Change Network Address of Embedded Linux PC

Changing the IP address of the embedded Linux PC is highly discouraged, as it is very easy to lock oneself out of the system. When that happens a factory reset is necessary. Newer Raspberry Pi-based controls (wide module with a fan on top, also igus ReBeL) can be reset by rewriting the SD card, older Phytec-based ones (slim module, also DCi robots) need to be sent in to our factory in Germany since additional hardware is needed.

Nevertheless this article shows how to do it.

Note: Setting an IP address in the range 169.254.x.x may not work since this is the link local adress range.

Embedded control

The configuration depends on the type of embedded control module:

• Raspberry-Pi: Wide module with only 1 Ethernet port / igus ReBel
• Phytec: Slim module with 2 Ethernet ports

Raspberry Pi-based controls

1. Log into the Embedded Linux Computer via SSH.

2. Use a command line text editor to edit the file (a graphical client like FileZilla will not work since the file is protected). To edit the file you can use a command line text editor like nano or vim:

sudo nano /etc/dhcpcd.conf

Find and edit the following section in file /etc/dhcpcd.conf

interface eth0
static ip_address=192.168.3.11/24
#static ip6_address=fd51:42f8:caae:d92e::ff/64
static routers=192.168.3.1

3. Reboot the Embedded Linux Computer.

4. Make any changes required to your network settings on the Windows PC and/or Router.

5. Make the nessesary changes in CPRog / iRC (described below)

Phytec-based controls

1. Log into the Embedded Linux Computer via SSH.

2. Check what robot Type is referenced in /home/root/TinyCtrl/Data/Projects/EmbeddedCtrl.prj

[...]
<Robot Name="igus Gantry" Type="drylin-gantry\DLE-RG-0001" Homepos="100.0 100.0 20.0 0.0 0.0 0.0"
[...]

3. Edit the file /lib/systemd/network/eth0.network or /lib/systemd/network/10-eth0.network

[Match]
Name=eth0

[Network]
DHCP=ipv4
Address=192.168.3.11/24

[DHCP]
#When CriticalConnection is applied to networkd, the IP address will not
#change after this service was reloaded. Just reboot the system.
CriticalConnection=true

4. Reboot the Embedded Linux Computer.

5. Make any changes required to your network settings on the Windows PC and/or Router.

6. Make the nessesary changes in CPRog / iRC (described below)

CPRog / iRC

CPRog/iRC needs to be configured to connect to the new IP address.

1. First find the installation directory of CPRog/iRC: Usually C:\iRC-igusRobotControl\ or C:\CPRog\. The following Data paths are in here.

7. Start CPRog/iRC. Do not maximise the Window and check which Project (.prj) file is loaded by looking at the title bar.

8. Close CProg/iRC and open the project file (Data\Projects\<CATEGORY>\<PROJECTFILE>.prj). Check what robot file is referenced (same as in step 2).

9. Edit the robot configuration file Data\Robots\<CATEGORY>\<ROBOT_TYPE>\<ROBOT_TYPE>.xml

10. Change the IP address as shown in step 3.