Bridging an internet Connection to FS/VS Devices
Bridging an internet Connection to FS/VS Devices

Bridging an internet Connection to FS/VS Devices

To add a license to an FS/VS device using an online licensing server, the device must have access to the internet. The device can be connected through an Internet-connected router. But in cases where that is not possible or convenient, the internet connection of a laptop or desktop computer running Windows can be shared with the devices. To share internet to a device connected to the computer over USB, these steps must be performed on the device first (does not need to be done for devices connected over Ethernet):
  1. Open Aurora Focus.
  2. Manage the device to which you want to share internet.
  3. Navigate to the
    Communication
    tab.
  4. Click
    Enable Edit Mode
    and
    OK
    if prompted with a warning about stopping jobs.
  5. Navigate to the
    USB
    tab under
    Network Settings.
  6. Select
    Enable DHCP
    , and click
    Apply.
To share the internet connection to a device when connected over USB or when plugged into a PoE switch that is plugged into the computer or dock's ethernet port:
  1. Navigate to
    Windows Control Panel > Network and Sharing Center > Change adapter settings
    .
  2. Right-click on the connection that provides internet. This is typically Wi-Fi but can also be Ethernet.
  3. Click
    Properties
    .
  4. Click the
    Sharing
    tab.
  5. Select
    Allow other network users to connect through this computer's internet connection.
    .
  6. In the
    Home networking connection
    drop-down, select the connection you want to share internet over if the option appears. This may be something such as Ethernet" or Ethernet 5. If there is only one option for the connection, drop-down does not display.
  7. If there are multiple Ethernet options, to find out which adapter is using the USB RNDIS, open a cmd prompt and type ipconfig /all, and locate the USB IP of your device (typically matches a DHCP Server as shown in the screenshot below). Locate the Ethernet adapter name for that section. Select that option in the menu.
  8. Click
    OK
    .
  9. Reconnect and reboot the device.
To share the internet connection to multiple devices connected over USB and Ethernet simultaneously:
  1. Navigate to the
    Windows Control Panel > Network and Sharing Center > Change adapter
    settings.
  2. Ctrl-click the USB or ethernet connections that the devices are connected to so they are highlighted simultaneously.
  3. Right-click any of the highlighted connections and click
    Bridge connections
    .
  4. Right-click the connection that is providing internet.
  5. Click
    Properties
    .
  6. Click the
    Sharing
    tab.
  7. Select
    Allow other network users to connect through this computer's internet connection
    .
  8. On the
    Home networking connection
    menu, select the bridged connection you just made if the option appears at all. If there is only one option for the connection, the drop-down will not display.
  9. Click
    OK
    .
  10. Reconnect and reboot the device(s).
Identifying the DHCP Server
To test that a device has access to the internet, SSH into it and run
ping google.com
. If the connection to the server is successful, the device can connect to a licensing server over the internet.