VPN with Maestro

Lawrence Kellar KB5ZZB

Will we be able to access the WIFI settings in the Maestro in order to set up VPN?  I ask this to find out if we can use our Maestros from day one like we currently do with the iPad using Stu's App.  I know all of this will be sorted out with 2.0 but was wondering about emulating the current work-around on day one with the Maestro

K6OZY

A PPTP & L2TP VPN client will be exposed on Maestro the during the 1.x release window.

Lawrence Kellar KB5ZZB

Yes!!!! Thanks

Steve-N5AC

As it stands now, we have decided to produce the first release without VPN.  This is simply a reduction in effort to get Maestros in everyone hands as quickly as possible.  This could change if we get through everything we need to do quickly, but as it stands now w will not have VPN on release day.

Lawrence Kellar KB5ZZB

K1UO Larry

Is the PPTP  VPN support for Maestro coming in Ver 1.8 by any chance?   Just looking to be able to use Maestro mic and key connections back to the Remote.

Regards

Larry  K1UO

G0VLF

I found your videos very interesting as regards using a Raspberry Pi to allow remote access for the Maestro. Can this be achieved by using your home PC & Laptops, if so, could you explain? 
Would really love to use the Maestro to remotely use my 6500 before the V2.0 release. 
Ray de G0VLF

K6OZY

Hi Ray,

I do show how to do the bridge using a laptop on this video:  SoftEther Bridge Setup on Windows for Flex Maestro Remote

For setting up the server on windows instead of a Raspberry Pi, use my first video https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jduyr5vRqzA but simply download the package I refer to for Windows instead of Linux, install it, and follow the same configuration steps in the SoftEther server manager.  Those parts are the same.

G0VLF

Hi Christopher. Ah ha, watched the first 20 odd minutes and assumed it was just for the Pi. Will now carefully review the rest of the video and give it a try. Fingers and toes crossed. p.s, amazing drum kit....

G0VLF

No luck here Chris.

Lawrence Kellar KB5ZZB

Since the alpha of 1.9...ish is out, and we haven't heard anything in a while, are there still plans to support vpn native on the Maestro?...ie BUMP!

Rick - W5FCX

My Maestro is working through the SoftEther VPN from my home network to lake (remote) station LAN.

Let me know if you'd like to discuss.

Rick
W5FCX

Jay -- N0FB

Is there any update as to whether VPN within the Maestro is going to occur prior to v2.0?  I work several events which require the use of a remote station.  WW1USA special event activation is one such event.  I will be one of the stations operating at the National World War 1 Museum and Memorial  in Kansas City Jan 28-29th.  It's too cold to setup remote operations outside.  The use of my Flex with my Maestro has become the favorite station for the other hams operating the event. The only drawback at this time is the hardware kludge necessary bridge to the network back to my home.  The site has Google Fiber (and so do I at home), so bandwidth is no issue.

Is there any relief on the horizon?

Tim - W4TME

Is there any update as to whether VPN within the Maestro is going to occur prior to v2.0?  

No.  VPN is not our strategic direction.  Native Remote access provided in SmartSDR v2.0 will be the remote access solution supported by FlexRadio.

Rick - W5FCX

For what it's worth, some of us require a VPN to securely access our remote site.

Since it's your "strategic" direction to ignore what we customers are in need of, this helps me out for sure... I'm going to sell my Maestro.

Thanks
Rick

Jay -- N0FB

Hi Rick, Sorry for ripping off the bandage to what appears to be sore wound.   I would encourage you not to sell your Maestro.  It is just too much fun to operate from. Even if only locally.  External VPN Bridging does work, and works well.  Its just another piece of equipment to take with you.  If you are already taking your laptop with you anyway, then there is no extra equipment.  You can install SmartEther bridge on your laptop.

Some of the events I operate it is better to not have extra hardware that other "curious" ham's can mess with.  A self contained solution is better.

Tim... Sorry for causing an uproar.  Not my intent.  

