Create 3 connection problem with PC via ethernet cable.

[omerdurmus61]

How are you connecting to your Create 3?

Wi-Fi and USB Ethernet (ROS 2)

Computer(s) Model(s) and Operating System(s)

Intel Nuce Ubuntu 22.04

Which version of ROS 2 is installed on your computer?

Humble

Which firmware version is installed on your robot?

H.2.4

Which RMW is your robot running?

FastRTPS

Does your robot have an assigned namespace? If so, please share.

No

Is the robot connected to a network? If so, what is the network type?

Office

Are there multiple Create 3 robots connected to your network?

No

Is multicast enabled?

No

What is the Adapter Board's USB/BLE Toggle currently switched to?

USB

Describe your question.

Hello everyone, I have an Intel NUC mini PC on my Create 3 robot. There is an RPLIDAR A1 connected to the mini PC in my setup. I can access Create 3 topics from my laptop over WiFi. When I work with Nav2 and SLAM packages on my laptop (over WiFi), I encounter some errors due to delays. So, I decided to connect to the Create 3 via an Ethernet cable and run Nav2 and SLAM packages on the mini PC to avoid delays. On the mini PC, I navigated to the wired connection settings and changed the IPv4 method to manual, inputting an address of 192.168.186.3 and a netmask of 255.255.0.0. After completing that step, when I navigate to 192.168.186.2 in my browser, I can see the web server of the Create 3. However, when I run the 'ros2 topic list' command in the terminal, I couldn't see the Create 3 topics on my mini PC. Afterward, I used an XML file for FastRTPS RMW to disable multicasting. While this allowed me to see the Create 3 topics, I encountered issues such as being unable to run the launch file of my RPLIDAR and not being able to see the '/scan' topic on my mini PC. Additionally, I cannot see any of the topics I have published on the mini PC; I can only see the topics of the Create 3. Below is my XML file.

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8" ?>
<profiles xmlns="http://www.eprosima.com/XMLSchemas/fastRTPS_Profiles">
   <participant profile_name="unicast_connection" is_default_profile="true">
       <rtps>
           <builtin>
               <metatrafficUnicastLocatorList>
                   <locator/>
               </metatrafficUnicastLocatorList>
               <initialPeersList>
                   <locator>
                       <udpv4>
                           <address>192.168.186.2</address>
                       </udpv4>
                   </locator>
               </initialPeersList>
           </builtin>
       </rtps>
   </participant>
</profiles>

[slowrunner]

@omerdurmus61 DISCLAIMER: I am a Create3 user, not affiliated in any way with iRobot Education. YMMV

I SUSPECT your configuration needs a FastDDS Discovery Server to tie all three parts together like this:

I could be totally wrong - I am quite new to this myself.

• ============= DISCOVERY SERVER SETUP =============

Step by Step ( A GUESS - MY ENVIRONMENT IS DIFFERENT )

Starting point: Create3, ComputeBoard, and Desktop all running ROS 2 Humble FastDDS "Simple Discovery" - Full visibility on all three.
(I do not know why with multicast on your devices could not discover each other)

6. Setup Discovery Server to start on "Compute Board" (CB):

• CB: Add configs/super_client_configuration_file.xml with IP of 127.0.0.1:11811
  FILE REF: super_client_configuration_file.xml

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8" ?>
<dds>
    <profiles xmlns="http://www.eprosima.com/XMLSchemas/fastRTPS_Profiles">
        <participant profile_name="super_client_profile" is_default_profile="true">
            <rtps>
                <builtin>
                    <discovery_config>
                        <discoveryProtocol>SUPER_CLIENT</discoveryProtocol>
                        <discoveryServersList>
                            <RemoteServer prefix="44.53.00.5f.45.50.52.4f.53.49.4d.41">
                                <metatrafficUnicastLocatorList>
                                    <locator>
                                        <udpv4>
                                            <address>127.0.0.1</address>
                                            <port>11811</port>
                                        </udpv4>
                                    </locator>
                                </metatrafficUnicastLocatorList>
                            </RemoteServer>
                        </discoveryServersList>
                    </discovery_config>
                </builtin>
            </rtps>
        </participant>
    </profiles>
</dds>

• CB: Add to end of ~/.bashrc:

export ROS_DISCOVERY_SERVER="127.0.0.1:11811"
export FASTRTPS_DEFAULT_PROFILES_FILE=/home/ubuntu/configs/super_client_configuration_file.xml

• CB: Configure Discovery Server to run in background - (replace CB_wifi_IP with actual IPv4 x.x.x.x)

# echo -e "\n*** Start FastDDS Discovery Server"
echo '*** fastdds discovery -i 0 -l 192.168.186.3 -p 11811 -l CB_wifi_IP -p 11811 -l 127.0.0.1 -p 11811 &'
fasts discovery -i 0 -l 192.168.186.3 -p 11811 -l CB_wifi_IP -p 11811 -l 127.0.0.1 -p 11811 &
export ROS_DISCOVERY_SERVER="127.0.0.1:11811"
export FASTRTPS_DEFAULT_PROFILES_FILE=/home/ubuntu/configs/super_client_configuration_file.xml

7. Create3: Enable Fast DDS discovery server in Create3 Application Configuration

   • check Enable Fast DDS discovery server? box
   • Enter 192.168.186.3:11811 (looks like it is there but need to enter it)
   • Click Save
   • Click Restart Application

8. Configure desktop ROS CLI and any nodes to be "SuperClients" of discovery server:

• Desktop: Create file /home/ubuntu/configs/super_client_configuration_file.xml: (replace CB_WIFI_IP with actual IPv4 x.x.x.x)

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8" ?>
<dds>
    <profiles xmlns="http://www.eprosima.com/XMLSchemas/fastRTPS_Profiles">
        <participant profile_name="super_client_profile" is_default_profile="true">
            <rtps>
                <builtin>
                    <discovery_config>
                        <discoveryProtocol>SUPER_CLIENT</discoveryProtocol>
                        <discoveryServersList>
                            <RemoteServer prefix="44.53.00.5f.45.50.52.4f.53.49.4d.41">
                                <metatrafficUnicastLocatorList>
                                    <locator>
                                        <udpv4>
                                            <address>CB_WIFI_IP</address>
                                            <port>11811</port>
                                        </udpv4>
                                    </locator>
                                </metatrafficUnicastLocatorList>
                            </RemoteServer>
                        </discoveryServersList>
                    </discovery_config>
                </builtin>
            </rtps>
        </participant>
    </profiles>
</dds>

• Desktop: Add to ~/.bashrc:

export FASTRTPS_DEFAULT_PROFILES_FILE=/home/ubuntu/configs/super_client_configuration_file.xml
export ROS_DISCOVERY_SERVER=10.0.0.219:11811

8. CB: Confirm Create3 topics visible on Compute Board (/dock_status, /odom, /ir_intensity)

   • Confirm immediately
   • Confirm after doing a warm boot of Pi5
   • Confirm after doing a storage/ship shutdown, boot of Create3 and ComputeBoard

9. ComputeBoard: Confirm ComputeBoard topics seen by Create3 (publisth /cmd_vel, publish /dock)

10. Desktop: Confirm Create3 topics reach desktop (/battery_state, /dock_status) and rviz (/odom)

11. Desktop: Confirm ComputeBoard topics reach rviz (/mapUpdate, /oak/color/image_raw, /scan)

12. Desktop: Confirm Desktop topics reach Create3 (pub /dock)