Saturday, November 21, 2009

Advanced Digi Discovery Protocol Explained

This is a continuation of my previous post.

If you haven't read the previous post I recommend you do so first, but to summarize. ADDP, or Advanced Digi Discovery Protocol is a UDP multicast protocol used for discovering and reconfiguring network settings of Digi devices (such as the Digi Connect ME) on the local network, irrelevant of their network configuration.

I've basically completed my documentation and implementation of ADDP, though like software usually is, it will never be truly complete, and the documentation of the protocol is still missing a few fields and codes. It's definitely complete enough to release so people can implement the protocol themselves.

The implementation I made is a cross platform Java version of their "Digi Device Discovery" tool from Digi International Inc. It's called JDigiDiscover and lists all Digi devices on the network (which have ADDP activated) with detailed public configuration for them, and then allows you to either restart the device or change it's network configuration. You can see some screenshots and/or download it from it's SourceForge.net project page. It's released under the Apache License 2.0.


ADDP is a proprietary protocol developed by and it's copyright owned by Digi International Inc. Use of the protocol is limited to their products and their terms. I released this purely because I noticed a need for implementing it in your own non C and non Windows applications for managing your own Digi devices. For more information see http://www.digi.com/.

ADDP
Summary
The ADDP protocol is a UDP multicast protocol, doing broadcasts on 224.0.5.128 port 2362. This is the default configuration, though it is possible to disable this for a given Digi device, or change the port.

All communications are in the form of request/response, and there exists 4 communication types which give a total of 8 packets. They are Discovery, Static Configuration, DHCP Network Configuration and Restart.

All packets consists of a header and a payload. The header format is common throughout all packet types, where the payload is common on response packets but unique for each request packet type.

The Header
The header starts with the magic bytes "DIGI", ie. 0x44,49,47,49. This is followed by a 2 byte packet type identifier (see the tables at the end of this document). After the identifier is a 2 byte short, which indicates the length/size of the payload.

The Payload
As explain, the payloads of all request packets are unique to the type of packet, where the response packets have a common format. Response packets contain information pertaining to the request. This information is given in a variable amount of fields, each field being identified by a 1 byte identifier. These identifiers are shared across all response packets, each response sending only the information relevant to the request.

So a field takes the form of a 1 byte field type ID (see the tables at the end of this document), then a 1 byte field length followed the the field's data. The field length byte indicates how many data bytes need to be read. This will always be at least one. Take for example the IP address field. It's type id is 0x02, and being an IP address it will be 4 bytes long. If the IP address was 10.0.0.5, then the field would have the following value: 0x02,04,0a,00,00,05. Response packets always have the MAC address field set, and is the MAC address of the device the packet originated from. You use this to pair responses with requests.

When a request packet had an invalid format, even though the MAC address was valid an it's obvious the packet was meant for a given device, it will be ignored and no response packet will be sent. Response packets are only sent when the request packet had a 100% valid structure. Failure responses are sent only for failure after the packet was parsed successfully.

So to parse the payload, you just read the fields in a serial manner until the complete payload has been consumed. Not all responses of the same type will always have the same fields. So it's important to read the payload based on the size specified in the header. Further, depending on the field type, an absent field could mean that it's the default value or irrelevant to the type of packet. For example, in the restart response packet the IP address field won't be set, where the absense of the RealPort number field in a discovery response could indicate it's disabled.

When transferring MAC addresses or IP addresses, they are sent as the raw binary values. Since each component of both a MAC address and IP address is a number in the range 0-255 they are each represented as a byte. This is actually what a MAC address and IP address is. Even though we write an IP address as: 10.0.0.9, it's actually a 4 byte values of: 0x0a,00,00,09. Same goes for a MAC address, which is written as comma separated hexadecimal bytes. When transferred, the host byte order is used, so you read the IP address in the byte order it appears in the packet (which is the same as the example just given).

Numbers are always either 1, 2 or 4 bytes. For 1 byte you just take the integer value of the byte, and for 2 or 4 byte you interpret it with Little Endian. The 2 byte shorts can be calculated with: "((b[0] & 0xff) <<>

Strings are never sent in request packets, though received in a number of response packet fields. The length of the string would be the field size, and it has no terminator. So to read the string value simply copy all of the field data into a character array/string. Characters are always 1 byte ASCII.

