This section takes users through the network operations available in the RapidConnect Desktop application.

Form Network

Only Network Coordinators can form a network, therefore the first step is to configure a device as a ‘Combined Interface Coordinator’. Once configured, open the ‘Network Settings’ page.

The Network Settings page(Figure 1) can broken down into the following components:

1. Network Configuration Parameters
2. Network Actions
3. Permit Join Window
4. APS Link Key Parameters
5. Serial Log Viewer
6. Network Status

This guide will assume that default values are used for the APS Link Key parameters and the 'Auto' options are checked for PAN ID and Extended PAN ID.

The 'Auto' options will generate random values for both PANID and Extended PAN ID.

Figure 1: Network Settings

Once familiar with the UI components of the ‘Network Settings’ page, click the ‘Form Network’ button.

This will initiate a sequence whereby the Host application (RapidConnect Desktop) sends a command to the module requesting it form a network using the parameters configured in this page.

Once network forming is complete(Figure 2) RapidConnect Desktop will enable the 'Leave Network' button (1) and show the new network status and network information (3). The ‘Serial Log Viewer’ will also be populated with serial messages sent between the Host (RapidConnect Desktop) and the device (2).

Figure 2: Network Formed

In This Space

Join Network

This section will guide users through joining a network using another MMB Module connected serially to a computer(s) that is to be configured as an end device. In reality any Router or End Device can be joined to the network as long as both device profiles are compatible.

To Join another module to the network the must first configure the new device.

Click on the ‘New Device’ menu button. This will open a new instance of the RapidConnect Desktop.

Figure 3: New Device

Configure the new device with any configuration other than Combined Coordinator Interface. In this guide we assume the new device is configured as a 'Dimmable Light'

To join the newly configured dimmable light device to the network users must first open the ‘Permit Join’ window of the network.

The term permit join 'window' used above refers to a duration in which devices can join the network.

Go to the RapidConnect desktop instance that interfaces to the device configured as a Coordinator. From here open the ‘Network Settings’ page from the menu.

Go to the ‘Permit Join’ component (Figure 4) and select a duration to open the ‘Permit Join’ window for, click the ‘Open’ button.

Figure 4: Permit Join Settings

The ‘Open Forever’ button will open the permit join window for 248 seconds. Once that duration elapses the permit join duration will automatically reset to 248 seconds and so on. It is not recommended to use this setting when in an environment with many zigbee devices as users may get devices that are currently in the ‘Scanning’ network state joining the network unintentionally.

The ‘Close’ button sets the permit join duration to 0.

Once the permit join window is open, switch to the RapidConnect Desktop instance for the Dimmable Light device. Open the ‘Network Settings’ window from the menu(Figure 5).

Figure 5: Network Settings Window Button

Leave Network

Leaving a network(Figure 6) will result in different outcomes depending on the device type of the device selected to leave the network.

Figure 6: Leave Network

Device configured as a Coordinator

If the user clicks the ‘Leave Network’ button on the Coordinator instance of the RapidConnect Desktop, it will dissolve the entire network. Once the Coordinator leaves its own network, devices that were previously joined to the network will eventually see that they are not able to communicate with their parent node and start looking for a new network.

Device configured as a Router/End device

If the user clicks the ‘Leave Network’ button on a joined device (e.g. Router/Coordinator) instance of the RapidConnect Desktop, it will leave the network.

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