SOTI Connect – Zebra RFD40/90 Sled Setup and Configuration Guide

Customers integrating Zebra RFD40/90 sleds with SOTI Connect often face issues establishing MQTT communication or validating device enrollment. This article outlines the complete setup and configuration process to ensure the sleds connect successfully and appear within SOTI Connect.

• Product: SOTI Connect 2024.2.0
• Device Models: Zebra RFD40 / RFD90 Sleds
• Communication Protocol: Soti-Sdk-Mqtt

Prerequisite

Ensure you have the following:

• Install the 123RFID Desktop Utility on your computer.
• Download and install the certified firmware for your sled (RFD40 or RFD90).
• (Optional) Install TeraTerm for serial-based troubleshooting.
• MQTT Root Certificate (from the SOTI Connect File Store)

Steps

1. In SOTI Connect, register the MQTT broker under Soti-Sdk-Mqtt. Confirm that broker parameters match your tenant configuration.

2. Connect the Zebra sled to your computer via USB. Launch 123RFID Desktop Utility → Find Readers → Connect to the sled.
3. Verify the firmware version and update it if necessary. Set the correct region for the device.
4. Configure the following Sled Setting. Apply changes and confirm the success message before proceeding:
   1. NTP Server: Enable and specify the NTP server address.
   2. Wi-Fi: Enter SSID and password, then confirm that the sled obtains a valid IP address.
   3. MQTT Endpoint Configuration:
      1. Protocol: MQTT TLS
      2. URL: <tenant>.soticonnect.cloud
      3. Port: 8883
      4. Keep Alive: 30s
      5. Tenant ID / Username / Password: Maximum 16 characters each
      6. Clean Session: Enable
      7. Host Verify: Host (or Host+Peer if using mutual TLS)
5. Install the Root Certificate used to sign the MQTT server certificate.
6. Save the configuration to the reader and reboot the sled.
7. In SOTI Connect, select the Notification icon. Verify that the new device appears under New Device Enrollment.
8. Confirm successful connection by pushing a test profile to the sled.

Troubleshooting (Using TeraTerm)

If the sled fails to connect or validate, you can troubleshoot via serial commands in TeraTerm:

Ensure the following:

• Firmware version verified and updated.
• Wi-Fi connection established (valid IP shown in 123RFID).
• MQTT endpoint settings saved successfully.
• Root certificate installed and trusted.
• Device visible in SOTI Connect → Notification → New Device Enrollment.
• Test profile deployment successful.

Reference Links:

• 123RFID Desktop Utility
• RFD40 Firmware
• RFD90 Firmware
• Certified Device List