Lan (WAN via VPN) Remote.. the next phase including K6TU control

ctate243

In the spirit of building on the success of V 1.4 and functional vpn based remote control, I have built a "shack in a bag" that consists of

1.  Newer laptop.. nothing fancy an ASUS i3 based system  VPN's into the shack network.

2.  USB based expansion monitor (really slick) adds a second monitor via USB port.. it also takes its power from the USB port

3. Power SDR 1.4.x

I have on order 

- an additional flex control knob..  for the remote bag.. (I know this works..  just need one of my own :-))

- A second winkeyer USB (not totally required but I really like my winkeyers..and to have a paddle remotely)  will run winkey server at the house, and connect the local winkeyer enabling paddle sent cw and side tone on the remote side

and just picked up

-IPad mini..  will vpn into the shack network as well....hopefully giving me the full k6tu control pad on the remote side.. (Stu this should work right?.. e.g. just vpn the Ipad into the network and bingo yes?) 

 

Alan, K2WS

Hi Chris, I've been using Stu's iPad app for some time and it will control your 6000 radio as long as the 6000 is powered up and connected to your LAN. Stu's iOS app can talks to it directly over the Ethernet. It doesn't require any intervention from Windows SSDR. I'm unfamiliar with VPN. What is the advantage of using it in this situation? 73, Alan

ctate243

Greetings Alan.  Yes I am using K6TU control in my shack and I greatly value it thus my latest endeavor to get it working remotely. 

 The setup here is (along with traditional in house use) remote controlling my flex system from other locations.  the VPN creates a virtual network between the sites basically offering full access to the flex system as if I was sitting at the house.   since the IPad is capable of initiating a VPN connection just like a laptop, the hope is a second VPN tunnel from the IPad will give me full K6TU control app capability from the remote setup.  This " should" work but wont be able to fully test until tomorrow if time allows.

Also one of the limitations of the 1.4 LAN remote is the inability to take a cw paddle with you.  having 2 K1EL winkeyers, (one as a server and one as a client on the same laptop as SSDR) bridges that gap.  Im gonna have to wait to get the second one in the mail..  build it and test that out as well.. again it "should" work.

The second flex control knob is self explanatory, also to pack in the "remote in a bag" setup so that capability is there as well.

Also of note, I have DDutil running at the house managing my steppIR so With several applications running locally It should be a very nice and fairly full featured remote setup.

Stu Phillips - K6TU

Chris,

The iPad app is dependent on the discovery packets (sent as UDP broadcasts on the local subnet broadcast address) and will only flow over a level 2 VPN.

Unfortunately, there are no level 2 VPN clients available for the iPad as Apple specifically prohibits them.

You would need some capability to create a remote WifI AP that sits on the VPN as a client on the same subnet as the radio - then connect the iPad app to that access point.

Remember that the radio itself has no authentication support so it will accept any incoming TCP connection - hence why Flex currently restricts access to the local segment only.

I have some ideas for solutions but these are months not weeks out.

Stu K6TU

ctate243

Stu..  come on you know I just wont take no for an answer sometimes ;-) ;-)..  I present to you K6TU control from the starbucks at Fremont blvd and mowry with barista bar in the background to add dramatic effect hi hi..  

ctate243

and upside down for unknown reason .

ctate243

It totally works.

Stu Phillips - K6TU

Ok - so how is your iPad connected to the VPN?

There must be level 2 connectivity for the discovery packets to be seen unless you are spoofing them locally?

Cool!
Stu K6TU

ctate243

This particular router has the ability to allow udp broadcast traffic over the VPN.  in this case its PPTP, not the most secure but heck its a ham shack network so if someone wants to **** my point to point tunnel to get into my ham shack well...

Others have been using open source vpn servers to get the same functionality..   Basically I have full functionality with vpn, minus DAX IQ streams that seen to be a bit too bandwidth intensive. 

So in summary,  in the shack server environment:

 DDUtil server,interfaced to SteppIr for band tracking and Winkeyer server.. 

And of course my lovely flex signature series rig 

the remote kit consists of

Windows 8 laptop VPN'd into shack via account 1

Supports:

Smart SDR, Flex control Knob, Winkeyer client side for Paddles, side tone and N1MM driven CW.

DDutil client for extra Steppir control to park elements, etc. as the DDutil server handles the band tracking.

Ipad vpn'd into the network via account 2.  Supports K6TU control.

Bottom line is if the VPN endpoint supports udp traffic you get basically the whole package from remote location.

ctate243

Stu Phillips - K6TU

Well, another day, another new thing learnt!

I didn't know that you could get a PPTP client for the iPad...  must look more closely at that!

Thanks for the pointers!
Stu K6TU

ctate243

its built into iOS..   Settings > General > VPN > add vpn connection. 

No problem Stu..  just payin it forward.

  73 and thanks for all your work and help.

Stu Phillips - K6TU

I just found that!  Being security minded, I'm using OpenVPN but a) configuring it for L2 bridging is a true pain and b) you can't get a L2 client for iOS.

Now I see L2TP, PPTP and IPSEC... time to go search for another gateway solution.

Thanks for the pointers!
Stu K6TU

Steve-N5AC

I use iOS PPTP all the time ... works great.

KY6LA_Howard

Chris

Which router are you using?

ctate243

Hi howard.. sorry for the slow response had family over for dinner tonight.

This router is an ASUS RT-N66U

http://www.amazon.com/RT-N66U-Dual-Band-Wireless-N900-Gigabit-Router/dp/B006QB1RPY/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF...

seems to work pretty well.

ctate243

Ok here is a little youtube of the remote over vpn from the office.  :-)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FTF3ykFfE_Y
 Flex remote over VPN with K6TU control over second VPN tunnel remote control of Flex 6500 back at the home shack.