02. mda-getting-started-en

Setting up the MDA in a secured organisational network

Setting up the MDA in an secured network might require some settings to be changed by a network administrator. The MDA’s web-interface communicates with an external website, as well as a ftp server and a sql database server. The external website is the Thinkable website, which hosts the MDA’s manual and help pages. When you register the MDA your user data is send and saved to our database server. Communication with this server is also required if you want to use the image request system “MyImages”, which is part of the MDA web-interface, also access is required to the database server. This is to keep track of image requests, the status of the requests and to provide messages to the requester when a request is completed. The actual file transfer between the designer and requester is handled by a ftp-server, with the designer uploading the completed image to the ftp-server, and the requester having the image automatically downloaded from the ftp-server when the MyImages page is opened. For these external connections, which might use the network’s secured communication channels, the following provisions need to be made:

• In order to access an external webpage, the network’s firewall should grand access to internet communications, i.e. port 80 should be opened on the firewall and users should have access to use this port for external communications (which is more or less a default in all organisations).
• In order to have ftp access, ports 20 and 21 should be opened on the firewall, and the MDA interface should have access to use these ports.
• In order to have database access (i.e. access to an external mysql database server), port 3306 should be opened on the firewall, and again the MDA interface should have access to use this port.

Additionally as a precaution: the MDA’s wired RJ45 network connection has a maximum speed of  100 Mbits. Although almost modern switches to which the MDA will be connected will automatically determine the speed of the device connected to it, some switches are set to a fixed speed of 1 Gbits. Please make sure that the switch port speed to which the MDA will be connected is set to auto-configure, or is manually set to 100 Mbits, otherwise the wired network connection between the MDA and the switch will fail.

For the WIFI network connection, the MDA can be configured in two ways:

• WPA (home): which uses a pass-phrase connection (only a single pass-phrase is needed for a connection, like for standard home WIFI networks).
• Enterprise WPA (with radius server): a WPA Enterprise WIFI connection (based on a Radius access control server), requires both a username and password to make a connection. When selecting a WIFI connection from the MDA, the MDA will automatically determine which kind of WIFI network it is connecting to, and will automatically request the single WPA pass-phrase for the single WPA pass-phrase connection, or the username and password for the WPA Enterprise connection.

Place the box with the address labels facing upwards and cut the tape. Fold away the four cardboard flaps. Once opened, you’ll notice the MDA is packed in two large foam parts on top of which two carton boxes are placed. One box can contain the TactiPad inside its bag, if this was included in the initial purchase. The other one contains a pack of 400 drawing sheets, the power supply and the USB-B cable.
Remove the boxes and lift the MDA out of the box by holding it by its sides. Make sure you lift it up by the sturdy yellow top plate, the one that has the six black anchors for the TactiPad. Do not lift it up by the flexible bottom plate.
Once out of the box, you remove the pieces of foam by lifting one side of the MDA and sliding off the foam part on that side. Carefully place the MDA down again, and repeat this procedure for the other side. While packaged, the arm is in its forward position.
Please store the packaging materials in the carton for safe transportation.

If you plan on connecting the MDA to a network via a wired connection, plug a lan cable into the appropriate socket. Next, take a device that is connected to the same network, open your browser and type in the following URL: http://mda/

If you plan on connecting it to your WiFi you first need to connect to the mda-hotspot with a WiFi capable device. Simply select the mda-hotspot WiFi network and enter the following password: 12345678. Once your device is connected to the mda-hotspot, go to your browser and type in the following URL: http://mda/ . Browse to the setup page and enter the password: admin and click continue. Click network setup and look for the WiFi network you want the MDA to connect to. Enter the WiFi password and click Add WiFi Network. The MDA should now connect to your WiFi network. From this point on you can access the MDA from any device that is connected to the same WiFi Network.

If you don’t plan on connecting your MDA to a network at all, use a WiFi capable device and connect to the mda-hotspot network with password 12345678.

Be aware that if you do not connect your MDA to a network that has access to the internet you cannot automatically download updates or new images added to the examples directory.

After connecting your MDA, take your Tactipad and place it on the MDA. You can place it in one of two orientations: landscape, which leaves the 2 Tactinocks uncovered; or portrait, which covers all the 6 Tactinocks. Your Tactipad is placed correctly if you can’t easily move it around without lifting it and the front most edge of the Tactipad is flush with the front most edge of the MDA.
Make sure that you place a sheet of sketching foil on the Tactipad before you attempt your first sketch.

Take a device that is connected to the same network as the MDA (or directly to the MDA) and go the http://mda/ . Browse to the examples page, pick the emoji category, and click on one of the emoji’s to start your first sketch.

That’s it! The MDA should now start sketching. While the motors in the MDA are not particularly strong, you want to make sure to keep your hands clear of the type while it’s sketching to prevent injury.