Configuring Rio

Configuring the Rio Server Software

There are a large number of things to configure - but they only have to be done once. You are most likely to succeed if you go through this process step by step in the order shown. You might find it convenient to print this page out and use it as a checklist.
 
As a precaution reboot your NT Server at this stage. Login and start the server. Log in as the person who will be the Rio Paging System Manager. This is very important the first time the system is run, since the person performing the installation will be granted System Manager authority.
 
The Rio Paging Server should start automatically.
 
Don’t worry if you get the error "Infolink Receiver not found". You can easily fix that, as explained next.

Configuring the Infolink Server Receiver

From the Rio Server File menu, choose Options; select the Infolink Receiver tab.
 
If you received the "Infolink Receiver not found" error, change the COM port setting to match the COM port that you connected the Infolink Receiver to.
 
Be sure to set the Subscriber Number. The Subscriber Number is the Telephone number that users call to send Replies back to your server. Insert the Subscriber Number allocated to your Infolink Receiver. The person who supplied the Rio Paging system to you will tell you the Subscriber Number allocated to your Infolink receiver by your Paging or SMS Service Provider.
 

The Subscriber Number is added to all messages that are marked as "Reply Requested" to indicate to the recipient what number to call, to send an acknowledgement. Thus a message "Kate. Our meeting has been brought forward to 2pm!" will be sent as

[Phone 07523000000 & enter 1234 to acknowledge] Kate. Our meeting has been brought forward to 2pm!

  • [Phone 07523000000 & enter 1234 to acknowledge] indicates that this is a Reply Requested Message. The exact format of the preamble is defined under Acknowledge Codes.
  • 07523000000 will be set to the Subscriber Number of your Infolink Receiver and is the telephone number that the recipient must call to Reply to the Page.
  • 1234 is a Page Sequence Number that is different for each Reply Requested Page that is sent. The recipient sends this number when they call the above number. In practice, the recipient dials the phone number indicated and listens to the prompts.

The "No of Retries" entry controls how many times a message will be sent if no Reply is received from the recipient.

The "Timeout" entry controls the interval between repeat transmissions.

Select the Drop File Directory

The Drop directory is used to "drop" files containing messages to be sent. Any file placed in the Drop Directory will be collected a few seconds later by the Rio Paging Server and the message will be sent.

Once you drop a file in the directory it will be silently processed. However you can check the logs to see what happened to it.

By default the Drop directory is set to

C:\Program Files\Connection Software\Rio Paging\Drop

If you wish to change the Drop Directory do so from the Server System Options screen. Select the "Drop Directory" tab. You can enter the path to the "Drop directory" or you can press the "Browse" button and navigate to the location of the "Drop Directory"

You may wish to make the drop directory available as a shared network drive - or not. It is important that the System Administrator makes conscious decisions about this and the permissions of the Drop Directory as there are security implications.

The format of messages placed in the Drop-file directory is explained here.

Log Files

The Log Files section allows you to set the maximum number of log file records that will be stored in the database.

Server – How many paging history items will by kept
 
Client – How many paging history items will be kept for each client. Keep these values to speed up operation of the server. A value of 100 entries for Server and each client is probably reasonable.

Paging

The Paging Tab lets you set some critical parameters that affect how a Message is sent.
 

Messages

Maximum Size The Maximum size of a Message that a User can send
Pager Size The Maximum size of a Message that can be sent to a Pager
Batch Size If using dialup, the number of Messages to hold before transmitting them as a batch

Retries

Number of The number of retries that can be performed before reporting an error
Interval The number of seconds to wait before attempting a retry
Timeout on Send The length of time to wait before a timeout occurs

If a message exceeds the maximum allowed size for a message, the server will split that message into sections and send it as several separate messages.

Output Devices

Output Devices are things like Modems, RS-232 connections to Leased Line modems and Network Connections.