Request Packet Authentication
The Configuration and Restart request packets require authentication and a target. This is the last 11 bytes of each of these packets. The target is a 6 byte MAC address, and is the MAC address of the target Digi unit.

The authentication data seems to always be static byte sequence: 0x04,64,62,70,73. This is a 1 byte length with the value of "4", and the character sequence "dbps" (which is also the Digi Connect ME default root password). Even when changing your device's root password, this will remain the same. It's definitely used for authentication, as sending different values will result in an "authentication error" response.

Discovery/Information Request
The Discovery request packet is the simplest of all of them. It has the packet type 0x0001 and a 6 byte payload which is a MAC address. The MAC address in the payload is for the device which you request information from. So only the device whose MAC address matches the one in the packet will respond to this request. If you want all devices to respond, use the broadcast MAC address ff:ff:ff:ff:ff:ff.

This sample Discovery Request packet will request responses from all DIGIs on the network which has ADDP activated on port 2362. To request information from Digis listening on a different ADDP port, change the destination port of the UDP packet.

Data (14 bytes):
0000   44 49 47 49 00 01 00 06 ff ff ff ff ff ff        DIGI..........

Breaks down as:
            44 49 47 49  DIGI       - Magic
                  00 01  ..         - Packet type (0001)
                  00 06  ..         - Payload size (6 bytes)
      ff ff ff ff ff ff  ......     - Target MAC

Discovery/Information Response
If a Digi unit receives the discovery request packet and it's meant for either all Digis or itself (based on the request packet's target MAC address as described above), it will respond with a response packet containing details of it's configuration, such as IP address, subnet mask, number of serial ports, etc.

This packet has the id 0x0002 and is probably the largest of all the packets. See the tables at the end of this e-mail for all possible fields. The following example is a typical packet you might receive in response to a discovery request.

Data (104 bytes):
0000   44 49 47 49 00 02 00 60 01 06 00 40 9d 31 a9 0a  DIGI...`...@.1..
0010   02 04 0a 00 00 e7 03 04 ff ff ff 00 0b 04 0a 00  ................
0020   00 01 0d 0f 44 69 67 69 20 43 6f 6e 6e 65 63 74  ....Digi Connect
0030   20 4d 45 10 01 00 07 01 00 08 1e 56 65 72 73 69   ME........Versi
0040   6f 6e 20 38 32 30 30 30 38 35 36 5f 46 36 20 30  on 82000856_F6 0
0050   37 2f 32 31 2f 32 30 30 36 0e 04 00 00 03 03 13  7/21/2006.......
0060   04 00 00 04 03 12 01 01                          ........

Breaks down as:
            44 49 47 49  DIGI       - Magic
                  00 02  ..         - Packet type (0002)
                  00 60  .`         - Payload size (96 bytes)
01 06 00 40 9d 31 a9 0a  ...@.1..   - Mac address: 00:40:9D:31:A9:0A
      02 04 0a 00 00 e7  ......     - IP Address: 10.0.0.231
      03 04 ff ff ff 00  ......     - Subnet Mask: 255.255.255.0
      0b 04 0a 00 00 01  ......     - Gateway Address: 10.0.0.1
                     0d
0f 44 69 67 69 20 43 6f  .Digi Co
6e 6e 65 63 74 20 4d 45  nnect ME   - Device Name: Digi Connect ME
               10 01 00  ...        - DHCP Disabled
               07 01 00  ...        - Unknown - never seen a non-0x00 value.
08 1e 56 65 72 73 69 6f  ..Versio
6e 20 38 32 30 30 30 38  n 820008 
35 36 5f 46 36 20 30 37  56_F6 07 
2f 32 31 2f 32 30 30 36  /21/2006   - Firmware: Version 82000856_F6 07/21/2006
      0e 04 00 00 03 03  ......     - Real Port: 771
      13 04 00 00 04 03  ......     - Encrypted Real Port: 1027
               12 01 01  .          - Serial port count: 1

Static Network Configuration Request Packet
The Static Configuration Request packets have the packet type of 0x0003 and are used to reconfigure the network settings of the Digi unit. This consists of 3 values to be set: IP address, subnet mask and default gateway.

