To create a GNSS contact for a base Internet data link

When creating a GNSS contact for an RTK Internet data link, the Edit GNSS contact screen provides the following tabs:

  • Use the Network connection tab to select how you want to connect to the Internet.

  • Use the Corrections tab to select where you want to obtain RTK corrections from and to configure connection settings for the selected correction source.

  1. Tap and select Settings / Connections. Select the GNSS contacts tab.
  2. Tap New. The Edit GNSS contact screen appears.
  3. Enter the GNSS contact name.
  4. Set the Contact type to Internet base.

  5. Configure the Network connection settings for the GNSS contact as required. See To configure how to connect to the Internet below.

  6. Configure the Corrections settings for the GNSS contact as required. See To configure base data upload settings below

  7. Tap Store.

Use the Network connection tab in the Edit GNSS contact screen to select how you want to connect to the Internet.

When using a Controller Internet connection, you can connect the controller to the receiver using Bluetooth or a serial cable.

Only use a Controller Internet connection if you can leave the controller connected to the base receiver during the survey. If you need to disconnect the controller from the base receiver after survey setup so that you can use it at the rover, then you must use a Receiver Internet connection.

To configure the network connection:

  1. In the Network connection field:

    1. Tap to open the Network connection screen and select the connection named Controller Internet.

    2. If you have not yet configured the Controller Internet connection, tap Configure in the Network connection screen to open the operating system connection settings screen and set up the connection.

    3. In the Network connection screen tap Accept to return to the Edit GNSS contact screen.

  2. Select the Base operation mode.

    If the receiver at the base will operate as the base server, select Operate as a server and enter the IP Port.

    If the receiver at the base will upload data to a broadcast server, select Upload data to remote server. See To configure base data upload settings.

  3. Tap Store.

If you have an external device that has a SIM card in it such as a cell phone or a MiFi device that you can leave at the base station then you can connect the receiver to the Internet using a Wi-Fi connection to the external device.

To configure the network connection:

  1. In the Network connection field, tap to open the Network connection screen and select the connection named Receiver Internet – Wi-Fi. Tap Accept.

  2. To edit the receiver Wi-Fi connection settings, tap Edit. The Trimble Access software must be connected to the receiver for you to be able to edit the receiver Wi-Fi connection settings. Alternatively, you can leave the settings as they are for now and edit them when you connect to the receiver when starting the base survey.
  3. The Base operation mode field is read-only and set to Upload data to remote server.
  4. Tap Store.

To configure the receiver Wi-Fi connection settings:

  1. Make sure the external phone or MiFi device is on.

  2. If the selected survey style uses a GNSS contact that has the Network connection field set to Receiver Internet – Wi-Fi, then when Trimble Access connects to the receiver the Receiver Wi-Fi configuration screen appears.

    If the software warns that the receiver must be restarted in Client mode, tap Accept. Once the receiver restarts, Trimble Access automatically reconnects to the receiver and shows the Receiver Wi-Fi configuration screen.

  3. Select the Client tab.

  4. Make sure the Enabled check box is selected.

  5. To add a Wi-Fi network, tap Scan. From the list of available networks, tap the network you want to add.

    The software returns to the Receiver Wi-Fi configuration screen, showing the selected network in the table.

  6. To edit connection settings to the network, for example to enter a password, tap Edit. Make your changes and tap Accept.

  7. Tap Accept.

  8. To confirm that you want to use the first network in the list, tap Enter in the Receiver Wi-Fi configuration screen.

    Trimble Access continues starting the base survey.

Trimble receivers with an internal modem running firmware released after 2017 can use a Receiver Internet – Modem connection.

To configure the network connection:

  1. In the Network connection field, tap to open the Network connection screen and select the connection named Receiver Internet – Modem. Tap Accept.

    In most cases, you will not need to edit the Receiver Internet – Modem connection settings.

  2. If the SIM card in the receiver has a PIN, enter the PIN in the Modem pin field.
  3. The Base operation mode field is read-only and set to Upload data to remote server.
  4. Tap Store.

