Can't maintain Maestro connection from condo

Charles - K5UA

I am in a rented condo on the beach at Perdido Beach Florida.  I can establish and maintain a good internet connection through VNC to my radio site in Louisiana, but as soon as I establish contact from my Maestro to my radio site using Smartlink, I lose connection.  I even tried using SmartSDR running on my laptop through Smartlink, but as soon as the SmartSDR screen appears on the laptop, the connection is lost.  I assume there is something happening in the internet system that serves each condo unit.  Does anyone know what is going on, and is there way way to correct this?

Mike-VA3MW

Hi Charles

I would try turning down the RATE and FPS on the Display to minimum (slide to the left).  Based on what you are saying, the data rates you are asking for are overwhelming your network.   If you Upload speed from the radio isn't high enough, this can happen as you are trying to push too much data.

Maintaining a VNC connection and comparing that to streaming real time data are 2 different worlds.  

What is your upload speed at your remote location where the radio is?  

Mike

Tim - W4TME

Charles, does the panadapter show any data and do you get any audio before it loses connection?  And are you getting any error messages or does it just freeze?

Charles - K5UA

Just the upper part of the display on the Maestro, nothing more. No audio, nothing.

Charles - K5UA

Hi Mike,
Getting 19 Down, 2.2 Up at the condo and 10 Down, 2.1 Up at the home base where the 6500 is.  It is interesting that I can run SmartSDR at the home base and see it on VNC here at the condo, so I know I have enough bandwidth on both sides for that.  I don't know how to get RX audio doing it that way, however, so I can't use that technique.  If I could get RX audio I could at least run CW using CWX.  Those Down/UP rates are perfectly adequate from my office to my home base, but my office is a single standard internet connection and not part of a condo system like out here in a multi-condo unit in Perdido Key.  Thought there could be a magic bullet to get the Maestro to work thru such a system.  Thanks for your help.  Guess I'll just have to be content to drink bourbon slushes and watch the waves roll in.

Tim - W4TME

This means the Maestro isn't getting data from the radio.  I suspect there is a firewall process that is blocking the VITA-49  data stream.  Most firewalls at hotels and resorts provide VPN pass-through capability mainly because of business guests are primary the primary users of client to LAN VPNs.  

Charles - K5UA

Thanks Tim,
I doubt if the management of the condo units is going to be too interested in changing anything in their firewall.  At least I know why this is happening and I'll ask before my next condo rental if they have enough technical knowledge to allow the VPN pass-through to occur.  We're coming back to a different rental property in November, so I'll get in contact with you in October so I know exactly what to ask the management about modifying their network to allow the Maestro to communicate with the 6500.  Thanks again.

Tim - W4TME

No problem, Charles.  Just open a HelpDesk ticket and I'll provide the network details you need.

Charles - K5UA

Will do Tim.

NK9E

Hi Mike,
I recently drove from the midwest to FL--taking my Maestro, iPad, and iPhone along.  I operated a lot using CW and SSB to a remote 6600M (and antenna farm) in the midwest. No problems!  Operated from several restaurants, tiki bars, motels, etc.  Used an iPad or iPhone hotspot when necessary.  But, if getting on wifi did not require a web browser--I used just their wifi.  Had both FPS and Rate cranked back in the Maestro, because I have had the Maestro quit CW in mid-QSO otherwise.  Had a ball!

Robert Kearbey

Using hotspot on iPhone the only way I have been able to from reno hotel