Maestro web based log on

Steve N4GXX

On Monday I went to the county EOC with my Maestro to try and do remote base ops in preparation for Hurricane Sally. Unfortunately the WiFi system requires a WEB based logon to except terms of use in order to connect. I cannot find a way to do this with the Maestro or am I missing something?

Martin AA6E

Steve, Yes this is a limitation of the Maestro. I would have hoped Flex would have dealt with this before now!

Possible workarounds:

1. See if you can get a hardwire Ethernet connection.

2. You can also set up your own local wifi if your cell phone supports tethering ($$).

3. It's more hassle, but you could use a laptop (or Raspberry Pi!) that logs into the host's wifi and then supports ip forwarding with the Maestro via Ethernet. (May require advanced networking skills.)

This is based on my experience several years ago, but I'm not aware of any recent Flex developments in this area.

73 Martin AA6E

Lou KI5FTY

Wouldn't this be the same type of login at a hotel? So you would not be able to use the Maestro directly from a hotel wifi?

Tim - W4TME

The Maestro is not capable of using a captive portal where you have to log on to a web page before getting access to the full capabilities of the WiFi network. The only option I am aware of is to have the MAC address of the device whitelisted on the WiFi authentication server.

Lou KI5FTY

all the firesticks and rokus of the world have figured this out by connecting the device to a cell phone where you auth then reconnect the device to the captive portal network after auth. Is that in the dev plan for the maestro?

Steve N4GXX

Tim - Thanks.
After working with the Okaloosa County Florida EOC for over 25 years and being the ARES EC twice over the years I can assure getting that MAC on a White List will not happen. I just take my laptop with SmartSDR on it and test that next week after everything calms down some more.
Thanks all.

John K3MA

The best solution I have found is to buy yourself a small travel wifi router. They will get you out of situations like this and many others when you cannot be sure of the network at a location that you will operate from. Here is an example of one similar to the model I have had for several years.

https://www.amazon.com/GL-iNET-GL-MT300N-V2-Repeater-300Mbps-Performance/dp/B073TSK26W

David

I used my Samsung Galaxy S20 Plus 5G hotspot to connect my Maestro.

https://youtu.be/bPGAaXnM0M0

Roger

I'm reading this thread because I can't connect my Maestro to my QTH via the hotel WiFi. I see this has been an open issue since at least 2017 and wondering if it's ever been fixed and if not, are there plans to fix this issue?

WX7Y

This really isn't a Flex issue but rather a network issue with the Motel's WiFi, What I do is have a SoftEther VPN on my Laptop and tether my Maestro to the Laptop bridged to the VPN on my laptop that is logged into the Motel's Wifi. This lets me tunnel through the security the Motel has set up.

John KB4DU

try a travel router. Log the router into the network, then connect to the router.

Mike-VA3MW

What I do is have my laptop connected to the hotel wifi and my Maestro connected by a LAN cable to my laptop with Windows Internet Connection Sharing turned on on the Laptop. It is a Microsoft feature.

It works very well.

Russ Ravella

Thanks Mike, THAT is helpful !

I've had this problem before and didn't know there was such a feature in Windows. Unfortunately I don't travel with a windows computer if I can avoid it but if someone thinks they might have this problem they could plan ahead and bring one if only for this purpose. I've been using the travel router approach which still involves bringing h/w just to deal with this. Would be nice if Flex finally just provided the s/w in the Maestro version of SSDR to do this directly.

Russ KR6W

WX7Y

I'm just wondering, How does a "travel router" log into a Motels Internet connection that requires you to log into their network before it allows access to the internet?

This is the only reason I find it necessary for the Laptop to be in between the Maestro and Motels network PLUS being able to run DAX and CAT for digital programs is a plus and a logging program.

Flex would have to open the Maestro up to have a WEB browser in order to circumvent the Motels security which would be a TOTAL nightmare I think to say the least.

Russ Ravella

Hey Bret,

Well when I have run into this, I was able to connect the travel router to the hotel's Ethernet port and just WiFi into the router. It certainly possible that doesn't always work. The problem I run into more often than this is the hotel's internet is SO bad, I end up hotspotting to my phone anyway.

As for how to implement the functionality in the Maestro, it seems as though there should be a way to do it that's not a nightmare but maybe not.

73 Russ KR6W

WX7Y

Thanks Russ, in this case have you tried to connect the Maestro into the same Ethernet port?

If the Router grabs a outside IP with out any login required it should be no different then the Maestro if running DHCP, Like at my Daughters B&B in South Carolina all I have to do is plug into the Ethernet or WIFI, the only time I have had issues is when there is a Login WEB page required.

Another thing that works is to use your Cell Phones Network and tether to it UNLESS your on like T-Mobile.

Personally when I'm out RV-ing I connect my Samsung Cellphone VIA the USB Charge cable to my ASUS Router's USB port and connect the Cellphones VPN into my home SoftEther VPN and that works VERY VERY well. I guess I using my ASUS router as your Travel router in this case.

Russ Ravella

Hey Bret,

Crxp ! You'd think that would be obvious ! No, I don't remember trying that but good idea ! I'll try it next time it comes up and try to remember to report accordingly. I guess I'm so releived to just get it working I just push off from there.

Yeah, sounds like we're doing something similar in the other cases, at least functionally. And yeah, I'm lucky enough to not have T-mobile (Verizon in my case). I recently had a weird problem where my Maestro B which I moved over to our vacation house when I bought the Maestro C, would NOT see WiFi from the router there (Spectrum issue). I tried EVERYTHING ! Every other device known to man could see it and connect no problem. Old stuff, new stuff, any encryption scheme, no encryption, whatever. I hooked up the travel router to that router's switch by cable and BAM, I'm on. Seems like keeping a bag of tricks handy is the ticket !

73 Russ KR6W

David Decoons, wo2x

when I was traveling back in the day during the original Maestro beta test, I had one of the GLI travel routers. WiFi from phone to travel router to log onto hotel captive portal then Ethernet from GLI to Maestro once logged on. Some hotels required me to log on each day. And the travel router is small, powered off USB and easy to carry. I had a couple of the battery banks that fit the
Maestro A. Today, I carry a dual 30 watt charger that has both USB A and C out. Charge the iPhone and iPad Pro at same time.