Enrolling Zebra MQTT Printers

Before you begin

You can configure Zebra Mobile Printers with CPCL, EPL, or ZPL as their languages. Set the printer’s language to ZPL. ZPL printers are backward compatible and support CPCL and EPL languages. Find more details on Zebra's help documentation.
Ensure the printer's firmware is compatible with SOTI Connect. SOTI maintains a list of approved devices and compatible firmware versions.

Tip: You can navigate to the printer's administration page and verify it's firmware version by entering its IP address in a web browser. If the printer's firmware is incompatible, upgrade it to a compatible version. Details on upgrading firmware on Zebra printers can be found here.

Setting up the MQTT Configuration Settings

Procedure

In a text editor, modify the following commands to include the ASCII value of your SOTI Connect root certificate.

Note: The following command creates a

.NRD

SOTI Connect root certificate file on the Zebra printer.

{}--P_q0t8QvwCIp-9Ny1G4F6xn9TpbIxj2i2EO5D
Content-Disposition: form-data; filename="E:MQTT1_CA.NRD"; action="store"
Content-Type: application/octet-stream
Content-Transfer-Encoding: binary
                            
-----BEGIN CERTIFICATE-----
ASCII VALUE OF ROOT CERT HERE
-----END CERTIFICATE-----
                            
--P_q0t8QvwCIp-9Ny1G4F6xn9TpbIxj2i2EO5D--

Edit the following commands and append them to the text file to enable NTP server settings on the printer.
```
{}{"ip.ntp.enable":"on"}
{}{"ip.ntp.servers":"0.north-america.pool.ntp.org,216.228.192.52"}
{}{"rtc.timezone":"EST5EDT4,M3.2.0/02:00:00,M11.1.0/02:00:00"}
```
Important: Replace the NTP server address and time zone values accordingly to ensure that the MQTT Broker is configured with the same time as your printer. If the device and the MQTT server have different times configured, communication issues may arise due to problems with validating the server's certificates.
Edit the following commands and append them to the text file to enable MQTT and configure the MQTT server address on the printer. Replace the MQTTSERVER value with the FQDN/Hostname of the MQTT Server.
```
{}{"mqtt.conn1.qos":"2","mqtt.conn1.retry_interval_random_max":"10","mqtt.enable":"on"}
{}{"mqtt.conn1.tenant_id":"zebra","mqtt.conn1.username":"","mqtt.conn1.password":""}
{}{"mqtt.conn1.server_address":"mqtts://MQTTSERVER:8883"}
{}{"mqtt.conn1.mqtt_version":"3.1.1"}
{}{"mqtt.conn1.reset_now":"on"}
```
Tip: If using a paid version of HiveMQ, include the user name and password values as well; otherwise, leave them empty when utilizing the community edition. If needed, you can also add up to two MQTT Server connection details.
Append the following command to the text file to restart your printer.
```
{}{"device.reset":""}                        
```

Deploying the Configured Settings using Zebra Setup Utilities

Procedure

Open the Zebra Setup Utilities application.
Prepare and connect your printer to your PC.

Tip: More information on connecting Zebra printers and installing the required drivers can be found here.
Choose the connected printer and open a direct line of communication by selecting Open Communication With Printer.
Send the prepared configuration commands set up earlier to the printer.

Important: You can also save the prepared commands as a firmware (.ZPL) file and send them to the printers using Zebra's ZDownloader Utility. The following article demonstrates how to deploy the ZPL file through ZDownloader.

Approving Discovered Printers to Complete Enrollment

About this task

Once the printer establishes communication with the MQTT Broker, an alert indicating the discovered printer appears on the SOTI Connect web console. Use the following steps to approve discovered printers and complete enrollment.

Procedure

Select the Alert icon on the SOTI Connect web console to view the discovered device alert.

Remember: Zebra devices are auto discovered as they are MQTT-RPC devices.
Select the discovered device awaiting approval, then select Approve to enroll the printer.

Tip: You can optionally set an enrollment rule to auto approve discovered devices.