How you can access your Radio over the Internet (WAN) TODAY

Timo - OH5KW

Doug, In my case the problem was firewalls. 
73, Timo OH5KW

Stu Phillips - K6TU

Doug,

Yes it is possible for the SoftEther configuration but the SoftEther.org web site has all the configuration information.

This page 

http://www.softether.org/4-docs/2-howto/1.VPN_for_On-premise/2.Remote_Access_VPN_to_LAN

has all the steps you need to configure the server and the client.  Its hard to see how this could be made much more step by step...

The configuration of the firewall is another matter.  There are many different manufacturers products used by the different ISPs.  Most ISPs provide the manuals for these devices and if not, the manual is usually available on the Internet.

The firewall needs to be configured for "IP Port Forwarding" - providing step by step instructions for all the different firewalls is not a practical task.

Stu K6TU

K6OZY

TeamViewer traffic does not go through their servers.  Their servers are used to setup the connection and keep track of IP's of online hosts.   After that negotiation is complete, the data flow is directly between the client software and the host computer encrypted using standard ports that use SSL.  This prevents blockage because the firewall sees it as normal HTTPS data since it cannot inspect the traffic.

DV

After some study and some assistance from a friend, I have compiled a step-by-step procedure for setting up SoftEther VPN. Not having a background in networking, I did not find the instructions on the SoftEther web site to be intuitive. I hope this helps those who need clarification and detailed guidance.

As already discussed in other postings, I find SoftEther VPN requires a "high speed" internet connection. WI-FI can be problematic, unless you have an excellent (interference free) signal and the LAN is not too loaded. When you have it working the remote computer, with the SmartSDR installed, operates just like you were at the ham shack. The lack of latency, together with Flex's embedded audio,is terrific. That's worth all the effort in setting up VPN.


Setting up the Server
 
1.) From the download center (http://www.softether-download.com/en.aspx?product=softether) select SoftEther VPN Clien,.  then “Windows” for platform, then “Intel (x86 and x64)” for CPU. Then the download links for the install will be shown at the bottom of the page. Download the setup program for “SoftEther VPN Server”.
2.) Run the server install program. From the list of components select “SoftEther VP Server”.   Set up the server using the following steps
3.) Start the “SoftEther VPN Service Manager”.
4.) Using your mouse double click "Localhost (This server), or click the “Connect” button.
5.) The first time you open the “server Settings Window” it will prompt you for a password. This password is used to for access to the server administration properties (make note of it - however the manager program will remember it by default, so if you are connecting from the local machine entering the password is not required.)
6.) Next the “Easy Setup” window will be shown. Check the box for “Remote Access VPN Sever” and “Site-to-site VPN Server” (under site-to-site “VPN Server that Accepts Connection from other sites” should be selected) and then click “Next”.
7.) A window asking if you “really want to do this” will be shown, choose 'yes'.
8.) Next a "Virtual Hub" name will be requested. Enter a name that is reflective of the LAN you are on (such as “Ham Shack/Home”).
9.) Next the "Dynamic DNS Function" setup page will be shown. Here you can enter a memorable hostname if you wish (or accept the default if you will be accessing the server via IP or some other hostname service). Then click “Exit”.
10.) Next the “IPSec / L2TP / EtherIP / L2TPv3” settings window will be displayed. You do not need to change any of these, just click “OK”.
11.) The “VPN Azure Service” settings window will appear. Choose “Disable VPN Azure” and click “OK”.
12.) The “VPN Easy Setup Tasks” window should now be displayed. Click on the “Create Users” button to add a user to the system. This defines the user credentials that you will use to connect to the VPN (using the client software). Enter a user name and password. Make sure “Password Authentication” is selected for the “Auth Type”. Then click “OK”. A 'user has been created' window will be displayed.
13.) Next the “Manager Users” window will appear. Click “Exit” to move on.
14.) Going back to the “VPN Easy Setup Tasks” window, step 2 should be disabled. For “Step 3” use the drop down to select the main Ethernet card (attached to the physical LAN) for the system. Then click “Close”.
15.) You should now see the “Manager VPN Server “localhost”” window that displays a virtual hub list containing the virtual hub that was just configured. At this point the server should be configured & operational (you can click “Exit” and then close the “SoftEther VPN Server Manager” interface).
16.) At this time you may wish to open your local LAN router software interface and setup the LAN router port forwarding of the main connection port you want to use (“5555” for example)to the machine that is running the server.

