Custom Setup on Ubuntu¶

Introduction¶

If you need more permanent solution than HARDWARIO Playground you can install all the services yourself in your system. This guide will help you to install and configure these services:

HARDWARIO Gateway bcg
HARDWARIO Firmware Tool bcf
HARDWARIO Host Tool bch
Mosquitto MQTT broker
Node-RED
The process manager pm2

Playground Setup on Ubuntu¶

open Terminal application

Step 1: Upgrade all packages¶

sudo apt update && sudo apt upgrade

Step 2: Install Mosquitto server and clients¶

sudo apt install mosquitto mosquitto-clients

Step 3: Install Node.js version 6 (required by Node-RED)¶

sudo apt install nodejs libnode64 npm

Step 4: Install Node-RED¶

sudo npm install -g --unsafe-perm node-red

Step 5: Install node-red-dashboard for graphs, gauges, buttons¶

sudo npm install -g node-red-dashboard

Step 6: Install PM2¶

sudo npm install -g pm2

Step 7: Tell PM2 to run Node-RED¶

pm2 start `which node-red`

Step 8: Tell PM2 to run on boot¶

pm2 save

pm2 startup systemd

Warning

Now you must follow the instructions provided by the command pm2 startup systemd.

Step 9: Install Python 3 (required by the HARDWARIO Firmware Tool and HARDWARIO Gateway)¶

sudo apt install python3.8 python3-pip

Step 10: Update pip (Python Package Manager) to the latest version¶

sudo pip3 install --upgrade --no-cache-dir pip

Step 11: Install the HARDWARIO Firmware Tool¶

sudo pip3 install --upgrade --no-cache-dir bcf

Step 12: Install the HARDWARIO Gateway¶

sudo pip3 install --upgrade --no-cache-dir bcg

Step 13: Add yourself to the dialout user group¶

sudo usermod $USER -a -G dialout

Step 14: Plug the HARDWARIO Radio Dongle into a USB port¶

Step 15: List the available devices¶

bcf devices

Tip

You can use -v parameter to see verbose information about the connected devices (possibly helping you to identify them).

Step 16: Upload the latest firmware into the HARDWARIO Radio Dongle¶

bcf update

bcf flash hardwario/bcf-gateway-usb-dongle:latest

Step 17: Start the HARDWARIO Gateway as PM2 service¶

pm2 start `which python3` --name "bcg-ud" -- `which bcg` --device ...

Important

Replace ... with the device listed using bcf devices.

Warning

If you want to update firmware in the Radio Dongle, first you have to stop bcg by the command pm2 stop bcg-ud. After update, restart the service by the command pm2 restart bcg-ud.

Step 18: Open your web browser with the URL¶

http://localhost:1880/

Playground Upgrade on Ubuntu¶

Upgrade all the packages¶

sudo apt update && sudo apt upgrade

Upgrade Node-RED¶

sudo npm update -g node-red

Upgrade PM2¶

sudo npm update -g pm2

Upgrade the HARDWARIO Firmware Tool¶

sudo pip3 install --upgrade --no-cache-dir bcf

Upgrade the HARDWARIO Gateway¶

sudo pip3 install --upgrade --no-cache-dir bcg