The Hardware Addon is an extension of your FAP Trainer license that connects the simulator to your physical cabin. Without the addon, the FAP works fully on screen; with the addon, the FAP controls and receives data from your real switches, lights and mechanisms.
The two pieces of the system
The system is made of two pieces that bind independently. The screen controller is the browser of the computer that displays the FAP: it is the face of the system and binds via the kiosk URL from the previous article. The controller is a board (Arduino or compatible) wired to your hardware: inputs for switches such as seat belts or doors, outputs for LEDs and annunciators, PWM outputs for cabin lighting, and commands for accessories such as the smoke machines.
What it adds in practice
With the hardware connected, the physical seat belts switch in the cockpit updates the FAP screen instantly, emergency lights and annunciators light up on your physical panel, doors with sensors are reflected on the doors screen, and the FAP can actuate mechanisms such as the smoke machines or the electrical fault.
Network requirements
The controller and the screen controller computer must be on the same local network, that is, on the same router. The controller also needs internet access to validate the license and send its periodic pings. How to pair both pieces is covered in the configuration articles below.