Steve-N5AC

Rick,

We investigated adding VPN several months ago, ahead of v2.0, in order to meet this requirement.  Adding VPN to the Maestro does not, however, solve the issue because the radio sends out a broadcast message so that clients can locate it and most VPNs will not pass this packet across the VPN.  We actually implemented the VPN page in Maestro and were working out some of the details when we realized that this was not going to be a simple thing.  In the mean time, others have posted how to use an existing VPN technology (you can see many posts here on how to do it) to forward these packets.

Without a VPN on the server side that will do this (not included in most routers), adding a VPN to the Maestro is pointless.  The genesis of the problem goes all the way back to when NAT was designed and then deployed in everyone's homes.  The NAT traversal problem is well known and we are testing code now that removes the problem.  Part of the solution also eliminates the need for VPN.  We are working hard to get it out as soon as we can.

Lawrence Kellar KB5ZZB

Will Smart SDR for iOS be able to use this as well?

mikeatthebeach .

To : Steve N5AC
Already using a Ras-Pi as a VPN with SoftEther on it on the Radio side (Server)
and a laptop with SSDR as the Client with SoftEther VPN on it, works great.

 Just be nice to run SoftEther VPN client on the Maestro side so one 
can just use the Maestro without a notebook in the field

Maybe Flex-can add a BeagleBone Tiny Unit (similar to Ras-Pi) 
or other device to provide VPN ability to be between 
Radio and VPN at home station for those that need more turn key to
a  Server with SoftEther on it

Just Hope you allow SoftEther VPN Client to run on Maestro as  
most of us have Ras-Pi and other devices running SoftEther VPN Server at home

I have a Maestro on Back order, but willing to wait if SoftEther VPN Client can run
stand alone on a Maestro

That would work for a lot us

73 Mike

Rick - W5FCX

I'm using SoftEther today between my home office location, where the Maestro is located, and my vacation home, which is a couple of hours away. SoftEther bridges the UDP broadcast packets just fine, so radio discovery is not an issue.  The first issue is that bandwidth is limited and latency is a bit unpredictable due to the vacation home being in the country and only having DSL available.  On a good day, I see 25 ms. ranging up to 120 ms. and spiking higher at times, with a maximum upload speed of around 300 Kbps.

On SmartSDR for Windows, I have reduced the update rates on the waterfall and spectrum charts to around 50 and 3 FPS, respectively.  This works okay - not great, but usable. Because DSL download at the remote site is up to 3 Mbps, audio streaming to the Flex Radio works perfectly. I get great audio reports and nobody can tell I'm operating remote.

However, the Maestro "freaks out" when operating over the exact same VPN connection. I have been told by Support that the Maestro isn't designed for VPN operation, so there's basically no support or solution for this use case available.  Now it sounds like low-latency VPN use cases will not be supported at all.

I realize that engineering teams must prioritize, and VPN use cases like mine are probably an edge case.  But in my situation, it's a primary use case.

Hence my conclusion.

mikeatthebeach .

Correct me if I am wrong

Sounds like the WAN solution that FRS proposes to be in V2.0 eliminates the need for Ras-Pi and SoftEther VPN way of doing things to run a Flex Signature Radio remotely with a Maestro.

The only downside could be trying to run slow DSL with WAN versus a VPN 
approach on the Client side

Any comments appreciated.

73 Mike
Flex6700
Maestro on back order (pending)

Jay -- N0FB

That would be my understanding as well.  The new approach that FRS sounds like they are developing obviate the need for VPN bridging (or VPN's in general) in their entirety.

Steve-N5AC

Correct -- with v2.0, you will not need VPN.

Lawrence Kellar KB5ZZB

How would we connect with smartsdr for iOS if we are using a vpn solution now

Mike W8MM

Steve, IPV6???

Rick - W5FCX

No VPN sounds promising. Any details or specs available?

Tim - W4TME

IPV6 - not anytime in the near future.  There is little public infrastructure to support it so the use case is limited.

SmartSDR for iOS - I am most certain that Marcus will modify his code to be 2.0 compatible.

Specs - None we are ready to publish publicly at this time.  

N3NER

Any idea when 2.0 is going to be released? 

Tim - W4TME

It is company policy not to comment or speculate on future software and hardware products, including delivery timeframes until their release is imminent.