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Get the Barbara ID of the node

This article refers to Platform v2.9.0. The current Platform version is v3.2.0.

Overview​

The Barbara ID is a unique hexadecimal string assigned to every Barbara edge node. It acts as a fingerprint that lets Barbara Panel identify, register, and manage the node. Before you can add a node to Panel, you need to know its Barbara ID.

This guide covers the three supported ways to find it:

  1. Direct display — recommended when a monitor is attached.
  2. USB Assistant Tool — for headless devices with a USB port.
  3. WiFi Hotspot — for unregistered nodes with a wireless interface.

If you can connect a display to your node:

  1. At the end of the boot process, the screen shows the Barbara ID together with a QR code.
Barbara ID and QR code on the node display

Barbara ID and QR code on the node display

  1. Scanning the QR code opens a web page that also shows the Barbara ID — handy for copying it onto your phone or laptop.
Web page reached by scanning the QR code

Web page reached by scanning the QR code

USB Assistant Tool​

The Barbara USB Assistant Tool writes a file with node information — including the Barbara ID — onto a USB flash drive plugged into the node. Use it when the node has no display.

See also...

This tool can also do many other things. Read the full reference in USB Assistant Tool.

To retrieve the Barbara ID with the USB Assistant Tool:

  1. Prepare a USB flash drive formatted as FAT32.
  2. Plug the drive into the node. Wait a few seconds for the agent to detect it and write the data.
  3. Move the drive to your computer and open the file explorer.
  4. Open the barbara folder at the root of the drive.
barbara folder at the USB drive root

barbara folder at the USB drive root

  1. Open barbaraInfo.txt. The Barbara ID is on lines 4–5 of the file:
barbaraInfo.txt
Timestamp:
    334673

Barbara ID:
    pi3-xxxxxxxxxxxx

Barbara OS version:
    4.3.0

Barbara OS UTC:
    1685403411

Network info:
    Iface name: lo IP: 127.0.0.1/8
    Iface name: lo IP: ::1/128
    Iface name: wlan0 IP: 10.43.0.1/24
    Iface name: wlan0 IP: fe80::6b31:bcd4:1def:423e/64
    Iface name: docker0 IP: 172.17.0.1/16

Connectivity status:
    NmStateConnectedLocal

Docker support:
    true

WiFi Hotspot​

The WiFi Hotspot is a Barbara OS feature that exposes the Barbara ID over a temporary wireless network. It only activates when both conditions are met:

  1. The node has not yet been registered with Barbara Panel.
  2. The node has a functional WLAN interface.
See also...

For the full feature reference, read WiFi Hotspot.

When the hotspot is up, connect to it with the following credentials:

  • SSID: the node's Barbara ID (a unique hexadecimal string).
  • Password: BarbaraHotspot.

Once connected, open a browser and navigate to http://10.43.0.1. The configuration page lets you read and copy the Barbara ID.

Barbara ID shown in the WiFi Hotspot configuration page

Barbara ID shown in the WiFi Hotspot configuration page

Summary​

You now know how to retrieve the Barbara ID of a node, whether it has a display, a free USB port, or a WLAN interface. With the Barbara ID in hand, the next step is to add the node to Barbara Panel.