Sierra Wireless: FAQs

Sierra Wireless specializes in producing secure, manageable, and high-performance cellular networking solutions tailored for mission-critical applications. As a frontrunner in the Internet of Things (IoT) field they offer a diverse range of products, including cellular components, accessories, and turn-key solutions. The Airlink division, which focuses on producing secure, manageable, and high-performance gateways crucial for empowering various IoT applications, is among their most notable product lines and includes applications ranging from remote office connectivity to vehicle tracking, in-vehicle communication, and more.

The suitability of the product depends entirely on your specific application. For instance, public safety vehicles may demand more sophisticated and high-grade solutions, such as Sierra Wireless's top-of-the-line MG90. Meanwhile, enterprise solutions, like failover for retail applications, may require cellular IoT products with a specific set of features.

In order to cater to a broad customer base, Sierra Wireless offers a diverse range of cellular gateways that are designed to meet various customer needs. These gateways come in different form factors, provide varying levels of performance, and offer multiple ruggedness options. The ideal Sierra product for your business would be the one that not only meets your current requirements but also aligns with your future needs.

Sierra Wireless distributes its products through a partner reseller program, collaborating with numerous partners worldwide, including value-added distributors like us.

Although the IoT industry has made efforts to simplify product usage, many individuals still require specialized expertise to acquire and deploy equipment. As a result, companies like Sierra Wireless have intelligently established Partner Reseller programs through distributors, ensuring customers can effortlessly and securely set up their products with ease.

Sierra Wireless's Partner program offers discounts based on various purchase points and the volume of units ordered.

For more details, get in touch with a member of RTO's sales team.

The AirLink Complete management and support plan includes access to ALMS. For the first year, access is provided with supported device packages.

AirLink Management Service (ALMS) is the industry's leading network management solution, catering to the challenges of managing remote assets and infrastructure. It offers a variety of advanced features that allow administrators to implement over-the-air device registration, configuration, and software updates. The interactive monitoring dashboard and map provide real-time views of your entire fleet, and customizable reports keep you informed about critical events, minimizing downtime.

ALMS empowers you to efficiently troubleshoot devices, update firmware with ease, and receive custom alerts when devices go offline. This results in faster issue identification, reduced downtime, and fewer field trips.

As part of AirLink's management and support plan, ALMS significantly reduces the need for remote device support, offering functions such as OTA registration, real-time fleet status display, customized reporting, gateway location tracking, quick device troubleshooting, and offline device alerts.

ACEmanager is a web browser-based configuration tool that allows you to set up an AirLink ALEOS device individually. It operates directly on the device, offering one-to-one communication for configuring that specific device.

AirLink Management Service (ALMS) provides a more sophisticated solution with one-to-many capabilities. With ALMS you can monitor the status and configure of multiple devices simultaneously. ALMS offers a centralized platform to efficiently manage all your devices through a web browser, ensuring streamlined communication and control.

For optimal performance when utilizing newer cellular networks like 4G and 5G, it’s highly recommended to use two antennas or more if your device supports it. This configuration results in a more stable and higher bandwidth connection compared to using fewer antennas.

Sierra Wireless's LTE gateways - such as the RV50 / RV50X - leverage 2x2 Multi-in, Multi-Out (MIMO) technology to enhance cellular signal quality on both the uplink and downlink. This is in contrast to legacy 2G/3G connections that utilize Rx Diversity.

MIMO operates by intelligently combining two distinct Tx/Rx signals to boost data throughput speeds in areas where signal multipath is available. Consequently, there is a noticeable improvement in performance, particularly in locations that may have experienced degradation in the past.

For reliable operation on the Verizon Wireless network, it is essential to use two antennas to ensure consistent and dependable connectivity.

ALEOS Application Framework (ALEOS AF) provides developers with a comprehensive set of tools and building blocks to create applications that operate within Sierra Wireless AirLink GX gateways. Leveraging the proven ALEOS built-in embedded intelligence, ALEOS AF seamlessly integrates with the AirVantage M2M Cloud Platform, providing developers and customers with a robust platform to craft tailored end-to-end M2M solutions.

With ALEOS AF, developers gain access to M2M and network protocol stacks, remote application, and data management, existing ALEOS services, and direct hardware interfaces for building custom M2M applications.

By utilizing ALEOS AF, solutions can be brought to market more swiftly, and deployment becomes simplified. Additionally, specialized features can be incorporated, leading to cost-effective and focused solutions. The intelligence at the edge approach further reduces hardware and communication expenses by preprocessing and transmitting only essential data.

RealTime Ops, established in 2004, is an authorized stocking distributor specializing in wireless IoT and M2M products and associated services within the wireless WAN ecosystem. As a value-added "Smart Distributor," we prioritize providing our reseller community with up-to-date, meticulously researched knowledge of M2M and the Internet of Things. Our services cater exclusively to certified resellers, including VARs, VADs, SIs, and OEMs. 

Located in the vibrant Research Triangle region of North Carolina, we extend our distribution services to a diverse and accomplished network of resellers throughout North America. RealTime Ops proudly represents major manufacturers of wireless IoT and M2M devices, such as Sierra Wireless, Digi International, Cradlepoint, and more. Our commitment is to provide exceptional distribution services and support to our valued resellers across the Americas.