Connect Wireless Solutions Frequently Asked Questions

If you delete a ConnectSens Wireless Sensor from the ConnectView Web App, it will reappear automatically as long as the sensor is discoverable by a nearby gateway.

• WS200 and WS300 Sensors: Unlimited program is allowed through the ConnectView™ Web App
  
  
• WS100 Sensors: Factory-configurable only (not reprogrammable by users). All factory configurations are final and WS100 sensors are unable to be returned to CTC for reprogramming.

No, the ConnectSens Wireless Sensor will retain all its settings, even after a power cycle or battery replacement.

An on-demand reading does not change the programmed automatic reading period, but it will reset the interval timer.

E.g. 1 hour reading interval:
       - First auto reading occurs at 1:00 (next reading due at 2:00).
       - On demand reading taken at 1:30.
       - Next auto reading due 1 hour later at 2:30 (no auto reading due at 2:00 anymore)

No, CTC does not support direct Bluetooth communication between CTC ConnectSens Wireless Sensors and Bluetooth devices such as phones, tablets, or third-party hardware without a CTC Gateway. CTC will not provide documentation, support materials, or remote technical support for direct Bluetooth integrations.

• WS100 Sensors: Temperature and vibration readings are concurrent
  
  
• WS200 Sensors and WS300 Sensors: Temperature readings occur every time a vibration reading occurs. At the sensor level, temperature readings cannot be automatically trigged on a set timer independent from the vibration reading timer.

DO NOT install ConnectSens Wireless Sensors under metal guards, behind machine safety cages, or in locations shielded by metal structures.

Metal obstructions can significantly attenuate RF signals, leading to reduced range, intermittent communication, or data loss. Wireless sensors should be installed with a clear RF path to the gateway or access point.

The time interval begins as soon as a ConnectSens Wireless Sensor is plugged in. If you take a manual reading, the next automatic reading will be rescheduled based on when the manual reading was taken. 

The difference in frequency response is inherent to the MEMS device used in the sensor.

If the battery level indicator does not show a full charge after replacing the battery, follow the instructions in the user manual to reset the battery level. This process ensures the sensor accurately reflects the new battery's status.

CTC ConnectSens^TM Wireless Sensors use lithium primary (non-rechargeable) batteries, which behave differently from lithium ion batteries. These cells maintain a very stable voltage throughout most of their life, followed by a rapid drop-off near end-of-life. Because of this flat discharge curve, voltage is not a reliable indicator of remaining battery life, especially since voltage also varies with temperature.

Battery life is tracked in firmware using a conservative coulomb counting model.

The sensor:

• Accounts for energy consumed during all operating events (idle time, advertising, connections, transmissions, measurements, etc.)
  
  
• Maintains a running total of charge used vs. nominal battery capacity.
  
  
• Uses conservative assumptions to avoid overestimating remaining life.

This approach provides more reliable battery life estimation than voltage-based methods for this battery chemistry.

There are several factors that can affect real-world battery performance:

• Temperature: Extreme temperatures can reduce usable battery capacity and increase current consumption. For this reason, we recommend earlier battery replacement when operating in harsh environments.
  
  
• Battery Age: Cells degrade over time regardless of use. We recommend replacing batteries based on age as well as reported remaining life, particularly older inventory.
  
  
• Wireless Conditions: In poor signal environments, additional BLE transmissions (which occur below the application layer) can increase power consumption.
  
  
• Outdated Firmware: Please ensure your wireless sensors remain updated to optimize power draw.

Please note, the factors listed above are not possible to account for in the battery life calculations, thus can lead to a battery dying earlier than reported by the estimated percentage left. 

If your gateway gets damaged, it may stop receiving sensor data. However, all ConnectSens™ Wireless Sensors will retain their configuration, including settings, serial numbers, and reading intervals.

ConnectBridge™ ACCESS360 Wireless Gateways come preinstalled with a 32 GB SD card (removable and expandable) which can store thousands of readings when not connected to a network.

ACCESS2000 Long-Range Wireless Gateways come with 64 GB of preinstalled storage which can store thousands of readings when not connected to a network.

Please note, you cannot interact with the gateway while it is not on the network.

DO NOT mount gateways inside of a metal enclosure.

Metal enclosures will significantly attenuate RF signals and can severely degrade wireless performance, range, and reliability.

Mounting gateways inside a non-metallic enclosure is also not recommended.

The impact on signal strength and overall system performance is unknown and may vary based on enclosure material, thickness, size, and internal layout. Performance degradation is especially likely if additional electronics or hardware are installed inside the enclosure alongside the gateway. 

For optimal performance, the gateway should be mounted in an open environment with a clear RF path to the sensors. 

No, there is no limit.

