WEDA Node Installation Guide
This guide covers WEDA Node installation and local service management on an edge device. For Cloud registration and credential preparation, see Register WEDA Node.
The package contains two separate tools. Run install.sh to place the WEDA Node files and WEDA Node Activator onto the device. Then use the Activator terminal application to configure and start the WEDA Node services.
Before You Start
What You Need
| Item | Description | Where to Get It |
|---|---|---|
| Edge Device | Linux-based system (Ubuntu, Debian, Yocto, Jetson/L4T) | Your hardware |
| Installer Package | weda-installer-ubuntu-{arch}-v{version}-build.{build}-{online|offline}.tgz | Download |
| Terminal Access | SSH or direct terminal access | Your infrastructure |
System Requirements
The requirements below cover WEDA Node itself. When sizing the device, also account for the operating system, platform SDKs and planned application workloads. Check free space on the filesystems used by Docker, model files and application data as well as /opt.
-
Mandatory System Environment
- Operating System: Linux (Ubuntu, Debian, Yocto, Jetson/L4T)
- User Permissions: Root (
sudo) access required to write to/opt,/etc, and to manage Docker - Terminal Size: Recommended 100 columns x 30 rows - the Activator does not block on smaller terminals, but layout, help text, and status boxes may wrap or clip below this size
- Architecture: x64 (x86_64) or ARM64 (aarch64)
-
Mandatory Software Dependencies
- Docker Engine v27.5 or above, installed and running
- Docker Compose plugin v2.32.4 or above (or
docker-composestandalone) - Filesystem access to create and modify directories in
/opt/Advantech
-
Mandatory Hardware & Networking
- At least one physical Ethernet interface (e.g.,
eth0,eno1) - Minimum 512 MB free RAM
- Minimum 1 GB free disk space in
/opt
- At least one physical Ethernet interface (e.g.,
-
Outbound Connectivity
- HTTPS (port 443) to your configured WEDA site and messaging (port 4222) to its WEDA Core Message Service
- For an online installer package, HTTPS access to the container registries used to download WEDA Node images
- An offline installer package includes container images for local loading. WEDA Node still needs access to its configured WEDA Core environment to activate and communicate
- Tunnel service connectivity (port 58443) when using Tunnel features
- Local messaging port 4224 must be free (used for local WEDA Node communication)
Pre-Flight Verification Script
The pre-flight script is included in the installer package, so extract the package you downloaded before running it. From the extracted directory:
sudo ./verify-requirements.sh
The script reports [PASS], [WARN], or [FAIL] for each requirement and saves a detailed plain-text report as weda-requirements-YYYYMMDD-HHMMSS.txt. Resolve all [FAIL] items before proceeding.
Terminal Setup
Ensure your terminal meets these requirements before launching:
stty size # check current size - "30 100" recommended
resize -s 30 100 # resize if needed
export TERM=xterm-256color # ensure 256-color mode
Font: A Unicode-capable font is required for status icons (●, ⚠, ✗, ○). Nerd Fonts and Cascadia Code both work.
Running the Installer
The installer package deploys WEDA Node and WEDA Node Activator onto the device. Run this step once per device or during device image creation.
Use the exact version, build number, architecture and online or offline variant
of the package you downloaded. The examples below use the v1.2.0_20261016.2 build
33757 package layout. Change PACKAGE_VERSION and PACKAGE_VARIANT to match your
file before running the commands.
The archive filename includes ubuntu, while the directory inside it starts with
weda-installer-x64- or weda-installer-arm64-.
Ubuntu/Debian - x64:
PACKAGE_VERSION='v1.2.0_20261016.2-build.33757'
PACKAGE_VARIANT='online'
tar -xzf "weda-installer-ubuntu-x64-${PACKAGE_VERSION}-${PACKAGE_VARIANT}.tgz"
cd "weda-installer-x64-${PACKAGE_VERSION}-${PACKAGE_VARIANT}"
sudo ./verify-requirements.sh
sudo ./install.sh
Ubuntu/Debian - ARM64:
PACKAGE_VERSION='v1.2.0_20261016.2-build.33757'
PACKAGE_VARIANT='online'
tar -xzf "weda-installer-ubuntu-arm64-${PACKAGE_VERSION}-${PACKAGE_VARIANT}.tgz"
cd "weda-installer-arm64-${PACKAGE_VERSION}-${PACKAGE_VARIANT}"
sudo ./verify-requirements.sh
sudo ./install.sh
What install.sh does:
- Installs the WEDA Node Docker service stack configuration to
/opt/Advantech/dmagent/ - Places the WEDA Node Activator binary at
/opt/Advantech/dmagent/weda-node-activator/bin/weda-node-activator - Sets up required directories and file permissions
- Creates a desktop shortcut (
~/Desktop/weda-node.desktop) for easy access on GUI systems
After
install.shcompletes, the WEDA Node service is not yet running. You must launch WEDA Node Activator to set up and start it.
