Maestro Remote Softether Issue

John - K3MA

I have Softether Server installed on the shack PC and it has worked fine for months when using a Laptop or Ipad remotely.  Last week I decided to follow the video instruction on setting the remote laptop up with Softether Bridge to allow the Maestro to be used remotely.  On the remote laptop I am using the Wifi connection to access the WAN side and make the VPN connection back to the Softether server in the shack.  I am then creating the bridge to the installed ethernet adapter in the remote laptop and attach the Maestro to this ethernet adapter with a physical network cable.  All the VPN and Bridge connections seem to work.  However when I start up the Maestro it goes thru it normal startup and brings up the SmartSDR GUI showing the VFO A and VFO B information but there is no spectrum display or waterfall showing (no audio also).  Looking at the Network info in the Menu it appear to show a IP address on the shack network.

Does anyone have a idea of what setting I am missing or have incorrect?

Regards, John

Mike va3mw

John

What sort of speeds do you have on each end?  Try using www.dslreports.com/speedtest.   Also note the bufferbloat rating.

Can you also test this without using any sort of Wifi connection, just as a test?

The only times I have seen this using Softether were due to constricted bandwidth issues.

Mike va3mw

John - K3MA

Both ends are roughly 60 down and 6 up.  Bloat is a B rating on DSL report scan.  I have never had a problem using SmartSDR on the remote PC or SmartSDR iOS on the iPad using either Wifi or hardwire at this location.  I have ordered a USB Ethernet adapter to try in place of the wifi connection.

Mike va3mw

Hi John

Thanks, so speed isn't an issue.  I've seen this twice in the past year.  What seemed to solve it if I remember correctly was a cold reboot of the Maestro and the Radio.   I doubt it is your Wifi connection unless there is some sort of restriction on your wifi connections like client visibility.

Mike 

Ria

What is the IP numbering on your home network? I've heard of this issue where when the IP numbering matches that of the local wifi (i.e. Maestro end) it will cause a conflict and not have any waterfall etc. I set mine to an unusual 10.x.x.x network so there is little chance of a conflict. If it is 192.168.1.x it's time to change it. 

John - K3MA

Thanks for the suggestion Ria.  However, I ran into that issue many months ago and changed the network to 10.x.x.x to prevent a conflict.

David Decoons, wo2x

John,

Are both ends the same 10.x.x.x subnet? You would need to have them different from each other.

I haven't used the Maestro remote over SoftEther in a while but can test later.

73 Dave wo2x

John - K3MA

Dave, different scheme on each end.

John - K3MA

Here are a couple of shots of the Maestro screens.  None of the wifi connection are setup for the Maestro to use.   The Internet connection on the bridged remote laptop is working.  The Flex comes up on the connection screen correctly and the screen asking the version of software comes up also.  The final screen with no waterfall or spectrum is what appears after selecting the Flex and software version.

Mike va3mw

Hi Can you check your maestro network screen and make sure all the ip addresses are in the same subnet. Mike

Ria

What kind of wifi are you using on the pi? Built in or a dongle?

John - K3MA

Ria I am not using the Pi.  I am using the wifi adapter in the remote laptop and the ethernet port on the remote laptop to the Maestro.  The softether software is running on a windows computer back in the shack and is connected via cable to the router/modem.

John - K3MA

Problem Solved!  

While investigating the Maestro subnet I found that the Maestro ethernet adapter which can be viewed from the Advance menu on the connection screen showed that the ethernet adapter was set to Static and it should be set to DHCP so that it gets assigned a address from the Softether Server network on that network.  I have no idea how this setting was on Static.  I have always run the Maestro with a wireless connection so I can only assume it came from the factory this way as I have never been in the Advance menu.

Ria and Mike thanks for your help.  I appreciate it.

Regards, John

Mike va3mw

Glad you figured it out!

73