The 3 values are added in the mentioned order to the beginning of the payload. This gives a 12 byte sequence, which is then followed the MAC address of the device to be configured and the authentication data. This results in a total payload size of 23 bytes, which is a 31 byte packet.

The following sample would be to reconfigure the device with MAC address '00:40:9D:31:A9:0A', giving it the IP address: 10.0.0.9, subnet mask: 255.255.255.0 and gateway: 10.0.0.1. Since these fields are static and always in this order, to remove the gateway you would send a gateway value of 0.0.0.0.

Data (31 bytes):
0000   44 49 47 49 00 03 00 17 0a 00 00 09 ff ff ff 00  DIGI............
0010   0a 00 00 01 00 40 9d 31 a9 0a 04 64 62 70 73     .....@.1...dbps

Break down as:
            44 49 47 49  DIGI       - Magic
                  00 03  ..         - Packet type (0003)
                  00 17  .`         - Payload size (23 bytes)
            0a 00 00 09  ....       - New IP Address: 10.0.0.9
            ff ff ff 00  ....       - New Subnet Mask: 255.255.255.0
            0a 00 00 01  ....       - New Gateway: 10.0.0.1
      00 40 9d 31 a9 0a  .@.1..     - Target MAC Address: 00:40:9D:31:A9:0A
         04 64 62 70 73  .dbps      - Authentication Data

Configuration Response Packet
The configuration response packet is sent to indicate whether the configuration request was successful and if not to give a reason for failure by means of an error code and message. This packet has the id 0x0004 and uses the standard response packet format. The success is indicated by the result flag, result message, error code and configuration error code fields. See the tables at the end of this document for details on these fields.

Here is a sample packet for the above configuration request, indicating the request succeeded.

Data (44 bytes):
0000   44 49 47 49 00 04 00 24 0a 01 00 09 14 4f 70 65  DIGI...(.....Ope
0010   72 61 74 69 6f 6e 20 53 75 63 63 65 73 73 66 75  ration Successfu
0020   6c 11 01 00 01 06 00 40 9d 31 a9 0a              l......@.1..    

Break down as:
            44 49 47 49  DIGI       - Magic
                  00 04  ..         - Packet type (0004)
                  00 24  .(         - Payload size (36 bytes)
               0a 01 00  ...        - Result flag: Success
      09 14 4f 70 65 72  ..Oper
61 74 69 6f 6e 20 53 75  ation Su
63 63 65 73 73 66 75 6c  ccessful   - Result Message: Operation Successful
               11 01 00  ...        - Error code: None
01 06 00 40 9d 31 a9 0a  ...@.1..   - Mac Address: 00:40:9D:31:A9:0A

Here is a sample packet for a configuration request that failed because an invalid IP address was sent (0.0.0.0).

Data (37 bytes):
0000   44 49 47 49 00 04 00 1d 0a 01 ff 09 0d 49 6e 76  DIGI.........Inv
0010   61 6c 69 64 20 76 61 6c 75 65 11 01 03 01 06 00  alid value......
0020   40 9d 31 a3 a5                                   @.1..

Break down as:
            44 49 47 49  DIGI       - Magic
                  00 04  ..         - Packet type (0004)
                  00 1d  .(         - Payload size (29 bytes)
               0a 01 ff  ...        - Result flag: Error
   09 0d 49 6e 76 61 6c  ..Inval 
69 64 20 76 61 6c 75 65  id value   - Result Message: Invalid value
               11 01 03  ...        - Error code: 0x03
01 06 00 40 9d 31 a3 a5  ...@.1..   - Mac Address: 00:40:9D:31:A3:A5

DHCP Network Configuration Request
The DHCP Configuration Request packets have the packet type of 0x0007 and are used to reconfigure the network of the Digi unit so it requests it's IP address from a DHCP server. If a DHCP server doesn't respond it will take on a default IP address (the 169 IPs you see often when a device can't find an IP address).

