Enable Bluetooth Location Scanning - Web Server

[JudgeyK]

Hi All,

I am looking for some instructions on what I need to do to setup our HTTP Web Server to receive the Location API Data.  I have got the Server setup but not sure what I need to do or setup to receive the data,  can anybody help ?

Kind Regards

Ken

[PhilipDAth]

I've only used Amazon AWS for it myself.

There are several developer examples:

https://developer.cisco.com/meraki/build/scanning-api-with-aws-dynamodb-and-elasticsearch/ 

https://github.com/dexterlabora/cmxreceiver-lambda-inline 

It's quite a bit of work to setup a server from scratch yourself to do it.

[JudgeyK]

Cheers Philip,

Our IT Dept have set the server up, so it just a server which is public facing, all it has on it is IIS,  so I need to install / setup anything else on there in order to receive the data from the location API,  But I have no idea what I am supposed to setup.  Do I need to write a Web Service in orer to receive the Location PI Data ?

[sungod]

You need something to receive HTTPS GETs/POSTs on a port of your choice (it used to work with HTTP, but now it must be HTTPS).

Once the initial authentication step is complete, you just receive a stream of POSTs with JSON CMX data.

If you look at the developer site there are some examples linked to it (examples may pre-date the move to HTTPS)...

https://developer.cisco.com/meraki/scanning-api/#!introduction/scanning-api

...I think this one shows things pretty clearly...https://developer.cisco.com/meraki/ ...look at the 'Location Services' tab, there's also a tutorial... https://developer.cisco.com/learning/lab/meraki-03-location-scanning-python/s

[PhilipDAth]

And it needs to be a public ssl certificate. 

[JudgeyK]

Hi All,

Thanks for the help,  ok,  here's where I'm at.  I setup Python and got everything running and validated and I am saving the JSON out to a file,  however,  it does not seem complete ?  If I go to the Meraki Dashboard and I can see I have 3 BLE iTags which are showing connected to a specific AP.  

When I get the JSON from the location PI,  its showing other Bluetooth Clients but not the iTags ?

I think this is because we do not have the firmware R27 but I have signed up for the Developer Programme but not had any response,  anybody know how I can get the R27 firmware otherwise months of work and approvals to get this to where it is will have been wasted ?

Kind Regards

Ken

[PhilipDAth]

How often have you got the iTags configured to emit a signal?

Perhaps try setting it to 60s.

[JudgeyK]

Hi Philip,

We cannot set the iTags signal,  they're basic tags,  but I can see them on the Meraki Dashboard and they are emitting signals very often ;

I can only select the V2 API on the location API setting on the dashboard,  and the JSON I am getting is only sending the BCM20732A devices...

[sungod]

I can see the beta available in Dashboard, it shows MR 27.1 currently.

It's been running on some APs on our test/demo networks for a couple of weeks, I just checked, it seems to be picking up beacons and other devices I don't recall seeing in the Bluetooth client lists before.

Do you have beta firmware enabled for the network(s) that the APs are on?

If you don't have it available, just open a case in Dashboard and request Meraki support enable it for you, this is what I do if I need early access.

[JudgeyK]

Hi sungod,

Yes I have Allow Beta's ticked in the dashboard,  and yes when I chcked Firmwares Beta I can see R27.1 has been available since May 2020,  however when I go to the Post URL settings page,  I still only get the option for V1 or V2 for Bluetooth,  if I select WiFi I can see the V3 (Beta),  but its BLE I need in V3 to get the Bluetooth LE tags.

Kind Regards

Ken

[sungod]

Have you actually got 27.1 running on your APs? until then I do not think you will see the option.

In the dropdown API Version list I have: "V1", "V2", and "V3 (beta)"

If you have installed the firmware, but the v3 option is still not there then open a case and request that they enable it for you.

[JudgeyK]

Hi sungod,

I've not installed the R27.1 on the APs because when I go to the AP and scroll down to Firmware, its says the below and does not give me any option to update;  so I don't know how to get the R27.1 Firmware ?

[sungod]

Go to Organization->Firmware upgrades

Then the "All Networks" tab

It will give you a list of networks and firmware status, select the network(s) and then click the "Schedule upgrades" button.

(Or at network level, go to the Network-wide->General page for the network, and you can also do it there.

If you don't get the option to upgrade, check that your AP(s) are supported, from release notes...

This version, and subsequent MR 27.x versions, are only supported on the 802.11ac Wave 2 and 802.11ax MR product portfolio. 802.11ac Wave 1 and older products will not upgrade, should they be in networks configured for MR 27.x versions, and thus the new features will not be available and the bug fixes listed will not apply.

If your APs are supported, but no upgrade is enabled, contact support as maybe they need to enable the beta on your network(s).

[JudgeyK]

Brilliant !

Thanks,  I can see it there now to upgrade.  I will just check with our IT Infrastructure its ok to proceed and will let you know.

Thanks SunGod.

[JudgeyK]

Ok, Hi All,

So we have updated to Firmware 27.1 and we still do not get the V3 (Beta) on the dropdown when we select Bluetooth on the Location and Scanning POST URLs section,  still only available for WiFi.

All our APs which are MR32's  now say firmware is 27.1

But I am still not getting the Bluetooth Low Energy iTags coming through in the JSON from the location API.

Kind Regards

Ken