Smartlink: iOS Works, One Win 10 laptop Works, 3 Other Win PCs Dont Work

Lee, N2LC

The 6500 is at a buddy's shack.  v2.4.9.

A few weeks ago I lost sight of the radio through Smartlink on all PCs here - 2 Win 10 laptops, a Win 10 desktop, and a Win 7 machine.  All had been working.  iOS continued to work.

Looked all around here, etc, got frustrated, let it go for a week or two, then on a whim during a local 2M net, tried it on one of the laptops, and, voila!  It worked!    But only on that machine. 

Don't know why nor what I would have done.   Spent several quality hours with the xyl trying to compare various firewall, anti-virus, and other settings, no joy.

What would be a good methodical troubleshooting strategy here, rather than stumbling around in various machines in un-coordinated fashion with just enough expertise to be almost dangerous? 

If there's a good write-up on it somewhere that I've missed, point me to it!

Thanks,
Lee

Mike-VA3MW

Lee

More information would be helpful.  

What doesn't work?

Do the other computers see the radio in the radio chooser?  Are they on LAN or WiFi?  These all have a bearing.

If on LAN, is the firewall on?  It seems you checked those.  Makes sure your network cards and not set to 'Public'.    Microsoft has a habit of automatically turning on firewalls that were off.  

If on WiFi, do you have range extenders?  Does your WiFi access point have Client Blocking turned on?  This is a default fore some WiFi access points?

For the ones that work, are they LAN or WiFi connected (well, I guess the IOS one is).

Please describe your network topology.

Mike va3mw

Lee, N2LC

Good morning, sir.

Sorry if this comes out disjointed, that's the story of my brain.  I'll try to untangle it for both our sakes.

The network where the 6500 is has a DSL router feeding a wired AP which feeds the 6500. 

My network is an AT&T Homebase hotspot that feeds a switch which feeds two wired APs on opposite ends of the mansion.  Also wired to the switch is a printer and the desktop. 


The iPad works anywhere on my LAN (sees and connects.)

The working Win 10 laptop works wirelessly (sees and connects) off of the main hotspot and both APs (anywhere on my LAN).   Firewall is On, with Flex allowed through, although it says my settings might allow some sort of vulnerability, but won't tell me what that is, and since it's working, I haven't reset it to default.

The non-working Win 10 laptop doesn't work anywhere - no radio available, with the chooser showing my name and call.  Firewall is On, with Flex allowed through,

The Win 10 desktop is wired to the switch, and doesn't work - no radio available, with the chooser showing my name and call.  Firewall is On, with Flex allowed through. 

The Win 7 machine is an embedded thin client, also wired.  This is a secondary experimental platform, really only bringing it up here for troubleshooting clues.  No radio available, with the chooser showing my name and call.  Have to dig this device out of the Field Day pile to check out current settings, but as with the others, I tried turning things off and on to see if something would change.

All of these devices were working (Radio visible, connected, SSDR up and running) until one day roughly 4 weeks ago.

A couple of weeks ago, the working laptop began seeing the radio and connecting.   I didn't do anything that I know of, other than to check it again. 

I can't say absolutely if the iPad ever lost functionality. 

Numerous re-boots of all devices (local and remote), but not in any particular order.  Updates are all on auto, and all devices report that they're up to date.

Haven't checked on the APs yet, but they both work fine with the one laptop....

Thanks Mike!

Bob N0IS

Lee,


If you are using DSL, you might as well have a DIAL UP system.  It is so very slow I would not expect anything to work.

Bob, N0IS

Lee, N2LC

Yeah, I know - it doesn't work well, but it does connect and is marginally usable - on one Win device and the iPad!  And if one works, they all ought to, so that's what I'm trying to sort out.

I have it where it is because we weren't able to get it working from here with the AT&T Homebase. 

One step at a time is how it has to be out here, unfortunately.  

I'm told if I go up 80 or 100' I can see the tower with actual broadband on it.  Wow!  Broadband!

But for now, since the heat index is going up to 90 or 100 today, I get to help put up hay.

Thanks Bob.

WX7Y

sounds like it could be a firewall (Windows or other 3rd party firewall) issue on the Machines that aren't working, try turning OFF the Software firewalls on the computers and see if that helps. 

I have had issues especially after a update with Windows, and AVAST firewall's blocking SmartLink and SmartSDR.

73
Bret

Lee, N2LC

We need to go through it again and look some more.  It has to be something we missed, some little setting somewhere. 

Steve Sterling

Lee-- all I can do is commiserate. Key is they are all Microsoft operating systems, and most likely an update about the time they all started failing. My main shack computer (Win7) used for SSDR all of a sudden will not talk to a remote power switch. Both the computer and remote power switch plugged into the same network switch. Two other MS computers talk to the power switch just fine, using the same ethernet cable plugged into the same switch, as well as coming through wi-fi AP or even remotely through a VPN connection. Even a Raspberry Pi can talk to it but not this one computer. Completely disabling the built-in MS firewall, anti-virus (AVG), Microsoft Essentials, etc makes no difference-- will not connect.  The errant computer can ping the power switch, but nothing else.  It makes no sense, but I can't figure my problem out either.