Network settings

How to change the network settings on your controller.

6 minute read

Note

The following steps require you to establish a connect with the controller, checkout Remote Connection.

This page is applicable for the latest image version mcx-rtos-v.2025.03. For other mcx-rtos-images checkout: Older versions.

Network Configuration

This section describes how to configure your wifi, wired or etherCAT network.

Network Directory

Default network files are stored in the following directory:

/etc/systemd/network
├── 25-wifi-ap.network
├── 40-bridge-device.netdev
├── 41-bridge-inherit-mac.link
├── 42-bridge-dhcp-client-and-static.network
├── 43-bridge-bind.network
├── 51-ethercat.network
└── examples
    ├── 25-wifi-ap.network.in			  
    ├── 25-wifi-dhcp-client.network.in		  
    ├── 40-bridge-device.netdev			  
    ├── 41-bridge-inherit-mac.link		  t.network
    ├── 42-bridge-dhcp-client-and-static.network  
    ├── 42-bridge-dhcp-client.network		  
    ├── 42-bridge-dhcp-server-and-static.network  
    ├── 42-bridge-dhcp-server.network
    ├── 42-bridge-static.network
    ├── 43-bridge-bind.network
    ├── 50-wired-dhcp-client-and-static.network
    ├── 50-wired-dhcp-client.network
    ├── 50-wired-dhcp-server-and-static.network
    ├── 50-wired-dhcp-server.network
    ├── 50-wired-static.network
    ├── 51-ethercat.network

The network directory displays the default network configuration for WiFi, Wired and EtherCAT. The examples folder provides a set of predefined network settings, based on Systemd.network.

Note

When changing the network configuration, it is recommended to use the given examples as a template. Note that the network directory should only contain one set of 25-.., 42-.., 43-.. and 51-.. files.

Wired Network Configuration

How to configure the wired network settings:

Configure default controller_ip_address (192.168.2.100)
Configure default wired network device (eth0)

Navigate to the network directory:
```
cd /etc/systemd/network
```

Edit 42-bridge-dhcp-client-and-static.network:

sudo nano 42-bridge-dhcp-client-and-static.network

Displays the default configuration:

# Wired network settings
[Match]
Name=br0

[Network]
DHCP=yes
ConfigureWithoutCarrier=yes
IgnoreCarrierLoss=yes

[Address]
Label=br0:0
Address=192.168.2.100/24

This creates a br0 interface, with default ip address: 192.168.2.100/24. Change "Address=" to your preferred controller_ip_address.

Edit cat 43-bridge-bind.network
```
sudo nano cat 43-bridge-bind.network
```
Displays the default configuration:
```
[Match]
Name=eth0

[Network]
Bridge=br0
```
This binds the br0 interface to the eth0 device, per default the eth0 network device is reserved for wired network. Change "Name=" to configure the assigned network device to your own preference.

Note

Make sure that the network device that you wish to assign to the wired network is not already taken by the EtherCAT Network Configuration).

Save the files and reboot your controller:
```
sudo reboot
```

Now your wired network settings are changed!

Note

Changes to controller_IP_address can required reconfiguration of your local network settings.

EtherCAT Network Configuration

How to change the etherCAT network configuration:

Configure default etherCAT network device (eth1)

Navigate to the network directory:
```
cd /etc/systemd/network
```
Edit 51-ethercat.network:
```
sudo nano 51-ethercat.network
```
Displays the default configuration:
```
# EtherCAT network settings
[Match]
Name=eth1

[Network]
LinkLocalAddressing=no
IPv6AcceptRA=no
ConfigureWithoutCarrier=yes

#[Link]
#Unmanaged=yes
```
Per default the eth1 network device is reserved for etherCAT. You can change the network device assigned to etherCAT network to your own preference.

Note

Make sure that the network device that you wish to assign to the EtherCAT network is not already taken by the wired network configuration).

Save the file and reboot your controller:
```
sudo reboot
```

Note

The assigned etherCAT network device, must match the assigned network device in the EtherCAT Master Configuration.

WiFi Configuration

Create wifi access point on controller

Per default if the controller contains a Wi-Fi network card, the mcx-rtos creates an access point on the controller.

How to change the wifi configuration:

Configure default ssid (mcx-428c36)
Configure default psk (vectioneer)

Navigate to the network directory:
```
cd /etc/systemd/network
```

Edit the file 25-wifi-ap.network:

sudo nano 25-wifi-ap.network

Displays the default configuration:

# Wifi network settings
[Match]
Name=wlan0

[Network]
Address=192.168.0.1/24
DHCPServer=yes

[DHCPServer]
PoolOffset          = 10
PoolSize            = 40
EmitDNS             = yes
DNS                 = 8.8.8.8 8.8.4.4
DefaultLeaseTimeSec = 600
MaxLeaseTimeSec     = 7200

