Tabs Hub* (Ethernet) installation guide

* No longer available

Check here the checklist for installation: Checklist for installation

Datasheets can be found here: Data sheet Tabs (Tracknet) hubs & sensors

Ethernet connected Hub - no longer available

During the installation process changes will be made to the firewall. Therefore, it is advised to contact your IT-department our network specialist.
Step 1. Place the hubs at the location that was provided to you by the project engineer. In the case that no location was provided or the location is not accessible find a nearby or central location equipped with an ethernet connection and wall wart. E.g. in the gap of a raised ceiling or in the IT room.
Caution! The hub must never be unplugged after installation. Choose a location where accidental unplugging will not occur.

Step 2. Open the following ports in the firewall. These ports only need an outbound connection.
Caution! The hubs are using load balancing techniques, no fixed endpoint can be set.

Following table lists the IP addresses that outgoing traffic (sensor data) goes to here: List of IP addresses for outgoing traffic

Step 3. Connect the hub
Step 3.1 Connect the ethernet cable to the blue port
(Indicated by A)
Step 3.2 Connect the power cable
(Indicated by B)
Step 3.3 Plug in the power adapter
Preferably in a UPS and surge protector
Step 3.4 Check the status LEDs
After booting following LEDs should be solid green
Power | Lora | Ethernet
Caution! First time boot procedure takes 15 to 20 minutes
Longer times may be observed with bad connectivity

Step 4. Let your Cobundu PE check the connection of the hub on the cloud platform

Ethernet hub (via 4G) - no longer available

Step 1. Place the hubs and 4G routers at the location that was provided to you by the project engineer. In the case that no location was provided or the location is not accessible find a nearby or central location equipped with a wall wart and decent reception.
Caution! The hub and 4G router must never be unplugged after installation. Choose a location where accidental unplugging will not occur.

Step 2. Assemble the 4G router

Step 2.1 Make sure all antennas are installed and are screwed in finger tight.
Step 2.2 Connect the power cable
Step 2.3 Plug in the power adapter
Step 2.4 Power on the 4G router
Step 2.5 Check the 4G connectivity
If the signal is too weak relocate the 4G router
Step 2.6 Check internet availability by connecting a PC or laptop to the router
and opening a webpage

Step 3. Connect the hub

Step 3.1 Connect the ethernet cable to the blue port
(Indicated by A)
Step 3.2 Connect the other end of the ethernet cable
to the 4G router
Step 3.3 Connect the power cable
(Indicated by B)
Step 3.4 Plug in the power adapter
Preferably in a UPS and surge protector
Step 3.5 Check the status LEDs
After booting following LEDs should be solid green
Power | Lora | Ethernet
Caution! First time boot procedure takes 15 to 20 minutes
Longer times may be observed with bad connectivity

Step 4. Let your Cobundu PE check the connection of the hub on the cloud platform

Trouble shooting a hub

Ethernet LED The ethernet LED shows the connectivity status between the Hub and the Platform Off: No network → Check if the ethernet cable is plugged in on both ends. Blue port for the Hub. Orange: Connection not established → Check if the correct ports are opened. For Hubs connected to 4G check for sufficient throughput and instalment of 4G antennas Green: Connected
LoRa LED The LoRa LED shows the readiness of receiving messages from the sensors. The hub will not accept messages if it is not connected to the platform Off: Not ready → Check connection to platform Green: Ready
WI-FI LED The hubs are preconfigured not to send out any wifi signals. The light may turn on during initial boot but will turn itself off after configuration is loaded.
Power LED Off → Powered off Flashing Green → Boot mode Flashing Orange/Green → Reset mode Green → Powered on

When a tab hub (not mini) does not come online, you might be requested to manually update the hub firmware on site: check out the following page on (new) Manually Update Ethernet Hub* Firmware TTES (direct via LAN), describing the steps to take.

WiFi Configuration

If WiFi needs to be turned off (recommended), please follow these steps:

Configuring the Hub will let you set up the Hub as a router, WIFI client, WIFI extender, or WIFI off. It will also let you choose between DHCP and Static IP for ethernet based connections.
Step 1. Check the firmware version
Step 1.1 Go to the trackio grafana platform
Step 1.2 Open router mamagement
Step 1.3 Locate the hub
Step 1.4 Check if the current firmware version is 1.25.02 or later
Step 2. Factory reset the hub with internet unplugged.
Caution! If the hub is connected to the internet it will reconfigure to the standard MCS configuration
Step 3. Join the hubs initial open Wi-Fi network (Tabs-xxxxxxx)
Step 4. Open the configuration html
Step 5. Follow the configuration steps of the configuration tool.

Frequently asked questions – FAQ

Can I reset the hub?
Yes, Press the reset button located between the power and blue ethernet until the power LED start flashing orange/green (approx. 20 seconds)The hub will reset back to the original MCS configuration, this can take up to 20 minutes.
Can I run my own configuration?
No, the hubs are configured with the MCS configuration.Trying to reconfigure the hub with the tabs app will lead to malfunctioning hardware
How can I test network throughput?
Connect your laptop to the connection under testGo to a speed test website, e.g. https://www.speedtest.net/Run the test
Can I configure the firewall with a fixed endpoint or IP?
No, the hubs are configured to connect to load balancers. The end points of these load balancers can and will change over time.
Can the Hub be configured with a fixed IP address?
Yes, but this is not in the standard scope. The configuration of a fixed IP is only possible using ethernet and has to be performed by a project engineer on site. This brings additional costs and will alter the project timeline.
Can the Hub connect over WIFI?
Yes, but this is not in the standard scope. The configuration of a WIFI connectivity is only possible using DHCP and has to be performed by a project engineer on site. This brings additional costs and will alter the project timeline.
Can the sensors be installed before the Hub?
No, always wait for the confirmation of the project engineer.
Is the battery of a sensor replaceable?
Yes, a sensor uses a single LiSOCl₂ (Lithium Thionyl Chloride) ½ AA battery.
To replace the battery, follow the battery replacement instructions in the separate guide or on the following link:
https://tabshelp.zendesk.com/hc/en-us/articles/360001179514-How-do-I-replace-the-batteries-in-Tabs-devices-
Can the sensors by used with the Tabs app?
No. The sensors are directly linked to the COBUNDU platform and can not be remapped to the Tabs smart home app.