This article describes how to use a valid eMail address as the NTRIP Client user account for rover devices connecting to your SNIP NTRIP Caster. The primary benefit in doing this is that such a user can be automatically informed, without the intervention of the Caster operator, when they have made various mistakes connecting to the Caster.
The various Automatic Error Reports, in particular the NTRIP Client Warnings settings, can inform the user after a predetermined number of bad connection attempts occur.
Using eMail in this way is a feature which unique to SNIP and requires that an active eMail Plug-In be present. You can also set automatic eMails can also be sent to the Customer Account who owns that User Account. This is the more traditional way to set up a customer with one or more users. The traditional means provides a convenient method to associate a single owner and a primary eMail with multiple rover accounts (for details see this example where a farmer named Martin has user accounts for rovers John, Paul, George, and Ringo). It also supports basic commercial needs such as the customer billing address and other account details. If you wish to use multiple emails (e.g. Farmall_A@myfarm.com, Farmall_B@myfarm.com) you can also do so if those eMail accounts exist with your mail provider.
Overview
When SNIP finds a user name which is in fact a valid eMail, and when the connection itself has some recurring problem (such requesting a MountPt which is not valid or is no longer present), SNIP will send a posting to that eMail with a summary of why the correction failed. This allows the end user to correct common mistakes without further technical support.
A valid email is defined as one that follows the common format of: username@domain.xxx where the username is valid on that domain and xxx is one of the valid top level domains (.com .org .net .mail, etc.). Based on the operator settings, SNIP will only send one eMail to that address every Nth hour, sending a copy to the Caster operator if requested. If the problem condition persists for a longer period of time, additional eMails may be sent. [A similar method can be used with Base Station connection problems when there is a Push_In reservation.]
An example of such an eMail is shown below. In this case the user has request a mountPt name which is not present on the machine. If it had been present in the recent past, the time off-line would be provided as well. [Aside: In the NTRIP standard mountPt names, user names, and user passwords are all case sensitive. This is a common cause of problem as well. If the requested mountPt was a ‘near miss’ to a valid name, SNIP would inform the user of this as well.]
Dear <user.name@domain.com> At this time the User Account user.name@domain.com is trying to connect to Base Station rootOff but is having problems on the SNIP NTRIP Caster located at rtk2go.com:2101 (RTK2go). You have been sent this automated email in the hopes the below details will allow you to correct the problem. Below is the log entry from the last connection. This has now occurred 50 times in the recent past, which triggered this email to you. The IP address from which this connection came was: 209.xxx.xxx.18x You may need to consult your last reservation eMail to confirm that the credentials are correct. Connection Transcript Log: You were sent the Caster Table because the mount point that you requested [rootOff] is NOT PRESENT on this Caster at this moment in time. --- Data streams often are off-line for few moments every day, But if this persists it is very likely that you are asking for stream that does not exist. After a period of time the Caster Operator may take offense at these connections. The NTRIP Client connection originated from: 209.xxx.xxx.18x:59726 The NTRIP Client connection exchange was: GET /rootOff HTTP/1.1 Host: rtk2go.com Ntrip-Version: Ntrip/2.0 User-Agent: Ntrip NovAtelClient/1.1 Connection: close Authorization: Basic ==removed== Please correct this as soon as possible to avoid having your IP address blocked by the Caster. Regards, The <SNIP instance name here>
In the above example a bad connection has occurred 50 times in a row. This trigger threshold can be set by the operator.
Open versus Closed Caster
This feature can be used with either an open Caster or a closed Caster. Closed Casters do not allow access their their resources (Base Stations) unless an account has been previously set up for the user. With open Casters the use of the eMail method provides a simple way to contact users having problems when they do not have an actual user account set up. The popular www.RTK2go.com NTRIP Caster is an example of this.
Enabling this Feature
This feature is controlled by checking the checkbox “Enable Auto-eMail for Autonomous Users” which is part of the Preferences Dialog. The dialog is reached with the menu command: Edit ⇒ Preferences…
If you will be running the Caster in an Open mode, also check the checkbox “Allow Autonomous Access for Users…” found in the Registered User Accounts Dialog. The dialog is reached with the menu command: SetUp ⇒ Manage User Accounts…