Once the server software is installed and set up it will run automatically in the background as a Windows service. The “SoftEther VPN Server Manager” software can be used to modify any settings beyond the initial setup if needed.

 
Setting up the VPN Client (on the remote computer)

The VPN client software must be installed on all computers you want to connect to the VPN server (and thus be able to access the LAN that the server software is associated with). This is the same LAN to which you have connected your Flex 6000 series radio.

1,) From the primary download web page ( http://www.softether-download.com/en.aspx?product=softether ) select “SoftEther VPN Client”, then “Windows” for platform, then “Intel (x86 and x64)” for CPU. Then the download links for the install will be shown at the bottom of the page. Download the setup program for “SoftEther VPN Client”.
2.) Run the VPN client install program that you just downloaded.
3.) When asked what components to install select “SoftEther VPN Client”. Then proceed through the rest of the install choosing the defaults.
4.) Start the “SoftEther VPN Client Manager”.
5.) Double click “Add VPN Connection”
6.) If this is the first time you've run the software, you will be asked to first setup a "Virtual Network Adapter", click “Yes”. In the “Create New Virtual Network Adapter” pop up window, give your virtual adapter a name. You can (and probably should) use the default name of “VPN”. Click the “OK” button”, then give it time to install the “Virtual Network Adapter”. When the VPN Client adapter is shown in the “Virtual Network Adapter Name” (at the bottom half of the window) box as 'enabled', you are ready for the next step.
7.) Now double click “Add VPN Connection” (for the second time). The “New VPN Connection Setting Properties” window should be displayed.
8.) Assign the “Setting Name” to be something representative of the network that you will be connecting to.
9.) For the “Host Name” enter the internet accessible IP address (or domain name) for the router of the network that your VPN server machine is connected to. Choose the port number that the server has been configured to use (Some users favor 5555). After entering the first two items, the drop down “Virtual Hub Name” selector should be populated with the virtual hubs that are hosted on that server - choose the one you want to connect to (typically there will be only one).
10.) Enter your username and password for the VPN in the “User Authentication Setting” box (and have the “Auth Type” set to “Standard Password Authentication”).
11.) Click “OK” to close the window and save the settings.
12.) Back in the “SoftEther VPN Client Manager” window, right-click the new VPN connection you just added and then choose “Connect” on the menu that appeared. When connected the “status” will show as “connected”.

The SoftEther client software will run automatically when the computer is rebooted (and automatically connect to any networks that it was connected to when the machine was shut down).

Misc Info
Virtual Network Adapter Priority

Windows sets the priority for which network card is used automatically. This can cause the virtual VPN adapter to be the default, which is typically not what you want (generally you want the 'real' adapter on the machine to be the default). You can set the priority of the virtual network adapters by doing this:

1.) Open the Windows “Network Connections” window. [You can get to this by right clicking on the VPN virtual adapter in the SoftEther client and choosing “Open Windows Network Connections”]
2.) Right click on the VPN virtual network adapter in the “Network Connections” window and choose “Properties”.
3.) Choose “Internet Protocol Version 4” in the list and click the “Properties” button.
4.) Click the “Advanced” button (located near the bottom of the window)
5.) In the “IP Settings” tab, deselect “Automatic Metric” and enter a value of “100” for the “Interface metric”.
6.) Then click OK on all the windows.
7.) Restart the VPN connect (and possibly reboot)

Alternate instructions (from Windows Vista):

