# Setting up test computer **URL:** \ **Category:** Blue Robotics Software\ **Created:** [April 17, 2018, 4:20am UTC](https://discuss.bluerobotics.com/t/setting-up-test-computer/2493 "2018-04-17T04:20:36Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![BigAl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ea666f/32.png) [@BigAl](https://discuss.bluerobotics.com/u/BigAl)\ **Post date:** [April 17, 2018, 4:20am UTC](https://discuss.bluerobotics.com/t/setting-up-test-computer/2493/1 "2018-04-17T04:20:36Z")
I am trying to set up a test setup primarily to try and learn how Mavlink works. I have some ideas I want to try I have a - rPi3 - rPi camera - pixhawk - no other sensors connected I have copied the companion s/w on to the rPi and ran setup up. It doesn’t start automatically on reboot. What files are scripts do I need to add to make this work. In fact I don’t know what scripts to start to run t either Also can I change the IP address on gGroundControl from 192.168.2.1 is the same as my router and it is a pain fiddling with my network each time ---
**Author:** ![patrickelectric](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/flex019/user_avatar/discuss.bluerobotics.com/patrickelectric/32/2162_2.png) [@patrickelectric](https://discuss.bluerobotics.com/u/patrickelectric)\ **Post date:** [April 17, 2018, 11:33am UTC](https://discuss.bluerobotics.com/t/setting-up-test-computer/2493/2 "2018-04-17T11:33:09Z")
Hi Alan, For now, it’s not possible to install companion manually. > [@Manual Companion RPi Install?](https://discuss.bluerobotics.com/t/manual-companion-rpi-install/2178): > > We would like to use the Simulink/ROS stack available via MathWorks for some controls experiments with our new BlueROV2, and from the Simulink side this is done by using Mathworks’ pre-canned image in the RPi side (some Raspbian version and a ROS Indigo build that works with it). I’d like this to run on the companion RPi, as we are moving towards “cutting the tether”, but I see the standard way of configuring the companion RPi is also via an image. Is there 1) a reasonably straightforward way … > [@BigAl](#): > > It doesn’t start automatically on reboot. For that, you’ll need to make [.companion.rc](https://github.com/bluerobotics/companion/blob/master/.companion.rc) to start with the system, this will call all necessary companion components. > [@BigAl](#): > > Also can I change the IP address on gGroundControl from 192.168.2.1 is the same as my router and it is a pain fiddling with my network each time You can use [set\_default\_client\_ip.sh](https://github.com/bluerobotics/companion/blob/master/scripts/set_default_client_ip.sh) (E.g: `./set_default_client_ip.sh 192.168.2.2`) to set the raspberry IP address for ethernet connection. If you are running a Linux in your surface computer, you can use nmap to find the ip while scanning port 22 (E.g: `nmap 192.168.0.1-255 -p 22`). Can you use the [companion image](http://docs.bluerobotics.com/downloads/#raspberry-pi-images) ? ---
**Author:** ![BigAl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ea666f/32.png) [@BigAl](https://discuss.bluerobotics.com/u/BigAl)\ **Post date:** [April 17, 2018, 12:34pm UTC](https://discuss.bluerobotics.com/t/setting-up-test-computer/2493/3 "2018-04-17T12:34:52Z")
Thanks, I will try flashing the image onto my rPi. That hopefully will be the easiest solution. I didn’t know where to find it ---
**Author:** ![jwalser](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/flex019/user_avatar/discuss.bluerobotics.com/jwalser/32/2234_2.png) [@jwalser](https://discuss.bluerobotics.com/u/jwalser)\ **Post date:** [April 17, 2018, 12:42pm UTC](https://discuss.bluerobotics.com/t/setting-up-test-computer/2493/4 "2018-04-17T12:42:02Z")
> [@patrickelectric](#): > > You can use set\_default\_client\_ip.sh (E.g: ./set\_default\_client\_ip.sh 192.168.2.2) to set the raspberry IP address for ethernet connection. If you are running a Linux in your surface computer, you can use nmap to find the ip while scanning port 22 (E.g: nmap 192.168.0.1-255 -p 22). This script will require a reboot for the new ip to take effect. Also, this function is available in the web ui at [http://192.168.2.2:2770/network](http://192.168.2.2:2770/network). ---
**Author:** ![BigAl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ea666f/32.png) [@BigAl](https://discuss.bluerobotics.com/u/BigAl)\ **Post date:** [April 18, 2018, 4:36am UTC](https://discuss.bluerobotics.com/t/setting-up-test-computer/2493/5 "2018-04-18T04:36:16Z")
Thanks for your help. I re flashed my rPi and it is working how I intended. Just one further point. What port is MavLink streaming its messages ? I would like to connect to this data stream for further processing and logging of the data. I am writing a photogrammetry application. I am also looking at seeing if I can get a dead reackoning function working using the thruster values and the IMU. Regards, Alan ---
