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πŸ”Œ Connecting to the Scout

The Dronetag Scout features a built-in HTTPS management interface, accessible over your local network on port 443.
This interface allows you to:

  • Preview detected data
  • Configure network and system settings
  • Manage the device securely

To access the interface, you must first determine the Scout’s IP address on your network.

There are two ways to reach the Scout:

  1. Through your network (DHCP) β€” the Scout obtains an address from your network's DHCP server and you discover it using an mDNS/Bonjour browser.
  2. Directly with a static IP β€” no network or DHCP server is required; you connect a computer straight to the Scout and use its fallback address.

πŸ” Finding the Scout on Your Network​

By default, the Scout is shipped with DHCP enabled. When powered and connected via Ethernet, the Scout will attempt to obtain an IP address automatically from your network's DHCP server.

If no DHCP server responds within 60 seconds, the Scout falls back to a static IP configuration β€” see Connecting Directly with a Static IP below. This fallback is temporary: the Scout keeps looking for a DHCP server and returns to a DHCP address automatically once one is available, so its address on your network may change from the fallback back to a DHCP-assigned one.

If you don’t know what IP address the Scout received from your DHCP server, use one of the following methods depending on your platform:

πŸ“± Android – Bonjour Browser​

Bonjour Browser on Android showing the Dronetag Scout entry

Download Bonjour Browser on Google Play

Get it on Google Play
  1. Install and open the app.
  2. Locate Dronetag Scout in the list.
  3. The IP address and hostname will be shown.

πŸ–₯️ Connecting Directly with a Static IP​

If there is no DHCP server available β€” for example during first setup on a desk, in an isolated field deployment, or while troubleshooting β€” you can connect your computer directly to the Scout with an Ethernet cable.

How the fallback address works​

If the Scout does not receive an IP address from a DHCP server within 60 seconds after powering up, it automatically falls back to a static IP configuration:

  • IP Address: 192.168.100.100/24
  • Default Gateway: 192.168.100.1

This fallback keeps the Scout reachable whenever there is no DHCP server. It is temporary: while on the fallback the Scout keeps checking for a DHCP server in the background and automatically switches back to a DHCP address as soon as one becomes available, so on a network with working DHCP it will not stay on 192.168.100.100. If you need the Scout to hold a fixed address permanently, set a static IP in the management interface instead β€” see the note at the end of this section.

The Scout is powered over the Ethernet cable (PoE), so a direct connection always goes through the PoE injector included with your unit: connect your computer to the injector's LAN / Data port and the Scout to the PoE / Power+Data port.

Direct connection diagram: a host computer with static IP 192.168.100.10 connected through the PoE injector to the Dronetag Scout with fallback IP 192.168.100.100, reachable at https://192.168.100.100

To communicate, both devices must be in the same subnet. The Scout's fallback address is fixed, and you configure your computer to match:

SettingDronetag ScoutYour computer
IP address192.168.100.100 (fixed fallback)192.168.100.10 (recommended)
Subnet mask255.255.255.0 (/24)255.255.255.0 (/24)
Gateway192.168.100.1leave empty
DNSβ€”leave empty
note

Any free address in the 192.168.100.2 – 192.168.100.254 range will work for your computer, except 192.168.100.100 (used by the Scout) and 192.168.100.1. The examples below use 192.168.100.10.

Setting a static IP on your computer​

πŸͺŸ Windows 10 / 11​

  1. Open Settings β†’ Network & internet β†’ Ethernet.
  2. Next to IP assignment, click Edit.
  3. Select Manual and switch IPv4 on.
  4. Fill in the values:
    • IP address: 192.168.100.10
    • Subnet mask: 255.255.255.0 (on Windows 11 this may be shown as Subnet prefix length: 24)
    • Gateway: leave empty
    • DNS: leave empty
  5. Click Save.

Alternatively, using the classic Control Panel (works on all Windows versions):

  1. Press Win + R, type ncpa.cpl, and press Enter.
  2. Right-click your Ethernet adapter and choose Properties.
  3. Select Internet Protocol Version 4 (TCP/IPv4) and click Properties.
  4. Choose Use the following IP address and enter 192.168.100.10 with subnet mask 255.255.255.0. Leave the gateway and DNS fields empty.
  5. Confirm with OK.

Verify the connection from Command Prompt or PowerShell:

ping 192.168.100.100

πŸ“– Official guide: Microsoft – Change TCP/IP settings

Open the management interface​

Once your computer's static IP is configured and the Scout has been powered on for at least 60 seconds, open your browser and navigate to:

https://192.168.100.100
tip

When you are finished, switch your computer's Ethernet adapter back to automatic (DHCP) β€” otherwise it will not connect properly to regular networks.

Permanent static address for the Scout

The fallback address is only a temporary safety net for direct access when no DHCP server is available β€” the Scout returns to DHCP automatically once a server is reachable again, so it will not stay on 192.168.100.100 on a network that has DHCP. If you want the Scout to permanently use a specific static IP on your network, configure it in the management interface β€” see Configuring a Static IP Address. Setting a static IP there disables DHCP, so the Scout keeps that address and never falls back to β€” or returns to β€” DHCP.

πŸ” Accessing the Interface​

Once you have the Scout's IP address:

  1. Open a web browser.
  2. Navigate to: https://<Scout-IP> (replace <Scout-IP> with the actual IP address, e.g., https://192.168.1.42).
  3. Because the Scout uses a self-signed certificate, your browser will likely show a security warning.
    • Proceed by allowing the insecure connection. This may appear as "Advanced > Proceed to IP", depending on your browser.
  4. Log in using the default credentials provided by Dronetag Support.

The Scout includes a login-protected management UI. The default username and password are printed on the sticker on the bottom part of each Scout.

caution

Upon first login, please change the default credentials to a secure username and password known only to you.

Important: Write down your new credentials securely. If you perform a factory reset on the unit, it will revert to the default login credentials.

πŸ”§ Configuring a Trusted Certificate​

To avoid browser security warnings and enable a trusted HTTPS connection, you can configure the Scout with a certificate trusted by your system.

You can find certificate management options in the Configuration section of the interface.

Here, you can:

  • Upload a certificate signed by your internal Certificate Authority (CA), or
  • Generate a Certificate Signing Request (CSR) to obtain a signed certificate from your CA.

Once installed, the trusted certificate will replace the default self-signed one, ensuring seamless and secure access from trusted devices.

For the detailed description please refer to the system configuration page.

πŸ› οΈ Troubleshooting Connectivity​

If you're unable to access the Scout’s interface refer to the detailed network troubleshooting section.