Replacing a sensor:
Once a new ConnectSens Wireless Sensor is powered on and within range of an existing Connect gateway, it will automatically establish a connection. Using the web app, you can easily locate the new sensor, assign it to the appropriate group or system, and configure its settings (such as reading intervals or thresholds).

Replacing a gateway:
For Connect Gateways, once the new unit is physically connected to your network, follow the step-by-step instructions in the manual to configure it. Once added, the gateway will automatically begin communicating with any discoverable sensors in its range, ensuring seamless integration into your existing setup.

ACCESS360 Gateway - If you still have your previous gateway, you can swap the SD cards to transfer the readings and sensor data to the new gateway.

ACCESS2000 Gateway - If you still have your previous gateway, you can swap the USB isolator and USB drive to transfer the readings and sensor data to the new gateway.

ACCESS360 Gateway: 10 sensor inputs* - mix and match WS100, WS200, and WS300 wireless sensors.

*Each ACCESS360 is capable of discovering more than 10 dynamic sensors; however, each gateway is only capable of maintaining 10 active BLE connections at one time. Sensors beyond this will be in advertising mode until there is time to service them. CTC recommends 1 gateway per 10 dynamic sensors for maximum validated and supported system performance.

ACCESS2000 Gateway: 30 sensor inputs* - mix and match WS100, WS200, and WS300 wireless sensors.

*Each ACCESS2000 is capable of discovering more than 30 dynamic sensors; however, each gateway is only capable of maintaining 30 active BLE connections at one time. Sensors beyond this will be in advertising mode until there is time to service them. CTC recommends 1 gateway per 30 dynamic sensors for maximum validated and supported system performance.

The ConnectSens Wireless Sensor will connect to the gateway with the stronger connection. If the connection is lost for any reason, the sensor will start advertising again and connect another Connect Gateway if one is within range.

If the number of ConnectSens Wireless Sensors exceeds the Connect Gateway’s concurrent limit, the gateway will cycle through connections to ensure all readings are taken.

The ACCESS360 Gateway is only capable of maintaining 10 active BLE connections at one time. Sensors beyond this will be in advertising mode until there is time to service them. We recommend 1 gateway per 10 dynamic sensors for maximum validated and supported system performance.

The ACCESS2000 Gateway is only capable of maintaining 30 active BLE connections at one time. Sensors beyond this will be in advertising mode until there is time to service them. We recommend 1 gateway per 30 dynamic sensors for maximum validated and supported system performance.

When multiple Connect Gateways are deployed in the same area, they automatically distribute the sensor connections to optimize performance and minimize latency.

Example:
If you have 40 sensors and 2 gateways, the systems will balance the load between them. Instead of one gateway attempting to manage all 40 sensors - leading to increased latency - Gateway 1 may connect to 20 sensors, and Gateway 2 connects to the remaining 20 sensors. This ensures efficient data collection and prevents communication delays. For larger deployments, adding more gateways helps maintain optimal performance.

The Connect Gateway is unable to process the data being sent by the ConnectSens^TM Wireless Sensor. It is recommended to reconfigure the sensor and try again.

If you are seeing temperature data, but only seeing limited sensor data when publishing to an MQTT server, it is likely that your MQTT broker is not configured to accept a sufficiently large packet or payload size.

CTC devices publish sensor data in message packets that may be larger than the broker's default maximum size. When this limit is too low, smaller messages (such as temperature data) may be received successfully, while larger sensor data packets may be rejected.

This is a configuration setting on the customer's MQTT broker, not on the CTC device. To resolve the issue, increase the broker's maximum packet or message size to allow full sensor data transmission.

ACCESS360 Wireless Gateway supports deployment using either a wired PoE Ethernet connection or Wi-Fi, depending on the installation environment.

CTC recommends a hardwired Ethernet connection to the gateway whenever possible. A wired connection offers the greatest stability and the lowest risk of RF interference. In some facilities, however, network restrictions may prevent a wired connection.

Wi-Fi connectivity to the gateway is best utilized in places where the network has security policies in place that will impact the functionality of the gateway, such as VPN, NTP, or other network protocols required to connect to or manage the gateway.

Ethernet (PoE) Requirements:

• Power: IEEE 802.3af or 802.3at PoE
  
  
• Network Interface: 10/100/1000 Mbps Ethernet
  
  
• Backhaul: Wired Ethernet connection to the customer's LAN

General Requirements:

• IP Addressing: DHCP or static IP (costumer-managed)
  
  
• Internet Access: Required for CTC Connect communication, data upload, and firmware updates

ACCESS360 should be installed on a stable, business-class network with sufficient uptime, bandwidth, and administrative controls.

Yes, there are specific firewall and security requirements for allowing required outbound traffic.

