop”; reader will stop reading the tags.

11. As a result, the read tags will populate on the application window, as shown in below image.[figure 19]

Figure 18: Scanning RFID Tags
Figure 19: Scanned Tags - Matched

NOTE: The reading start/ stop can also be controlled with the “Trigger” button of the RFD8500 reader Sled.