Web GUI for Remote Configuration¶
This guide is for users who have installed AIS-catcher-control (available for Docker and Raspberry Pi installations), which provides the Web GUI for remote configuration and management.
The input configuration for AIS-catcher is quite flexible and allows for some complex configuration. This is not fully embedded in the UI in first instance. Therefore, the menus only work with our starting config JSON or any version amended by the UI. Once, the configuration files are manually edited, certain functionality will not be available.
You can still set the settings in the Advanced section of the Web UI by editing the parameters there. Also controlling the process (viewing the log and starting and stopping) is availaible.
Accessing the Web GUI¶
Open your web browser and navigate to your Raspberry Pi's IP address on port 8110. For example:
http://zerowh:8110
When you first access the interface, log in using the default credentials:
- Username: admin
- Password: admin
You'll be prompted to change this password immediately for security reasons.
Input Device Selection¶
Navigate to the Input section to select your input device. You can choose from connected devices or manually specify a device type and serial number. If you have only a single SDR device connected, you can leave the device selection as None, and AIS-catcher will automatically detect and use the available device. Click the search icon to let AIS-catcher detect available SDR hardware.
Specific device settings for your SDR or other input device can be set on this page as well.
Note: After modifying any settings, remember to save the changes and restart AIS-catcher in the Control section for them to take effect.
Output Settings¶
AIS-catcher allows you to share your data with the aiscatcher.org community. To enable this feature, go to Output > Community. By default, sharing is anonymous and enabled, but you can generate and enter a sharing key to associate the data with your station and view statistics. Click Create to set up a station on aiscatcher.org and receive your sharing key. Here you can also opt not to share your feed with the community.
Local Webviewer¶
Under Output > Web Viewer, you can configure the local web viewer. Activate the viewer and enter your station details, including a name and your geographical coordinates.
The local web viewer is accessible from your Raspberry Pi (e.g., on port 8100, accessed via http://zerowh:8100) and is not accessible outside your local network by default. Some users choose to share their web viewer externally; see examples here.
Note: For a public page showcasing your station's performance, the easiest method is to feed data to aiscatcher.org using a sharing key.
Service Control¶
Navigate to Control to manage the AIS-catcher service:
- Start/Stop the service.
- Enable Auto-Start functionality.
- Monitor the service status through the log display.
Accessing the AIS Web Viewer¶
After starting the service in the Control section and ensuring it runs without errors (check the log), you can view your received AIS data through the local web viewer. Access it by navigating to your Raspberry Pi's IP address on port 8100:
http://zerowh:8100
Conclusion¶
With these steps completed, you now have a fully functional AIS receiving station running on your Raspberry Pi. The system will receive AIS messages from nearby vessels and, if configured, share this data with the AIScatcher.org community. You can monitor vessel traffic in real-time through the web viewer interface.
For advanced users who want to fine-tune their setup, AIS-catcher provides two configuration files:
The JSON configuration file at:
/etc/AIS-catcher/config.json
And the command-line parameters file at:
/etc/AIS-catcher/config.cmd
Note: The GUI script can also be run for existing installations that are based on the AIS-catcher install script. But once configuration files are manually edited they cannot be edited via the HTML forms anymore. The configuration files still can be edited though under the advanced options menu.