we have an 5G equipment with an Askey Radio and 4 RUTX50 modems. We would like to test our 5G setup in a small indoor robotic lab. The framework we want to use is ROS 2, using any DDS middleware as communication layer (fastdds/cyclonedds or zenoh).
We have configured the modems in a pass-through, because we want to access directly to the computer (or robot) connected to the RUTX50 modem. I understand that I lost three of the four NICs, but for a robotic application is a requirement. If there’s another way, I’m open to change it. But a port forwarding is not an option, at least by now.
I’m having a lot of problems with the communication, and I’m really lost. Although I can make an ssh to the computer connected to the modem, the DDS communication is not working, or working partially. I understand that can be problematic with the broadcast or unicast, but it is frustrating that with a wifi (simple NIC connected) it works like a charm and with 5G it is a disaster.
So, I’m here, because maybe the difficulty is a bad configuration of the modem. Any idea to have a magic configuration to configure a RUTX50 in a way that a computer connected to a link can be viewed transparently from the 5G network?
Thanks in advance.
PS the Modem have the firmware version RUTX_R_00.07.09.4
To begin, firstly, I would recommend updating the RUTX50 firmware to the latest RutOS release, version 7.15.2 (with 7.15.3 becoming available shortly). If feasible, it’s best to perform this update without keeping previous settings, which will essentially reset the device to factory defaults after the update.
After completing the firmware update and setting up Passthrough mode, please verify whether the modem correctly passes the public IP to the end device on the LAN. If there’s only one end device connected to the RUTX50 LAN port, specifying a MAC address isn’t necessary; the router will automatically assign the public IP to the connected client.
Additionally, more information on passthrough mode can be found here:
Once this is confirmed, I would suggest testing your DDS communication again under this clean configuration to see if behavior improves. If issues persist, feel free to share more details here.
thanks for the answer. I have checked the wiki and I have found that a good way to do it is configured the modem as bridge. And yes, the modem assign the public IP to the device. And it seems to work, but there is a small latency and the DDS works partially. With some versions of Fastdds works and with others nothing.
Do you recommend configuring the modem as pass-through or bridge?
Between the two, I’d personally recommend Passthrough mode. That said, in practice there’s not a huge difference between Passthrough and Bridge modes for most use cases, but here’s a quick comparison:
Passthrough mode:
The modem obtains an IP address from the mobile network and passes this same IP address through to a specified device on its LAN. The Teltonika router still participates in the connection, retaining some visibility and control (like remote access or RMS management if needed).
Bridge mode:
The modem bridges its mobile connection directly to the LAN device, making itself effectively transparent on the network path. The connected LAN device negotiates network parameters (public IP, DNS, etc.) directly with the mobile ISP via the bridge.
If your goal is simplicity and minimal network translation while retaining a bit of flexibility for troubleshooting or remote access, Passthrough is typically the cleaner option.
If latency or DDS issues persist, it might be worth trying both modes briefly to see if one consistently behaves better in your specific setup.
I have been working a bit in this scenario. I have configured the modem as a bridge, to have fewer layers in the middle. However, I’m having a strange situation, and I’m completely lost.
I’m using the performance_test from apex.ai and I can make the test. I see the topics, and so on. However, now, with the performance_test, when I send an Array of 256KB at 20 Hz, it crashes the modem (RUTX50), making all the lights of the connection blinking as a Christmas tree.
It is curious, because with the previous test (ROS Humble, Ubuntu 22.04), the data obtained at 100Hz or 20Hz, with a size of 32KB, was not valid (latency of 9.223e+12), but it didn’t crash the modem. But now, with ROS Jazzy, Ubuntu 24.04, it crashes the modem.
I have the last version of the firmware. Any idea how can I debug it?
In this case, to assist and troubleshoot this matter effectively, we’ll need to continue this process privately, because sensitive/publicly unshareable information needs to be gathered. You should find a support request form in the inbox of the email address you used for your forum registration. Kindly fill out the form, and please reference Ticket ID: 14515 when submitting it. Once the form is completed, we’ll contact you directly via email to investigate the issue in detail and help work towards a solution.