No waterfall using smartlink via remote wifi

Burch - K4QXX

We just go a 2nd internet line installed in our office.  It is Spectrum 100/10 service.  We used to have 10/1 service and it was a little slow to use via VPN or smartlink.  I brought in my laptop today and if I connect with smartlink, I get the panadapter and have receive audio but no waterfall.  If I connect via my VPN, everything works fine and I have the waterfall.  Same thing on my iPhone.  Using VPN on iPhone I have a waterfall but not if I use smartlink.  However, if I turn off wifi on the iPhone and use the cellular network, I do get a waterfall.  I had tried using smartlink when we had the 10/1 service and it was a bit slow but I don't remember not having a waterfall.  I remember reading something about Flex changing to fragmented packets or something during the latest SSDR release so I'm not sure if this is the issue?  Not really a big deal since I usually use the VPN connection anyway but I am curious if others are having a similar issue.

Burch - K4QXX

Burch - K4QXX

Another observation on this.  I took my Macbook Pro to work today.  If I run dodpark SDR via Smartlink, I get no waterfall and the panadapter is choppy.  If I use the VPN while using Dogpark, I get the waterfall.  If i use my iPhone with Smartlink I get no waterfall but if I use the VPN, I get the waterfall.  I am running VMware Fusion on the Mac and have a Windows 10 virtual machine.  If I run SmartSDR on the Win 10 machine with Smartlink or the VPN, all is well.  I get the waterfall.  Very strange.  This is using a wifi connection of 100 down, 10 up and I am the only user on the network.

Burch

Burch - K4QXX

I guess no one else is having this issue.  I wanted to add one more observation.  I am working in our Sarasota office today and brought my laptop.  Both Smartlink and the VPN connection work fine here.  I have slower internet here (30 down 10 up) compared to our main office (100/10) but the provider is different in Sarasota (Comcast) where the main office has Spectrum.  I am scratching my head trying to figure out that is different.  Both offices use a Netgear router and I'm running 5Ghz wifi.

Burch - K4QXX

Rick WN2C

Burch, I am not sure what the issue is but don't let the fact that no one has responded yet to your issue make you think that no one else has had the same issue. Be patient and someone will respond and give you some suggestions to try. As for me I haven't used Smartlink so I can't answer your question.

Burch - K4QXX

I am going to swap out the router when I am back in the office.  We also have an office in Tampa with Spectrum but I don't know if I have tried using Smartlink there.  I usually use the VPN because I like running FT8 and the digital modes but I would like to eventually use my Maestro in the office which would be much easier to use with Smartlink.

Mike NN9DD

I am seeing the same thing   Did we ever figure this out


Mike NN9DD

Carl K5HK

Burch,

I am using Spectrum internet 100mhz at my home qth and AT&T U-verse at my antenna farm about 15 miles north and no problems using Smartlink -- i get spectrum, multi pan adapters and fully expandable waterfalls to my Flex 6500 at the antenna farm.   Alas no problems here except initially got some dropped links and after putting lots of clamp on ferrites on everything in the remote shack not had any of those problems.   I use SPE Expert 1.3k fa amp at 900w-1kw now with no problems 160m-6m bands.

Good luck....might get internet providers to remotely check your internet system and maybe a poor or bad cat5 cables or interference to wifi channel in your router?

73,
Carl K5HK

Burch - K4QXX

I still have the problem. I have Spectrum internet in two of our offices and comcast in the other.  Comcast works fine but on both the Spectrum connections I get no waterfall using the iOS app on my phone.  If I connect using the VPN, all is well and I have the waterfall.  I also have this problem running DogparkSDR at the Spectrum offices.  I went to a local restaurant this weekend that has free wifi.  They use Spectrum internet and no waterfall using iOS app.  I will try bringing in my laptop next time to see if it has the same issue.  Running on cell service (AT&T), waterfall runs fine and also runs fine using VPN.  I only have the problem using SmartLink.

Burch - K4QXX

Burch - K4QXX

I brought in my MacBook pro laptop this morning to work.  If I run DogParkSDR via VPN, everything works fine.  Same with the iOS app on my iphone running VPN.  If I use smartlink, no waterfall on iOS app or DogparkSDR.  Also, the audio seems to stutter a bit when using smartlink.  I also run VMware fusion on the Macbook and can run Windows 10.  If I run SSDR on the virtual windows 10 machine, smartlink works fine.  This is all using the same spectrum internet service (100/10).  I have 100/100 FIOS internet at home.  There must be something in the programming in iOS and DogparkSDR that is different?  If I run iOS or DogparkSDR in our Sarasota office running smartlink, everything works great.  Only difference is Sarasota runs Comcast internet instead of Spectrum.  I guess it's not a big deal to me since I can always run the VPN but it is strange that this only seems to happen on Spectrum.  Could one of the router settings cause the waterfall issue?

Burch

Burch - K4QXX

I wanted to update this for anyone who might be having a similar issue.  My laptop is a Macbook Pro and I usually run DogparkSDR.  I also run Windows 10 under VMware Fusion on the same laptop when I need to.   When I am in my office, I have a 100/10 Spectrum internet router in my office (I work in IT).  I am the only person who using this internet connection.  When trying to run DogparkSDR or the iOS SSDR app via Smartlink, I don't get a waterfall and the panadator is herky jerky and not smooth.  I also get a lot of audio drops.  If I connect via the VPN, both Dogpark and iOS work (I have waterfall) but the panadator is still not smooth but it is much better than Smartlink.  I have also taken my laptop and iphone to a friends restaurant locally (that has Spectrum internet) and I have the same issues.  I brought in another router that I have used at home in the past to see if the issue was with the router.  With the new router, I had the same issues using smartlink.  But here is the weird part.  If I run Windows 10 under VMware fusion on the same Mac laptop and run SSDR, it runs fine.  It's like Spectrum in our local area doesn't like Apple products!  The internet runs fine on both my iphone and Mac but I just can't run Dogpark or iOS using the Spectrum internet.

Today I am working in our Sarasota office where we have slower Comcast internet (30/5) and both DogparkSDR and iOS SSDR work perfect.  It's like I am at home sitting in my shack.  

I will be working in our Tampa office next week and they also have Spectrum internet so I am going to try Dogpark and iOS when I visit that office.  

Burch - K4QXX

Aaron

I too have the same issue.  I have a Maestro and tried using SmartLink to connect remotely to a 6300.  I tried connecting via my cellular service and top of screen shows up but no audio and no waterfall.  Just hangs there.  I tried in a different location (not using cellular) and same issue. 

I have not tried a VPN connection yet.  But I am wondering if it has to do with a firewall issue?  Or is it just a bandwidth issue?  I tried the "Low Bandwidth" option but same results.

Does Port Forwarding need to be established for this to work without a VPN connection?

Aaron-KC2NDA

Nick RN3KK

Aaron. May be need change MTU size? Different internet provider have different value for MTU. Set 1400, many provider use this digit.

Nick RN3KK

vpn connection via router not work, because broadcast packets is block into router. This small emulator help me for connect via vpn. https://github.com/rn3kk/Flex-6xxxDeviceEmuliator