Keepalive Feature - Airlink101 G3210 User Manual

5. Keepalive Feature

It is not uncommon for a modem to be disconnected from the cellular network after
an extended period of inactivity. Keepalive is used to test and maintain the network
connectivity between the AirLink modem and the carrier. Keepalive is recommended
for users who have a remote terminated modem(s) that infrequently communicates to
the network, or have experienced issues where the modem can no longer be reached
remotely.
How it works
When activated, Keepalive pings a designated IP address after a specified period of
inactivity. An acknowledgement from the IP address indicates to the modem that
there is an active connection to the network. If the modem does not receive a
response from the IP address, it will retry 5 times in 5 second intervals. The modem
will then reset the radio module after 5 failed attempts.
When selecting an IP address for Keepalive, insure that the IP address responds to
pings and that the designated IP address is accessible from the AirLink modem and
the carriers network.
How to Configure Keepalive.
Keepalive requires you set two parameters, the IP address (*IPPINGADDR) and the
interval (*IPPING) that you want the modem to test the network connection. To set
the Keepalive, use Wireless Ace to access the modem, and select the [OTHER] tab.
Example:
*IPPINGADDR=192.168.1.101
*IPPING=60 (which equals sixty minutes of inactivity)
To disable Keepalive, set *IPPING to 0. If *PPINGADDR is left blank or to an invalid
IP address, the modem will reset it's self on a regular interval.
If *IPPINGFORCE=1, then the ping occurs at the IPPING interval regardless of
whether there is any other network traffic during this interval. Also, when
*IPPINGFORCE is set the modem does a complete modem reset, instead of just
resetting the radio module reset.
Data usage using Keepalive.
When using Keepalive, be aware that a ping moves approximately 66 bytes of data
over the network and is billable by the carrier. The following IPPING settings will
incur approximate monthly usage:
AirLink Communications, Inc.
5 min will use 1.2mb / month
15 min will use 400k / month
30 min will use 200k / month
60 min will use 100k / month
120 min will use 50k / month
Page 15
Raven and PinPoint GPRS User Guide Version 1.50
April 28, 2005