Networking

The Networking tab configures IP networking on flight controllers that support it — static/DHCP addressing over Ethernet or PPP, and MAVLink/telemetry served over UDP/TCP network endpoints. It also covers configuring DroneNet peripherals over DroneCAN.

Where it is

Networking is an Expert-mode surface, and it only appears when the connected flight controller actually reports networking parameters (the NET_* family). Most flight controllers have no Ethernet or PPP hardware, so the tab is hidden on them — switch on Expert mode (top-right) and, if the board supports networking, the Networking tab appears in the sidebar.

The tab has two sub-tabs:

  • IP setup — the flight controller’s own networking (below).

  • DroneNet — a DroneCAN peripheral’s networking (further below).

Note

Not every flight controller is Ethernet/PPP-capable. If the Networking tab is not shown, your board does not expose NET_ parameters and there is nothing to configure here.

IP configuration

  • Networking (NET_ENABLE) — master switch for the onboard IP stack.

  • DHCP client (NET_DHCP) — request an address automatically, or disable it to use the static address below.

  • Static IP / Gateway / Subnet mask — the board’s address on the LAN. The subnet mask is entered as a prefix length (24 = 255.255.255.0), not a dotted quad.

  • MAC address — leave the default unless your network requires a specific MAC.

Most of these take effect only after a reboot; the tab flags the pending reboot when you apply them.

PPP (no native Ethernet)

Boards without an Ethernet MAC run networking over PPP on a serial link. To bring it up, set the carrying serial port’s protocol to PPP on the Ports tab, then enable Networking. On native-Ethernet boards, the PPP Ethernet gateway option (in Networking options) bridges a PPP peer onto the Ethernet LAN.

Network endpoints

Each endpoint turns a network socket into a serial stream carrying a protocol (usually MAVLink): choose a type (UDP/TCP, client or server), a protocol, and the IP/port. A UDP-client endpoint pointed at …​.255 broadcasts on the subnet — a common way to make telemetry discoverable on the LAN.

DroneNet peripherals

A DroneNet node (for example an AP_Periph Ethernet-switch peripheral) provides a network on the CAN bus side of the vehicle. Open the DroneNet sub-tab and the configurator auto-connects over the CAN bus to look for peripherals — no manual “Start” needed. Discovered nodes are listed; expand one and edit its network (NET_*) parameters, then Apply & Save to write them to the node over DroneCAN and persist them to its flash. You never have to leave for the CAN tab.

The full peripheral network parameter set is supported and labelled: IP addressing, network endpoints (NET_Pn_*), the PPP link (NET_PPP_*), and serial↔network passthrough (NET_PASSn_* — bridge a node UART to a TCP/UDP endpoint on the LAN). Under the hood these are ordinary DroneCAN parameter writes (the same mechanism the CAN tab uses), presented as plain network settings.