Zabbix Integration Guide

Quick Setup Guide

This chapter provides a minimal set of steps required to start monitoring an Advantech router using Zabbix. For detailed configuration options, refer to the corresponding chapters.

Tips

For simple monitoring, use SNMP. For advanced metrics and custom checks, use the Zabbix Agent Router App.

1. Install Zabbix
   Deploy and start a Zabbix server (for example, using the official virtual appliance). Ensure that the Zabbix web interface is accessible.
   Refer to Server Installation.

2. Import templates
   Import the Advantech YAML templates into the Zabbix web interface. These templates provide predefined items, triggers, and discovery rules.
   Navigate to Data collection → Templates → Import.
   Refer to Advantech Templates.

3. Configure router
   Enable and configure the monitoring interface on the router:

   • SNMP (for basic monitoring), or
   • Zabbix Agent Router App (for advanced monitoring).

   Ensure that network communication between the router and the Zabbix server is allowed.
   Refer to Router Configuration (SNMP) or Router Configuration (Zabbix Agent).

4. Add host
   Create a new host in the Zabbix web interface, assign the appropriate template(s), and configure the correct interface type (SNMP or Agent).
   Refer to Configuring a Host in Zabbix (SNMP) or Configuring a Host in Zabbix (Agent).

5. Verify data
   Confirm that monitoring data is being collected:

   • Verify that the host availability indicator is green.
   • Review collected metrics in Monitoring → Latest data.

   If no data is displayed, verify connectivity, configuration, and update intervals.
   Refer to Using SNMP Polling or Zabbix Agent Router App. For common troubleshooting procedures, see Troubleshooting.

Zabbix Basics

Introduction

Zabbix is an enterprise-grade, open-source monitoring platform designed to track the performance and availability of IT infrastructure, including networks, servers, virtual machines, and cloud services.

It uses a client-server architecture, where a centralized Zabbix server collects, processes, and evaluates data from monitored devices. It can monitor a wide range of network parameters and the overall health and integrity of servers. For more information, visit zabbix.com.

The Zabbix server typically runs on a Linux operating system and supports a wide range of data collection protocols, including ICMP Ping, SNMP, SSH, and custom Zabbix agents.

Remote monitoring is the process of supervising IT systems from a central management server. In general, monitoring improves the reliability and security of your network because it facilitates the early detection of erroneous conditions.

Tips

For an introduction to remote monitoring and a list of other monitoring tools, refer to the Remote Monitoring Advantech Application Note.

Possible Interfaces

For gathering Zabbix data from an Advantech router, the following interfaces can be used:

• SNMPv1/v2 — Retrieves predefined values via the SNMP protocol. This is the simplest way to implement data monitoring. For details, refer to Using SNMP Polling.
• Agent — Allows retrieval of additional and custom-defined items compared to the SNMP protocol. It requires the Zabbix Agent Router App to be installed on the router. For details, refer to Zabbix Agent Router App.

When to use SNMP vs Zabbix Agent?

• SNMP → simple, low overhead, read-only
• Agent → advanced metrics, custom checks, active mode

Agent-based monitoring can operate in two modes:

• Passive mode — The Zabbix server initiates the connection and polls the agent. This increases server load and may not work well for devices behind NAT or firewalls.
• Active mode — The agent initiates the connection to the Zabbix server. This approach reduces server load and works reliably in NAT or firewall-restricted environments.

Advantech Integration Tools

There are two free tools designed to simplify Zabbix integration on Advantech routers. While neither is mandatory for Zabbix data collection to work, they can be highly beneficial:

1. Zabbix Templates File: A YAML configuration file containing preconfigured items and triggers based on the Conel MIB, as well as templates for the Agent interface. For details, refer to Advantech Templates.
2. Zabbix Agent Router App: An application that can be installed directly on the router to enable advanced, agent-based monitoring in both passive and active checks. For details, refer to Zabbix Agent Router App.

Zabbix Server

Server Installation

The Zabbix server is the central component of the Zabbix monitoring software. It is responsible for polling and trapping data, calculating triggers, and sending notifications. Regardless of your chosen scenario, you need a Zabbix server installed and running in your environment.

There are multiple options for acquiring and installing a Zabbix server. For small environments or testing purposes, the easiest method is to deploy the pre-configured Zabbix virtual appliance.

For example, you can use VirtualBox as a free virtualization tool. Download the pre-configured Zabbix virtual appliance in the Open Virtualization Format (.ovf). An official manual is available for the Zabbix appliance.

Once downloaded, open the installed VirtualBox application and import the downloaded appliance by navigating to File → Import Appliance....

