[RIPE Atlas Ambassadors] News and Happy Holidays!

Hi all,

Apologies for hijacking the list like this.

On Sat, 26 Dec 2015 21:33:42 +0200 Dmitry Kohmanyuk wrote:
>> A major problem in setting up these probes is that we cannot configure 
>> it directly with a static IP address. So it is getting limited to places 
>> where they have a DHCP server. I have many customers without a DHCP server 
>> due to some reasons of their own.

> Well, if probe had remote configuration option to be controlled from RIPE 
> atlas panel it would be nice. But you still need to bootstrap it.

You can configure a probe to use static IP. I take it that most know this,
but in case you have not found out:

Log in on the ATLAS portal, select your probe, select the 'network' tab,
and find that there are 'edit' buttons. Make your change there,
when the probe connects to the network (for which it will need
a DHCP-enabled network, alas), it will download the static-IP config
and use it from then onwards. 

Two problems:
1. You need a DHCP-enabled network to bootstrap this;
2. You will need to change the probe BEFORE you change the network,
   so that the probe will get the new config (using the old network)
   before connectivity through the old network goes away.
   (using a button for "forget the net config and switch back to DHCP"
   may be a good idea)

While I've done static config in the past for my probe, I find that just
configuring DHCP to put the probe where I want it it to be a lot 
more convinient. The thing really is set up to "just connect to 
a network and forget".

But, if you need static config to make the probe hookup fly,
then it is can be done. Just don't expect it to be painless.

Geert Jan