FPP on Raspberry PI 4

[bjdj45]

Ok....watching Canispater Christmas and he got me to the point where I have FPP on the Raspberry PI4 Model B with 4GB Ram. But the next step in his video he show the FPP window, but I am at a Prompt: It say a bunch of stuff above it including the IP address, but it says "FPP login:" I am unfamiliar with writing code or Linux. I have the ethernet cable plugged in as Jeff recommended and the wifi works, I loaded Raspian on the PI and it ran perfectly. Removed that SD and Booted off the FPP SD. This is FPP v4.4 btw.

What do I type here to get it to bring up the FPP window that does all the network configuration stuff?? The attachment is my screen

 

[goopy]

You should be able to login on a seperate PC using a Web Browser. e.g http://ip-addressofpi

 

[Srmorgan]

I didn’t have raspian loaded on mine. Just wrought FPP to the card and plugged it in. Then went to FPP.local.

 

[goopy]

jump on another computer on the same network and go to http://fpp you shouldn't ever need to login via terminal.

 

[stevelee]

I burned the FPP image to a micro SD card. Then put it into the PI, powered up and the first time waited about 5 minutes. Then connected a cat5 cable from my Telstra router. Then on my surface pro (which was connected wirelessly to the router) went to an internet browser and enters http://fpp and it connected. I then changed the PI network settings so I could use the wireless and don’t need a cat5 to it.

 

[bjdj45]

Ok...I have gotten a lot further since my last message. Thank you all. Here is where I am.
I have the FPP/PI4 Model B with wireless coming up on my PC now. My PC is connected wirelessly to my router. And FPP is running. (see screen shots of both FPP and xLights Controller tab) I have both my PI and my Falcon f48 connected to my router in the other room. Here are my network IP addresses as of now. My Falcon F48 is 10.0.0.36, I know that cause I can see it on my OLED on the F48. My FPP is 10.0.0.177 My WLAN is 10.0.0.176 So obviously I am connected to the internet, not my local network...I can also tell this cause the clock on my FPP is correct, and I did nothing to change that.
Now...I did want you to know that xLights finds those networks, but it is my understanding that I can't use them, and that I would have to change my settings each time I open xLights due to the DHCP assigning IP addresses?? Also attached is a screen shot of my Advance IP settings that I ran a scan on so you can see my PC network and my Xfinity Router. I also included my network set up, but I am not using a switch, since I am only using the 1 F48 controller.
Will it run a sequence connected like this?
Can I run some effects on specific props at this point?

Just need to know my next steps. Thank you all!!!!

 

[goopy]

Depending on your network router you may be able to allocate a static address based on the MAC address (e.g. tied to the hardware). Alternatively, you can click the static IP address within FPP and force use of the same IP address.

To control from xLights, the FPPD Mode needs to be "Bridge".

You will also need to define an E1.31/ArtNet Bridge


and then click FFP Connect to discover.

FYI, I'm working through the same steps as you, and I successfully have xLights controlling my pixels (don't forget to press the output to lights toggle switch).

Chris

 

[bjdj45]

Yes, I am there, but I am still on the ethernet connecting to my devices. I have successfully gotten xLights to recognize my controller, and my FPP, but I have to keep the ethernet connected to both to get them to respond. Want to get it where I can run (in model mode, not when I run my show....When I run the show, I plan to use the wifi on my PC to load to my PI4 to run my show from there) my show from my computer, get it right, load it to my PI and run from there. I was unaware of the Bridge setting at the top....VERY GRATEFUL...that makes sense.

I have Xfinity/Comcast and the router is pretty easy to get to stuff on their app on my iPhone. The setting up of my home network is the most confusing part so far. Their Xfinity app. pretty much shows everything.

The MAC address you refer to is the MAC address for my Xfinity Router? I thought I was supposed to use the Gateway IP address on my router to communicate with my router? I did get the gateway address of my router, and set up my F48 and my WLAN0 and Eth0 to be on that same local network. I am assuming my WLAN0 is the wifi on the PI4? Or is that on my router? What I want is to be able to communicate to my PI4 from my computer without ethernet connection...and have my FPP/PI4 communicate to my controller over to my receivers/ports. I have never seen a set up that shows that I need to connect the ethernet out on my PI4 to the F48, but since the wifi chip is inactive on the F48, I am assuming I have to have some ethernet connection to that! Once I set up the proper LAN on my devices, should I be connecting the Ethernet port on my PI4 to my F48? Seems like that is the only way they could communicate, unless I use the LAN to get directly to my F48 from my PC. Still not sure about that....any video suggestions on that would be appreciated. I started Canispatar Christmas PI4 set up, but got a bit lost. Didn't know that I could get to my router's info through the Xfinity app, so may go back that now to try again, but if anyone knows of a better video...appreciated. Especially if it is from 2020!