**Author:** ![patrickelectric](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/flex019/user_avatar/discuss.bluerobotics.com/patrickelectric/32/2162_2.png) [@patrickelectric](https://discuss.bluerobotics.com/u/patrickelectric)\ **Post date:** [April 18, 2018, 2:01pm UTC](https://discuss.bluerobotics.com/t/setting-up-test-computer/2493/6 "2018-04-18T14:01:35Z")
Hi Alan, You can take a further look in [ardusub software components webpage](https://www.ardusub.com/software/components.html) to understand how the companion system works. MAProxy sends the protocol using UDP in 14550. ---
**Author:** ![BigAl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ea666f/32.png) [@BigAl](https://discuss.bluerobotics.com/u/BigAl)\ **Post date:** [April 18, 2018, 3:58pm UTC](https://discuss.bluerobotics.com/t/setting-up-test-computer/2493/7 "2018-04-18T15:58:55Z")
Thanks I’ll have a look. I am using C and UDP sockets look to be a bit different to TCPIP sockets which I have used in the past. I can connect as a client on 14550 but can’t receive the data stream. I’ll do some research ---
**Author:** ![BigAl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ea666f/32.png) [@BigAl](https://discuss.bluerobotics.com/u/BigAl)\ **Post date:** [April 19, 2018, 2:23am UTC](https://discuss.bluerobotics.com/t/setting-up-test-computer/2493/8 "2018-04-19T02:23:01Z")
I think I am missing something. 1. I assume that data is being streamed continuously on port 14550 - no need to send any commands to the server 2. port 14550 is used by QGroundcontrol. I assume only one client can access this at a time. 3. I tried this very simple python code to see if I could connect and see data. I could connect (Qgroundcontrol was off) but no data was output. ```auto import socket serverAddressPort = ("192.168.2.2", 14550) bufferSize = 1024 # Create a UDP socket at client side UDPClientSocket = socket.socket(family=socket.AF_INET, type=socket.SOCK_DGRAM) msgFromServer = UDPClientSocket.recvfrom(bufferSize) msg = "Message from Server {}".format(msgFromServer[0]) print(msg) ``` 1. I tried finding the connection code in QGroundControl but it is too obtuse to locate. Any help would be appreciated. ---
**Author:** ![patrickelectric](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/flex019/user_avatar/discuss.bluerobotics.com/patrickelectric/32/2162_2.png) [@patrickelectric](https://discuss.bluerobotics.com/u/patrickelectric)\ **Post date:** [April 19, 2018, 12:47pm UTC](https://discuss.bluerobotics.com/t/setting-up-test-computer/2493/9 "2018-04-19T12:47:08Z")
Hi Alan, You need to specify the server address and port to the socket object, looking in the [socket documentation](https://docs.python.org/2/library/socket.html#socket-objects) you can see the _bind_ function. `Bind the socket to address. The socket must not already be bound. (The format of address depends on the address family — see above.)` ---
**Author:** ![BigAl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ea666f/32.png) [@BigAl](https://discuss.bluerobotics.com/u/BigAl)\ **Post date:** [April 19, 2018, 2:22pm UTC](https://discuss.bluerobotics.com/t/setting-up-test-computer/2493/10 "2018-04-19T14:22:43Z")
Ok I am assuming i connect as a client to the rpi Ip 192.168.2.2 port 14550 Or should i be the server (from my pc) and therefore use bind ? ---
**Author:** ![BigAl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ea666f/32.png) [@BigAl](https://discuss.bluerobotics.com/u/BigAl)\ **Post date:** [April 19, 2018, 2:25pm UTC](https://discuss.bluerobotics.com/t/setting-up-test-computer/2493/11 "2018-04-19T14:25:45Z")
I left out a couple of l8nes in the python code where i send a msg to 192.168.2.2 14550 and then listen for a response. I just sent a hello string but do i need to send a proper mavlink message ? I assume that data is being continuosly streamed from the rpi ---
**Author:** ![jwalser](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/flex019/user_avatar/discuss.bluerobotics.com/jwalser/32/2234_2.png) [@jwalser](https://discuss.bluerobotics.com/u/jwalser)\ **Post date:** [April 19, 2018, 2:49pm UTC](https://discuss.bluerobotics.com/t/setting-up-test-computer/2493/12 "2018-04-19T14:49:48Z")
> [@BigAl](#): > > Or should i be the server (from my pc) and therefore use bind ? Yes. The pi is sending data to 192.168.2.1:14550 (default), or whatever else you may have set it to. To test that the data is coming in with the default setup, you can use the command `nc -ul 192.168.2.1:14550` on your topside machine. ---
**Author:** ![BigAl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ea666f/32.png) [@BigAl](https://discuss.bluerobotics.com/u/BigAl)\ **Post date:** [April 19, 2018, 3:21pm UTC](https://discuss.bluerobotics.com/t/setting-up-test-computer/2493/13 "2018-04-19T15:21:03Z")
Ok Thanks should be able to work it out now. I am not using 192.168.2.1 on my pc (my router address). But i will change to test. Is it possible to set the data stream to another ip ? ---
