User Guide

Administrator Console 4 - 5
Using Zero-Configuration Networking when DHCP Server is Not Available
If a DHCP server is not available, the FX7500 reader can use zero-configuration networking to automatically
provide a unique network IP address. The reader can then use TCP/IP to communicate with other computers
also using a zero-configuration networking-generated IP address.
The zero-configuration networking procedure is recommended when the reader is connected directly to a PC.
It reduces the overhead needed to configure the reader to a static IP address.
When zero-configuration networking executes after failing to detect a DHCP server, the reader automatically
assigns an IPv4 IP address to the Ethernet interface in the form 169.254.xxx.xxx. This IP address is
predictable because it uses the last 2 bytes of the MAC address, usually represented as HEX values, to
complete the IPv4 address. These values are converted to decimal format (e.g., if the MAC address ends with
55:9A, the IPv4 address assigned by the zero-configuration algorithm is 169.254.85.148.
Windows-based computers support APIPA/zero-configuration networking by default when DHCP fails.
To enable APIPA for a Windows PC, visit http://support.microsoft.com/ and search for APIPA.
Obtaining the IP Address via Command Prompt
The Administrator Console provides the reader IP address. See Figure 4-1 on page 4-2. To obtain the reader IP
address without logging into the reader, open a command window and ping the reader host name. See
Connecting via Host Name on page 4-3.
Figure 4-2 IP Ping Window
NOTE When using zero-configuration networking, the FX7500 reader cannot communicate with computers on
different subnets, or that do not use automatic private IP addressing. Automatic private IP addressing is
enabled by default.
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