1.) Using the Client, under the “Virtual Adapter” menu item, select the “Open Windows Network Connections” window.
2.) Right click on the VPN virtual network adapter in the “Network Connections” window and choose “Properties”.
3.) On the “VPN Client Properties” window, choose “Internet Protocol Version 4 (TCP/IPv4)” in the list and click the “Advanced” button.
4.) Click the “Advanced” button (located near the bottom of the window)
5.) In the “IP Settings” tab, 'deselect' “Automatic Metric” and enter a value of “100” for the “Interface metric”.
6.)Then, click OK or Close on all the windows.
7.) Restart the VPN connect (and possibly reboot)


 

IW7DMH, Enzo

I did the same thing in the last week end.
The only difference is that my VPN server is running on a Raspberry PI-2 1-gb and it seems it works very well. I followed this online guide http://tomearp.blogspot.it/2013/11/setting-up-l2tpipsec-vpn-with-softether.html

I also found a way to virtualize serial ports and now I can turn off my pc station and control my rotator running the software from the client pc, next to SSDR.
If you are interested in "serial port over ethernet" argument you can follow this guide https://mellowd.co.uk/ccie/?tag=ser2net

I installed the ser2net daemon on Raspberry while on the client I used one of the two software suggested in the guide.
Next step will be moving my remote cw key from the Arduino Uno to Raspberry board and so my "walkaround" station will be ready

Really amazing!

73' Enzo
iw7dmh

Bob G W1GLV

Stu, implemented Softether VPN. Took about 30 minutes to setup. Went to a local doughnut shop with Wi-Fi and it worked flawlessly. Fine tool.

Jim Gilliam

It is amazingly simple to set up. However, one must have a computer at the server end. The whole idea is to do away with the extra computer. OpenVPN is integrated into routers such as the Linksys 1900AC. Out of curiosity, I configured my router and installed OpenVPN client on my client computer. I had just as much success with OpenVPN as I did with Softether. The BIG difference is my 6500 works flawlessly without an additional server computer. One might give OpenVPN a look to see if it fits into your remote needs.

Jim, K6QE

Wayne, W5XD

For me, this scheme exhibits a problem that is especially noticeable in CW operation--what should be a pure tone is not. To hear it the problem unambiguously, tune in CW mode to a WWV carrier, say 10.0MHz. I should hear a steady audio tone at the CW sidetone pitch. In my case, it was set at 600Hz. I ran a recording of the resulting DAX channel to a file and got Audacity to do an FFT. have a pair of peaks, neither at 600Hz. One is around 650Hz and the other 680Hz. It sits on one for 500msec or so, and then maybe 3x that length on the other pitch. I don't think this is caused by lack of internet bandwidth (but cannot rule it out) because: (a)I can measure over 5MBs in both directions, and (b) the audio I hear doesn't depend on the Display FPS, number of panadapters, or anything else I can think of that changes the VPN bandwidth requirements.

Again, this effect is not as obvious in SSB reception as it is in CW. I haven't tried digital modes, but I would predict they would have a hard time following the signals around.
Wayne, W5XD

IW7DMH, Enzo

I agree with you, but you can use also a Raspberry, as suggested in the first post by Stu.

Costs are very low and you have at least three bonus:
- it can works with any router;
- it can be powered with small wall-power supply, like a router;
- you have more than 20 GPIO pins you can use to remotely command relays, switch and other devices that would require a personal computer.

This world is new for me so it is possible I am missing something, but it is a good starting point. Yesterday I tested my VPN and the whole experiment had success. Now I am planning to improve my ADSL uplink connection as now my uplink bandwidth is only 0.4Mbps.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kACH-dN7tG4


 

Stu Phillips - K6TU

Wayne,

Not following you 100% here...  when you are operating remotely you are using Remote Audio to convey the audio to you or are you running a DAX stream and playing that via a speaker?

As I said in my original post, running DAX across the Internet is not something I'd recommend.  The DAX stream is heavy weight (1.5 MBps per stream) and you are going to be subject to jitter in the arrival rates of the packets from the radio - or even drop outs due to lost packets.

You can protect against this to some level by using the SoftEther VPN in TCP/SSL mode - here TCP will insure correct ordering of traffic and will use re-transmissions to recover dropped packets but the jitter will still be there.

If you use the remote audio, you will get audio via the Opus codec and its data rate is approximately 70 Kbps.

