How to use PuTTY with an R420 Reader
Summary
This article will explain how to use PuTTY to interface with an Impinj Speedway R420 reader.
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Connecting to the R420 using PuTTY
PuTTY is a very useful tool that allows a user to connect their computer to a compatible device via SSH, TCP/IP, and serial connection. PuTTY can be used to connect to the R420 reader in order to configure the reader using Impinj's RShell commands, or to retrieve data being exported via TCP/IP when using Speedway Connect.
When using PuTTY, all of these connection options are available directly from the home menu of the software, called the Session menu. Configurations for these connections can be made elsewhere in PuTTY, but the Session menu is where connections need to be opened.
SSH
When PuTTY is launched, the SSH connection is selected by default. To SSH into the R420 reader, the reader's IP address will need to be known, as well as the username and password that the reader is expecting. For help finding the IP address, see Setting Up Your Speedway Revolution Reader.
Additionally, the SSH connection requires a direct connection from the computer to the reader's Ethernet port via ethernet cable.
The default IP address for the reader will be 169.254.1.1, and the default port is 22. Once this information is entered, select 'Open' to initialize the connection.
Once the connection has been established, the reader will prompt for login. The login information will be:
Username: root
Password: impinj
Note: When typing the password into the command line, no characters will appear. This is a security feature of linux machines that helps keep passwords private.
Once the password has been typed in, press 'Enter'. If login is successful, the reader is now ready to receive RShell commands for configuration. For assistance with RShell commands please see the link below:
https://www.dropbox.com/s/fewhca8t06e0nb4/Impinj_RShell_Reference_Manual%20%282%29.pdf?dl=0
TCP/IP Connection
The TCP/IP connection allows the R420 to output tag data to the computer via a network connection. To export data in this way, the Speedway Connect software will need to be used. Otherwise, a custom software solution will need to be developed using the Octane SDK.
To open this connection, connect the reader to the computer using an ethernet cable, as described in the section above. Once connected, launch PuTTY and select the 'Telnet' radio button, and fill out the required fields. The default port for this connection using Speedway Connect is port 14150.
Once the connection is opened, the screen should populate with the tag data being read by the reader.
Note: If the demo version of Speedway Connect is being used, only 500 tags will be reported. Once this number has been reached, attempting to connect to the reader via the TCP/IP connection will result in the the reader refusing the connection. For more information on Speedway Connect, see Using Speedway Connect.