Network Requirements for PlugStream
PlugStream charge points require an internet connection to be able to communicate with PlugStream Cloud or third party CSMS.
This article is primarily for network administrations and other people who manage the network on site.
| Option | PlugStream 7 | PlugStream 22 |
|---|---|---|
| Bluetooth 5.0, BLE with external antenna | Yes | Yes |
| WiFi 2.4 GHz 802.11 b/g/n (channel 1-11) | Yes | Yes |
| Ethernet | Yes | Yes |
| 4G LTE | Optional | Optional |
Table 1 – Network Connectivity Options
Each charging station uses approx. 5MB for each charge cycle performed. The anticipated data traffic for each PlugStream Charge Point is around 3 MB a day.
Network Security
All traffic and communication between the charge point and the cloud solution are encrypted. All the following network services are required to allow PlugStream to work together with PlugStream Cloud. All the ports stated are outgoing ports, and you have to open them in active firewalls. PlugStream links to the necessary services without opening incoming ports, even if they are located behind a NAT.
HTTPS
TCP port 443 (multiple domains)
PlugStream connects to PlugStream Cloud by means of HTTPS in order to report usage, control the charge point and download firmware updates. This communication is encrypted. PlugStream verifies the server certificate before the update is download, and the firmware update itself is verified cryptographically before being installed.
The following domains are used:
- ocpp.ampnexus.net
- setup.plugstream.co.uk
Outgoing Ports
| Port | Type | Domain / IP Address |
|---|---|---|
| 123 | UDP | pool.ntp.org |
| 443 | TCP | ocpp.ampnexus.net |
| 443 | TCP | setup.plugstream.co.uk |
| 53 | UDP | 1.1.1.1 |
| 53 | UDP | 1.0.0.1 |
Table 2 – Outgoing Port Usage by domain
DHCP
UDP port 68
DHCP is used on the local network to assign an IP address to PlugStream and give the IP address to the DNS server. DHCP server with a sufficient number of IP addresses – one for every device connected.
DNS
PlugStream uses DNS to look up the IP addresses of the domains used to communicate with PlugStream Cloud.
If the DHCP server does not specify a DNS server, or if it does not respond promptly, PlugStream uses the DNS server (or DNS servers) specified by the DHCP server, in addition to Cloudflare DNS servers.
| DNS Server | Priority |
|---|---|
| Primary DNS Server (DHCP) | 1 |
| Secondary DNS Server (DHCP) | 2 |
| 1.1.1.1 (Cloudflare Primary) | 3 |
| 1.0.0.1 (Cloudflare Secondary) | 4 |
NTP
| NTP Server | Port |
|---|---|
| pool.ntp.org | 123 |
If the PlugStream’s real-time clock is wrong, the charge point cannot authenticate itself with PlugStream Cloud. PlugStream has to be connected to an NTP server so that the internal clock can be updated. This communication takes place via UDP port 123.
The NTP server used by PlugStream is pool.ntp.org.
The hostname used for NTP is static. It cannot be changed by the user at present.