Brother CONNECT integration in 3manager

Summary

Brother CONNECT is an integration that allows supported Brother devices to communicate directly with 3manager without requiring a local data collector. 

It makes onboarding faster, reduces the need for onsite installations, and enables remote configuration and management features from 3manager.

Once a device is connected, you can manage it with the same functions you know from 3manager, while also gaining access to new Brother-specific features such as remote configuration file pushes and reboot commands.

How it works

Brother devices with BSI support can be connected to 3manager in three different ways. 

1. One-touch enrollment from the device display,
    
2. manual setup through the device’s web interface
    
3. bulk configuration with Brother Admin (BRAdmin)

After setup, the device checks in with 3manager on a scheduled basis. 

Commands such as reboots or configuration pushes are queued and executed during the next check-in.

Supported models

• 3manager CONNECT supports all current and future Brother devices with BSI enabled.
   
• On some models BSI must be activated first.
   
• Check this link for updated overview of supported models: https://brotherb2bportfolio.com/services/connect-to-server?term=vpp%2B 

Enabling the integration

1. Go to the customer account in 3manager, open settings, select integrations, and enable CONNECT.
    
2. A CONNECT menu will then be visible in the account.

Features available with Brother CONNECT

• Remote configuration by uploading and pushing Brother EDPK configuration files.
   
• Remote reboot requests.
   
• Grouping devices and scheduling commands such as reboots or configuration updates.
   
• Standard 3manager features such as meter reading, supplies reporting, alerts, dashboards, and contract management are also available once the devices are connected.

Ports and security

• By default Brother devices use port 80 to communicate with 3manager.
   
• If SSL certificates are uploaded to the device, port 443 can be used instead.
   
• The devices communicate only outbound to 3manager servers hosted securely on AWS in Ireland.
   
• If firewall rules apply, whitelist either *.3manager.com or specifically cloudmibwalkapi.3manager.com. If you need to use an IP address, whitelist 52.213.181.35.

Things to note

• One-touch enrollment only works the first time a new device is unboxed. To re-enroll, the device must be reset to factory settings.
   
• Configuration files are password sensitive. You need to use the same BSI password across devices if you want to reuse configuration files.
   
• If configuration pushes fail, check the Brother firmware version and update if needed.

Looking for the installation guide and security document?

Download installation and security document from here