Network Settings Panel Features
The Network Settings panel allows the user to configure the Digital Sight camera control unit's networking features, which include HTTP and FTP access. These settings must be chosen, entered, and finalized before the Digital Sight's networking features can be accessed. For a thorough discussion of the Digital Sight's networking capabilities, visit the Digital Sight Networking Features section.
The Network Settings panel is equipped with a graphical keyboard, illustrated in the lower portion of Figure 1, which enables the user to enter text and numbers into the various fields contained in the settings panel (an optional USB keyboard may also be attached to the camera control unit for this purpose). Clicking the mouse button on a selected field will activate the graphical keyboard cursor, and the Digital Sight will then wait for the user to enter a value into the field. After the appropriate text or values have been entered, clicking the skip button (Figure 1) will finalize the entry of the new value into the field. If a new value is not entered, then the previous value is preserved and displayed in the field. In some cases, clicking the skip button will cause the Digital Sight to progress automatically to the next field. When all configuration information has been successfully entered, clicking the Save button will permanently alter the network settings to reflect the new parameters. If the user exits the Network Settings panel without clicking the Save button, then all of the changes will be lost. Clicking the Default button will return the panel settings to their factory default states. A brief description of each field is provided below (refer to Figure 1 for location of text fields and checkboxes).
- Enable Network - This checkbox enables and/or disables the network functions, including HTTP, FTP, and TELNET access.
- Read Only (FTP, WEB; disable Write/Control) - The Read Only checkbox enables and/or disables writing through the web or to an FTP server. In order to control the Digital Sight camera system through a web screen, clear the checkmark to enable writing. If it is only necessary to acquire images, then writing may be disabled.
- DHCP - If a DHCP server exists on the network and IP addresses can be acquired automatically, then selecting this checkbox enables the IP address of the Digital Sight to be set automatically by the remote server. When this feature is enabled, an acquired DHCP assigned IP address is displayed in red numbers.
- Internal Server - Configuration of network parameters for the Digital Sight internal server is accomplished with the Internal Server section of the panel. Necessary parameters include the IP address, subnet mask, user ID, and password of the Digital Sight on an FTP, HTTP, or TELNET server.
- Enable FTP Client - The FTP client function can be enabled and/or disabled using this checkbox.
- IP Authority - In order to restrict the range of IP addresses that can be successfully connected to the Digital Sight camera system, use the IP Authority checkbox to enable address screening. If the function is enabled, then the IP addresses can be registered with the Digital Sight by entering them into a text file (saved with a *.IP extension) stored in the \NET path of the CF card.
- External Server - In order to establish an external server for the Digital Sight control software, use these settings to configure an IP address, user ID, and password for the remote server. Enabling these settings is necessary in order to transfer an image file to an FTP server. Five configurations are available that can be quickly accessed from the REC menu. Also, a ping test and a login test feature are provided to ensure that the external server is accessible.
Contributing Authors
Matthew J. Parry-Hill and Michael W. Davidson - National High Magnetic Field Laboratory, 1800 East Paul Dirac Dr., The Florida State University, Tallahassee, Florida, 32310.
