Installation guide

101
Wi-Fi Location-Based Services—Design and Deployment Considerations
OL-11612-01
RFID Tag Considerations
The AeroScout tag activator (shown in Figure 74) is an Ethernet 802.3af active RFID tag
reader/interrogator (which can also be powered via an AC power adapter). The tag activator works in
conjunction with AeroScout Tag Manager software to configure, program, activate, and deactivate up to
50 AeroScout asset tags simultaneously at a range of up to approximately three feet.
The AeroScout tag activator may be powered directly from a Cisco 802.3af compliant switch (such as
the 3750-PoE) or from a non-802.3af compatible switch using either the provided AC power supply or
a third-party 802.3af power injector such as the PowerDsine 3012. Spanning tree portfast should be
configured on any Cisco switch port to which the AeroScout Tag Activator is attached to avoid potential
instability of the tag activator.
Figure 74 AeroScout Tag Activator
AeroScout Tag Manager configuration software version 2.0 provides functionality that:
• Detects all tags within a maximum range of approximately three feet of the tag activator
• Configures tag parameter settings for channel and transmission interval (beacon rate) in each
detected tag
• Estimates the expected battery lifetime based on the chosen tag beacon rate
• Activates and deactivates asset tags
• Determines whether a tag is already active and how it is configured
• Determines the state of charge of the internal battery in each tag
A complete user guide for AeroScout Tag Manager v2.0 detailing the installation, use and the
configuration of AeroScout asset tags is available from AeroScout Corporation. It is highly
recommended that readers see Appendix B—AeroScout Tag Manager Version 2.1, page 110 for details
regarding some of the important differences between Tag Manager version 2.0 and 2.1.
For further information on the following AeroScout products, see the following:
• AeroScout T2 Tag—http://www.aeroscout.com/content.asp?page=T2features
• AeroScout Tag Manager and Tag Activator—
http://www.aeroscout.com/content.asp?page=TagManager
• AeroScout Tag Exciter—http://www.aeroscout.com/content.asp?page=exciter