The customer is responsible for allowing:

• Outbound HTTPS (TCP 443) to CTC Connect services
  
  
• Outbound NTP (UDP 123) to connect to Global NTP servers
  
  
• DNS resolution enabled

Yes, there unsupported or customer-managed configurations for the ACCESS360 Wireless Gateway. 

The following configurations may be technically possible, but are not supported under CTC Connect support. CTC does NOT provide configuration guidance, documentation, or troubleshooting for these scenarios.

• Cellular routers, cellular modems, LTE/5 gateways, or hotspots used as network backhaul

• Wi‑Fi networks with captive portals, user‑based authentication, splash pages, or rotating credentials

• VPN tunnels, private APNs, or secure overlay networks

• Customer‑managed firewall rules, deep packet inspection, proxying, or traffic shaping

• MQTT broker hosting, configuration, or message routing infrastructure

• Network policies that block, throttle, proxy, or intermittently disrupt required outbound traffic

Any connectivity, latency, reliability, or data loss issues caused by these configurations are outside the scope of CTC Connect support.

Yes, there requirements for the remote management of ACCESS360 Wireless Gateways.

• Internet connection to include the industrial network of the facility where the equipment is installed or cellular (such as Teltonika RUTM20) or satellite (such as Starlink).

• Software VPN connection to securely connect to the local network where the gateway is installed. VPN connection will require the use of a static IP address for the cellular connection to the gateway or use of DYNDNS (Dynamic DNS). Please note, the use of a static IP address is preferred for stability.

PLEASE NOTE: Industrial networks are often secured by a corporate firewall which will cause challenges in being able to VPN to the gateway and/or there may be port blocking rules put in place which will limit TCP/UDP connections to the gateway or internet.

ACCESS2000 Wireless Gateway supports deployment using either a wired PoE Ethernet connection or Wi‑Fi, depending on the installation environment. 

CTC recommends a hardwired Ethernet connection to the gateway whenever possible. A wired connection offers the greatest stability and the lowest risk of RF interference. In some facilities, however, network restrictions may prevent a wired connection.

Wi-Fi connectivity to the gateway is best utilized in places where the network has security policies in place that will impact the functionality of the gateway, such as VPN, NTP, or other network protocols required to connect to or manage the gateway.

Ethernet (PoE) Requirements:

• Power: IEEE 802.3af or 802.3at PoE 
  
  
• Network Interface: 10/100/1000 Mbps Ethernet
  
  
• Backhaul: Wired Ethernet connection to the customer’s LAN

Wi-Fi Requirements:

• Wi-Fi: Customer‑provided wireless network (2.4 GHz / 5 GHz, as supported by device firmware)
  
  
• Security: WPA2/WPA3 (per device configuration options)Required for CTC Connect communication, data upload, and firmware updates
  
  
• Signal Quality: Installation location must ensure stable signal strength and low interference

General Network Requirements:

• IPAddressing: DHCP or static IP (customer-managed)
  
  
• Internet Access: Required for CTC Connect communication, data upload, and firmware updates

ACCESS2000 should be installed on a stable, business-class network with sufficient uptime, bandwidth, and administrative controls.

Yes, there are specific firewall and security requirements for allowing required outbound traffic.

The customer is responsible for allowing:

• Outbound HTTPS (TCP 443) to CTC Connect services
  
  
• Outbound NTP (UDP 123) to connect to Global NTP servers
  
  
• DNS resolution enabled

Yes, there unsupported or customer-managed configurations for the ACCESS2000 Wireless Gateway. 

The following configurations may be technically possible, but are not supported under CTC Connect support. CTC does NOT provide configuration guidance, documentation, or troubleshooting for these scenarios.

• Cellular routers, cellular modems, LTE/5 gateways, or hotspots used as network backhaul

• Wi‑Fi networks with captive portals, user‑based authentication, splash pages, or rotating credentials

• VPN tunnels, private APNs, or secure overlay networks

• Customer‑managed firewall rules, deep packet inspection, proxying, or traffic shaping

• MQTT broker hosting, configuration, or message routing infrastructure

• Network policies that block, throttle, proxy, or intermittently disrupt required outbound traffic

Any connectivity, latency, reliability, or data loss issues caused by these configurations are outside the scope of CTC Connect support.

Yes, there requirements for the remote management of ACCESS2000 Wireless Gateways.

• Internet connection to include the industrial network of the facility where the equipment is installed or cellular (such as Teltonika RUTM20) or satellite (such as Starlink).

• Software VPN connection to securely connect to the local network where the gateway is installed. VPN connection will require the use of a static IP address for the cellular connection to the gateway or use of DYNDNS (Dynamic DNS). Please note, the use of a static IP address is preferred for stability.

PLEASE NOTE: Industrial networks are often secured by a corporate firewall which will cause challenges in being able to VPN to the gateway and/or there may be port blocking rules put in place which will limit TCP/UDP connections to the gateway or internet.