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Table of Contents
MESHdesk Node Config Utility
- As of October 2016 we've released a fresh version of the MESHdesk Node Config Utility to include new features not supported yet in the industry.
- This page will discuss the new MESHdesk Node Config Utility. We will divide the discussion into segments similar to the tabs of the MESHdesk Node Config Utility.
- Before we go into the various tabs let us first discover how to use the MESHdesk Node Config Utility (here after simply called the utility) in the correct manner.
Overview
- The utility is used to configure the hardware which runs the MESHdesk firmware.
- Since the RADIUSdesk project is Open Source and available to tweak and install you can install your own cloud controller (RADIUSdesk and MESHdesk + APdesk).
- For the hardware to be controlled by controller you have to point them to the controller.
- This is where we use the utility.
- Another purpose for the utility is to 'prime' the hardware for an Internet connection.
- We took the lead and added extra functionality to our firmware which does not enforce an Ethernel (LAN) connection for Internet connectivity.
- We now support the following types of Internet connections.
- Ethernet (LAN) which require a DHCP server and Internet connection on the LAN the hardware connects to. This is the same as other cloud based controlled hardware like OpenMesh, Meraki, or IgniteNet.
- 3G/4G dongle support. For this you simply need hardware with a USB port. You then use the utility to preset the hardware with settings to obtain an Internet connection through the dongle. This is a first when compared to what is available today and will probably be first for a while since not many commercial cloud controlled hardware includes a USB port.
- WiFi Client support. No need for extra hardware, we can simply use one of the existing radios to connect as a client to a WiFi network and distribute the connection from there. Again a first especially on meshes, since this is done in the firmware the commercial guys might have more success also implementing this.
With 3G/4G dongle and WiFi Client support we can really say goodbye LAN cables on our meshes and access points!
Installing and running the MESHdesk Node config utility
- The utility is a windows .exe file which you simply double click to start up.
- Download the MESHdesk_Node_config_utility.<version>.zip from this URL: http://sourceforge.net/projects/radiusdesk/files/MESHdesk/NodeConfigUtility/
- Unzip it.
- Double click MESHdesk_Node_config_utility.exe to launch the program.
- The node expects the utility to be listening on 192.168.255.20 / TCP port 3000
- The node will set it's own address to 192.168.255.200 before trying to contact the machine running the utility.
- Be sure to allow this through on the Windows Firewall.
Failing to set the IP Address on you local machine to 192.168.255.20 will render the utility useless
You can change the IP Address which the node will contact by changing the value specified in /etc/config/meshdesk on the node.
Current Settings
- The current settings tab will reflect the settings of the device when it was powered up.
- The following table lists the various fields with comments where necessary.
| Item | Typical Value | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Last Contact | Just Now | This will initially state “Never Before” during start-up. When the hardware contacts the utility, the background turns green with a counter. After 30 seconds since the last contact the background turns blue |
| Eth0 | 78-A3-51-15-25-18 | This is the MAC Address of Eth0 interface and used as a unique identifier to the back-end |
| Mode | mesh | In mesh mode it is controlled by MESHdesk and in ap mode it is controlled by APdesk |
| Protocol | http | Can be either http or https |
| Server | 178.32.59.137 | The IP Address of the RADIUSdesk server |
| WPA2 Key | radiusdesk | the WPA2 Key for the hidden ssid meshdesk_config |
| Firmware | ID=LEDE…. |
New Settings
- To apply new settings you have to check the Apply New Setting checkbox.
- The settings are automatically applied as the hardware contacts the utility.
- Empty values will be ignored.
- The hardware type selection is important to ensure the LEDs are correctly assigned.
- You will typically leave WPA2 Key and Change secret empty.
No need to save anything to the device. The new values are committed on the fly as soon as the device makes contact with the utility.