This page provides current information on the requirements and the software used for the data collection network.PLEASE NOTE: We are now seeking egg hosts mainly in areas other than the UnitedStates and Europe.But let me know if you are interested in hosting, in case wecontinue to enlarge the network.
To host an 'egg', which is our working name for an outlying data generation site for the Global Consciousness Project network, you need a specific type of hardware random event generator which we can supply, and the egg-site software. The software requires a computer running Linux or Windows NT/2000/XP/Vista/Windows 7. (Win 8 hasn't been tested.)
Select a category to see names of devices, then right-click (or press and hold) the one you’d like to update. Select Search automatically for updated driver software. Select Update Driver. If Windows doesn't find a new driver, you can try looking for one on the device manufacturer's website and follow their instructions. Reinstall the device driver. Universal Serial Bus (USB) provides an expandable, hot-pluggable Plug and Play serial interface that ensures a standard, low-cost connection for peripheral devices such as keyboards, mice, joysticks, printers, scanners, storage devices, modems, and video conferencing cameras. Migration to USB is recommended for all peripheral devices that use legacy ports such as PS/2, serial, and parallel ports. Open the Device Manager by right clicking “My computer” and selecting control panel. Look under Ports (COM & LPT). You should see an open port named 'USB Serial Port' Right click on the 'USB Serial Port' and choose the 'Update Driver Software' option. Next, choose the 'Browse my computer for Driver software' option.
Go to the official site of the manufacturer. Type the name and model of your device in the search box. Select your device and click the Support tab/button. You will get the download link for the specific USB Drivers for your device. Drivers Usb free download - Drivers For Free, CopyTrans Drivers Installer, Adaptec ASPI Drivers, and many more programs.
The computer must run continuously, and it is best to have acontinuous (broadband) connection to the internet. If a dialup is used it must beautomated to connect at least once per day for a total of 30minutes per day.
The computer clock must besynchronized to the correct time by an automatic process to keep thedata from all eggs properly time-stamped.If you use the Internet Time Synchronization in Windows XP or Vista you should download and run the InternetTimeUpdate programto set it to do an update daily. (The default is weekly, andPC clocks tend to lose or gain several seconds in that time.)There is more information in a recent Update note on clocksynchronization.
The program you will run is called eggsh in Linux andegg.exe in Windows. It is designed to keep a proper pace without taking priority CPU time, and there should be no trouble or competition with other use of your machine, including light or moderate webservice. It is necessary for your machine to be running the NTP software or the Windows Internet Timesynchronization or some other program to keep its clock synchronized with a stable time source.
IMPORTANT: If the EGG computer is behind a firewall,it must be programmed to forward UDP packets on port 2510 outgoingand port 1105 incoming. Your router must also beprogrammed for UDP forwaring. This allows the bidirectionalcommunication required for the data to be transmitted. Whathappens is that your program sends an 'awake' packet when ithas unsent data. The server in Princeton responds with a 'datarequest' packet, and then the EGG program will send the data.
Three REG devices are available. They all plug into a serial port. One (ORION) is designed for a 25 pin serial port, and an adaptor isneeded to plug into a 9 pin port;the others (PEAR PortREG, Mindsong) plug directly into a 9 pin port. Be sure to send your postal mailing addressfor shipping the REG if you plan to become a host.
Araneus Usb Devices Driver Adapter
We now have a USB random number generator from ARANEUS, andthe Linux software to use it is available (below). NoWindows software for the Araneus is yet available.
Below are links to obtain software for hosting an egg. Read the README for a little more information. The GCP software is Free Software, under the terms of theGNU General Public License.You can write to Roger Nelsonwith questions. You should download the file to a directory where you wish to install and run the software.
Linux Operating System
Please Note:We now have an updated software package that is designed to run oneither 32-bit or 64-bit Linux operating systems, thanks to John Walker.There is also 64-bit compatible software in the Debian package. (If you run the normal 32-bit software in a 64-bit system, it will generate bad data.)
Please Note:We have moved the GCP database and archiving system to a new server with a different name and address. Egg hosts using Linux and the eggsh program will need to edit the .eggrc configuration file to change the line that now says
BASKET noosphere 128.112.35.133 or 64.7.11.43
The new version of this line should say
BASKET noosphere 162.245.217.130
If you have any problem making this change, please send an email. There are simple text editors available on linux systems, and we can help you find and use one.
The packageegg_64.tar.gzis the current version of the software for
For USB devices the Araneusversion of the software is available in a small tarballcalled 'araneusware.tgz' which contains the executable 'eggsh' program, the model configuration file called eggrc.sample.araneus,and the README and README_ARANEUS instruction files. (Note that the BASKET line in the model may have the old IP address. It nowmust read 'BASKET noosphere 64.7.11.43' without quotes.)If you need the source code, it is available at the same link.
