Ricoh Theta X Setting static IP over Web API

ChrisFromStrabag · September 16, 2022, 12:57pm

Hi community,
I am doing development regarding Ricoh Theta X and the SPOT robot from bosotn dynamics and ran across following problem:
For the robot integration I need to set a static ip for the Ricoh Theta X in client mode, but it doesn´t work to do so over the web API. I tried the python scripts already provided by boston dynamics as well as my own test using the rest client of VS code. My own tests showed me that the parameter “ipAddressAllocation” of the command “camera._setAccessPoint” is always set on “dynamic” although I set it on “static” in my POSt request.

I use following request to access the API:

POST http://192.168.1.1/osc/commands/execute HTTP/1.1
Content-Type: application/json;charset=utf-8
Authorization: Digest THETASSID THETAPassw0rd
{
"name": "camera._setAccessPoint",
"parameters":{
"ssid": "TP-LINK_EB73B6",
"ssidStealth":"false",
"security": "WPA/WPA2 PSK",
"password": "Passw0rd",
"connectionPriority": "1",
"ipAddressAllocation": "static",
"ipAddress": "192.168.80.110",
"subnetMask": "255.255.255.0",
"defaultGateway": "192.168.80.3"
     }
}

When sending above request I get following response:

HTTP/1.1 200 OK
User-Agent: Dalvik/2.1.0 (Linux; U; Android 10; RICOH THETA X Build/QKQ1.210402.001)
X-Content-Type-Options: nosniff
Content-Length: 48
Content-Type: application/json; charset=utf-8

{
  "name": "camera._setAccessPoint",
  "state": "done"
}

But if I send following request to list all registered access points it shows there is no static ip address, it is still dynamic:

HTTP/1.1 200 OK
User-Agent: Dalvik/2.1.0 (Linux; U; Android 10; RICOH THETA X Build/QKQ1.210402.001)
X-Content-Type-Options: nosniff
Content-Length: 206
Content-Type: application/json; charset=utf-8

{
  "results": {
    "accessPoints": [
      {
        "connectionPriority": 1,
        "ipAddressAllocation": "dynamic",
        "security": "WPA/WPA2 PSK",
        "ssid": "TP-LINK_EB73B6",
        "ssidStealth": false
      }
    ]
  },
  "name": "camera._listAccessPoints",
  "state": "done"
}

So I actually assume that there maybe was an API change but not sure about that. Would be nice if someone could help me.

Thank you and best regards
Christopher

craig · September 16, 2022, 1:10pm

I’ll try and test this later today and if I can replicate it, I’ll send a note to the RICOH engineering team.

Have you tried to save the settings for the static IP address using Access Point mode?

I’m wondering if camera._setAccessPoint needs to be set with the AP mode API first and then you switch to client mode and the camera gets assigned an IP address.

Why do you need to specify static on the camera? Are you having a problem assigning a static IP to the THETA X from your router? If you don’t fill in the ipAddress and ipAddressAllocation fields, does your router still assign the THETA X a static IP?

Have you tried this with a different camera model?

I need to go to my office to get the THETA X and Z1. I have a V with me at my house that I can test. My office is close.

jcasman · September 16, 2022, 1:58pm

Christopher,

Super basic question: The camera._setAccessPoint API doc says v1.10.1 or later is required for X. Are you running the latest firmware with the X?

Jesse

ChrisFromStrabag · September 16, 2022, 2:00pm

Hi Craig,
thank you for aour answer. I ran the request for setting the accespoint/static IP when I was connect with ricoh theta in access point mode. But in client mode the ricoh theta still has a dynamic Ip assigned by my test router that is different to the static IP I tried to set before. When running the request for “camera._listAccessPoints” I get a different response compared to the response I got in the Ap mode:

HTTP/1.1 401 Unauthorized
WWW-Authenticate: Digest realm="RICOH THETA X", qop="auth", nonce="tqgZBhYQTRa3Reb64Vtbjg==", algorithm=MD5
Content-Length: 0
Content-Type: text/html

So the command did not work properly in client mode.

ChrisFromStrabag · September 16, 2022, 2:01pm

Hi Jesse,
I already double checked that, I am running version 1.20.0.

ChrisFromStrabag · September 16, 2022, 2:02pm

regarding the camera models I currently just have ricoh theta X at my office.

craig · September 16, 2022, 3:42pm

client mode comparison of V, Z1, and X with static IP assignment

THETA V fw 3.70.1

THETA V Result - Static IP Assignment Works

Test 1 with THETA X

In THETA X test 1, the V and the X are using the same Rosewill router

THETA X Result #1 - Static IP Assignment Fails

failure: no route using THETA X

test 2 with THETA X using Google brand router

using different router.

