Configure a robot's network
Everything a wired robot needs before support can deploy it: an address on your network and a working path to Kapptivate.
A robot that is only cabled stays invisible, because the platform has no address for it yet. You set that address on the robot itself, screen, keyboard, and mouse plugged into the back, and Kapptivate support takes it from there.
This procedure applies to the latest generation of Kapptivate robots. On an older robot, configure an older robot's network covers the address change.
Web, cellular, and smartphone robots all start here.
Static IP or DHCP
If your robot reaches the internet directly, it takes its address over DHCP at boot. Follow only steps 1 to 3 of set the static IP, then go to check that the robot reaches Kapptivate. Behind a corporate filter, it needs a static IP: follow the whole procedure.
Before you start
- The robot is unpacked, powered, and cabled to the network, but not yet screwed into the rack: see install a robot.
- A USB keyboard, a USB mouse, a screen, and an HDMI cable. None of these ship with the robot.
- The robot's credentials. Ask support@kapptivate.com if you don't have them.
- On a filtered corporate network, the flows opened from the robot's static IP. The IP requirements document lists them: ask support@kapptivate.com for it and pass it to your IT team.
- The static IP, mask, gateway, and DNS server addresses, from your IT department.
- Access to the Kapptivate platform, where you watch the robot turn Online.
Set the static IP
Check which Ethernet port holds the RJ45 cable. Port 1 is the one to use. Ports 2 and 3 work too, but you then pick lan2 or lan3 in step 4 instead of lan1. Port 4 isn't wired.
Plug the keyboard, mouse, and HDMI cable into the back of the robot.
Turn the robot on with the front button. At the login screen, enter the robot's credentials, the ones support@kapptivate.com gave you. You land on a Linux desktop.
Click the network configuration icon and select Edit Connections.
The connection carries the number of the port you checked in step 1, so it's lan1 for port 1, as shown here. Select it and edit it.
Some robots also list a Wired connection 1. If yours does, edit that one instead of lan1.
Open General. Connect automatically with priority has to be checked, with the value -999, so check it if it isn't.
Open IPv4 Settings and change the method from Automatic (DHCP) to Manual.
Click Add, then enter the IP address, mask, and gateway from your IT department. Fill the DNS servers field too. Without DNS servers the robot resolves no name and reaches Kapptivate by IP only.
Click Save.
Reboot the robot, from the desktop menu or with sudo reboot in a terminal. Every change you made takes effect on the way back up, and the robot returns on its new address.
Check that the robot reaches Kapptivate
Open a terminal on the Linux desktop, then work through checking the robot's network connection, which carries the commands to run and the output to expect. It ends with the deployment request to support.
Changing the address of a robot that is already deployed? Nothing to ask support. It comes back Online on its own after the reboot. If it stays Offline, work through troubleshooting a robot that stays Offline.
What's next?
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