Tips

• If the downloaded appliance is archived (for example, in a .tar.gz format), you need to extract it first. This will provide a directory containing the .ovf and .vmdk files.
• The default network setting for the virtual machine is usually NAT. Depending on your network environment, you may need to configure port forwarding or change the adapter type to Bridged Adapter.
• If needed, use the ip addr command in the guest console (Zabbix server) to find out the IP address assigned to the running server.

Start the virtual machine and allow the guest operating system to boot up. While it is usually not necessary, if you need to log in to the server console directly on the running guest, use the following default OS credentials:

• Username: root
• Password: zabbix

The primary goal is to access the Zabbix web interface (frontend). In your web browser, navigate to http://<ip_address>, where <ip_address> is the IP address of your Zabbix server. The default login credentials for the web interface are:

• Username: Admin (case-sensitive)
• Password: zabbix

Advantech Templates

These templates are highly useful in the Zabbix web interface, as they contain predefined definitions of SNMP entries of Advantech routers, including their OIDs and data types. Using these templates eliminates the need for manual data entry.

The templates are stored in the zbx_icr_templates.yaml configuration file. These templates are based on the Conel MIB (Management Information Base) and include preconfigured items for receiving via SNMP. This configuration file can be downloaded from the Zabbix Agent Router App page. The Conel MIB structure is described in detail in the SNMP Object Identifiers Application Note.

The YAML templates configuration file contains the following templates:

A) Retrievable via SNMP polling only (no Zabbix Agent Router App is required, refer to Using SNMP Polling):

• Advantech ICR Basic SNMP — Defines basic system, hardware, and network metrics.
• Advantech ICR Mobile 1 SNMP — Defines metrics related to the mobile connection, such as signal strength, data usage, and SIM card details.

B) Retrievable via Zabbix Agent Router App (refer to Zabbix Agent Router App):

• Advantech ICR Resources by Agent — Defines system resource metrics (e.g., memory and storage usage) collected passively by the Zabbix server.
• Advantech ICR Resources by Agent active — Defines the same system resource metrics as the passive template, but uses active checks.

The following tables detail the contents of all the mentioned templates. The term Populated Inventory in the third column indicates that the value retrieved by the given Zabbix item is automatically written to the system inventory of the respective host in Zabbix.

Zabbix Item	Description	Populated Inventory
Firmware	Information about the device firmware version.	OS
GNSS satellites	Number of GNSS satellites currently visible to the router.
ICMP loss	Percentage of lost ICMP echo request packets.
ICMP ping	Availability of the device via ICMP ping (0 = unreachable, 1 = reachable).
ICMP response time	Response time to ICMP ping requests (in seconds).
Location altitude	Altitude of the device location above sea level (in meters).
Location latitude	Geographic latitude of the device location (in degrees).	Location latitude
Location longitude	Geographic longitude of the device location (in degrees).	Location longitude
Part number	Product part number assigned by the manufacturer.	Model
Product name	Product designation or model name.	Type
RTC battery	Status of the RTC backup battery (unknown, ok, empty).
Serial number	Unique serial number of the device.	Serial number A
SNMP agent availability	Availability status of SNMP communication (0 = unavailable, 1 = available, 2 = unknown).
SNMP traps (fallback)	Collects all SNMP traps that are not matched by other trap items.
System contact details	Contact information for the administrator of the device.	Contact
System description	Textual description including hardware type, OS, and software details.
System location	Physical location of the device (e.g., rack, room, building).	Location
System name	Administratively assigned device name (typically FQDN).	Name
System object ID	Vendor-specific identifier of the managed device type (OID).
Temperature	Internal device temperature (in °C).
Uptime (hardware)	Time since the device was last started (hardware uptime).
Uptime (network)	Time since the SNMP agent (network management) was last restarted.
Voltage	Input power supply voltage (in volts).