Change the security setting of your WiFi (only available, if your controller contains WiFi-module):
```
sudo nano /etc/wpa_supplicant/wpa_supplicant-wlan0.conf
```
By default the WiFi connection is configured as an Access Point to which an external system can connect using the default passphrase “vectioneer”. The default configuration is shown below.
```
network={
    ssid="mcx-428c36"
    #psk="vectioneer"
    psk=373b4c981c2b7c30be346d560b6a7f04c313e7c66e841915db053d9d61a21bd7
    mode=2
    proto=RSN
    key_mgmt=WPA-PSK
    pairwise=CCMP
    group=CCMP
    frequency=2437
}
```
You can change the SSID by modifying the ssid field. You can enter a new passphrase by either putting the literal passphrase (readable) in quotes:
```
  psk="mynewpassword"
```
Or you can generate a password hash by using the wpa_passphrase tool:
```
wpa_passphrase {SSID} {NEWPASSPHRASE}
```
This outputs a new hashed passphrase section that you can transfer into your configuration file.
Save the file and reboot your controller:
```
sudo reboot
```

Connect to existing wifi network

Connect your controller via wifi to an existing network via mcx-cfg-wifi command.

SSH to the controller
Use the mcx-cfg-wifi,

INTERFACE = Wi-Fi interface name, `example; wlan0`
SSID = The name assigned to a Wi-Fi network, `example; myNetworkName`
PASSWORD = The password used to log in to Wi-Fi network; `example; myWifiPassword`

mcx-cfg-wifi wlan0 myWifiName 'myWifiPassword'

Connect MCX-RTOS to the Internet

How to connect MCX-RTOS to the internet:

Via wired network (Use Ethernet HUB)

The default wired network settings are DHCP and static network. (42-bridge-dhcp-client-and-static.network)
ssh to static controller IP ssh admin@192.168.2.100

Use mcx-show-ip to find DHCP IP (br0) address:

br0      192.168.179.83  2a02:a467:d9a9:1:201:c0ff:fe2e:8b23  fe80::1c81:e2ff:fe4e:e0b6  
br0:0    192.168.2.100    
eth0         
eth1         
wlan0    192.168.0.1  fe80::cae2:65ff:fe42:7c28

ssh to DHCP IP ssh admin@192.168.179.83. Now you established connection to controller with internet access.

Test you connection: ping www.google.com

PING www.google.com(ams17s12-in-x04.1e100.net (2a00:1450:400e:810::2004)) 56 data bytes
64 bytes from ams17s12-in-x04.1e100.net (2a00:1450:400e:810::2004): icmp_seq=1 ttl=60 time=10.3 ms

Now your MCX-RTOS is connected to the internet.

Note

InterNET Network IP should differ from configured controller IP address range (br0:0 192.168.2.x and wlan0 192.168.0.x).

EtherCAT Master Configuration

The EtherCAT master needs to know which network device it will use for EtherCAT. The EtherCAT network device should not be configured for normal networking.

Default
CX5140

Make changes to the default mcx-rtos etherCAT configuration:

Open ethercat.conf in edit mode:
```
sudo nano /etc/ethercat.conf
```

Note

Make sure that the network device that you wish to assign to the EtherCAT driver is not already taken by the normal network configuration, see wired network configuration.

Modify the network device by changing the following line:
```
MASTER0_DEVICE="eth1"
```
The configured MASTERO_DEVICE, needs to match the configured network device in the EtherCAT Network Configuration.
Modify the driver type by changing the following line:
```
DEVICE_MODULES="generic"
```

Refer to the EtherLAB documentation for a description of all available configuration options.

Save the file and reboot your controller:
```
sudo reboot
```

Configure etherCAT for CX5140:

Open ethercat.conf in edit mode:
```
sudo nano /etc/ethercat.conf
```

Note

Make sure that the network device that you wish to assign to the EtherCAT driver is not already taken by the normal network configuration, see wired network configuration.

Change the default MASTERO_DEVICE:"eth1" to registered ccat_netdev network device:

Note

Use following command to find ccat_netdev network device: dmesg | grep ccat

[    5.868588] ccat: loading out-of-tree module taints kernel.
[    8.711092] ccat_netdev: DMA0 mem initialized
[    8.711104] ccat_netdev: DMA1 mem initialized
[    8.760589] ccat_netdev: registered ccat0 as network device.

MASTER0_DEVICE="ccat0"

The configured MASTERO_DEVICE, needs to match the configured network device in the EtherCAT Network Configuration.

Save the file and reboot your controller:
```
sudo reboot
```

Changing the Host Name

If you want to modify the system’s hostname you can change it by modifying
```
sudo nano /etc/hostname
```
and
```
sudo nano /etc/hosts
```
Save the file and reboot your controller
```
sudo reboot
```

Network settings

Note

Network Configuration

Network Directory

Note

Wired Network Configuration

Note

Note

EtherCAT Network Configuration

Note

Note

WiFi Configuration

Create wifi access point on controller

Connect to existing wifi network

Connect MCX-RTOS to the Internet

Note

EtherCAT Master Configuration

Note

Note

Note

Changing the Host Name

Older Versions