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WiFi Hotspot

This article refers to Platform v3.0.0. The current Platform version is v3.2.0.

Overview​

When a fresh edge node has not been registered against Barbara Panel yet — or when its existing network configuration is wrong and it cannot reach Panel — you can still configure it through its built-in WiFi hotspot. Connect to the hotspot from your laptop, open the configuration page in a browser, push the right network settings, and the node restarts on the new configuration.

The hotspot only activates when both of the following are true:

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

Connect to the hotspot​

The hotspot exposes a WiFi network with these credentials:

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

Join the network from any WiFi-capable device.

See also...

If the node is already registered, you cannot use the hotspot — configure it from the Networking card on the Node Details page instead.

Open the configuration site​

In a browser, navigate to http://10.43.0.1.

WiFi hotspot configuration page

WiFi hotspot configuration page

The page shows the node's Barbara ID prominently and exposes three sections for the three network interface types Barbara supports: WiFi, Ethernet, and Mobile.

danger

The configuration page always shows all three interface types, regardless of what your hardware actually carries. Only configure the interface type physically present on the node — see Supported Hardware overview to confirm what your model supports.

WiFi settings​

Click WiFi Configuration to expand the WiFi section.

Automatic configuration (DHCP)​

WiFi configuration with DHCP on

WiFi configuration with DHCP on

With DHCP enabled, the node picks up its IP from the network's DHCP server. You only need to provide:

  • WIFI SSID — name of the WiFi network to join.
  • WIFI Password — password of the network.
  • Metric — interface priority; lower wins (typical range 1–100).

Static configuration (DHCP disabled)​

WiFi configuration without DHCP

WiFi configuration without DHCP

Uncheck DHCP to set the network parameters by hand:

  • IP Address.
  • Netmask.
  • Gateway.
  • DNS.
  • Metric.

Ethernet settings​

Click Ethernet Configuration to expand the Ethernet section.

Automatic configuration (DHCP)​

Ethernet configuration with DHCP on

Ethernet configuration with DHCP on

With DHCP enabled, the only field is the Metric.

Static configuration (DHCP disabled)​

Ethernet configuration without DHCP

Ethernet configuration without DHCP

Uncheck DHCP to set the parameters by hand: IP Address, Netmask, Gateway, DNS, Metric.

Mobile settings​

Click Mobile Configuration to expand the Mobile section. The page exposes this section regardless of hardware — leave it untouched if your node does not have a cellular modem.

Mobile configuration

Mobile configuration

Fields:

  • APN — Access Point Name provided by the cellular carrier.
  • User Name (optional).
  • Password (optional).
  • DNS.
  • Metric.
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Mobile network requirements differ by carrier. Consult your carrier's documentation for the exact APN and authentication parameters.

Apply the configuration​

Click Send at the bottom of the page to push the new settings to the node.

Applying the new network configuration

Applying the new network configuration

After Send:

  • The node reboots to apply the new configuration.
  • If the configuration works, the hotspot is disabled automatically — the node now connects through the configured interface.
  • If the configuration fails, the hotspot stays active, so you can re-open the configuration page and try again.

Summary​

The WiFi hotspot is the bootstrap network configuration path for unregistered edge nodes with a WLAN interface. Connect to the SSID matching the Barbara ID with the password BarbaraHotspot, open http://10.43.0.1, set the right interface (WiFi / Ethernet / Mobile), and the node reboots into the configuration you pushed.