This is the most confusing part! I have some porting issues that I am working through in xLights where my model on the second (B designated) smart receiver card is getting data signals and flashing from effects and sequences on models attached to my "A" card. All my dip switches are properly set. Two cards, One set up to A one set to B, and B is my terminator card so I have my resistor dips set properly there, but my Bethlehem star is reacting to effects on my snowflakes on Card A. I imagine it's a setting issue, since I don't know how to get to the spreadsheet I saw that allows you to name them Port 1a and Port 1b. Saw that in some video, but haven't figured out where that grid is located in xLights to this point. (see attached pic. Is that FPP?)

I KNOW....I have covered a multitude of topics here, but if anyone can answer all or part of my "issues", GREATLY APPRECIATED!!! I'm just over a month into this and have learned A LOT!

One quick thiing....if someone has a schematic, or graphic that shows connections of my system, F48 with a PI4 running FPP to receiver boards and the connections during set up of FPP and after set up and in what will be the run mode, that would be helpful. Lots of times videos describe what to do, but don't show graphics, which I can pause and make sure I am doing it right.

 

[bjdj45]

I burned the FPP image to a micro SD card. Then put it into the PI, powered up and the first time waited about 5 minutes. Then connected a cat5 cable from my Telstra router. Then on my surface pro (which was connected wirelessly to the router) went to an internet browser and enters http://fpp and it connected. I then changed the PI network settings so I could use the wireless and don’t need a cat5 to it.

Thanks Stevelee, that is where I want to get to! So after I set up the PI4 on FPP properly, I should be able to disconnect it from ethernet and communicate from my PC to my show network through my PI4 and my F48? Do I need to run ethernet from my PI4 (in the same box as my F48) after set up, or do the two communicate through the show network somehow? I don't see how the PI4 can talk to the F48 without it?

 

[bjdj45]

Depending on your network router you may be able to allocate a static address based on the MAC address (e.g. tied to the hardware). Alternatively, you can click the static IP address within FPP and force use of the same IP address.

To control from xLights, the FPPD Mode needs to be "Bridge".
View attachment 16537
You will also need to define an E1.31/ArtNet Bridge
View attachment 16538

and then click FFP Connect to discover. View attachment 16536

FYI, I'm working through the same steps as you, and I successfully have xLights controlling my pixels (don't forget to press the output to lights toggle switch).

Chris

You say "and then click FPP Connect to discover" I don't see that anywhere, where is that?? Thanks,

 

[stevelee]

Thanks Stevelee, that is where I want to get to! So after I set up the PI4 on FPP properly, I should be able to disconnect it from ethernet and communicate from my PC to my show network through my PI4 and my F48? Do I need to run ethernet from my PI4 (in the same box as my F48) after set up, or do the two communicate through the show network somehow? I don't see how the PI4 can talk to the F48 without it?

I’m green as green with all of this. But my understanding is that you’ll have to have the PI4 and F48 connected via Ethernet by either direct connection or through a router. Everything has to be on the same network.

 

[BAZMick]

I have never seen a set up that shows that I need to connect the ethernet out on my PI4 to the F48
but if anyone knows of a better video.

View: https://youtu.be/g0fOZs6UgXw

 

[BAZMick]

One set up to A one set to B, and B is my terminator card so I have my resistor dips set properly there, but my Bethlehem star is reacting to effects on my snowflakes on Card A. I imagine it's a setting issue, since I don't know how to get to the spreadsheet I saw that allows you to name them Port 1a and Port 1b

You can select which port and which smart receiver a model use by the Port settings in xlights on the layout tab for each model. Select your Star and on the properties scroll down to where you see "Port", their you can select your smart receiver config.

 

[BAZMick]

You say "and then click FPP Connect to discover" I don't see that anywhere, where is that??

In xlights, drop the tools menu down, then look for FPP Connect about 1/4 of the way down

 

[bjdj45]

Thank you so much! Found it. My friend above

You can select which port and which smart receiver a model use by the Port settings in xlights on the layout tab for each model. Select your Star and on the properties scroll down to where you see "Port", their you can select your smart receiver config.

All great suggestions...that should keep me busy for a few days!