The packet is very simply, in that it payload simply has a 1 byte boolean to enable/disable DHCP followed by the target MAC and then the authentication data. This will enabled DHCP. If you send a 0x00 for the enable byte then DHCP will be enabled, and the current network settings will be untouched. If you send 0x00 DHCP will be disabled and any previous network settings will be restored.

The following sample would be to reconfigure the device with MAC address '00:40:9D:31:A3:A5', instructing it to automatically get it's IP address via DHCP.

Data (20 bytes):
0000   44 49 47 49 00 07 00 0c 01 00 40 9d 31 a3 a5 04  DIGI......@.1...
0010   64 62 70 73                                      dbps

Break down as:
            44 49 47 49  DIGI       - Magic
                  00 07  ..         - Packet type (0003)
                  00 0c  ..         - Payload size (12 bytes)
                     01  ....       - Enable DHCP
      00 40 9d 31 a3 a5  .@.1..     - Target MAC Address: 00:40:9D:31:A3:A5
         04 64 62 70 73  .dbps      - Authentication Data

DHCP Network Configuration Response
This packet is the same as the Static Network Configuration response, except it has the packet type identifier 0x0008. Here is a sample response for the DHCP request packet sample above:

Data (44 bytes):
0000   44 49 47 49 00 08 00 24 0a 01 00 09 14 4f 70 65  DIGI...$.....Ope
0010   72 61 74 69 6f 6e 20 53 75 63 63 65 73 73 66 75  ration Successfu
0020   6c 11 01 00 01 06 00 40 9d 31 a3 a5              l......@.1..

Break down as:
            44 49 47 49  DIGI       - Magic
                  00 08  ..         - Packet type (0008)
                  00 24  .(         - Payload size (36 bytes)
               0a 01 00  ...        - Result flag: Success
      09 14 4f 70 65 72  ..Oper
61 74 69 6f 6e 20 53 75  ation Su
63 63 65 73 73 66 75 6c  ccessful   - Result Message: Operation Successful
               11 01 00  ...        - Error code: None
01 06 00 40 9d 31 a3 a5  ...@.1..   - Mac Address: 00:40:9D:31:A3:A5

Restart Request Packet
Th restart request is used to instruct a device to restart itself. This is useful in some cases, and needed to apply certain configuration changes, specifically the network configuration done with the Configuration packets.

This packet has the packet type id of 0x0005 and has a target MAC followed by the authentication data as it's payload. This gives a payload length of 11 bytes and a total packet size of 19 bytes. The following is a sample packet that restarts the device with MAC '00:40:9D:31:A9:0A'.

Data (19 bytes):
0000   44 49 47 49 00 05 00 0b 00 40 9d 31 a9 0a 04 64  DIGI.....@.1...d
0010   62 70 73                                         bps

Break down as:
            44 49 47 49  DIGI       - Magic
                  00 05  ..         - Packet type (0005)
                  00 0b  .`         - Payload size (11 bytes)
      00 40 9d 31 a9 0a  ......     - Target MAC: 00:40:9D:31:A9:0A
         04 64 62 70 73  .dbps      - Authentication Data

Restart Response Packet
After you send a restart request, the device will respond, reporting it's result. If successful the device will immediately initiate a restart. This packet has the packet type id 0x0006. As with all the other response packets it uses the field based packet format. The following sample packet is a restart response indicating success of the previous restart request sample.

Data (44 bytes):
0000   44 49 47 49 00 06 00 24 0a 01 00 09 14 4f 70 65  DIGI...$.....Ope
0010   72 61 74 69 6f 6e 20 53 75 63 63 65 73 73 66 75  ration Successfu
0020   6c 11 01 00 01 06 00 40 9d 31 a9 0a              l......@.1..

