instructions for otbr web gui commissioning

[mjkuwp94]

Hello,

I have built a fresh otbr on a Raspberry pi, built using ethernet as the connection.

I did the FORM and everything seems to be running ok according to the status page.
border router is the leader and it is 'associated'

I have had networks running before, previously used the OpenThread Android App and also had a network running with the Kirale Kibra router.  I am familiar with the cli on the Nordic nRF52840 / PCA10059.  

what I expect to do is on the cli of a FTD or MTD dongle.
ifconfig up
joiner start MYKEY

after starting the commissioner or 'joining function' on another device.

the otbr has a tab labelled Commission

with fields:

Network Passphrase *

Joiner PSKD *

It is not clear to me what to enter in these fields and what I have tried results in a popup almost immediately stating;
"Information
Commission operation is failed"

can anyone help?

thanks!

PS, I have done a similar commissioning/joining method with the Kibra border router that involves just the web interface to the border router and the cli interface on the device wishing to join.  I just needed a short password to be entered the same on both ends.

[mjkuwp94]

maybe I should simplify.
 - is the Commisioner tab of the otbr gui meant to work? or is it future functionality?

- of the options for helping  a new device to join the network why isn't one of the options listed to use this tab?


there are 3 options on this page
https://openthread.io/guides/border-router/external-commissioning?comm=ot-commissioner-app

OT Commissioner CLI
OT Commissioner Android App
Thread Group Android App

on a build a couple of weeks ago I used the Android App but I prefer to skip the app and use the web gui based commissioner

but it does not show up in this guide as an option.

[Jonathan Hui]

The "Network Passphrase" should match the "Passphrase" parameter that was used when forming the Thread network.

The PSKd should be the device's unique pre-shared key.

We don't have a comprehensive guide for the web UI because we don't expect the web UI to be used in production.

--

Jonathan Hui

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[mjkuwp94]

ok, that makes sense except that when i do that the function fails to start.  I have a very fresh build created from an empty SD card yesterday and source code downloaded yesterday, etc.  I think I am following the guides and things appear smooth until the functional testing.

generally I think something that would be helpful is a glossary of terms.  For people really experienced (as I am in other fields) it can be easy to forget how foreign the terminology is.  I'm not qualified to make it but I working to make my own cheat sheet to try keeping the terms together.  PSKd is something that doesn't stay constant across different resources or so it seems.

example here:
https://github.com/openthread/openthread/issues/2156

"The Joiner Device Credential and PSKd are essentially the same thing, the only difference is the encoding."

"The PSKd is in raw binary form, and is what the underlying OpenThread code uses"

I have been using these commands in the cli devices

factoryreset

ifconfig up

joiner start MARK25

where MARK25 is my PSKd ?

and on Kibra from the company Kirale I can enter MARK25 into the gui tool for the commissioner and my device joins.

but the Kibra device did not stay stable over time - fails during hours of ping tests and so I am back to trying openthread.  : )

[Jonathan Hui]

On Fri, Mar 19, 2021 at 10:54 AM mjkuwp94 <mjk...@gmail.com> wrote:

ok, that makes sense except that when i do that the function fails to start.  I have a very fresh build created from an empty SD card yesterday and source code downloaded yesterday, etc.  I think I am following the guides and things appear smooth until the functional testing.

The web UI is effectively issuing OT CLI calls. Can you try using ot-ctl from the console and issuing the equivalent commands:

commissioner start

commissioner joiner add * <pskd>

 

You can read more about the Commissioner CLI in src/cli/README_COMMISSIONING.md

generally I think something that would be helpful is a glossary of terms.  For people really experienced (as I am in other fields) it can be easy to forget how foreign the terminology is.  I'm not qualified to make it but I working to make my own cheat sheet to try keeping the terms together.  PSKd is something that doesn't stay constant across different resources or so it seems.

Glossary of terms is a good idea, but we haven't had a chance to create one. If anyone would like to work on this, contributions are always welcome.

Joiner Device Credential and PSKd should be synonymous.

example here:
https://github.com/openthread/openthread/issues/2156

"The Joiner Device Credential and PSKd are essentially the same thing, the only difference is the encoding."

"The PSKd is in raw binary form, and is what the underlying OpenThread code uses"

This definition is actually incorrect. The Joiner Device Credential and PSKd are exactly the same - there is no difference in encoding.

 

I have been using these commands in the cli devices

factoryreset

ifconfig up

joiner start MARK25

where MARK25 is my PSKd ?

Correct.

--
Jonathan Hui

[mjkuwp94]

"commissioner start

commissioner joiner add * <pskd>

that functioned as it should : )
1. I had to run this with sudo
sudo ot-ctl

and then those commands with my PSKd

the device that I wanted to add to the network indicated a join success.! good!

I checked the networkname and it did not match the network that I had configured prior.  So, maybe everything has to be done within one session of ot-ctl?

I think this gives me enough hints on what to do next, thanks!
best,
mark