Advantech ICR Basic SNMP template items

Zabbix Item	Description	Populated Inventory
Mobile card	Index of the active SIM card (0 = primary, 1 = secondary, 2 = tertiary).
Mobile connections 1	Number of connections established using the primary SIM card (daily counter).
Mobile connections 2	Number of connections established using the secondary SIM card (daily counter).
Mobile inbound data 1	Amount of data received via the primary SIM card (in bytes, daily total).
Mobile inbound data 2	Amount of data received via the secondary SIM card (in bytes, daily total).
Mobile offline time	Total time the mobile interface was offline (daily value).
Mobile online time 1	Total time connected using the primary SIM card (daily value).
Mobile online time 2	Total time connected using the secondary SIM card (daily value).
Mobile operator	Name of the mobile network operator currently in use.
Mobile outbound data 1	Amount of data transmitted via the primary SIM card (in bytes, daily total).
Mobile outbound data 2	Amount of data transmitted via the secondary SIM card (in bytes, daily total).
Mobile registration	Current network registration status (e.g., idle, searching, home, roaming).
Mobile signal average	Average signal strength over the monitored period.
Mobile signal level	Signal strength indicator (CSQ value in range 0–31).
Mobile signal max	Maximum recorded signal strength over the monitored period.
Mobile signal min	Minimum recorded signal strength over the monitored period.
Mobile signal quality	Signal quality of the selected cell (in dB).
Mobile signal strength	Instantaneous signal strength (in dBm).
Mobile technology	Currently used mobile network technology (e.g., LTE, UMTS, 5G).
Mobile uptime	Time since the current mobile connection was established.
Modem IMEI	Unique IMEI identifier of the modem.	Serial number B
Modem SIM ICCID	ICCID (SIM card identifier) of the inserted SIM card.
Modem SIM IMSI	IMSI (subscriber identity) of the SIM card.
Strength threshold Fair	Signal strength threshold defining a fair-quality connection (technology-dependent).
Strength threshold Weak	Signal strength threshold defining a weak connection (technology-dependent).

Advantech ICR Mobile 1 SNMP template items

The strength thresholds Fair and Weak are auto-calculated items that depend on the used mobile technology. They are used by the signal strength triggers.

From the Mobile-2 OID tree, the Advantech ICR Mobile 1 SNMP template exclusively uses aggregated values from the MobileYesterday table. The MobileToday table is not used because it contains incomplete, constantly changing data. Similarly, long-term aggregated tables like MobileThisWeek are unnecessary, as Zabbix stores the daily data and calculates its own long-term historical statistics.

Zabbix Item	Description
Checksum /etc/passwd	MD5 checksum of the /etc/passwd file used to detect unauthorized changes.
Storage / free	Available disk space on the root filesystem (in bytes).
Storage /opt free	Available disk space on the /opt filesystem (in bytes).
Storage /opt used	Used disk space on the /opt filesystem (in bytes).
Storage /opt used %	Percentage of used disk space on the /opt filesystem.
Storage / used	Used disk space on the root filesystem (in bytes).
Storage / used %	Percentage of used disk space on the root filesystem.
Storage /var/data free	Available disk space on the /var/data filesystem (in bytes).
Storage /var/data used	Used disk space on the /var/data filesystem (in bytes).
Storage /var/data used %	Percentage of used disk space on the /var/data filesystem.
System memory available	Amount of available system memory (in bytes).
System memory used	Amount of used system memory (in bytes).
System memory used %	Percentage of used system memory.

Advantech ICR Resources by Agent template items

The Advantech ICR Resources by Agent active template contains the exact same items as the Advantech ICR Resources by Agent template. The difference is that its items are configured as active checks (Zabbix agent (active)).

A trigger is a logical expression that evaluates data collected by items and defines a specific condition or threshold. When the incoming data meets this condition, the trigger changes its state (e.g., from OK to Problem) to generate an alert. The templates listed above define the following triggers:

Template	Trigger Name	Condition
Advantech ICR Basic SNMP	System name has changed	System name differs from previous
Advantech ICR Basic SNMP	Host has been restarted	Uptime < 10m
Advantech ICR Basic SNMP	No SNMP data collection	SNMP unavailable for 5m
Advantech ICR Basic SNMP (ICMP)	Unavailable by ICMP ping	ICMP ping fails (timeout)
Advantech ICR Basic SNMP (ICMP)	High ICMP ping loss	{$ICMP_LOSS_WARN} < ICMP loss < 100%
Advantech ICR Basic SNMP (ICMP)	High ICMP ping response time	ICMP response time >
Advantech ICR Basic SNMP (Network Interfaces)	Interface {#IFNAME}: Link down	Operational status is down
Advantech ICR Basic SNMP (Network Interfaces)	Interface {#IFNAME}: High bandwidth usage	Utilization > {$IF.UTIL.MAX}%
Advantech ICR Basic SNMP (Network Interfaces)	Interface {#IFNAME}: High error rate	Errors > {$IF.ERRORS.WARN} for 5m
Advantech ICR Basic SNMP (Network Interfaces)	Interface {#IFNAME}: Ethernet has changed to lower speed	Reported speed is lower than previous
Advantech ICR Mobile 1 SNMP	Fair mobile signal	Weak threshold < signal strength ≤ Fair threshold
Advantech ICR Mobile 1 SNMP	Weak mobile signal	signal strength ≤ Weak threshold
Advantech ICR Resources by Agent (Active & Passive)	/etc/passwd changed	MD5 checksum differs from previous
Advantech ICR Resources by Agent (Active & Passive)	{#STFILE} changed	MD5 checksum differs from previous

Defined Zabbix triggers

Zabbix Web Configuration Structure

This section outlines the core components of a Zabbix configuration and how they interact to provide monitoring.

