INFO: Howto connect to a device when discovery not possible - Solution

[roshanl]

1. The challenge: BAC0/Bacpypes3 running in a docker pod hosted on google cloud(IOT network) running on Redhat openshift. Pods are allocated IPS based on scaling, with a common host IP - So whois/I am not possible. Have to communicate with MSTP behind a BACnet/IP router on local BMS network (OT network)
2. The solution - Gather all bacnet details using BACnet Explorer(Used Cimetrics explorer V4 to discover and save to XML/csv and imported to Excel) , use those data as device/object/MAC/network and create a device and the read properties from that device
3. The working code is below. Use as you wish if you have similar issues. THe below PC is not in docker but I use same code on the pod, just the device ID, local IP etc changes
4. NOTE: Change route_aware=true in device.json , otherwise bacnet through router to MSTP device will not work. Documentation on address format , about route_aware parameter can be found on bacpypes3 documentation.(if using in command line --route-aware as in python -m bacpypes3 --route-aware

import asyncio
import BAC0

async def main():
# Define the BACnet device details
device_id = 61105
mac_address = '5' # Ensure this is a string
network_number = 95
router_ip = '10.10.57.12'
pc_ip = '10.10.57.220'
remote_address=f'{network_number}:{mac_address}@{router_ip}' #https://github.com/JoelBender/BACpypes3/blob/48b8575b3fb91216acc474bb097e71caede577a4/doc/source/gettingstarted/addresses.rst
#route_aware address patterrn used for remote address

# Initialize BAC0 with the PC's IP address
bacnet = BAC0.connect(ip=pc_ip)

# Manually add the device to the BACnet network
device = await BAC0.device(device_id=device_id, address=f'{network_number}:{mac_address}@{router_ip}', network=f'{network_number}')

# Now you can interact with the device
# For example, reading a property
property_value = await bacnet.read(f'{network_number}:{mac_address}@{router_ip} analog-value,104 present-value')
print(f'Analog Value 104 Present Value: {property_value}')

#Can also do a readmultiple (Tested with an Alerton BMS and on an FCU controller)
_rpm = {'address': remote_address,
'objects': {
'analogValue:128': [' 'presentValue'],
'analogValue:90': ['presentValue'],
'analogValue:91': ['presentValue'],
'analogValue:92': ['presentValue'],
'analogValue:94': ['presentValue'],
'analogValue:93': ['presentValue'],
'analogValue:16': ['presentValue'],
'analogValue:104': ['presentValue'],
'analogValue:105': ['presentValue'],
'binaryValue:5': ['presentValue'],
'binaryValue:40': ['presentValue'],
'analogOutput:0': ['presentValue'],
'analogOutput:1': ['presentValue'],
'binaryOutput:0': ['presentValue'],
'binaryOutput:1': ['presentValue'],
'binaryOutput:2': ['presentValue'],
}
}
result = await bacnet.readMultiple('95:5@10.10.57.12', request_dict=_rpm)
print(f'results: {result}')

Run the main function within an event loop

if name == "main":
asyncio.run(main())

[ChristianTremblay]

I'm glad you found a solution.
I would also like to let you know that I recently added a function to manually add a router to a network. This covers cases where the discovery process can't find a router but you know all the details.

Use Router

address = "192.168.92.68"
network = "2001"
await bacnet.use_router((address, network))

By doing so, the app is now aware of this network and will make requests to the routers to get to it.

Read vs Device

Regarding this part :

# Manually add the device to the BACnet network
device = await BAC0.device(device_id=device_id, address=f'{network_number}:{mac_address}@{router_ip}', network=f'{network_number}')

# Now you can interact with the device
# For example, reading a property
property_value = await bacnet.read(f'{network_number}:{mac_address}@{router_ip} analog-value,104 present-value')
print(f'Analog Value 104 Present Value: {property_value}')

You don't need to create the BAC0.device if you use await bacnet.read

BAC0.device will allow you to create a "local version" of a device, with automatic polling, histories, quick access to objects, etc...

# Read value
device['pointName'] # gives last value read by polling
device['pointName'].value # forces a read on the network
device['pointName'] = 10 # write to the variable... if it's an output, make an override. If it's an input, make it out of service and write to presentValue, else, just write to it
device['pointName'].histories # guess what
# etc

Not creating the device will accelerate your app if you don't need it