What does it mean when a generator is "Offline."

Mobile Link and Mobile Link FLEET rely heavily on the connectivity of generators through either Wi-Fi or Cellular communications.  When this communication is interrupted for any reason, this can cause disruptions in status updates and notifications through both Mobile Link and Mobile Link FLEET.  For this reason, connection interruptions must be addressed as soon as possible. 

However, because Wi-Fi and Cellular technology can sometimes encounter minor temporary communication gaps in even stable connection environments, this means in some cases, a communication disruption may only be temporary and may self-correct, with no actions required by the Homeowner or service provider.

This article will contain:

• What an Offline Generator looks like in FLEET
• What Offline means for a generator
• What Action should be taken to correct an Offline generator

What does an Offline generator look like in FLEET?

When a generator displays as offline in FLEET, the status is displayed in two ways: 

• The Generator status icon displayed on the Generator Status dashboard will show as a "grey" version of the last known status for the generator.  this may display as a grey version of any possible generator status:
  
  
• The Generator Details page for the affected generator will display a grey OFFLINE banner with the status message: Status is Temporarily Unavailable
  
  

What does it mean for a generator to be Offline?

A generator will only show as Offline for a short period after the generator initially stops communicating.  The Initial start for and offline status depends on the connection type.  A generator will change to an Offline status if:

• A Wii-connected generator has failed to send a message for over 3 hours.
• An LTE-connected generator has failed to send a message for over 27 hours.

Note: Wi-Fi-Connected generators typically send a "heartbeat" message every 15 minutes whereas LTE-connected generators typically send a "heartbeat" message every 24 hours.  This is the reason for the varied start duration.

A generator will only remain in an Offline status for 48 hours.  After a generator has remained without communication for 48 hours after initially displaying the Offline status, the status will change to Disconnected.

What action should be taken to correct an Offline generator?

It is important to remember that a generator will only remain in the Offline status for 48 hours. Because Wi-Fi and Cellular technology can sometimes encounter minor temporary communication gaps in even stable connection environments, this means in some cases, a communication disruption may only be temporary and may self-correct. 

As a result, we would recommend having the consumer reconnect the generator. Below are some articles you can send to your consumers to have them reconnect. Customer support can also assist via phone as well. 

Reconnection Help Articles:

Reconnect to Wi-Fi

Reconnect Wi-Fi/Ethernet Device

Reconnect LTE

Note: The exception to this is when it is determined that the generator is repeatedly switching between online and offline.  This may be an indication of a weak or unreliable connection.  When this occurs, alternate connection options may be a consideration. For example the 4G LTE device.