At the top level, monitored devices are defined as Hosts, which can be organized into Host groups for easier management of large infrastructures.

Individual checks performed on a host are defined as Items. Each item represents a specific metric (numeric or textual), collected using a defined method (e.g., SNMP, SSH, or agent) and update interval. Each item is identified by a unique key, such as system.cpu.load.

Items are organized using Tags (formerly known as Applications), which simplify filtering and categorization (e.g., Info, Status, Interfaces). Some items also populate host Inventory fields automatically (e.g., Name, OS, Serial Number).

Collected data is evaluated by Triggers, which define conditions for generating alerts. For visualization, Zabbix uses Graphs to display item values over time.

To simplify configuration, related entities (items, triggers, graphs, or discovery rules) can be grouped into a Template. Templates can be linked to hosts or nested within other templates to ensure consistent configuration across devices.

Logical schema of a Zabbix configuration

Importing Templates

To import templates into the Zabbix web interface, navigate to Data collection → Templates and click Import. Select the YAML template file and proceed with the import.

Tips

You can create custom templates tailored to your router and monitoring requirements. Existing items from Advantech templates can be reused to simplify configuration.

Using SNMP Polling

Router Configuration (SNMP)

For the Zabbix server to successfully receive data via the SNMP protocol, the SNMP service must be enabled and properly configured on the router. Additionally, related network settings, such as firewall rules, must be configured to ensure that SNMP traffic can freely pass between the Zabbix server and the router.

The figure below illustrates a minimal workable configuration of the SNMP service on the router for SNMPv1/v2 access. The community string is set to public for Read access.

Caution

The default public community string should not be used in production environments.

SNMP router configuration

Configuring a Host in Zabbix (SNMP)

Tips

This chapter describes a quick way to get Advantech router monitoring using the SNMP interface. There are many options for configuring the Zabbix server and frontend; refer to the official manuals on the Zabbix Documentation pages for more detailed information.

The core logical configuration structure was described in the Zabbix Web Configuration Structure chapter. Here is the simplest way to add a router to the monitored hosts in the Zabbix web interface:

• We assume that you have already imported the templates from the Advantech YAML file into the Zabbix web interface under Data collection → Templates, as described in the Advantech Templates chapter.

• In the Zabbix web interface, navigate to Monitoring → Hosts and click the Create host button. A New host configuration form will appear. The figure below illustrates the configuration of a new host for SNMP data polling.

  

  New host form with SNMP interface

• Fill in the following fields in the form:

  • Host name — An arbitrary but unique name for the host. This name does not need to match the router's actual hostname. You can optionally use the Description field below for a detailed host description.

  • Templates — Choose the imported Advantech ICR Basic SNMP and/or Advantech ICR Mobile 1 SNMP template for SNMP data polling (you can filter for Advantech templates as shown in the figure below):

    

    Choose template for SNMP

  • Host groups — Select from existing host groups. You can create your own group in Data collection → Host groups.

  • Interfaces — Click on Add and choose SNMP. The SNMP version should match the version you have configured on the router. The SNMP community string is set to the {$SNMP_COMMUNITY} macro, which is configured to public by default. This matches the router configuration shown above.

• Finally, click the Add button at the bottom of the form to save the host.

If everything is configured correctly, after a few minutes you should see:

• In Monitoring → Hosts, the SNMP label in the Availability column for your host should turn green.
• Retrieved status information under Monitoring → Latest data. You can filter the results by your specific host name.

Tips

• Every item has a defined refresh rate, so some items may be populated later than others. These intervals can be configured. If you want to request an immediate update for a specific item, navigate to Data collection → Hosts and click the Items link on your host's line. Select the desired item and click the Execute now button.
• If data from your hosts is not collected automatically, the SNMP poller on the Zabbix server may not be running or may be configured with an insufficient number of worker processes. This situation often occurs in the default configuration of the Zabbix appliance. Refer to the official Zabbix documentation for details about the StartSNMPPollers parameter in the Zabbix server configuration file.

