IP Address Configuration
To communicate on an Ethernet IP network, each device must have an IP address that is unique on its subnet. On simple embedded networks without routers, the address must also belong to the same subnet as the host.
It is not typically practical to deliver cameras pre-configured with a proper IP address for their intended application. Until a proper address is established, a host cannot communicate with the device to configure an address with the standard register write process.
The EEVideo specification supports several options for configuring an IP network address.
Persistent Static IP
EEVideo Devices should provide programmable non-volitile registers for the following Ethernet Interface Feature registers: * Static IP Address * Static Subnet Mask * Static Gateway Address
The process to configure these non-volitile registers is outside the scope of this specification. NVM updates should be perfomed by an NVM update feature.
Static address assignment reduces the need for re-discovery.
DHCP
EEVideo devices may implement DHCP protocols to self assign Ethernet configuration parameters if static parameters are not implmemented or set to 0.
| DHCP assigned addresses may change and require re-discovery of the device. |
Link Local (ZeroConf)
EEVideo devices may implment Link Local configuation protocols to self assign Ethernet configuration parameters if static parameters are not available or if DHCP servers are not available on the network.
These devices will be discoverable at their Link Local address.
| The Link Local address will not be persistant and may require re-discovery after power cycles. |
Multicast Register Configuration
EEVideo devices with unconfigured Ethernet address may be discoverable via the multicast discovery process. They will report 0 for these unconfigured addresses.
EEVideo devices may implment a multicast IP configuration feature for remote configuration by an EEVideo host.
| Hosts are responsible for maintaing repeatable addressing using Multicast register configuration |