mDNS Discovery

View source on GitHub

OTBR registers a _meshcop._udp service named OpenThread BorderRouter. This service is configured in the OTBR CMakeLists.txt file.

There are several ways to discover your Thread network.

DNS Service Discovery (DNS-SD)

Use dns-sd to browse for a service on raspberrypi.local.:49155:

dns-sd -L "OpenThread BorderRouter" _meshcop._udp local

Lookup OpenThread BorderRouter._meshcop._udp.local
DATE: ---Tue 16 Nov 2021---
13:31:03.197  ...STARTING...
13:31:03.350  OpenThread\032BorderRouter._meshcop._udp.local. can be reached at raspberrypi.local.:49155 (interface 3)

Get the IP addresses associated with your OTBR domain name:

dns-sd -G v4/v6 raspberrypi.local

DATE: ---Tue 16 Nov 2021---
14:21:29.485  ...STARTING...
Timestamp     A/R Flags if Hostname           Address                                      TTL
14:21:29.486  Add     3  3 raspberrypi.local. FDDE:AD11:11DE:0000:74D0:6FC9:6BE6:3582%<0>  120
14:21:29.486  Add     3  3 raspberrypi.local. FD00:0000:0000:0000:74D0:6FC9:6BE6:3582%<0>  120
14:21:29.486  Add     3  3 raspberrypi.local. FE80:0000:0000:0000:74D0:6FC9:6BE6:3582%eth0 120
14:21:29.486  Add     3  3 raspberrypi.local. FE80:0000:0000:0000:287F:87CA:F4B3:498A%eth0 120
14:21:29.486  Add     2  3 raspberrypi.local. 192.168.0.10                                 120

Ping your IP address. From the dns-sd results, choose an address that's reachable from your network, for example the global <0> address FD00::74D0:6FC9:6BE6:3582:

ping -6 FD00::74D0:6FC9:6BE6:3582

PING FD00::74D0:6FC9:6BE6:3582(fd00::74d0:6fc9:6be6:3582) 56 data bytes
64 bytes from fd00::74d0:6fc9:6be6:3582: icmp_seq=1 ttl=64 time=27.1 ms
64 bytes from fd00::74d0:6fc9:6be6:3582: icmp_seq=2 ttl=64 time=3.18 ms
64 bytes from fd00::74d0:6fc9:6be6:3582: icmp_seq=3 ttl=64 time=2.76 ms

Avahi utilities

Install avahi-daemon and avahi-utils:

sudo apt-get install -y avahi-daemon avahi-utils

Start the avahi-daemon:

sudo service avahi-daemon start

Use avahi-browse:

avahi-browse -r -t _meshcop._udp

+ eth0 IPv6 OpenThread BorderRouter   _meshcop._udp        local
= eth0 IPv6 OpenThread BorderRouter   _meshcop._udp        local
   hostname = [raspberrypi.local]
   address = [192.168.0.10]
   port = [49155]
   txt = []

mDNS apps

Search Google Play for mDNS discovery apps, for example:

Service Browser for Android
Discovery - DNS-SD Browser for iOS

Web GUI

External Commissioning