Server Deployment Instructions

You may use any cloud platform like DigitalOceanOpen external link, AWS EC2Open external link, GCPOpen external link, AzureOpen external link or even a home server to deploy this bundle.

1. Package Installation:

• Create a catkin workspace

  mkdir -p ~/catkin_ws/src
  cd ~/catkin_ws/src/

• Clone the repo into catkin_ws/src

  git clone https://github.com/whomihirpatel/4G-Networked_Robots.git
  cd 4G-Networked_Robots
  git submodule update --init

  • Install other required packages using

    pip install -r requirements.txt

  • Installation instructions for webvizOpen external link can be found hereOpen external link
  • Easiest way to deploy webviz is through webviz Docker image.

    docker run -p 'port':'port' cruise/webviz

• Build the workspace and activate it

  cd ~/catkin_ws/
  catkin_make
  source ~/catkin_ws/devel/setup.zsh

2. Web Hosting:

• Installation instructions for NGINX web server can be hound hereOpen external link
• nginx_scriptsOpen external link folder configuration files which can be used as a tempelate.
• Detailed Instructions on front-end hosting, database listing and routing VPN traffic are given in the nginx_scriptsOpen external link folder.

3. VPN Hosting:

• Installation instructions for VPN Server can be hound hereOpen external link and hereOpen external link
• Make sure to generate a unique client certificate for each robot and assign a static tun0 IP for each client.
• update the server.conf to allow inter-client communication and allow static IP assignment by adding following lines:

  ifconfig-pool-persist ipp.txt
  client-to-client
  push "route 192.168.4.0 255.255.255.0"

4. Front-end

• A front-end minimal website is developed. It can be used to connect robots to server, visualize data, check log and see server_database.
• Further instructions on front-end is given in website_front_endOpen external link folder.
• Some html snippets are taken from codepenOpen external link

​Connecting Robots to the server

• If you are using robots connected to wifi and can allow incoming web-socket traffic to your robot, you may skip to next step

• If you are using robots conencted to cellular network or have incoming traffic blocked on your wifi, you may to connect to the server via VPN tunnel and route the traffic on the server.

  • Generate a unique CA certificate for your robot. Detailed instructions hereOpen external link
  • edit the ipp.txt file in openvpn directory and add name of your CA authority (i.e. name you used in unique CA certificate), followed by desired/available static ip.

    sample,10.8.0.4,fddd:1194:1194:1194::1001

  • Route the VPN traffic from server port to VPN device port using command

    sudo iptables -t nat -A PREROUTING -p tcp --dport 10101 -j DNAT --to-destination 10.8.0.4:9090

  • Though it is advised to block external ports using sudo ufw enable and use NGINX to reverse-proxy all traffic through port 80.
    • In that case front-end will communicate with individual robots via port 80 insted of any other server port.
    • Make a nginx .conf file which reverse-proxy the external traffic to localhost. A sample robot_name.conf is provided in nginx_scriptsOpen external link folder.

• Now both, your server and robots are ready!

Author: Mihir PatelOpen external link