Running digital using DAX remotely over the Internet will be a challenge over long Internet paths (ie many Internet routing hops) as the jitter will be present and non-deterministic.

In a regional Internet - ie within a metro area like the Austin Metro, or SF Bay metro, the jitter is low and DAX works fine.  Longer connections?  All bets are off.

In the limit, for full remote operation, the digital mode needs to be handled in the radio or in a server that is co-located with the radio.

Remote over the WAN right now is like the dog walking on its hind legs...

YMMV...

Stu K6TU

Dale KB5VE

stu getting ready for wan I want to run Mobil do y ou see the I pad app being fully functional for remote operation over the wan.

W3DCB

That's no fun!  Gotta play...gotta play...its in the blood, :')  you know?  heee heee heee...de W3DCB  Daniel

W3DCB

Hi...I know your post is old...I hope you don't mind a question?  I have lots of experience with SoftEther -- have been using it for a long time...I was hospitalized for a long time in December, 2013, through April, 2014.  I was in ham radio withdrawal.  So, I needed a solution and set it up remotely from my hospital bed.  Works great.  I posted about it later not realizing that it had already been described.  Can you possibly give a bit more about the Raspberry PI-2 1-gb?  For RS-232, I use two Moxa Nport 5610-16 RS-232 Servers and I use Tactital Port Redirecting software...I have LOTS of RS-232 ports, hi hi!  Maybe a bit of over-****?  I have actually used a lot of those 32 ports.  I found that using RS-232 Port Splitters,  http://www.bb-elec.com/Products/Serial-Connectivity/Serial-Data-Tools-Adapters/Port-Splitters.aspx  allows me to have "double" access to the same device via two different programs simultaneously w/o having to set up virtual pairs...Yes, it is not very elegant as it is a brute-force hardware solution, but VERY convenient!  I am wondering about your Raspberry solution, however.  Have you described it somewhere?  de W3DCB  Daniel



 v

IW7DMH, Enzo

Hello Daniel,

unfortunately I didn't described it anywhere, but actually it was very simple.
I simply followed the online guide I have posted before. You need a raspeberry PI-2 and a 16/32 Gb sd-card. After having loaded the Raspbian image you can start with the configurations suggested.
About serial port over the network it seems the ser2net daemon next to a VSP driver works quite well, but if you already have a working solution it couldn't make sense.
The Softether feature I most prefer in SoftEther is the ability to configure your VPN from any pc in the network, so configuring the Raspberry is mostly a set-and-forget operation. Mine is under the dust from six months and it never stopped working.

73' Enzo
iw7dmh

Ali 9K2WA

Stu, This is the first time I am working remote using the remote app over a very long distance 8000+ miles away from my QTH in VK land over the SoftEther VPN with over 430 ms latency on the average and the audio data rate is between 70-76 kb/s. Almost very one gave me a good audio report some of them said BBC quality audio ! when all I was using was my old iPhone ear piece with a tiny mic connected to the iPad. Moreover I used the same internet connection on my notebook to be able to control my radios/antennas/amps switches and monitor my Amp as well. With K6TU remote over VPN I could really feel the difference, I have logged over 5500 remote QSO in the past couple of years using different methods, but this week the operation is much more smooth and easy under a moderate pile up. The App certainly passed the real remote test form my point of view, Well done Stu

Cal N3CAL

Is it possible to run the Softether Client on a IPAD Mini 4?   I'd like to run the K6TU remote via VPN. 
I have Softether Server setup and running but unless I'm missing something it looks like there is no client for the IPAD Mini 4?   

Cal/N3CAL

Cal N3CAL

After a little research on the Softether site I was able to find the answer to my own question.   There is no Softether Client to run on your IPAD.  You can just go into your IPAD under the general tab and add/setup a VPN. I was able to get it up and running in short order.  K6TU remote works fine this way!  Thanks Stu! 

Cal/N3CAL   

Jim Gilliam

Are you running OpenVPN with the iPad? Where does the server part of your VPN exist? Is it on your router?