SNMPv3 Security Configuration

For production environments, SNMPv3 with authentication and privacy should always be used instead of SNMPv1/v2, which do not provide encryption. To achieve this, configure SNMPv3 with authentication and privacy on the router, as shown in the figure below.

SNMP encryption on the router

Next, in the Zabbix web interface, configure the corresponding encryption settings for the host's SNMP interface so that they exactly match the router's configuration, as shown in the figure below.

SNMP encryption on the Zabbix server

Zabbix Agent Router App

The Zabbix Agent Router App provides monitoring of values which are not available through the SNMP protocol, supporting both active and passive checks. Compared to SNMP, the Zabbix Agent provides active checks, custom keys, and TLS-based communication. This application can be downloaded from the Zabbix Agent Router App page.

Router Configuration (Zabbix Agent)

First, install the Zabbix Agent Router App on the router. For more information on how to upload a Router App, refer to the router's Configuration Manual, chapter Customization → Router Apps.

In the Router App configuration, you need to configure connectivity to the Zabbix server. There are two basic modes, passive and active, as described in the Possible Interfaces chapter.

The figure below shows the Router App configuration GUI, with all items explained in the table that follows.

Zabbix agent configuration — The main part

Item	Description
Enable Agent	Enables/disables the Zabbix agent service on the router.
Allow Remote Commands	Specifies whether remote commands from the Zabbix server are permitted. When disabled, system.run checks will be rejected.
Listen Port	The port on which the agent (in passive mode) listens for connections from the server. The default value is 10050.
Accept Servers	Incoming passive connections will only be accepted from the IP addresses listed here. Enter the IP address of your Zabbix server. Multiple comma-separated addresses can be provided. If left empty, passive mode is disabled.
Accept unencrypted	Allows passive connections without encryption (not recommended). Encryption of the host on Zabbix server should be set to No encryption, which is the default option.
Accept Pre-Shared Key (PSK)	Allows passive connections secured with TLS and a Pre-Shared Key (PSK). When enabled, the PSK Identity and Pre-Shared Key (PSK) fields must be configured. Encryption of the host on Zabbix server should be set to PSK and properly configured.
Accept certificate	Allows passive connections secured with TLS and a certificate. When enabled, the CA Certificate, Local Certificate, and Local Private Key must be configured. Encryption of the host on Zabbix server should be set to Certificate and properly configured.
Connect Servers	Specifies the connection to the Zabbix server (or servers) for active checks. Supported formats are IP:port, IP, hostname:port, or hostname. Multiple comma-separated addresses can be provided to use several independent Zabbix servers in parallel. If left empty, active checks are disabled.
Encrypt Connection	Specifies the encryption method the agent uses to connect to the Zabbix server. This must match the Connections from host setting in the Zabbix web interface.
Hostname	A unique hostname for the router. This must exactly match the Host name field configured in the Zabbix web interface of a host. If not specified, router's hostname will be used (defined in Configuration → System → Identification).
Refresh Checks Each	Defines how often (in seconds) the agent retrieves the list of active checks from the Zabbix server. The default value is 10 seconds.
Send Buffer Each	Defines the time interval (in seconds) for syncing buffered check results to the Zabbix server. The default value is 5 seconds.
Max Buffer Size	Defines the maximum size of the buffer. When this capacity is reached, the agent syncs the buffered values to the server immediately. The default value is 100.
PSK Identity	The pre-shared key identity string. This must match the PSK identity field in the Zabbix web interface. The same PSK identity is used for both passive and active checks.
Pre-Shared Key (PSK)	The pre-shared key string. This must match the PSK field in the Zabbix web interface.
CA Certificate	The CA certificate chain of the authority that issued the Zabbix server certificates.
Local Certificate	The certificate of the router, corresponding to its private key. The certificate purpose must include "client authentication". If generated via OpenSSL, extendedKeyUsage = clientAuth must be set. The CA certificate of the issuing authority must be included in the TLSCAFile on the Zabbix server.
Local Private Key	The private key of the router. The same private key and certificates are used for both passive and active checks.
Accept Cert Issuer	The allowed server certificate issuer. If specified, it must match the issuer of the server's certificate.
Accept Cert Subject	The allowed server certificate subject. If specified, it must match the subject of the server's certificate.

Tips

Log messages of this Router App can be viewed in the system log, see Status → System Log.

Configuring a Host in Zabbix (Agent)

Tips

This chapter describes a quick way to get Advantech router monitoring using the Agent interface. There are many options for configuring the Zabbix server and frontend; refer to the official manuals on the Zabbix Documentation pages for more detailed information.

