Tutorial: Configure Devices

Configure Devices

Purpose:

Using the Devices page within the Shipping Application, select and configure the devices each shipping workstation will use.

Overview:

ConnectShip Device Components allow clients to communicate with external devices, such as barcode scanners, scales, thermal label printers and laser printers. Configuring a device involves these steps:

At each shipping workstation, verify that the required Progistics device components have been installed.
For devices that use a serial interface, verify that the port settings on the device match what the Progistics device driver expects.
At each shipping workstation, open the shipping application and map the device to the proper port. For printers the user will also need to set the stock or paper size.

It is important to note that not all devices can print all documents. For example, the user will not be able to get a good thermal shipping label from a dot matrix printer. A dot matrix printer simply is not capable of generating the complex bar code symbology required for most labels.

Details:

The operator will need to determine whether the devices will be accessed through the network or connected directly to the shipping workstation. The operator should base these decisions on the current architecture of the network and the number of shipping workstations that will share a single device.

STEP 1: At each shipping workstation, verify that the required Progistics device components have been installed.
When the operator installed ChainLink, they chose from a list of available Progistics devices, such as:

Datamax Prodigy Printer
Eltron Printer
Fairbanks Scale
Generic Epson Printer
Generic Barcode Scanner
Windows Printer
NCI Scale
Okidata Printer
Toledo Scale
Zebra Printer

This is the list of devices currently available to server givex.sendsuite.pitneybowes.com:

Datamax M-4208 Label Printer
Datamax M-4306 Label Printer
Datamax Prodigy Label Printer
Datamax Prodigy Max Label Printer
Datamax Prodigy Plus 152 Label Printer
Datamax Prodigy Plus Label Printer
Detecto AS350D Scale
Detecto AS410D Scale
Detecto AS420D Scale
Eltron 2044 Label Printer
Eltron 2348 Label Printer
Eltron 2442 Label Printer
Eltron 2543 Label Printer
Fairbanks 70-2453 Scale
FlexWeigh DWM-IV Scale
Generic Datamax DPL Label Printer
Generic Datamax DPL Label Printer (Software Rendering)
Generic Epson Line Printer
Generic Intermec IPL (Software Rendering)
Generic Intermec IPL Label Printer
Generic Monarch MPCLII Label Printer
Generic Monarch MPCLII Label Printer (Software Rendering)
Generic Samsung SLCS Label Printer
Generic Samsung SLCS Label Printer (Software Rendering)
Generic Sato Label Printer
Generic Sato Label Printer (Software Rendering)
Generic Serial Barcode Scanner
Generic Star Label Printer
Generic Zebra ZPL 300 DPI Label Printer
Generic Zebra ZPL 300 DPI Label Printer (Software Rendering)
Generic Zebra ZPL Label Printer
Generic Zebra ZPL Label Printer (Software Rendering)
Generic Zebra/Eltron EPL2 Label Printer
Generic Zebra/Eltron EPL2 Label Printer (Software Rendering)
GSE 552 Scale
Intermec 3400 Label Printer
Intermec 3400A Label Printer
Intermec 3440 Label Printer
Intermec 3600 Label Printer
Intermec PM4i Label Printer
Intermec PX4i Label Printer
Mettler Toledo MT-SICS Scale
Mettler-Toledo PS2 Plus Scale
Mettler-Toledo PS60 Scale
Monarch 9830 Label Printer
Monarch 9850 Label Printer
Monarch 9855 Label Printer
Monarch 9855 RFID Label Printer
NCI 3825 Scale
NCI 3835 Scale
NCI 7620 Scale
NCI 7820 Scale
NCI 7880 Scale
Okidata 182 Printer
Okidata 320 Printer
PCL Printer
PostScript Printer
QubeVu Dimensioner/Scale
Samsung SRP-770 Label Printer
Sato 8400 Label Printer
Sato 8400RVe Label Printer
Sato 8450 Label Printer
Sato 8485 Label Printer
Sato CL408 Label Printer
Sato CL408e RFID Label Printer
Sato CL412 Label Printer
Sato CL412e RFID Label Printer
Sato GY412 Two-Sided Label Printer
Setra 4091477NN Scale
Toledo 8213 Scale
Toledo 8520 Scale
Toshiba 2ST Label Printer
Toshiba TEC B-472 Label Printer
Toshiba TEC B-472 Label Printer (Software Rendering)
Unimark U501 Label Printer
Windows Printer
Zebra 105 Label Printer
Zebra 105Se Label Printer
Zebra 105SL Label Printer
Zebra 110XiIIIPlus Label Printer
Zebra 140 Label Printer
Zebra 140XiIIIPlus Label Printer
Zebra 170 Label Printer
Zebra 170XiII Label Printer
Zebra 170XiIIIPlus Label Printer
Zebra 220 Label Printer
Zebra 2746e Label Printer
Zebra 2844 Label Printer
Zebra 2844-Z Label Printer
Zebra 3842 Label Printer
Zebra 3844-Z Label Printer
Zebra 90XiII Label Printer
Zebra Ht-146 Label Printer
Zebra R110Xi Label Printer
Zebra R4Mplus Label Printer
Zebra Stripe S300 Label Printer
Zebra Stripe S500 Label Printer
Zebra Stripe S600 Label Printer
Zebra Z4Mplus Label Printer