Starting WEDA Node Activator
# Must be run with sudo (required for Docker operations and /opt file access)
sudo /opt/Advantech/dmagent/weda-node-activator/bin/weda-node-activator
Note: The application will refuse to start without
sudo/ root privileges.
Main Menu
After launch you will see the main menu. The footer always shows the detected Device ID, Device Model, and Activator version (including the build number).
Before WEDA Node is set up:
┌──────────────────────────────────────────────────┐
│ WEDA Node Activator │
└──────────────────────────────────────────────────┘
Welcome to WEDA (WISE-Edge Developer Architecture)
Accelerating your Edge AI Development
╭──────────────────────────────────────────────────╮
│ WEDA Node Activator │
│ │
│ Set up and manage your WEDA Node -- accelerate │
│ Edge AI development and edge-cloud orchestration │
╰──────────────────────────────────────────────────╯
Main Menu
What is WEDA?
Learn about WEDA platform and features
> Setup WEDA Node
Begin setup wizard
Exit
Close WEDA Node Activator
↑/↓: Navigate Menu • Enter: Select Option • Ctrl+C: Exit
WEDA Node Activator vx.x.x_xxxxxxxx.x (built xxxx-xx-xx xx:xx:xx) · Build #xxxxx | Device: 74fe488d5d54 | Model: EPC-U2217
After WEDA Node is set up:
What is WEDA?
> Manage WEDA Node
Exit
Navigation:
- ↑/↓ or j/k - move between items
- Enter - select
- Ctrl+C - quit (or q when cursor is on Exit)
Setting Up WEDA Node (First-Time Setup)
Select "Setup WEDA Node" from the main menu to run the setup wizard. The visible flow is short and depends on the credential source you pick:
| Path | Screens shown to the user |
|---|---|
| Register & Connect (default) | License -> Credential Source -> Review and Confirm -> Installing / Verifying -> Service Status Overview |
| Use Local Credential File | License -> Credential Source -> Authentication Configuration -> Review and Confirm -> Installing / Verifying -> Service Status Overview |
Two things to expect in the flow:
- The device model is detected automatically. It appears read-only in the Review and Confirm summary. There is no screen for entering or editing it.
- Installation and Cloud connectivity are separate checks. After installation, the wizard checks connection status and opens Service Status Overview. Opening this panel alone does not prove that activation or the Cloud connection succeeded. A
Setup Failedscreen reports an installation error.
License Agreement
WEDA NODE SETUP WIZARD
License Agreement
Please review the WEDA Node license terms:
[ ] I have read and accept the terms and conditions
Scroll to read • Space: Accept/Page Down • Enter: Continue (if accepted) • Esc: Cancel
- Scroll to read the full license (↑/↓, j/k, PgUp/PgDn, Home/End)
- At the bottom, press Space to check acceptance:
[☑] - Press Enter to continue
Credential Source
Device Credential Setup
How would you like to set up your device credentials?
⦿ Register & Connect device to WEDA site
Connect to Public WEDA Site and provision this device
○ Use Local Credential File
I already have a device credential file (.bin) from WEDA Core
Use ↑/↓ to pick a source and press Enter. The wizard branches as follows:
| Selection | Next screen | Use when |
|---|---|---|
| Register & Connect device to WEDA site (default) | Continue to Review and Confirm | Standard Advantech devices connecting to the public WEDA Cloud |
| Use Local Credential File | Continue to Authentication Configuration | A credential file has been prepared for your device or deployment |
Authentication Configuration (local-file path only)
For Use Local Credential File, follow the authentication-method and file-selection
steps in Local Credential File Path.
Use the method that matches the file prepared for your device or deployment. After
selecting the file, press n to continue to Review and Confirm.
Review and Confirm
Ready to Set Up
Review your setup configuration:
Setup Settings
Authentication: Auto Provision
Master Key: /tmp/weda-public-masterKey-….bin
Device Model: EPC-R7300
Location: /opt/Advantech/dmagent
Compose File: /opt/Advantech/dmagent/docker-compose.yml
Disk Space: ~500MB
Docker Services
• WEDA Node(dmagent)
• system-agent
• watchtower
Services will start automatically after setup
Enter: Begin Setup • Esc: Go Back
Review the summary and press Enter to start. Services always auto-start - the wizard does not expose a "no auto-start" option here.
