Loading a Configuration Onto Your Devices

This chapter explains how to load a configuration onto your devices once you have built it, using either the FORT Manager Desktop App or a FORT command-line tool, and helps you choose between them.

After you build a configuration, or make changes to an existing configuration, you need to load it onto your devices. There are two ways to do this:

Table 1. Ways to Load a Configuration
	FORT Manager Desktop App	FORT CLI v2
Internet Connection Required	No, if you download in advance	No, once configuration files are downloaded.
Use case	You want a UI, and you are working with one configuration at a time.	You are on a Linux computer with connectivity to FORT Manager and want a command-line workflow, or you need the interactive device menu.

Important:

To initially create a new device configuration, internet connectivity is required.

We provide separate instructions for:

Loading a Configuration with the Desktop App
Loading a Configuration with the CLI Tool

Loading a Configuration with the Desktop App

This section shows how to load a configuration onto any FORT device (EPC, NSC Pro, SRC Pro, WES Pro) by using the Desktop App.

Required Items:

A configuration that you built in FORT Manager.
Windows or Linux computer running with Ethernet networking capability (required for using the FORT Manager Desktop App).
Cables to connect your device to the computer:
- EPC — M12-RJ45 cable (e.g., ASI-M12-RJ45-11101)
- NSC Pro — USB-A to USB-C
- SRC Pro — USB-A to mini USB-B; SRC Pro 1003 has a USB-C port.
- WES Pro — Docking station
FORT Manager Desktop App. Download the latest version from the Downloads card on the Firmware page of the FORT Manager Web App, or from GitHub).
The FORT device and any connected machines are in a safe state to be configured.

To Load a Configuration with the Desktop App

Launch the FORT Manager Desktop App on your computer.
Boot up or power on your device.
Connect your computer to the device:
- For an EPC, connect over Ethernet to port J2 on the EPC using the M12-RJ45 cable.
- For an NSC Pro, SRC Pro, or WES Pro, connect via USB.
The application displays a message that it has detected a device for tethering. If multiple devices are connected to the computer, the application displays a list of devices to choose from.
Select the device and click Tether.

The application displays information about the device including the name of the configuration to which the device belongs.
1. If FORT Manager doesn’t auto detect the device, click Tether a Device and select the type of device:
  - For an EPC, enter the IP address.
  - For other devices, enter the COM port, generally COM3.
2. Click Connect.
Click Update next to the configuration name to upload the configuration to the device.

The application shows that the configuration has been updated and automatically untethers the device. You can unplug the device from the computer unless you have a firmware update to apply as well.

Repeat this procedure for every device in the configuration.

To Download a Configuration for Offline Loading using the FORT Manager Desktop App

One of the advantages of the desktop app is that you can use it without an internet connection. If you plan to load configurations or make firmware updates when the internet is not available, you can download the firmware and configurations when connected to the internet and store them in the app for later retrieval.

Launch the FORT Manager Desktop App on your computer.
Click Configurations.
Select the configuration to download.
Click Download Configuration.

The Download Status changes to Downloaded.

Repeat for any other configurations that you plan to upload when offline.

Note:

Downloaded files are stored inside the application, not in your computer's file system.

Loading a Configuration with the CLI Tool

This section shows how to load (deploy) a configuration onto any FORT device (EPC, NSC Pro, SRC Pro, WES Pro) by using the CLI tool fort_cli_cfg.

Important:

The CLI command fort_cli_cfg -w retrieves the configuration from FORT Manager at the time you run it, and prompts you to confirm a code in a browser. It requires a working connection to FORT Manager and cannot be completed offline.

Required Items:

A configuration that you built in FORT Manager.
Linux computer running Ubuntu 20.04 with Ethernet networking capability.
A working connection to FORT Manager, and your FORT Manager credentials.
Cables to connect your device to the computer:
- EPC — M12-RJ45 cable (e.g., ASI-M12-RJ45-11101)
- NSC Pro — USB-A to USB-C
- SRC Pro — USB-A to mini USB-B
- WES Pro — Docking station
Latest FORT CLI Configuration Tool (fort_cli_cfg). If you don’t already have it, download it from FORT Manager and install it on your Linux machine per the instructions in FORT CLI Configuration Tool.
The FORT devices and any connected machines are in a safe state to be configured.

To Load a Configuration with CLI Tool

Boot up or power on your device.
Connect your computer to the device:
- For an EPC, we recommend that you connect over Ethernet to port J2 on the EPC using the M12-RJ45 cable, which always connects to 192.168.3.10. If you connect overt Ethernet to port J3, specify the last IP address you configured for the EPC.
- For an NSC Pro, SRC Pro, or WES Pro, connect via USB. Note that WES Pro requires the docking station.
In a Linux environment, open a Terminal window and run one of following commands:
1. To upload a single configuration from FORT Manager to an EPC when connected to J2 (if connected to J3, specify the last IP address you configured for the EPC):
```
$ fort_cli_cfg -w -e 192.168.3.10
```
2. To upload a single configuration from FORT Manager to an NSC Pro, SRC Pro, or WES Pro (your serial interface, ttyACM0 could be different):
```
$ fort_cli_cfg -w --n /dev/ttyACM0
```
  Note that you need execute permissions to /dev/ttyACM0, or whichever virtual port you are using for the device.
If you receive a permission error, complete the next two sub steps; otherwise continue to Step 4:
1. Run the following command to add yourself to the dialout group:
```
sudo -a -G dialout $USER
```
2. After running the command, log out of the Linux section, then log back in and rerun the configuration tool.
The CLI tool returns a code. The browser opens a window that asks you to confirm that the displayed code matches that in the CLI tool.
Press Enter to confirm that the codes match.
If you aren’t already authenticated, enter your FORT Manager username and password to authenticate to FORT Manager.
Return to the CLI tool where you are prompted to enter the device serial number:
Type the serial number and press Enter.

You can find the serial number on the device nameplate, in a handheld's onscreen menu, or in FORT Manager on the Devices page. On the Devices page, narrow a large fleet with the model-type chips above the table, or search by device name.
Press **Enter** to load the configuration to the device.

The tool finishes with the device by writing all the relevant configuration parameters.
Reboot the EPC.

Repeat this procedure for each Device in your configuration.

Next Steps

When you load a configuration onto devices, as described in this section, each EPC receives the IP address you assigned to it in FORT Manager.

For a Wi-Fi network, as soon as the EPCs are turned on and are in range, they automatically connect to the assigned network and the receivers all pair with the sender. The system is ready to use.
For an Ethernet network, use an Ethernet cable to connect the J3 port on each Endpoint Controller to the network. When all the EPCs are connected and turned on, the receivers pair with the sender and the system is ready to use.