Call Home Remote Management

If using multiple Conduits®, this procedure speeds the setup process by registering your Conduits in DeviceHQ® before you run initial device setup. This enables each Conduit to call home for configuration files, firmware updates, and Node-RED applications and adds your DeviceHQ account key to the Conduit so it is associated with your DeviceHQ account. The Call Home function is disabled after the you exit the Conduit’s First Time Setup Wizard for each unit.

Note:  For AEP versions 1.4.14, 1.5.x or higher, the Call Home feature is disabled by default.  The device only calls home if the First Time Startup Wizard has not been started and exited, and if the Call Home feature has been explicitly enabled.

To enable or disable the call home feature on the device without starting First Time Setup and exiting to the command line,  enter the following API commands (example curl commands executed on localhost):

  • curl -s -X POST -H ‘Content-Type: application/json’ -d ‘{}’ http://127.0.0.1/api/command/call_home_enable
  • curl -s -X POST -H ‘Content-Type: application/json’ -d ‘{}’ http://127.0.0.1/api/command/call_home_disable

These two new scripts (call_home_enable and call_home_disable)  enable and disable call home. The call_home init script is still in /etc/init.d, and the call_home_enable script is used to enable call home by adding the call_home init script to the run levels via update-rc.d.  Likewise, the call_home_disable script is used to remove the call_home init script from the run levels with update-rc.d.

In addition to running the enable command above, you will also need:

  • A DeviceHQ account, if you do not have a DeviceHQ account, go to https://www.devicehq.com/, click Register Account and complete the registration form. For more information, go to DeviceHQ.
  • To have Call Home download configuration files, upload the configuration file to DeviceHQ. For more information go to Generating a Configuration File [the linked post is not published yet]
  • One or more Conduits, with any SIM card, battery, SD card, and mCards installed. (These accessories are optional.)

 

Setting Up Call Home

To register Conduits in DeviceHQ and queue configuration files, firmware updates, and application installs:

  1. Log onto DeviceHQ. Click Devices, then click the Action icon.
  2. Select Register Device from the Action pulldown menu.
  3. Register the Conduit with DeviceHQ, by entering its Serial Number and UUID. Serial number and UUID are on the Conduit label. Then, click OK. The Conduit appears in the device list.
  4. Repeat Step 3 for each Conduit that you want to register.
  5. Click the check boxes for each Conduit you want to select.
  6. Click the Action icon and select Upgrade Config to schedule the configuration file you want to download to the Conduit.
  7. Select a configuration File from the drop down.
  8. Leave Selected Devices for the Apply to setting and click OK.
  9. To schedule firmware updates for the selected Conduits, click the Action icon and select Upgrade Firmware.
  10. Select a firmware File from the drop down and click OK.
  11. To install a Node-RED app, click the Action icon and select Install App.
  12. Select the app Name and Version. Click Schedule Action.
  13. Repeat Steps 11 and 12 for each Node-RED app you want to install.

 

Calling Home

To call home to receive the queued files:

  1. Connect a Conduit to the Internet through the Ethernet connector on the back panel. The Conduit uses DHCP to access the Internet for IP, gateway, and DNS settings.
  2. Connect the Conduit’s power cord to a power source and to the barrel jack on the Conduit’s back panel. The Power LED comes on immediately. Wait for the Status LED to begin blinking.The Conduit boots up and automatically connects to DeviceHQ. DeviceHQ downloads queued files and apps. Check the status on DeviceHQ to ensure the Conduit successfully connected.

Repeat this procedure for each Conduit you registered in DeviceHQ.