Unauthorized Sensor and Gateway Communication
If a Sensor is Communicating with a Gateway Not on the Same Network
ALTA Sensors are authorized to communicate with ALTA Gateways through Sensor Lists. Once a gateway downloads a sensor onto its Sensor List, the Sensor ID is not removed from the gateway’s Sensor List unless the gateway’s network is Reformed.
Therefore, if a sensor is set up on the same network as a gateway and the gateway performs the Sensor List download while the sensor is on the network (see the previously linked Sensor List article to see scenarios where this occurs), that sensor will be on that gateway’s network.
However, if the sensor is moved to a different network, that Sensor ID will remain on the Sensor List of the gateway from the Sensor Network to which the sensor was previously added. Here’s how to correct the issue.
Identify the Gateway ID
The Gateway ID is recorded in Sensor Readings. When using the Export feature to download sensor data, the Gateway ID is a column included in the export. Therefore, you can see the Gateway ID and use this information to determine if the gateway is correct.
How This Might Affect Webhooks
This is a particularly important consideration for customers who use webhooks to deliver sensor data to a webhook endpoint. This is because gateway Heartbeats trigger webhooks, including the sensor data the gateway receives from a sensor. Therefore, if a sensor not attached to the same network as the gateway is in range of that gateway and continues to check in with a gateway, the sensor data will be included in the webhook JSON. This can be especially confusing if you receive data from a sensor not currently added to the same network as the gateway. In other words, you will see sensor data from an unexpected sensor.
Resolve the Issue
To resolve this, you must Reform the gateway network, which receives the sensor communication but is no longer on the same network. It is generally a good practice to Reform all gateways on the account if the Sensor ID remains on the Sensor List of another gateway if the sensor was once on that gateway’s Sensor List.
Conclusion
While the scenario described above is common, it can often confuse those unfamiliar with the Reform command. This article should help you resolve this but don’t hesitate to contact support@monnit.com if you have related questions.