Before an Output Device can be configured for use by Rio, it should have already been installed and configured to operate correctly under Microsoft Windows. If it does not work correctly under Windows then it will never work under Rio. Suggestions are made, below, on how to check that the Output Device works under Windows.

Adding an Output Device

It is important that you Add all the devices you will be using at this stage. Of course you can return later to add other Devices - but you can't configure and use an Output Device until you have added it!
 
On the Rio Server select the "Edit" menu and then select "Devices" from that menu.
To add a new device press the "Add" button. When you have finished creating a device press the "OK" button. The new details will then be saved.
 
When you have finished defining all your Output Devices, press the Update button. Your changes will not be activated until you press the Update button.

Configuring a Serial Connection

A Serial Device is usually used to connect to an external modem - for example for a Leased Line. COM ports must already be configured for Windows before you attempt to configure Rio Paging.

  • Enter a "Name" for the device - e.g. COM1
  • Select its device type - e.g. Serial Port
  • Select the "Port" - e.g. COM1
  • Select the "Baud Rate" - e.g. 9600
  • Select the Databits to be used - e.g. 7
  • Select the Stopbits - e.g. 1
  • Select the Parity - e.g. even or none
  • When you have finished press the "OK" button.

Configuring a Modem Device

Modem Device is an internal or external modem connected to the Server. Modems should be installed and configured according to the installation manual for the particular modem before attempting to configure Rio Paging. You can check if the modem is known to Windows by using a program like HyperTerminal to contact a dial-up computer system.

It is very important that you use the latest Modem Drivers with your modem. Be sure to visit the Modem manufacturer’s website to download the latest modem drivers. Not having the latest drivers correctly installed on your computer will probably cause problems. This is the single most common problem experienced when installing the Rio Paging Server. Please save yourself, and us, time by getting and installing the correct driver for your modem.

  • Enter a "Name" for the device - e.g. USR Courier
  • Select its device type - e.g. Modem
  • Select the name of the modem to be used by this device - e.g. USR Courier
  • When you have finished press the "OK" button.

Configuring a Network Device

A Network Device is an Intranet/Internet connection to a Paging Service Provider. An Intranet/Internet should already be configured before you attempt to configure Rio Paging

  • Enter a "Name" for the device - e.g. Paging Service Leased Line
  • Select its device type - e.g. SNPP
  • When you have finished press the "OK" button.

Service Providers

Configuring Service Providers

Each Service provider that you use can be, in principle, contacted via a number of routes - using the Output Devices that you established in the previous page.

Rio can support many access to many Service Provider and you can define up to three routes to reach each Service Provider.  That should provide plenty of redundancy!

On the Rio Server, select Providers from the Edit menu. From here you can add Service Providers and configure the routes to them. The screen below shows that in this system one Service Provider is currently known - PageOne Communications.
 
To create new output routes for the existing service Provider select their name in the list and then press the "Properties" button. This will then display the "Service Provider Properties" screen.

Configuring Service Provider Routes

The "Service Provider Properties" screen allows you to specify Output Routes for a Service Provider. You also can set which of the available Service Providers is to be regarded as the Default Service Provider.
 

To add a new output route, press the "Add" button this will then load the "Route Details" screen.

Modem Device Type

  • Select the modem device to be used
  • Select the Protocol (this should have defaulted to TAP)
  • Enter the Phone Number for the service provider
  • A password can be entered but is not necessary
  • When you have completed the route press the "OK" button

 Network Device Type

  • Select the network device to be used
  • Select the Protocol (this should have defaulted to SNPP)
  • Enter the primary TCP/IP address to be used
  • Enter the secondary TCP/IP address to be used (if one exists)
  • A password can be entered but is not necessary
  • When you have completed the route press the "OK" butto

Serial Device Type

  • Select the network device to be used
  • Select the Protocol (this should have defaulted to SNPP)
  • A password can be entered but is not necessary
  • When you have completed the route press the "OK" button
SMS This page was last modified at 9:35 UTC on Tuesday November 06, 2007