How to escape to DHCP when 6400M is locked at a static IP?

maccluer

I just obtained a used 6400M. It always wakes up at 169.254.6.80. No DHCP. Cannot connect. I can change Windows network settings to static to connect, but then my other SDRs (two SunSDRs and an Orion), which use DHCP, cannot be addressed. Running 3.2.34, Windows 10.

Ted VE3TRQ

How do you have your radio connected? The address you mention (169.254...) is a self-assigned one that you would normally get when the radio sees no response to its DHCP client request.

The recommended way to hook up the radio is to connect it to the same switch or router that your PC is connected to.

In any case, to get at the network settings, go to “Menu” on the M front panel, then call up the network settings screen - that’s where you set addresses and mechanism for address acquisition,

KD0RC

Have you performed a factory reset yet? I would recommend it on a used radio. First you should export the profiles so that you still have them available after the reset.

Once the factory reset is done, it should obtain a DHCP address from your router. If it doesn't, submit a help desk ticket. The Flex folks can normally help you get your network issues sorted out pretty quickly.

Erik Carling EI4KF

I ran into this trouble with my new 6400M this past weekend. If you temporarily connect the radio by cable to the router it will get an IP on your subnet eg 192.168.0.101 (100-120 is my DHCP range).

Then it will depend on what configuration your network has. Mine is where the computer accesses the router by WIFI. Therefore I bridged the ethernet port to the WIFI in Windows 10 and connected the radio direct to the computer. The Network Bridge has a fixed IP so that the DHCP server assigns only to the radio.

It now gets its address via DHCP from the router and it is always .101 and has internet connection for updates, SmartLink. It is also seen on my LAN for access from another computer such as my Ipad Air.

Erik Carling EI4KF

I am not talking about ICS am I? That is where you select ICS as an option. I am referring to bridging the ethernet port with the main adaptor, either another ethernet port from the router or WIFI. Perhaps it's just different naming for the same thing.

Radio connected to Ethernet which is bridged with WI-FI and given a static address.

I had problems with the Flex method. When I connected direct to the computer the radio did not get internet. I could not update SmartSDR or register SmartLink. If that doesn't matter then it is irrelevant to you.

When connected to a switch, I could not set a static IP address (because 6400M) and the DHCP server would assign a different IP in subsequent sessions which prevented one of my crucial programs from connecting to SmartSDR. I may have misunderstood something about using a switch.

The bridge method has been reliable for me. **But still, Mike is the expert so please follow the official Flex link**.

Ted VE3TRQ

I normally use reserved DHCP addresses, not static, so I never even noticed that the 6400/6600 have no “Static” setting, Chuck.

Do you run a DHCP server in your NUC? If so, which OS are you running? Usually it will be a router or other such device supplying IP addresses, not a PC, unless you are running a Unix(-like) OS and have specifically set that up. Or of course if you are running Windows server.

maccluer

Halmassey:

I finally **** up my courage to do a factory reset but to no joy. Now All is fine.

maccluer

Ted: I'm connected to the computer via a switch. In the M-model the network tab does not have the same entries as other 6xxxs (to prevent locking out the front panel by mischance). One cannot choose DHCP versus static; no choices are available.

KD0RC: The user manual is scary vis-a-vis factory reset --- cast as a last resort. I put in a ticket yesterday.

maccluer

Erik: Following your advice I took a new router out of the box, and without any setup, plugged in the radio. The radio connected via DHCP! So nothing is wrong with the radio.

But now can you expand on your sentence, "Therefore I bridged the ethernet port to the WIFI in Windows 10 and connected the radio direct to the computer."

Mike-VA3MW

Eric is talking about a feature in Windows called ICS, or Internet Connection Sharing. When it works, it is great, but I have found ICS hit and miss with reliability.

This is how we recommend you interface things.

https://helpdesk.flexradio.com/hc/en-us/articles/202118558-How-to-Connect-your-FLEX-6000-to-a-LAN

maccluer

[{"insert":"Ted: \nI'm connected to the computer via a switch.\n In the M-model the network tab does not have the same entries as other 6xxxs (to prevent locking out the front panel by mischance). One cannot choose DHCP versus static; no choices are available.\nKD0RC:\nThe user manual is scary vis-a-vis factory reset ---cast as a last resort. I put in a ticket yesterday. \n\nChuck w8mqw\n"}]

maccluer

An update: I carried the radio and a laptop out to my barn where the Router resides, plugged in, and updated without difficulty to 3.2.39. The radio is behaving nominally while so connected. But I still don't understand why it can not grab a DHCP IP from my Intel NUC computer like my other three SDRs.

maccluer

Problem solved. I found a cheap wireless router that could do WISP and turned it into a WiFi bridge to my far away WiFi router. Thanks for all the good suggestions. Chuck w8mqw

halmassey

I'm sincerely glad you fixed it. Congratulations on the new-to-you radio. But I would recommend you do the factory reset anyway on a used radio. It's not too scary even if it does seem that way at first glance. The last couple of releases have actually required it. Best wishes!