WiFi Switch details

The JACE-8000 enclosure has a 3-position slide switch, the WiFi Selector Switch, as shown here.

Figure 1. Antenna and switch location on enclosure

NOTE: Starting in Niagara 4.2, the JACE-8000 can be converted (downgraded) to run AX-3.8U1–with some feature limitations. For example, for any JACE-8000 running AX the WiFi functionality is not supported. In this configuration the WiFi switch position on the device is not monitored. Other unsupported features are IEEE 802.1X wired authentication and USB backup/restore.

Use the WiFi Selector Switch on the enclosure to turn the WiFi subsystem on or completely off. Once you set the switch to either Access Point or Client mode, the WiFi Enabled property in the platform WiFi Configuration view allows you to enable or disable WiFi functionality.

NOTE: By design, the WiFi Enabled setting (in the platform WiFi Configuration view) has no effect whenever the WiFi Selector Switch on the enclosure is in the OFF (center) position, or when the unit has experienced an Inactivity Timeout shutdown.

Switching from one WiFi mode to another is done only with the WiFi Selector Switch on the enclosure.

WiFi Selector Switch positions

ACC (left position)
Starts the WiFi subsystem in Access Point mode if all of the following conditions are satisfied:
- The switch is in the ACC position.
- WiFi is enabled (via the platform WiFi Configuration view in Workbench, or the system shell in JACE console window).
- A country code is configured. For US models, the country code is pre-configured at the factory. For other models, the county code must be set.
- A valid configuration for the adapter IP, access point, and Dhcp server have been specified and saved (either through Workbench via the platform WiFi Configuration view or system shell menu).
  
  NOTE: If not configured correctly, the access point mode attempts to start but fails to complete successfully.
OFF (center position)
The Off setting disables the WiFi subsystem, keeping it from starting. If already running, the Off setting shuts down the WiFi subsystem. While the switch is in this position, neither client mode nor access point mode can be started, even if enabled from within the Niagara platform WiFi Configuration view.
CLT (right position)
Starts the WiFi subsystem in Client mode if all of the following conditions are satisfied:
- Switch is in the CLT position.
- WiFi is enabled (from the platform WiFi Configuration view in Workbench, or from the system shell in JACE console window).
- The country code is configured. For US models, the country code is pre-configured at the factory. For other models, the county code must be set.
- If an available access point is specified and configured correctly in the Workbench view (or via system shell menu), then the Client mode starts and attempts to connect to an access point.
  
  NOTE: If not configured correctly, or if out of range of the access point, then connection to that access point fails.

NOTE: For factory-configured “WLAN-disabled” models only (e.g. JACE-8000-CSE-003 XX), WiFi is permanently disabled. The WLAN adapter cannot be used or configured..