The core logical configuration structure was described in the Zabbix Web Configuration Structure chapter. Here is the simplest way to add a router to the monitored hosts in the Zabbix web interface:

• We assume that you have already imported the templates from the Advantech YAML file into the Zabbix web interface under Data collection → Templates, as described in the Advantech Templates chapter.

• In the Zabbix web interface, navigate to Monitoring → Hosts and click the Create host button. A New host configuration form will appear. The figure below illustrates the configuration of a new host for agent-based monitoring, using the active agent template.

  

  New host form with active agent interface

• Fill in the following fields in the form:

  • Host name — The host name, which must exactly match the router's actual hostname. The router's default hostname is Router, but it can be configured on the router under Configuration → System → Identification. You can optionally use the Description field below for a detailed host description.

  • Templates — Choose the imported Advantech ICR Resources by Agent template for passive monitoring, or the Advantech ICR Resources by Agent active template for active monitoring (you can filter for Advantech templates as shown in the figure below):

    

    Choose template for active checks

  • Host groups — Select from existing host groups. You can create your own group in Data collection → Host groups.

  • Interfaces — Click on Add and choose the Agent.

• Finally, click the Add button at the bottom of the form to save the host.

If everything is configured correctly, after a few minutes you should see:

• In Monitoring → Hosts, the ZBX (Agent) label in the Availability column for your host should turn green.
• Retrieved status information under Monitoring → Latest data. You can filter the results by your specific host name.

Custom Keys Configuration

In addition to the standard items, you can define custom items to be monitored by your agent in either active or passive mode. The configuration for these custom items is located in the bottom part of the configuration screen.

Zabbix agent configuration, custom keys

Item	Description
Custom Key	The key for the custom Zabbix item.
Command	The command to execute, including any optional arguments. This must be a single command on a single line. The command is executed, and the first line of the standard output (stdout) is used as the resulting value. The Command field supports only a limited set of characters: double quotes " are not allowed, and dollar signs $ must be escaped using \$. For more complex checks, create a shell script and use the Command field to execute it.
Timeout	Limits the execution time of a single check. The default value is 3 s.

The figure above shows examples of custom keys. The table below describes the meaning of the used custom keys and their data types.

Key	Description	Type
custom.system.tx	Amount of transmitted data on the mobile WAN interface (TX).	Numeric (integer)
custom.vpn.status	Status of the VPN tunnel (1 = up, 0 = down).	Numeric (integer)
custom.wifi.clients	Number of connected Wi-Fi clients.	Numeric (integer)
custom.ping.latency	Network latency to the specified host (in milliseconds).	Numeric (float)

Adding the Custom Key to Zabbix Server

Once you have defined a Custom Key on the router, you must configure the Zabbix server to start collecting its data. This is done by adding a new Item to the corresponding Host or Template in the Zabbix frontend.

1. Navigate to Data collection → Hosts (or Templates).
2. Click on the Items link in the row of your Advantech router.
3. Click the Create item button in the top right corner.
4. Fill in the required item parameters:
   • Name: Enter a descriptive name for the item (e.g., WiFi Clients Count).
   • Type: Select Zabbix agent (for passive checks) or Zabbix agent (active) depending on your router's agent configuration.
   • Key: Enter the exact Custom Key you defined on the router (e.g., custom.wifi.clients).
   • Type of information: Select the data type that matches the command's output. For example, choose Numeric (unsigned) for counts/statuses, Numeric (float) for latency, or Character for text strings.
   • Update interval: Define how often the server should poll this item (e.g., 1m or 5m).
5. Click the Add button to save the configuration.

Tips

The Key field in the Zabbix frontend must exactly match the Custom Key string defined in the router's agent configuration. Otherwise, the Zabbix server will report the item as "Not supported".

Agent TLS Configuration

In a production environment, it is highly recommended to use encryption for the connection, either by using a Pre-Shared Key (PSK) or a CA certificate.

PSK Encryption

An example configuration in the Zabbix Agent Router App, where only PSK encryption is enabled, is shown in the figure below. It is configured for both passive and active checks.

PSK encryption on the router

Next, in the Zabbix web interface, configure the corresponding encryption settings for the host's Agent interface so that they exactly match the router's configuration, as shown in the figure below.

PSK encryption on the Zabbix server

CA Certificate Encryption

The highest level of security is achieved by using TLS certificate authentication (mTLS). An example configuration in the Zabbix Agent Router App, where only CA Certificate encryption is enabled, is shown in the figure below. It is configured for both passive and active checks.