Using API attempted to assign 192.168.86.110 as static IP

THETA X result #2 - fail

router assigned 192.168.86.49 (incorrect dynamic IP)

This is different from the expected behavior and different than the THETA V behavior.

replicate test with RICOH THETA Z1 with fw 2.10.3 and Google router

Using API attempted to assign 192.168.86.110 as static IP

Z1 Result - success

router assigned 192.168.86.110

router assigned IP address as expected. Behavior is the same as THETA V and different from THETA X.

conclusion

The behavior of the THETA X appears to be different from the THETA Z1 and and THETA V. The THETA V and Z1 appear to behave per the documentation.

Suggest @jcasman ask RICOH engineering if there is a way to set the static IP address of the THETA X for client mode operation

jcasman · September 17, 2022, 12:34am

@craig I’ll connect with you on these tests on Monday before I communicate with RICOH.

craig · September 17, 2022, 1:33pm

@jcasman

I performed 4 tests using three different camera models and two different routers.

The THETA V and Z1 work the same on both of the routers tested. They are assigned a static IP address per the documentation.

The THETA X works differently from the V and Z1 and is assigned a dynamic IP address with the same command that works with a static IP address on the V and Z1.

ChrisFromStrabag · September 19, 2022, 6:57am

Ok, thanks for this Information. My colleague suspected that the problem may just affect ricoh theta x, but we weren´t able to test it since our ricoh theta v is currently in another country. And also thanks for connecting with the engineering team to find a solution for ricoh theta x, because we have two of them and would be happy if could use them :D.

craig · September 19, 2022, 1:16pm

As an interim solution, can you configure the router to assign a static IP to the THETA X using the MAC address of the THETA X?

ChrisFromStrabag · September 19, 2022, 4:12pm

Since my “router” is a SPOT robot there are not many options for configurating the AP settings and I am pretty sure I can´t set a static IP over that way. But I will double check tomorrow. Thanks for your suggested solution.

craig · September 19, 2022, 5:05pm

We want to encourage RICOH to get the X API for static IP settings to be the same as the Z1 and V. However, if a permanent solution requires a firmware modification, that solution will take time. As an interim solution, you may need to control the IP address with a network router that assigns static IP addresses to specified hardware that are identified by the MAC address.

Isn’t the SPOT robot and the THETA X connecting to a separate Wi-Fi router?

If the spot robot is connecting in client mode to an on-site router and the THETA X is connecting in client mode to an onsite router, then you should be able to set IP address based on a MAC address table on the wifi router.

On my router, the setting is:

It may be inconvenient or not possible for you to get admin access to the router at the job site.

ChrisFromStrabag · September 20, 2022, 9:20am

Actually the docker service from boston dynamics we want to use with the camera requires the SPOT in AP mode. And there is sadly no configuration option for the router inside SPOT. So we will try to get a Ricoh Theta V from another department of our company during we wait for a fix or firmware adjustment from Ricoh.
Thank you again for your comprehensive help and hints.

Salvatore_Cino · October 20, 2022, 12:43pm

Hi community,

we are currently facing the same issue using the 1.30.0 firmware. We currently assign static ip to the camera through the router, we just wanted to understand if there is a plan to fix the camera._set_access_point behaviour on the Ricoh Theta X.

Thank you and best regards,
Salvatore

craig · October 20, 2022, 4:23pm

I don’t work for RICOH, but I have informally spoken to representatives from RICOH about this. I believe there are plans to fix this. However, I cannot provide a guarantee or timeline. I will pass on your information to RICOH.

Salvatore_Cino · October 20, 2022, 6:34pm

Thank you so much @craig for the efforts, very appreciated.

Best regards,
Salvatore

ChrisFromStrabag · November 2, 2022, 9:28am

@jcasman @craig Is there any update regarding the fixing of the Ricoh Theta X API or can you give me a contact who could tell me that? Because we are currently working with a Rioh Theta V but also have some Ricoh Theta X, so we would like to plan how we can use these in the next months. But the possible usage depends on the functionality of the API. So it would be nice if we could get a roughly estimation how long it may take to update/fix the API. Do we talk about weeks, months or years?
Best regards
Chris

craig · November 2, 2022, 1:17pm

@ChrisFromStrabag thank you for asking your question. I’ll try and find someone at RICOH to answer your question.

jcasman · November 4, 2022, 3:44pm

@ChrisFromStrabag We sent you a DM here with some more information. Did you see it?