If you try the connection and it does not work, further configuration may be required:

  1. In the Network connection field, tap to open the Network connection screen.

  2. Select the connection named Receiver Internet – Modem and tap Edit.

  3. In the APN field, tap to choose the method for selecting the Access Point Name (APN) for the Internet service provider. This is the service provider that provided the SIM card in the receiver:

    • Choose SIM default to use the APN profile directly from the SIM card in the receiver.

    • Choose Select Access Point Name (APN) to select your Location and your Provider and plan from the APN wizard in Trimble Access. Tap Accept.

    • Choose Load from modem to connect to the modem and load and store the APN information from the modem to the GNSS contact. The settings stored in the GNSS contact will be used whenever you connect using the GNSS contact.

      The Load from modem option is available only if the receiver has firmware version 5.50 or later installed.

  4. Enter the Cellular username and Cellular password. By default these fields are both set to guest.
  5. Tap Accept.
  6. In the Network connection screen, tap Accept.
  7. Tap Store.

If you are setting up a permanent base station with an external device that will connect to the internet such as a laptop, you can connect the receiver to the external device using a USB or ethernet cable.

To configure the network connection:

  1. In the Network connection field, tap to open the Network connection screen and select the connection named Receiver Internet – Cable. Tap Accept.

  2. The Base operation mode field is read-only and set to Upload data to remote server.
  3. Tap Store.

If you have another device such as an older receiver or a mobile phone that supports the Bluetooth DUN service, you can connect the controller to the Internet through that device. You can also connect the controller to the Internet through a separate smartphone.

To connect to the Internet through a receiver or a mobile phone that is not a smartphone:

  • The modem in the device must support the Bluetooth DUN service.

  • The receiver must be an older Trimble receiver, such as the R10-1 or R8s.

If your receiver does not support Bluetooth DUN and you want to be able to use the Internet on the controller, you must use a Controller Internet connection.

To connect the controller to the Internet using:

Once you have configured the network connection for the GNSS contact, select the Base operation mode:

  • If the receiver at the base will operate as the base server, select Operate as a server. Select the Corrections tab and enter the IP Port.

  • If the receiver at the base will upload data to a broadcast server, select Upload data to remote server. See To configure base data upload settings.

Because data is being routed through the controller with this kind of connection, only connect the controller to the Internet through another device if you can leave the controller connected to the base receiver during the survey. If you need to disconnect the controller from the base receiver after survey setup so that you can use it at the rover, then you must use a Receiver Internet connection.

Use the Corrections tab in the Edit GNSS contact screen to select where the base data will be uploaded to and to configure connection settings for the server.

  1. Set the Use NTRIP switch to Yes.
  2. To force the Trimble Access software to always use NTRIP version 1.0, select the Use NTRIP v1.0 check box.

  3. To connect to a mountpoint on starting a survey without being prompted for the mountpoint name, enter the Mountpoint name.

    If a mountpoint name is not specified, the system will prompt you when you start a survey. Your selection will then be stored in GNSS contacts. If the specified mountpoint cannot be accessed when you start the survey, a list with available mountpoints appears.

  4. If a user name and password are required to use NTRIP server, enter the details in the NTRIP username and NTRIP password fields.

  5. Enter the IP Address and IP Port of the NTRIP server you obtained from the operator of the server.

    The IP Address and IP Port values are displayed in the IP Settings of this base field in the Base screen that appears on the controller connected to the base receiver once you start the base survey.

    If the IP address of the base controller appears to be invalid, Trimble recommends that you perform a soft reset of the device before you connect to the Internet and start the base.

    To connect a rover to the base, you must start a mobile Internet base with a public IP address.

  6. Tap Store.

For more information, see NTRIP server settings.

  1. Set the Use NTRIP switch to No.

  2. Enter the IP Address and IP Port of the server you obtained from the operator of the server.

    The IP Address and IP Port values are displayed in the IP Settings of this base field in the Base screen that appears on the controller connected to the base receiver once you start the base survey.

    If the IP address of the base controller appears to be invalid, Trimble recommends that you perform a soft reset of the device before you connect to the Internet and start the base.

    To connect a rover to the base, you must start a mobile Internet base with a public IP address.

  3. Tap Store.