Break down as:
            44 49 47 49  DIGI       - Magic
                  00 06  ..         - Packet type (0006)
                  00 24  .(         - Payload size (36 bytes)
               0a 01 00  ...        - Result flag: Success
      09 14 4f 70 65 72  ..Oper
61 74 69 6f 6e 20 53 75  ation Su
63 63 65 73 73 66 75 6c  ccessful   - Result Message: Operation Successful
               11 01 00  ...        - Error code: 0x00
01 06 00 40 9d 31 a9 0a  ...@.1..   - Mac Address: 00:40:9D:31:A9:0A

Tables of Codes
The following tables summarize the different types and codes used in the protocol.

Packet Types
  0x0001: Discovery Request
  0x0002: Discovery Response
  0x0003: Static Network Configuration Request
  0x0004: Static Network Configuration Response
  0x0005: Reboot Request
  0x0006: Reboot Response
  0x0007: DHCP Network Configuration Request
  0x0008: DHCP Network Configuration Response

Field Types
  0x01: 6 byte MAC address
  0x02: 4 byte IP address
  0x03: 4 byte Netmask
  0x04: String Network Name
  0x05: {UNSEEN} Domain
  0x06: {UNSEEN} Hardware Type
  0x07: 1 byte Hardware Revision
  0x08: String Firmware
  0x09: String Result message
  0x0a: 1 byte Result flag - see "Result Flags"
  0x0b: 4 byte IP Gateway
  0x0c: 2 byte Configuration error code - see "Configuration Errors"
  0x0d: String device name
  0x0e: 4 byte Real Port number
  0x0f: 4 byte DNS IP
  0x10: 1 byte DHCP Enabled boolean flag. 
  0x11: 1 byte Error code
  0x12: 1 byte Serial Port Count
  0x13: 4 byte Encrypted Real Port number
  0x14: 2 byte Version
  0x15: String Vender GUID

Error codes (Field 0x11)
  0x00: Success
  0x01: Authentication Failure
  0x03: Invalid Value
  0x06: Unable to save value

Result flags (Field 0x0a)
  0x00: Success
  0xff: Error

Configuration Errors (0x0c)
  0x0000: No error.
  0x0001: Digi in different subnet than sender

Boolean flags
  0x01: True/Enabled
  0x00: False/Disabled

Some General Notes
  1. There might be more packet types.
  2. There are more error codes which I haven't seen, and thus haven't documented.
  3. Fields types 0x05 and 0x06 haven't been seen, so I'm not sure what they're data types are.
  4. Re. fields 0x0e and 0x13 being 4 bytes. Ports can only be 2 bytes (0 to 65535). Why they made it 4 bytes is a mystery, so it could be possible that they store extra information in the first 2 bytes.

6 comments:

Unknown said...

Thanks! Found this info extremely helpful. I had the need to add this functionality to a C Sharp based application. Wireshark did the trick as well. My magic key is "DVKT" but most everything else is the same. Also addp.hh (from netos74 folders) yielded the answers to your missing questions: Field x05 = Domain, Field x06 = HWType, x07 = HWRev, x0f = DNS IP, x14 = Version ID, x15 = Vendor GUID. It also shows the authentication piece to be a byte indicating length, immediately followed by the encrypted password. Example (spaces and line feed added for clarity)

44564b54 //Vendor ID: DVKT
0005 //Message ID
002 //Payload size.
004010221 //MAC Address
10 fc3ba0d3f1aef2bac239a84b0c7ad504 //Password
14 02 0200 //Field 14-Version
15 10 bf6db409c83d44a3a36d21797d2f73f9 //Field 15-Vendor GUID

Quintin said...

Hey Rick,

Thanks a lot for the information. I will update appropriately.

Shane said...

Hello,
i would like to ask you, if you could explain the authentication. I tried c# MD5CryptoServiceProvider to encrypt the password, but it doesn't work. I get Authentication Failure response.

Thank you for help.
Shane.

Quintin said...

Try and send a clear text password. I guess it depends on the Digi device. My devices always send/receive clear text passwords.

DALIBro said...

Very helpful when I try to build a similiar device discovery protocol. I tried your Java binary and the result is it could send the almost same request as Digi Device Discovery tool and the device (ConnectPort X4 gateway) responded correctly. But the Java tool displayed no device found. I think there may some mismatch or lack for my device.

Rachel said...

Very useful information. Saved me a bunch of time. Thanks alot Quintin,