Walt - KZ1F

Something I haven't understood in these conversations is the VPN provider. When I've used the Cisco VPN client, be it on Linux or Windows, there was no third party host. I was researching this the other day as I have both a Linux and Android clie t plus a netgear 1750AC router. I think it is an R6200r2. My understanding is softether implements OpenVPN. I found no link between my router and softether but did find a netgear article on installing OpenVPN on the router. It required a service, about $3/month, to assign the IP addresses and do the tunnelling. Some had better country support than others. The two geographic locations I'd be interested in would be western EU and VK, ZL. That led me to a website of best VPN providers, from $2.60/mo to over $8/month. For you guys doing softether, do you have to subscribe to this type of service?

EA4GLI

The only reason that you might want to do that are to Hide your identity online or to remove geographical blocking to use online services that are geo restricted, such as Hulu, Netflix, iTunes US store, Sony, etc...

Ali 9K2WA

There is no need for any subscriptions of any kind, my ISP network router does not have VPN, but I had to forward the relevant Softether ports including 1723 to get the L2TP to work for me with the iPad, and you must setup the SoftEther server to accept L2TP connection, also you can use the built-in Dynamic DNS Function of softEather to avoid putting a new IP every time it gets changed, just use any prefix ie xyz123.softether.net, that's all.

Walt - KZ1F

Yes, I got a sense that was one of their top marketing bullet points. Thanks Ali, thanks Sal.

Walt - KZ1F

Are you tethered to a .softether. net domain name? Or do you establish a host entry such as 172.5.4.123 Ali.com so programmatically you don't have to refer to your cable modem's isp assigned dhcp address?

Ali 9K2WA

Yes I do use the .softether. net domain name, I did also use my ISP assigned IP but it does change very often and that is why I used softether,net, I do not have a static IP.

Walt - KZ1F

There is, at least, one service that will update and publish your dhcp IP address to a constant DNS known name. It too is not free, as I recall.

Cal N3CAL

Hi Jim,  No I'm not using OpenVPN on my router.  On the server side at the home QTH I'm running Softether Server on my ham shack computer. The only thing I did with my router was open up the ports  Softether require. I have L2TP/IPsec enabled within the Softether Server manager. 

I have the IPAD Mini setup using this link from Softether:

http://www.softether.org/4-docs/2-howto/3.VPN_for_Mobile/1.iPhone_and_Android

Cal/N3CAL

Jim Gilliam

Thanks for the information. There is a lot said about Softether and it works very well. I used it for a while until I noticed that my Linksys 1900AC supported OpenVPN and gave it a try. I cannot tell much difference between Softether and OpenVPN as far as using a PC as a client. Thanks for clarifying your situation.

Jim, K6QE

Stu Phillips - K6TU

Open VPN will work fine on devices/systems that support its layer 2 bridging mode. Unfortunately this isn't an option for Apple iOS devices because Apple won't give applications access to layer 2 functions via its APIs because of security issues.

Therefore one has to use the built in VPN options.  Fortunately one of these is L2TP/ipSEC which is supported by many different VPN server solutions including the SoftEther server.

SoftEther also implements their own dynamic DNS service which you get at no charge when using the SoftEther server.

Again because of iOS limitations, there is no SoftEther client available for iOS.

If you are using a PC, then the SoftEther client works exceptionally well as an alternative to the built in VPN support in Windows.  The SoftEther client supports VPN using TCP/SSL so the TCP functionality will take care of any out of sequence or lost UDP packets as well as supporting compression to reduce the bandwidth requirements by about 40%.

Stu K6TU

Stu Phillips - K6TU

Ali,

Thanks! Some of my friends where part of the TX3X DXpedition to Chesterfield and one took his iPad with K6TU Remote - he was accessing his station back here in California from Auckland New Zealand and having great success.

Latency only really becomes an issue when trying to **** a DX pile up or operate in a contest.  However, up to about 80 ms is almost "invisible" to the operator for the most part.

Glad you are having fun with the app!
Stu K6TU

W5UN_Dave

Is openVPN more secure than Softether? Does the Softether VPN method the route the VPN through the Softether site router? Is the openVPN VPN direct between the host and the client?