**Author:** ![jwalser](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/flex019/user_avatar/discuss.bluerobotics.com/jwalser/32/2234_2.png) [@jwalser](https://discuss.bluerobotics.com/u/jwalser)\ **Post date:** [April 19, 2018, 3:23pm UTC](https://discuss.bluerobotics.com/t/setting-up-test-computer/2493/14 "2018-04-19T15:23:48Z")
Yes. > [@Setting up test computer](https://discuss.bluerobotics.com/t/setting-up-test-computer/2493/4): > > This script will require a reboot for the new ip to take effect. Also, this function is available in the web ui at [http://192.168.2.2:2770/network](http://192.168.2.2:2770/network). ---
**Author:** ![BigAl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ea666f/32.png) [@BigAl](https://discuss.bluerobotics.com/u/BigAl)\ **Post date:** [April 20, 2018, 1:49pm UTC](https://discuss.bluerobotics.com/t/setting-up-test-computer/2493/15 "2018-04-20T13:49:45Z")
Thanks for all your help i have it all working perfectly now ---
**Author:** ![BigAl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ea666f/32.png) [@BigAl](https://discuss.bluerobotics.com/u/BigAl)\ **Post date:** [April 22, 2018, 1:18pm UTC](https://discuss.bluerobotics.com/t/setting-up-test-computer/2493/16 "2018-04-22T13:18:08Z")
Just a quick clarification. As well as reading streamed data on port 14550. Can I send data back out on the same port ? Is there a script running that listens for data on 14550 ? I would like to try and stream GPS data (bypass nmea-receiver.py) to the pixhawk directly. The purpose is to understand the communications between the GCS and the Pixhawk. To do this I am using two functions. - mavlink\_msg\_gps\_raw\_int\_pack\_chan(… - mavlink\_msg\_to\_send\_buffer(…; and the write the buffer to the socket. ---
**Author:** ![patrickelectric](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/flex019/user_avatar/discuss.bluerobotics.com/patrickelectric/32/2162_2.png) [@patrickelectric](https://discuss.bluerobotics.com/u/patrickelectric)\ **Post date:** [April 22, 2018, 2:32pm UTC](https://discuss.bluerobotics.com/t/setting-up-test-computer/2493/17 "2018-04-22T14:32:19Z")
Hi Alan, Yes, 14550 is a bidirectional port, mavproxy can read from it. Now, about the GPS, you can take a look in [gps-position ( **Sending GPS position to ROV** )](https://www.ardusub.com/developers/gps-positioning.html) from ArduSub gitbook. MAVProxy will receive position data from `25100`, you check the example to test it. Also, it’s possible to send possition via pymavlink, take a look in [pymavlink ( **Send GPS position** )](https://www.ardusub.com/developers/pymavlink.html) examples of ArduSub gitbook. ---
**Author:** ![jwalser](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/flex019/user_avatar/discuss.bluerobotics.com/jwalser/32/2234_2.png) [@jwalser](https://discuss.bluerobotics.com/u/jwalser)\ **Post date:** [April 22, 2018, 2:34pm UTC](https://discuss.bluerobotics.com/t/setting-up-test-computer/2493/18 "2018-04-22T14:34:54Z")
GPS\_RAW\_INT is the wrong message for this; this message is only for autopilot feedback/status updates on the current position. The one to use is GPS\_INPUT. ---
**Author:** ![BigAl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ea666f/32.png) [@BigAl](https://discuss.bluerobotics.com/u/BigAl)\ **Post date:** [April 23, 2018, 2:47am UTC](https://discuss.bluerobotics.com/t/setting-up-test-computer/2493/19 "2018-04-23T02:47:20Z")
I have tried sending ‘GPS\_INPUT’ on port 14550 but reading message GLOBAL\_POSITION\_INT which I would assume is the processed EKF solution shows nothing. I also tried sending on port 25100 but same result. Is the socket 25100 on the ROV running as server or a client ? ``` { ``` ---
**Author:** ![jwalser](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/flex019/user_avatar/discuss.bluerobotics.com/jwalser/32/2234_2.png) [@jwalser](https://discuss.bluerobotics.com/u/jwalser)\ **Post date:** [April 23, 2018, 3:07am UTC](https://discuss.bluerobotics.com/t/setting-up-test-computer/2493/20 "2018-04-23T03:07:28Z")
What version of companion do you have? ([http://192.168.2.2:2770/system](http://192.168.2.2:2770/system)) You can see all of the code [here](https://github.com/bluerobotics/companion), this same project is in the home directory on the pi. More specifically, you can see the code for the _server_ [here](https://github.com/bluerobotics/companion/blob/master/tools/nmea-receiver.py), and modify it too. Maybe add some print statements to see what’s going on. On a pi console, you can enter `screen -r nmearx` to get back to the process that is started at boot. From there you can exit it, modify the script and just run it again. [Next page](https://discuss.bluerobotics.com/t/setting-up-test-computer/2493.md?page=2)