Unable to Connect to BlueROV2 Heavy

Hi all,

My BlueROV2 Heavy, Navigator, Cockpit 1.15.1 is failing to see the BlueROV on the network.

Using a browser to go to 192.168.2.2 does not connect. Using Cockpit to scan for ROV systems on the network finds nothing.

The ROV sounds to have started correctly, Fathom-X interface shows 2 green lights; everything appears to be in order except that it won’t connect.

It was last used around 6 weeks ago and connected without trouble as you would expect.

All ideas gratefully received!

Rick

To update, I searched connected IPs on my network and found BlueOS at 192.168.0.46.

This is not a setting that I have changed on anything, but when I change cockpit to look at this it works. I can also access BlueOS via a browser at that address.

I don’t appear to have audio alerts working now, but I don’t know if that is related.

Does anyone know why the address changed, whether it will happen again (the guys running this will be foxed if they have to start finding new addresses), and what I need to do to restore stability?

MT

Hi @RickMoss1,

Some questions to understand your scenario:

  1. Which version of BlueOS are you using?
  2. Do you usually connect with an mDNS address (e.g. http://blueos.local), or directly with an IP address (e.g. http://192.168.2.2)?
  3. Were you connecting to your vehicle through a physical tether, or wirelessly through wifi / the BlueOS hotspot?
  4. From some looking around online, 192.168.0.46 is apparently a common default IP address for accessing the admin interface of wireless routers. Is it possible you were accessing BlueOS through your router, or that someone has accidentally changed its IP address to that of a router (e.g. when trying to connect it to wifi)?
  5. When Cockpit couldn’t find your BlueOS system, did you try to use its search for vehicles functionality, or were you not aware of it / did it not work?

The IP address(es) a BlueOS system is accessible through shouldn’t change unless you change its network configuration, e.g. by setting it to use a dynamic IP instead of a static one, or if you re-route it via a private network extender (VPN) like ZeroTier.

Thanks for your reply Eliot.

1: I have just updated to 1.15.1, but was running 1.14.X. The issue remained.

2: I normally connect using the Cockpit PC app, and when I wished to connect through a browser used 192.168.2.2

3: The BlueROV has always been connected via its’ tether, I’ve never used wireless.

4: When cockpit and QGC were unable to find it, I logged into my router (1925.168.0.1) to look at connected devices, and found BlueOS on 192.168.0.46. When I set Cockpit to this, it all worked. QGC does not work, but I haven’t found how to change the addressing on that.

5: Yes I did use the search, but it didn’t find it.

Could you tell me how to change the address of my BlueROV back to standard, and ensure it is not dynamic please?

Hi @RickMoss1 -
You’re actually reaching the system in Cockpit via the WiFi connection! That is why the IP address you’re using ok is on the same subnet as your WiFi router…This will obviously pose a challenge once the ROV is underwater… :sweat_smile:

If you can’t reach 192.168.2.2 in the browser, check that the expected address is active on Eth0 in the upper right corner of BlueOS:


(the system in this screenshot is not connected via tether currently)

Then the likely culprit is your own computer’s IP configuration - have you verified the adapter that appears when you plugin your blue FXTI box is configured with the correct IP address and subnet mask (192.168.2.1 / 255.255.255.0)?

Thanks Tony,

I’m afraid I don’t know how verify the plugin for my FXTI has the correct IP and subnet mask; it’s always just worked when I plug it together!

I’m off to Malta tomorrow to commission 2 more BlueROVs, so I assume I may have the same issue with those; hence any help will be much appreciated.


This is the one that appears when the FXTI is plugged in.

Hi @RickMoss1 -
You do know how to do this, as it must be done to ever connect to the ROV! Instructions can be found in the setup guide.

Note that you should not use the newer windows network configuration interface as shown in your screenshot - it is prone to weird bugs and conflicts with the older control-panel interface (that is still available)