For a general example of the configuration file, see .eggrc (andalso read the paragraph below on configuration).The installation is described in general instructionsintended to help hosts with the setup, internet connections, andtime synchronization.A useful tool for linux users: Doug Piercy developed some scripts that monitor eggsh, and restart it if it is not running.
A version of the eggsh program that does not give any runtime feedback,and so does not need a window, is available. This nogui eggshcan be used in situations where an automatic startup after a reboot is necessary (compiled under RedHat 6.0; not thoroughly tested).
For those running Debian Linux, a package with the GCP egg software is included in Debian 2.2, and can be found at www.debian.org. Thedirect link is gcpegg.
If you have a different Linux or UNIX, you can compile from the source code in the egg_64.tar.gz package.A very simple testing program that takes 200-bit trials in batches of 200, and displays them and their mean value is available here.
The configuration file, .eggrc, will require editing to insert a name for your EGG, your IP address and the unique ID number for the REG device. I will give you the ID number, and we should discuss a pleasing name forthe egg, preferably including your country suffix. We also need to specify your time zone, and we need your geographic location, which you can find with acceptable accuracy using this locator site. Send an approximate altitude for your location too.
Windows Operating System
(NOTE: The Egg.exe program you can download here may still have the oldserver address. After you install it, please download and run the NewBasket.exe program. There is more informationbelow.)
A program by Paul Bethke, created originally for Windows NT and Windows 2000 is available. It also runs successfully on Windows XP and Windows 95 and 98. It is also compatible withVista and Windows 7 if you run it as Administrator.The program, called EGG.exe can be downloaded, along with Instructionswhich should get you up and running. Please read the instructions carefully before you installEGG.exe. Note that you must run Egg.exe asAdministrator if your OS is Vista or Windows 7.
There is a small test program to see if the Egg is connected properlyand generating good data. It is a zip file that can be downloaded asREGTest.zip.
New device: TrueRNG
We now have a USB based REG/RNG which looks to Windows OS like a Serialdevice so the normal EGG.exe software can be used with it. To use theTrueRNG device you will need to download and install a Windows driver.
The configuration parameters will be
The Egg ID number, which you will get from GCP
The Egg type, which will be '1' (no quotes)
The COM port, maybe 'COM1' (no quotes) but very likely a different number.
You can find out what COM port is assigned in the device manager when you plug in the USB stick (the TrueRNG). You also can learn the COM port by downloading and running the rngcapture program.
More information and instructions can be found in the TrueRNG manual.
As always, we are available to help.
New Server -- this is important
We have moved the GCP database and archiving system to a newserver with a different name and address. After Egg.exe is installed you will need to runa program to change the server address in your registry. Pleasedownload NewBasket.exe to C:GCP. Please run it in a Command Prompt window afterdownloading it. On Windows Vista and Windows 7 the CommandPrompt window has to be run as Administrator.
During setup you will be asked for three items: The EGG IDnumber, the type of REG, and what COM port you are using.See the Instructions for details.I will give you the ID number, and we should discuss a pleasing name forthe egg, preferably including your country suffix. We also need to specify your time zone, and your geographic location, which you can find with acceptable accuracy using this locator site.
A program for reconfiguring your egg if that is necessary is available at EGGConfig.exe.
For a program to keep your clock synchronized in Win 95 or 98, you can try AtomTime98 or Dimension 4.
**Note: Dimension 4 may not be reliable now (2013) **
A built-in timekeeper is included in newer versions ofWindows, including XP and Vista.If you use the Internet Time Synchronization in Windows XP or Vista you should download and run the InternetTimeUpdate programto set it to do an update daily. (The default is weekly, andPC clocks tend to lose or gain several seconds in that time.)There is more information in a recent Update note on clock synchronization.
If you need help with the process, get in touch with Roger Nelson.
Improvements and fixes
This update includes a fix for an incorrect device driver (“Microsoft – WPD – 2/22/2016 12:00:00 AM - 5.2.5326.4762”) that was released by a third-party on March 8, 2017 that affected a small group of users with USB connected phones or other media devices that rely on Media Transfer Protocol (MTP). If the driver is on your system, when any of these devices are connected, Windows will try to install this driver. These devices will not be connected until the driver is removed. This incorrect driver was removed from Windows Update the same day, but it may have been downloaded to your computer. After installing this update the incorrect driver will be removed.
How to get this update
Araneus Usb Devices Driver Vga
This update will be downloaded and installed automatically from Windows Update. To get the stand-alone package for this update, go to the Microsoft Update Catalog website.
If you are not able to connect your phone or media device via USB and are not running one of these Windows versions, you can still remove this driver using the process described here:
Araneus Usb Devices Driver Updater