Starlink Wireguard solution

W0JD

About a year ago I setup a Wireguard solution for a single remote site using Starlink and a K3 RemoteRig . Since that time the network has grown to two sites another K3 RemoteRig with service via Starlink. Fair amount of discussion in the forum regarding Starlink and the challenges on not allowing inbound connections. Wanted to share my experience with Starlink, Wireguard and Flex.

I know the Mikrotik platform resulting in a network based on the CRS326-24G-2S+ device. Any Miktotik which can run version 7 should be able to support the modest bandwidth requirements of Starlink.

For this to work a public IP is needed to host the hub. I was fortunate to have available a commercial site which is the end point the for the Wireguard piers at the remote sites to connect to. Destination NAT'ing is also performed and the hub site to present a public ip/port for RemoteRig access. And all traffic destined for the Internet at the remote sites originating from the RemoteRig or Flex is routed to use the public internet at the hub site.

Recently the second site has added a Flex which uses the same connectivity model as the RemoteRig and of course works via a PC at the remote site. Smartlink mostly works and is shown as available from a remote SmartSDR but, sometimes the radio reports no internet and remote SmartSDR's show the radio a not available.

I suspect something in causing the registration to the "Smartlink Directory Lookup Service" to fail. As this is Flex "secret sauce" will use the K3 for CW/Voice and the Flex and remote PC for digital.

I was motivated to share my experiences as I was searching the forum for any details on how the directory lookup service worked. Hoping I could provide a network solution to the problem. While I did not find a solution I did find a lot of write ups on what did not work which was valuable.

New to Mikrotik, this is a great source of experience and knowledge. MikroTik - Forum index