network discovery

[johnm]

How about adding some sort of network service discovery to pypilot?
I'm using tinypilot as a wifi client.
Have dhcp server set to give tinypilot a fixed address but every once in a while it gets another address.

A boat underway is not the greatest environment to debug these sort of issues.

On a similar vein, an other way to get in if the wifi client connection fails would be nice.

Should be possible to make tinypilot be a client and access point at the same time.

or

On the controller I'm working on I set up Bluetooth network for backup access.
Did this with a couple small changes:
https://raspberrypi.stackexchange.com/qu...nd-an-ipod 
Can give more info if anyone is interested.
it gives out ip even though pi has no dhcp server installed.
I set fixed pin. After paired if shows up as a network source on my kde network manager.
Just click to connect.
My wifi stays connected.
it's effectively a bluetooth access point.
Problem with bluez is it's been almost completely redone in recent years. Almost every thing you find online will not work. Documentation on bluez site is only useful if you already know how to use it.

Not related to main point but regular Bluetooth networking and/or low power Bluetooth  networking  could be useful for other boat networking.

John

[rastam4n]

John
In the pypilot plugin for opencpn you can use "box" instead of the the IP. You will also want to create the 20220 in the connections tab of opencpn to box as well...

You will likely still lose connection periodically but it will automatically reconnect... unless that was only a bug in 1.2 that has not been carried forward to 2.0

Regarding TP and client/AP, Sean has said he is working on that on the next major release.

[johnm]

John
In the pypilot plugin for opencpn you can use "box" instead of the the IP. You will also want to create the 20220 in the connections tab of opencpn to box as well...

Putting  box in opencpn does not work for me.
Running tinypilot as wifi client and opencpn under linux.

[rastam4n]

You’re welcome John. I assumed you were running Openplotter considering what forum you are asking for assistance on.
There must be a package that can be installed for this in Linux.

[seandepagnier]

It's a great idea to make ap and client work at the same time, I didn't consider this for tinypilot.

You can switch between client/ap using the lcd and remote, so maybe this is easier than taking the sd card out and editing the network file. Also, using bluetooth may not work well because it is disabled to get the hardware serial of the pi for the motor controller.

I have not had issues with tinypilot as a client so maybe the problem is in the access point?

[johnm]

It's a great idea to make ap and client work at the same time, I didn't consider this for tinypilot.

You can switch between client/ap using the lcd and remote, so maybe this is easier than taking the sd card out and editing the network file.     Also, using bluetooth may not work well because it is disabled to get the hardware serial of the pi for the motor controller.

I have not had issues with tinypilot as a client so maybe the problem is in the access point?

Back to the original idea if you had network discovery possibly avahi setting could stay the same even if the network gets changed. I feel odd suggesting this  because  for a long time always removed it :-(

Your correct about the serial port issue for tinypilot. I see that hciattach  has /dev/ttyAMA0 open on my controller. Wouldn't think that would be a very efficient way to interface to bluetooth.

Guess I'm just a bit paranoid about wifi after 20 years of dealing with flaky wifi as an it manager.
Like you say usually an access point problem.

[seandepagnier]

I am going to add warnings with hints to the openplotter pypilot plugin to hopefully make it clear if bluetooth is using the serial port.