Author: Santiago Ricoy Email: [email protected]

This tutorial is intended to help quickly set up a connection between the workstation computer and the computers within DRC-Hubo.

• Routers for command station computer(s) and DRC-Hubo
• Command station computer
• DRC-Hubo
• Ethernet cables (3 minimum depending on your number of devices)

Note: The model used in this tutorial is the Netgear Nighthawk AC1900, which can be found easily online. At the time of writing, the model used is already a generation or two behind the current Nighthawk router lineup. They should all work about the same though.

This is actually fairly simple. Both of the routers need their own power supply. We should be able to access the 12V rail from DRC-Hubo and use the appropriate barrel connector to supply power to the router. A separate bracket is used on the DRC-Hubo in this tutorial to support the router. This could be easily made and used for other robots as well.

First, physically set up each router and power them on. The DRC-Hubo router will need to connect to both computers within the robot's chest, via ethernet.

Each new router will have their factory default SSID and Network Key shown. These can be changed of course. For the router attached to DRC-Hubo, the SSID, Network Key, and security type should all be taken note of.

Disconnect from wifi and/or the internet.

From the command center computer, which should be attached to the other router via ethernet, open your wired connection information. Find the gateway IP address called the “default route” (which should be the router). Access this address via a web browser. The default administrator name is “admin” and the password is “password”. The “Default Route” will be a different router before and after this step,

Note that if you are wirelessly connected to the internet, your connection information will be shown for that connection. So disable wifi to see only the ethernet information. If you have disabled wifi, and this webpage is open on the computer that is connected to the router via ethernet, you can also find the router settings by going to this link (or address): http://www.routerlogin.com

Go from the home screen, go into the “Advanced” tab, enter “Advanced Setup” and “Wireless Settings”. Scroll to the bottom and check the box to operate in another mode. Click “Enable Bridge Mode”. Then click the button to edit bridge mode settings.

Enter the information from the other router that was written down earlier. Click “Apply” in that window. Then click “Apply” above, on the page where “operate in bridge mode” was selected.

The router will reboot. Once rebooted it will connect to the router on DRC-Hubo and you'll be part of the same subnet between the two routers and all their connections.

After connecting the computers, it would be best that we are able to see their desktops. So we will install VNC Server on the robot computers. Plug in a keyboard, mouse, and monitor to work with the robot computers. Connect the computers to the internet.

The installation downloads can be found on the Real VNC website. You'll also want to install VNC Viewer on the command station computer(s). This can also be found on that website.

You can then access other computers (that have VNC Server) through VNC Viewer as long as you know their IP address on the subnet.

You can find out what these IP addresses are by looking at “Attached Devices” in the router settings.

However, we want to be able to easily access the robot's computers, and by default, it is difficult to access a computer because their addresses will change. We should give them static IP addresses.

The way to do this with a GUI is simple.

Go to “Edit Connections” by first opening the network menu in the upper right hand corner of the desktop.

Then edit the wired connection.

Go into the IPV4 tab, and change it to “Manual”.

From their change your IP address, subnet mask (a quick Google search will let you know how to find this), and default gateway (which should be IP of the router you're connected to). Double check the router's “Attached Devices” to be sure you have a unique IP address. For example, the router on DRC-Hubo, and the router the command station computer is on should take the first two spots. Likely, those are 10.12.2.1 and 10.12.2.2.

Disconnect from the wired connection, and reconnect to see your changes take place. Be sure to do this to all computers that you want to access through VNC.

Finally, you should be able to use the same IP address from the command station computer to easily access the same computer repeatedly!