Certificate encryption on the router

Next, in the Zabbix web interface for the host configuration, add an Agent Interface, define the encryption settings to align exactly with the agent's configuration, and link the host to one or more Agent templates. The encryption settings on the Zabbix server are shown in the figure below.

Certificate encryption on the Zabbix server

To use TLS certificates, the Zabbix server needs its own certificates (TLSCAFile, TLSCertFile, and TLSKeyFile) properly set up, as described in the Zabbix Manual.

Caution

• Configuring certificates in the Zabbix web interface only defines the verification rules. For TLS encryption to work, the Zabbix server must have its own certificate, private key, and the CA certificate physically stored on its filesystem. These files must be referenced in the zabbix_server.conf file using the TLSCAFile, TLSCertFile, and TLSKeyFile parameters. Refer to the official Zabbix documentation for detailed instructions on securing the server.
• The purpose of the certificate must include "server authentication". When generated by OpenSSL, the extendedKeyUsage = serverAuth attribute must be set.

Items Supported by Zabbix Agent

Standard Zabbix items (checks) are described in the Zabbix Agent documentation. Zabbix documentation also indicates which of the items are supported on various platforms.

The following table complements that information and explains which of the standard agent items are supported on Advantech cellular routers.

Item Key	Support
agent.hostname	Both
agent.ping	Both
agent.variant	Both
agent.version	Both
kernel.maxfiles	Both
kernel.maxproc	Both
kernel.openfiles	Both
log[file,<regexp>,<encoding>,<maxlines>,<mode>,<output>,<maxdelay>]	Active only
log.count[file,<regexp>,<encoding>,<maxproclines>,<mode>,<maxdelay>]	Active only
logrt[file_regexp,<regexp>,<encoding>,<maxlines>,<mode>,<output>,<maxdelay>,<options>]	Active only
logrt.count[file_regexp,<regexp>,<encoding>,<maxproclines>,<mode>,<maxdelay>,<options>]	Active only
net.dns[<ip>,name,<type>,<timeout>,<count>,<protocol>]	Both
net.dns.perf[<ip>,name,<type>,<timeout>,<count>,<protocol>]	Both
net.dns.record[<ip>,name,<type>,<timeout>,<count>,<protocol>]	Both
net.if.collisions[if]	Both
net.if.discovery	Both
net.if.in[if,<mode>]	Both
net.if.list	Both
net.if.out[if,<mode>]	Both
net.if.total[if,<mode>]	Both
net.tcp.listen[port]	Both
net.tcp.port[<ip>,port]	Both
net.tcp.service[service,<ip>,<port>]	Both
net.tcp.service.perf[service,<ip>,<port>]	Both
net.tcp.socket.count[<laddr>,<lport>,<raddr>,<rport>,<state>]	Both
net.udp.listen[port]	Both
net.udp.service[service,<ip>,<port>]	Both
net.udp.service.perf[service,<ip>,<port>]	Both
net.udp.socket.count[<laddr>,<lport>,<raddr>,<rport>,<state>]	Both
proc.cpu.util[<name>,<user>,<type>,<cmdline>,<mode>,<zone>]	Both
proc.get[<name>,<user>,<cmdline>,<mode>]	Both
proc.mem[<name>,<user>,<mode>,<cmdline>,<memtype>]	Both
proc.num[<name>,<user>,<state>,<cmdline>,<zone>]	Both
proc.info[process,<attribute>,<type>]	Both
system.boottime	Both
system.cpu.discovery	Both
system.cpu.intr	Both
system.cpu.load[<cpu>,<mode>]	Both
system.cpu.num[<type>]	Both
system.cpu.switches	Both
system.cpu.util[<cpu>,<type>,<mode>]	Both
system.hostname	Both
system.hw.cpu[<cpu>,<info>]	Both
system.hw.macaddr[<interface>,<format>]	Both
system.localtime[<type>]	Passive only
system.run[command,<mode>]	If enabled
system.sw.arch	Both
system.sw.os[<info>]	Both
system.sw.os.get	Both
system.uname	Both
system.uptime	Both
vfs.dir.count[dir,<regex_incl>,<regex_excl>,<types_incl>,<types_excl>,<max_depth>,<min_size>,<max_size>,<min_age>,<max_age>]	Both
vfs.dir.get[dir,<regex_incl>,<regex_excl>,<types_incl>,<types_excl>,<max_depth>,<min_size>,<max_size>,<min_age>,<max_age>,<regex_excl_dir>]	Both
vfs.dir.size[dir,<regex_incl>,<regex_excl>,<mode>,<max_depth>]	Both
vfs.file.cksum[file]	Both
vfs.file.contents[file,<encoding>]	Both
vfs.file.exists[file,<types_incl>,<types_excl>]	Both
vfs.file.get[file]	Both
vfs.file.md5sum[file]	Both
vfs.file.owner[file,<ownertype>,<resulttype>]	Both
vfs.file.permissions[file]	Both
vfs.file.regexp[file,regexp,<encoding>,<output>]	Both
vfs.file.regmatch[file,regexp,<encoding>]	Both
vfs.file.size[file]	Both
vfs.file.time[file,<mode>]	Both
vfs.fs.discovery	Both
vfs.fs.size[fs,<mode>]	Both
vm.memory.size[<mode>]	Both
web.page.get[host,<path>,<port>]	Both
web.page.perf[host,<path>,<port>]	Both
web.page.regexp[host,<path>,<port>,regexp,<length>,<output>]	Both

