Define Communications Settings

Prior to an election, you must confirm connection settings and configure the communication settings the EViDs will use at voting locations.

Note: This step is not required prior to staging an EViD. To define Network Connection options for staging, you can set Network Options for use during the staging process in the EViD Options program or by using Tech Utilities after the EViD has been staged.

Determine how the EViDs are connected to the internet.

Note: If all EViDs at a site are Edge 2, you cannot use the Hosted Network option. Instead, all of the EViDs need to be connected to the same external wired or wireless network to communicate with each other.

Are ALL EViDs connected to a wired network switch, router, or wall jack?

If yes:

  1. Set Network Mode to LAN.

  2. Enter DHCP: “Y” for automatic IP address or “N” for static IP address.

    1. If DHCP is “N”, also enter IP, Subnet Mask, Default Gateway, Preferred DNS and optionally Alternate DNS.

  3. Disable the Create Hosted Network option.

If no:

Repeat steps 1 and 2 above and enable the Create Hosted Network option.

  1. Set Network Mode to Wireless.

  2. Enter the SSID and Password.

  3. Disable the Create Hosted Network option.

Are ALL EViDs connected to a wired network switch, router, or wall jack?

If yes:

  1. Set Network Mode to Aircard.
  2. Disable the Create Hosted Network option.

If no:

  • If there is at least one (1) EViD Edge, repeat steps 1 and 2 above and enable the Create Hosted Network option.
  • If no EViD Edge stations are available, repeat step 1 above, and disable the Create Hosted Network option.

Are ALL EViDs connected to a wired network switch, router, or wall jack?

If yes:

Disable the Create Hosted Network option.

If no:

  • If there is at least one (1) EViD Edge, repeat step 1 above and enable the Create Hosted Network option.
  • If no EViD Edge stations are available, disable the Create Hosted Network option.

You can configure communication settings using Poll Place Maintenance or the Change Connection Settings Tech Utility.

Using Poll Place Maintenance, you specify the internet communications settings for each voting location where EViD stations are deployed. These settings are then copied to the voting activators and from there to individual EViD stations.

 

Otherwise, you must power on each individual EViD and configure the station settings using Tech Utilities, which may be a better option if you only have a few EViDs to configure or if you want to apply unique settings to a specific EViD. If you do not enter any communication settings in Poll Place Maintenance, by default, the Connection Settings on the EViD are set to:

  • Network Mode:  LAN

  • DHCP: Y

You can change these settings using the Change Connection Settings Tech Utility.