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Awair Omni Modbus Installation Guide

Article Overview: 

This article provides clear guidelines for installing Awair Omni using Modbus TCP connectivity, as well as IP and network configuration instructions. Please see shortcuts for quick navigation below:

Device Installation Guide

  1. Insert the In-Wall Mount Kit backpack into the rear of the Surface Mount plate.
  2. To enable Modbus TCP operation, the mode selection switch must be set to position 2. Using a 2mm flathead screwdriver, rotate the switch until the arrow points to position 2.
  3. Secure the In-Wall Mount Kit wall bracket to either a recessed gang box or directly to the drywall where the Ethernet cable has been routed (Recessed Gang Box or Drywall).
  4. Run a Cat 5e (or greater) Ethernet cable from your PoE Switch, through the drywall incision, and into the Ethernet port (RJ-45 connector) on the In-Wall Mount. You should hear a click and see a green light on the cable port. 
    NOTE: If no green light is seen, the Ethernet cable may be faulty or not connected properly. Make sure the cable is properly connected from the PoE Switch to the In-Wall Mount.
  5. After the power source is connected, check for a white LED light in the upper-right corner of the Surface Mount.
    NOTE: If the white LED does not turn on, power is not reaching the Surface Mount. Check that your power source (Ethernet cable, USB-C cable, or low-voltage wiring) is set up correctly.
  6. Fit your In-Wall Mount over top so that it disappears behind the wall and its back is flush with the Gang Plate Cover. Use the Gang Plate Screws provided in your InWall Mount Kit to secure it.
  7. When you attach the Awair Omni to the Surface Mount, it powers on automatically. If it does not, press and hold the button on the right side for 3 seconds. When the IP settings are configured correctly, the Omni’s display cycles through its screens in order on power-up, and Modbus communication becomes active.

IP Settings

Before using Modbus TCP, find the IP address the router assigned to the Surface Mount, then configure the device’s data-connectivity settings. The steps below use a NETGEAR router as an example; the process is similar for other brands.

Step 1 — Find the Device IP Address 

  1. Log in to the router admin page. Open a browser and go to http://routerlogin.net or http://192.168.1.1 . Log in with your admin credentials. 

  2. Navigate to the LAN device list. Go to Advanced → Setup → LAN Setup. In the “Address Reservation” or “Attached Devices” table, look for a device whose name begins with AWAIR-SM- .



Step 2 — Configure Device Data Connectivity

Enter the device’s IP address in your browser to open the Local API configuration page, then follow the steps below. NOTE: remember to "disable" Cloud Connectivity if the Omni + Surface Mount are intended to be used in an offline / local-only installation scenario.

         

         

Step 3 — Verify with a Modbus TCP Client Tool

Use a Modbus TCP client tool (e.g., Modbus TCP Poll) to confirm the connection and read sensor data.

        

        

When the client tool shows “Connected” and returns register data, the Awair Omni Modbus TCP interface is working correctly. You can now integrate the device into your BAS, SCADA, or monitoring system using the register map in Section 6.

Basic Specifications

The Awair Omni communicates sensor data over a standard Modbus TCP interface via its Ethernet backpack.

        

Network Setup

Connect a Cat 5e (or better) Ethernet cable from your PoE switch or low-voltage transformer to the RJ-45 port on the Awair Omni Backpack. The device operates as a Modbus TCP Server on port 502.

        

Sensor Register Map

All sensor registers can be read using FC03 (Holding Registers) or FC04 (Input Registers). Register addresses are 0-based (PDU addressing). Data is encoded as 16-bit integers in Big Endian byte order.

Holding / Input Registers (FC03 / FC04)

        

Discrete Input Registers (FC02)

        

Modbus Frame Examples

The following examples show a typical request / response to read all 10 sensor registers in a single transaction.

Request — Read 10 Registers (FC04)

        

Response — Example Values

        

Exception Codes

If the Awair Omni cannot fulfill a Modbus request, it returns an exception response. The Function Code byte in the response has bit 7 set (e.g., FC04 error → 0x84), followed by the exception code byte.

        

 

For more info related to setting up BACnet options and other settings, please see below:

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