In addition to the above, the following Advantech-specific items are supported:

Item Key	Description
vfs.settings.discovery	List of /etc/settings.* and /opt/*/etc/settings files for autodiscovery.
vfs.settings.value[name,parameter]	Retrieves a single value from the router config /etc/settings.[name].
vfs.settings.umod[name,parameter]	Retrieves a single value from a Router App configuration file /opt/[name]/etc/settings.

Troubleshooting

This chapter provides guidance for diagnosing and resolving common issues when integrating Advantech routers with Zabbix. Problems are organized by observed symptoms to help quickly identify the root cause and apply the appropriate solution.

Symptom	Likely cause
No data	Incorrect interface configuration or missing template
Host unavailable	Network connectivity issue or firewall blocking communication
Items not supported	Incorrect item key or missing feature on the router

No Data in Zabbix

If no data is displayed in Monitoring → Latest data, check the following:

• Verify that the host is correctly configured in the Zabbix web interface.
• Ensure that the correct template is assigned to the host.
• Check network connectivity between the router and the Zabbix server (for example, using ping).
• Confirm that the selected interface type (SNMP or Agent) matches the router configuration.
• Verify that item update intervals are not too long.

Host Not Available

If the host shows as unavailable (red indicator):

• Verify that the IP address or hostname is correct.
• Check firewall rules on both the router and the server.
• Ensure that required ports are open:
  • SNMP: UDP 161
  • Zabbix Agent: TCP 10050 (passive) or 10051 (active)
• Confirm that the monitoring service (SNMP or Agent) is enabled on the router.

SNMP Issues

SNMP Not Responding

• Ensure that the SNMP service is enabled on the router.
• Verify that the SNMP version configured in Zabbix matches the router.
• Check that the community string (SNMPv1/v2) or credentials (SNMPv3) are correct.
• Test SNMP manually using tools such as snmpwalk.

SNMPv3 Authentication Errors

• Verify that authentication and privacy settings match exactly on both sides.
• Ensure that the same authentication protocol (e.g., SHA-512) and encryption method (e.g., AES) are used.
• Check username and passwords for typos.

Zabbix Agent Issues

Agent Not Connecting

• Verify that the Zabbix Agent Router App is installed and running.
• Check the Connect Servers configuration for active checks.
• Ensure that the router can reach the Zabbix server (network routing, NAT).
• Verify that the Hostname matches the host name configured in Zabbix exactly.

Passive Checks Not Working

• Ensure that the Zabbix server IP address is listed in Accept Servers.
• Verify that the correct port (default 10050) is open and listening.
• Check firewall settings on the router.

Items Marked as "Not supported"

• Verify that the item key is correct and matches the router configuration.
• Ensure that required features or Router Apps are installed.
• Check for syntax errors in custom commands.
• Review Zabbix server logs for detailed error messages.

Encryption Issues

PSK Authentication Fails

• Ensure that the PSK identity and key match exactly on both the router and server.
• Check that the correct encryption mode (PSK) is selected in the Zabbix host configuration.

Certificate Authentication Fails

• Verify that the CA certificate is trusted on both sides.
• Ensure that certificate subject and issuer fields match the configuration.
• Confirm that the certificate includes the correct purpose (client/server authentication).
• Check that certificate files are correctly configured on the Zabbix server (TLSCAFile, TLSCertFile, TLSKeyFile).

Performance Issues

• Reduce item polling frequency if the server is overloaded.
• Increase the number of SNMP pollers in the Zabbix server configuration.
• Prefer active agent checks for large deployments.

Log Analysis

Logs are essential for troubleshooting:

• Zabbix server logs (e.g., /var/log/zabbix/zabbix_server.log)
• Router system log (Status → System Log)

Review logs for errors related to connectivity, authentication, or unsupported items.