Running OpenThread Border Router in Docker?

[Izvor]

What are the limitations for running OpenThread Border Router in Docker?

I have not been able to successfully use it to build a Thread network and join Matter devices to it. I would like to be able to setup and run it in a Docker container and use it as if I installed the OTBR software on bare metal.

If I run on bare metal, I can use this command running on another computer to see the service:

avahi-browse -r -t _meshcop._udp

If I run OTBR in Docker and run the above command, I cannot see any services.

It looks like to network traffic from the Docker container isn't properly integrated with the LAN network.

Have anyone successfully done this?

[Marte Myrvold]

Hi,

Did you follow the guide here Thread Border Router? There are steps for running OTBR using Docker there.

Best regards,
Marte

[Izvor]

Yes, I have tried following the steps in that article.

It's a bit unclear to me what this means:

"For development purposes, you can run the OpenThread Border Router on any Linux-based system using a Docker container that already has the Border Router installed. This solution can be used when you are only interested in direct communication between your Border Router and the Thread network. For example, you can use the Docker container when you want to establish IP communication between an application running on Linux (such as the CHIP Tool Matter controller) and an application running on a Thread node."

What exactly are the restrictions are there when running OTBR in a Docker container compared with running it on bare metal? 

[Marte Myrvold]

Izvor said:

"Are you running chip-tool on the same computer as the docker OTBR, or on a separate computer?"

On a separate computer.

Please try running chip-tool on the same computer.

Izvor said:

"I tried to reproduce the issue last week using the nRF52840 DK and our light bulb sample, but I did not get any issues."

Can you describe your lab setup?

Setup:

• A computer with Ubuntu 20.04 for docker OTBR and chip-tool.
• nRF52840 Dongle for RCP, running the co-processor sample as described in Configuring a radio co-processor.
• nRF52840 DK with the light bulb sample.
• SDK: nRF Connect SDK v2.5.1

The chip-tool was built manually from sources as described in Building the CHIP Tool, and I followed the Running OTBR using Docker for the OTBR. In step 7 I used the GUI to form the Thread network. I ran the chip-tool on the same computer as the docker OTBR.

[Izvor]

Ok, not strange that it works when you are running everything on one computer!

In my original question:

"If I run on bare metal, I can use this command running on another computer to see the service

avahi-browse -r -t _meshcop._udp

If I run OTBR in Docker and run the above command, I cannot see any services." (when run from another computer)

Isn't it supposed to work across multiple computers? Like it does when running on bare metal?

[Marte Myrvold]

Hi,

You need to run the chip-tool on the same computer as the one running the OTBR in docker. I apologize if my previous replies caused confusion regarding this.

Best regards,
Marte

[Izvor]

Ok, so it's not possible to run OTBR in a Docker container and make it participate in a LAN network as you can with a OTBR running on bare metal?

[Marte Myrvold]

Hi,

I have asked the developers to verify this. I will let you know when I hear back from them.

Best regards,
Marte

[Marte Myrvold]

Hi,

The docker OTBR does not work like this out-of-the-box, as it is meant to be used for local/simple setup and we recommend using OTBR. However, it is possible to configure the docker OTBR to run on a host network, which will make it work similarly to if you run the OTBR on bare metal.

To do so, you must do the following:

1. Define which interface is used as connection to the WAN/LAN (e.g. eth0, wlan0)
2. Set RA/ROI for that interface
   sudo sysctl net.ipv6.conf.$BACKBONE_INF.accept_ra_rt_info_max_plen=128
sudo sysctl net.ipv6.conf.$BACKBONE_INF.accept_ra=2
3. Run docker container using following command (provide the configured interface as $BACKBONE_INF)
   docker run --rm --privileged --network host --name otbr --volume /dev/ttyACM0:/dev/ttyACM0 nrfconnect/otbr:9185bda --radio-url spinel+hdlc+uart:///dev/ttyACM0?uart-baudrate=115200 -B $BACKBONE_INF
4. Form topology

Please note that the OTBR might not clean all the configurations after removing the docker, so some leftovers might still be on the host. This is why we only recommend using OTBR in docker for local and simple setup.

Best regards,
Marte