Installing / Verifying Connection
This screen runs in two phases:
Phase 1 - Setting Up WEDA Node:
The screen shows a stage checklist, live progress and elapsed time:
- Prepare and copy files
- Download container images, or load the images included in an offline package
- Start services
- Verify setup
Image download or loading time depends on the device, package and network. The installation phase has a 30-minute timeout. Keep the terminal open and do not interrupt setup with Ctrl+C.
Phase 2 - Verifying Connection:
Verifying Connection
Checking WEDA Node connection to server...
[ pulsing animation ]
Verification in Progress
Validating server connection...
After the connection-status check, the wizard opens Service Status Overview without a key press. Inspect the displayed values before treating the device as ready.
Check the result: For a device prepared for Cloud connection, confirm Provision State: Activated, Connection: Connected, and Service Status: Running. Running services alone do not confirm activation or connectivity.
Setup Failed (failure path only)
This screen reports an installation error. When installation completes without an error, the wizard checks the connection status and opens Service Status Overview, where you must verify the result.
Setup Failed
Setup encountered an error:
<error message>
Troubleshooting:
• Browse below URL: Request your WEDA Account & Register your device at
WEDA server:
https://learn.advantech.com/weda/docs/Introduction
• Verify Docker is installed and running
• Check WEDA Node Activator is running with root permissions
• Check file permissions for device credentials/key files
• Ensure sufficient disk space
• Review system logs for details
Press Enter to return to main menu.
Esc: Device Credential Setup
Press Enter to return to the main menu, or Esc to jump back to Credential Source and try a different credential source.
Service Status Overview (Management Panel)
Open "Manage WEDA Node" from the main menu, or inspect this panel when the installation wizard opens it after the connection-status check. Confirm the status values rather than using the panel opening as proof of a successful Cloud connection.
┌──────────────────────────────────────────────────┐
│ WEDA Node Activator │
└──────────────────────────────────────────────────┘
Service Status Overview
╭────────────────────────────────────────── ────────╮
│ WEDA Node Version: x.x.x_xxxxxxxx.x │
│ Auth Method: Auto Provision │
│ Provision State: Activated │
│ Connection: Connected │
│ Service Status: ● Running │
│ │
│ Containers │
│ ● dmagent 2h 34m │
│ ● system-agent 2h 34m │
│ ● watchtower 2h 34m │
│ │
│ Device Information │
│ Device: Device ID: 74fe488d5d54, Model: ... │
│ Server: <your-weda-site>:4222 │
╰──────────────────────────────────────────────────╯
WEDA Node Version identifies the installed Node services. The Activator version shown in the footer identifies the management tool; the two versions can differ.
Status icons and labels:
●green - running / connected / activated (Connection and Provision State render as colored text without the bullet)⚠orange - degraded (running but unhealthy)●red - stopped / failed
Provision State is driven by /opt/Advantech/dmagent/data/provision_state.json and displays the following labels:
- Activated
- Activation In Progress
- Activation Pending
- Waiting for Activation
- Activation Failed
- Unknown
An unfamiliar state appears as Unrecognized state (<raw state>). When dmagent
is not running, the panel marks the recorded provision state as last known.
Even a recorded Activated value is historical in this case and does not confirm
that the device is currently connected.
Connection reads Connected only when dmagent is running, provisioning is
Activated, authentication information is loaded, and a connection to the WEDA
server's messaging service is established. Otherwise it reads Disconnected.
Values in the Service Status Overview auto-refresh every 5 seconds in the background.
Service Status Values
| Status | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Running | All 3 containers (dmagent, system-agent, watchtower) are running and healthy |
| Degraded | One or more containers are stopped or unhealthy |
| Stopped | No containers are running |
When Degraded, the status box shows which containers have issues:
│ Service Status: ⚠ Degraded │
│ system-agent -> not running │
Press ? to toggle the troubleshooting panel when service status is Degraded.
Onboarding and Connection Hints
When Service Status is Running, Connection is Disconnected, and a provisioning or connection error is present, the status box appends an onboarding note with the WEDA Learn URL. This example shows an activation failure:
│ Provision State: Activation Failed: <error> │
│ Connection: Disconnected │
│ Service Status: ● Running │
│ ... │
│ [Note: Onboarding This Device ] │
│ Browse below URL: Request your WEDA Account & │
│ Register your device at WEDA server │
│ https://learn.advantech.com/weda/docs/Introduction │
The note can also appear with Provision State: Activated, for example when authentication information has not loaded or the server connection has failed. Read Provision State and Connection together to determine the next action. For registration and credential preparation, follow Register WEDA Node.