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Creating a Bosch Rexroth ctrlX Connection (v1.1.0)

This guide explains how to connect a TAO gateway to a Bosch Rexroth ctrlX CORE using the Actility Data Layer Provider.
Version 1.1.0 introduces persistent configuration storage, ensuring that all settings are restored automatically after an application restart, crash, or device reboot.

Example Network Configuration​

Local subnet configuration (real-world setup with hub and devices)

DeviceIP AddressDescription
Network Subnet192.168.1.0/24Local /24 network
Bosch Rexroth ctrlX192.168.1.1Default ctrlX IP
TAO Gateway192.168.1.2TAO IP address
Workstation (PC)192.168.1.3Engineering workstation
Subnet Mask255.255.255.0Masks the /24 network

Collecting Required Information​

Before starting, ensure you have:

  • MAC address of the TAO gateway (aa:bb:cc:dd:ee:ff)
  • Static IP address planned for the TAO
  • MQTT broker credentials (host, port, username, password)
  • ctrlX CORE access credentials

1. Identify the TAO Gateway IP​

Use the TAO MAC address to discover its IP address.

Linux​

sudo nmap -sn 192.168.1.0/24 | grep -B 2 -i aa:bb:cc:dd:ee:ff

Windows​

arp -a | findstr aa-bb-cc-dd-ee-ff

Note: Windows displays MAC addresses using - instead of :.

2. Configure a Static IP on the TAO Gateway​

  1. Open http://<TAO_IP>:1323/login
  2. Log in and navigate to Local Base Station
  3. Scroll to Network Interface Configuration
  4. Disable DHCP
  5. Set the static IP, subnet mask, and gateway
  6. Apply the configuration

Network configuration example

Verify connectivity using ping from your workstation.

3. Configure a Static IP on the ctrlX CORE​

  1. Connect to the ctrlX web interface
  2. Go to Settings → Network Interfaces
  3. Select the active interface (e.g. XF-50 / XF-51)
  4. Disable DHCP
  5. Assign a static IP and subnet mask
  6. Apply changes

Bosch configuration example Bosch configuration example

4. Install the Actility App​

App not published yet in ctrlX Store​

Download the appropriate .snap file:

Installation steps:

  1. Go to Settings → Apps.
  2. Click the 3 dots in the top-right corner.
    menu
  3. Click Settings and check Allow installation from unknown source.
    allow-installation
  4. Click Install from file and upload your .snap file.
    install

5. Configure the Actility App (v1.1.0)​

Follow this documentation​

Alarm & Diagnostics​

The following nodes are exposed:

  • actility/alarm/connected – MQTT connection state
  • actility/alarm/lastMessage – Last status or error message

These nodes help diagnose connectivity issues.

Limitations​

  • Ontology decoding is required on the TAO side
  • No buffering of MQTT messages during ctrlX downtime
  • Semantic validation of ontology fields is not performed

Troubleshooting​

  • Verify network connectivity and IP configuration
  • Ensure MQTT messages are published by TAO
  • Check actility/alarm/* nodes for errors
  • Confirm correct MQTT credentials

Document version: v1.1.0
Key feature: Persistent configuration storage

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