If the workstation is missing any required devices, the operator will need to re-run the ConnectShip software installation program to install the missing devices.

STEP 2: Verify that the settings on the device are correct.
This primarily applies to devices that use a serial interface. Each device driver defaults to certain settings that should match the factory settings for the hardware. The user may encounter difficulties if the settings on the physical devices do not match these settings. The method for changing settings on a device will vary by device manufacturer. The user may need to consult the User Manual for the device to determine the method for verifying and changing the settings.

STEP 3: At each shipping workstation, open the shipping application and map the device to the proper port.
Since shipping workstations use devices, the operator must configure the devices at each individual workstation. The operator will need to configure the devices for each workstation whether the physical devices connect directly to the workstation or connect via a network.

Make and Model
- The Port/Device column will display a list of physical Parallel, Serial, and Windows printer ports that are available on the workstation. In the Make and Model column the user will be able to choose from any ConnectShip device driver installed on the shipping workstation. For each port with a device connected, click on the pull-down list in the Make and Model column to choose the device.
- If the workstation will be printing to a network printing device the user can manually enter a port (ex. \\printserver\sharename or LPT3) and select the Make and Model for the device on that Port / Device, then click the Add Port button.
Type
- After the user selects a Make and Model from the list, the system fills the Type column for that port with the type of device, such as Printer, Scanner, or Scale. If necessary, the user may adjust the ConnectShip device settings on some devices by selecting the Settings link in the Type column for that device.
Stock
- For printer devices, the user will need to specify the kind of paper stock users will be placing in the device.
- The stock may be standard paper, such as plain letter or 4.5 x. 6.5 in label stock, or it may be a pre-printed carrier form.
Saving Selections
- After each selection is made, the application will automatically save the new information.

Exceptions/Troubleshooting:

The following are some common problems that may occur. Consult the knowledgebase on the ConnectShip web site (www.connectship.com) for more information.

Timeout Reading From Device
If a user tries to employ a device and gets a message about a timeout reading from the device, there may be a problem in the device settings. Go back to STEP 2 and verify the settings on the physical device. Compare these settings to those displayed in the Settings link that corresponds to the particular device.
Another common problem is difficulty with a cable. For some devices, the cable will be connecting from a 25-pin connector at the workstation end to a 9-pin connector at the device end. The wiring (or pin out) for the cable may be different from what was expected by ChainLink. Switching to another cable by a different manufacturer may correct the problem.

Purpose:

Overview:

Details:

Exceptions/Troubleshooting:

Related Topics: