WILI-Scout
From wiliGear wiki
Contents |
Introduction
WILI Scout is a Java application, integrated into RCMS server or available as stand-alone application. This is a tool for graphical representation for network topology and status of WILI devices including WILI Mesh Nodes.
 | Launch of WILI Scout requires installed Java Runtime Environment (J2SE Runtime Environment 5.0 or later). This may be downloaded from: http://java.sun.com/javase/downloads/index.jsp. |
The WILI Scout should run from a machine on wired side of the network. It is possible to run the WILI Scout from the wireless side of the network, but does not guarantee optimal performance and is strongly discouraged.
WILI Scout features:
- Shows mesh network topology and individual WILI devices
- Ability to search mesh elements by MAC, IP or device name
- Capability of operating as a standalone application, without the existing RCMS server
- Ability to filter by part of the IP address, by Service Set, by part of the Firmware (includes ability to filter by hardware type), active nodes (inactive/offline nodes are hidden),
- Bird's eye view/navigation - ability to view all network at once
- Discovery tool - allow to discover WILI devices (Mesh and Non-mesh) within reach of a single multicast packet.
For proper operation WILI Scout needs the statistical information from WILI devices. WILI devices are periodically sending status information - heartbeats. The heartbeat sending interval is configurable in the device configuration, by default this interval is 30 seconds. The WILI Scout updates the screen continuously while receiving the heartbeats. The configuration of WILI devices must be configured properly to send heartbeats to the WILI Scout. It can be done in two ways:
- Correctly configured RCMS agent settings in the device configuration
- Correctly configured IP multicast discovery settings in the device configuration and by enabling Heartbeat Polling via Multicast on Tools menu in the WILI Scout.
| | Refer to the section RCMS and WILI Scout Settings for instructions on how to setup the WILI Scout settings or refer to the document WILI-S Configuration Reference Manual for detailed information on all WILI-S features configuration, including RCMS client. |
There are three ways to run WILI Scout:
- load WILI Scout from the RCMS server;
- load via WebStart from the download area of the official WILIBOX site www.wilibox.com;
- install on your PC and run WILI Scout as standalone application.
Running WILI Scout with RCMS server
To run WILI Scout from the RCMS server, click on the Registered devices tree first, then click WILI Scout tab on the menu and the WILI Scout will be successfully launched.
If the connection with the RCMS has been lost, use the File -> Connect to RCMS or click appropriate icon, and specify RCMS administrator's credentials for proper WILI Scout connection to the RCMS server:
Running WILI Scout as Standalone Application
To run WILI Scout as standalone application, download the WILI Scout archive and install on the computer. Once the WILI Scout archive is downloaded, extract it and run the WILIScout.jar file.
The successfully loaded WILI Scout will display only those devices, which are sending the heartbeats to this particular WILI Scout or those devices which are reached within single multicast packet (refer to the section Heartbeat Polling via Multicast how to enable this option). To configure WILI devices to send they heartbeats to particular WILI Scout, the IP address with port 8282 of the server with the continuously running WILI Scout must be scpecified in the WILI device configuration (e.g. http://192.168.2.2:8282/heartbeat.php). Refer to the RCMS and WILI Scout Settings how to setup WILI Scout settings in the device configuration.
WILI Scout Usage
The main pane of the WILI Scout window displays icons. WILI device icons initially appears in a cluster, however, they can be moved to desired locations by clicking and dragging. Green icons show online Mesh Nodes (darker green means marked device); while gray icons indicate that a particular Mesh Node or WILI device is offline. The MESH devices are represented as bubbles while non-mesh WILI devices are displayed as squares. Each relay Mesh Node icon has a line that connects it to its parent Mesh Node (or Mesh Gateway).
The left upper pane of the WILI Scout represents the list of the WILI devices. The Mesh Nodes are ranged in the Mesh position. The devices are named by MAC addresses or by Friendly Names optionally (View -> Use friendly names option).
The left lower pane of the WILI Scout is dedicated for details of each WILI Device. All information of a selected Mesh Node is available at a glance on the Properties tab. This includes hardware information, MAC addresses, IP settings, Mesh position, etc. The Clients tab allows user to view information (MAC address and the SSID of the Service Set) of all clients connected to the selected Mesh Node. The Heartbeat tab displays the content of the last received heartbeat. The non-mesh devices does not have Mesh statistics and information about clients.
The main pane on the right of the WILI Scout frame displays graphical view of the WILI MESH network topology, relationships between the Mesh Nodes and Mesh Gateway. The number indicated on the Mesh node shows the number of clients connected to that node. Each WILI device (Mesh and Non-mesh) can be marked by its Label (View -> Show Device Labels). The Label can be chosen as IP address, MAC address or by Friendly name (View -> Customize Labels). The Links of the Mesh Nodes can be also be labeled by the signal quality (View -> Show Link Labels).
| | The information on the WILI Scout is refreshed with each new heartbeat update from any WILI device. The heartbeat interval should be specified by configuring the RCMS client on the each WILI device. |
Layout
Use File -> Layout to save current layout of the device icons or load existing layout. It is useful for monitoring a big network with volumes of device icons. Using this function you may save the chosen locations of your icons and each time after starting the WILI Scout there will be no need for placing them again.
Load Layout - click to load previously saved icon layout from local PC.
Save Layout - click to save current icon layout to local computer.
Load Diagram - click to specify the picture or diagram you want to upload on the background. It is useful using together with layout, for example placing device icons of the Mesh network in the scheme of the building where the network is.
View
Use this menu to select proper display for your needs.
Use Friendly Names - if this option is selected, the device list will be displayed in Friendly Names instead of MAC addresses. Refer to particular device user guide for instructions how to specify device Friendly Name (by default WILI device Friendly name is "name").
Show Device Labels - select this option, to display device labels near the icons in the main frame of the WILI Scout.
Show Link Labels - select this option to label links of the Mesh devices in signal quality.
Customize Labels - choose what information in the labels will be displayed near the WILI device icons [IP address/MAC address/Friendly name].
Filter - use filter to sort what devices to display:
- Show only online nodes - only online nodes will be displayed. The grey icons will be hided.
- Show only offline nodes - only offline nodes will be displayed. The green device icons will be hided.
- Show only nodes with Mesh SSID <...> - the Mesh nodes with specific SSID will be displayed, all other device icons that does not meet requirements will be hided. This option requires additional parameter SSID.
- Show only nodes with IP address <...> - only devices with indicated IP address will be displayed, all other device icons that does not meet requirements will be hided. This option requires additional parameter IP address.
- Show only nodes with firmware version <...> - only devices with indicated firmware version will be displayed, all other device icons that does not meet requirements will be hided. This option requires additional parameter Firmware version.
Heartbeat Polling via Multicast
Use heartbeat polling via multicast to discover and display all WILI devices in a single multicast packet. Navigate Tools -> Heartbeat Polling via Multicast to enable this option:
When this option enabled, you can find all WILI devices using Device Discovery Tool even WILI devices has no configured RCMS/WILI Scout settings.
Use Tools -> Heartbeat Polling Period option to change default polling period if required:
Discovery Tool
Use Device Discovery tool to discover WILI devices within reach of a single multicast packet. It is useful when WILI device is connected for the first time to local LAN with DHCP server running and you do not know what IP address is given to the WILI device. Load the WILI Scout utility navigate, Tools -> Device Discovery to run this tool:
| | The Heartbeat Polling via Multicast option should be enabled to use Device Discovery Tool |
The Device Discovery tool displays all WILI devices that responds. They are listed in the table with appropriate settings:
Device IP address - displays device IP address.
WAN IP address - displays device WAN IP address
WAN Hardware address - dislays WAN hardware MAC address
Firmware version - displays device firmware version.
Rescan - click to renew information.
Close - click to close Device Discovery window.
