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Diagrams for permissable SmartLink hardware configurations

Paul Bradbeer
Paul Bradbeer Member
edited March 2020 in New Ideas

I've seen lots of text about SSDR V2.0.17 and SmartLink but I don't think I've seen many diagrams.  I'm not very strong on the whole network infrastructure side of things (but willing to learn) and I'm struggling to understand what the permissible hardware set-ups and connections are.  I think a set of network/connection diagrams showing all the possible permutations of connections (wifi and Ethernet) would be of great help to at least some of us.... 


Paul M0CVX

Comments

  • Rick  WN2C
    Rick WN2C Member ✭✭
    edited May 2018
    I would second this. Looking at another thread, I am under the impression that even tho my radio is connected via cable to a PC and that PC wifi to internet, I can remotely operate over this type of connection setting up a 'bridge' using my laptop for remote operating.
  • Al Reeves
    Al Reeves Member ✭✭
    edited July 2017
    I totally Agree!!!  Please FSR ASAP
  • Ria
    Ria Member ✭✭✭
    edited November 2019
    This is probably a good idea to have.

    I would suggest though for optimal remote operation that your Flex 6000 series transceiver be connected to the LAN side of your router either directly or via a switch. 

    Ria
  • Gerald-K5SDR
    Gerald-K5SDR FlexRadio Employee ✭✭
    edited April 2019
    Here is my diagram from home.  I use an Asus AC68u router.  The radio and my rack mounted PC each connect directly to the router.  I can use my iPad in the house on my home LAN and away from home over LTE or on location WiFi.  The router had uPnP enabled by default and it just worked.  That is my under desk 12U rack with the FLEX-6700.

    image



  • Ken Hansen
    Ken Hansen Member ✭✭
    edited June 2018
    Flex and pc tied directly to router image
  • Ken Hansen
    Ken Hansen Member ✭✭
    edited June 2018
    PC wireless, Flex wireless by adding 'Gaming Adapter' to flex, puts RJ-45 port on wireless network image
  • Ken Hansen
    Ken Hansen Member ✭✭
    edited June 2018
    Flex wired to PC Ethernet port, pc wired to router on second Ethernet port (requires PC to have2 NICs), requires INternet Connection sharing to be turned on, binding two ports together image
  • Ken Hansen
    Ken Hansen Member ✭✭
    edited June 2018
    Flex wired to pc Ethernet port, pc on wireless network, requires INternet Connection Sharing be turned on to bind LAN port to wireless image
  • Ken Hansen
    Ken Hansen Member ✭✭
    edited July 2017
    Yours is nicer than mine...
  • Ken Hansen
    Ken Hansen Member ✭✭
    edited March 2020
    Note, I have not considered Maestro in the above diagrams, as it creates too many permutations... with PC, without PC, wired, wireless...
  • Paul Bradbeer
    Paul Bradbeer Member
    edited July 2017
    Thank you for the series of diagrams, Ken. I appreciate that, and I think it will help not just me but many others.  I guess my point (and the reason for starting the thread) is that, for me, a package of diagrams like this is what I'd hope for from FRS along with the various user guides, rlease notes etc....a bit like the diagrams in 'normal' radio manuals that show the connections for ancillary equipment  ;-)
  • Paul Bradbeer
    Paul Bradbeer Member
    edited July 2017
    But your diagrams have more permutations, Ken  :-)
  • Ken Hansen
    Ken Hansen Member ✭✭
    edited July 2017
    Best I could do in line at TSA w/ iPhone.
  • K3SF
    K3SF Member ✭✭✭
    edited July 2017
    My current configuration in anticipation for 6600M delivery

    The fios router has uPnP and its wifi is turned off and the two Airport Extremes (AE) are in bridge mode with WiFi turned on. The one AE is in radio room in west wing of the house serviced with 100ft Cat6E and the other AE in east wing with 25Ft Cat6E.

    image
  • Dan -- KC4GO
    Dan -- KC4GO Member
    edited July 2017
    What no prototype 6800 :)
  • Rick  WN2C
    Rick WN2C Member ✭✭
    edited July 2017
    Ken, are you saying that you can put a wireless 'gaming adapter on the flex? Say a 6300 and then connect to it remotely by a laptop?
  • EMIL-DL8JJ
    EMIL-DL8JJ Member ✭✭
    edited July 2017

    Here my setup...

    cheers, Emil, de DL8JJ

    image

  • Mike va3mw
    Mike va3mw Member ✭✭
    edited December 2019
    Here is mine.  Pretty simple.image
  • Neil D Friedman N3DF
    Neil D Friedman N3DF Member ✭✭✭✭
    edited October 2019
    Will SmartLink work if my radio is connected to my lan by ethernet cable but my (local) PC remains connected by wifi?  Thanks for any help.
  • NX6D Dave
    NX6D Dave Member ✭✭
    edited December 2019
    That's probably the best configuration.
  • Tim - W4TME
    Tim - W4TME Administrator, FlexRadio Employee admin
    edited July 2017
    If your wifi IP network is the same as your wired IP network, which is usually the case with consumer grade wifi router/firewalls, then the answer is yes.

    It is the configuration I recommend.
  • Ria
    Ria Member ✭✭✭
    edited November 2019
    image
    This is mine. 
    Highlights:
    Guest zone
    WPA-RADIUS (highly secure wifi)
    core switch with VLANs and PoE
    Failover to 4G LTE if main WAN goes down.

    LOts of stuff omitted... but this is the gist of it. Essentially the flex, maestro and PC are on the same LAN via a gig switch. Wifi access points for iPhone and iPad, also on same LAN (via VLAN).
  • Kevin
    Kevin Member
    edited July 2017
    Ria... can you explain the failover to 4G? My only Internet connection is 4G via AT&T Unite Pro. No go for SmartLink. I had a helpdesk ticket but no solution. I'm really hoping someone in the community has a fix.

    The issue I see is that the radio does not register as a UPnP device. I tried manual port forwarding and still nothing.

    I think what is killing me is that the WAN interface has an RFC-1918 address which means there must be a NAT going on in the AT&T network. Does your 4G wan interface have a public or private IP?

    I'm screaming with frustration here and I'm trying my best to keep a good attitude about this but I have to admit, I'm getting tired of one failure after another. I really need something to work right and hope you have a solution I missed.

    73,
    Kev K4VD
  • Ria
    Ria Member ✭✭✭
    edited July 2017
    I haven't tested with the 4G failover. Maybe I should. It's just a 4G USB hotspot.
    You are correct in that there is NAT at the carrier level (all wireless carriers do this). I don't know if UPNP will traverse it. My guess is no.
  • Kevin
    Kevin Member
    edited July 2017
    There's $200 shot. Appreciate you looking into it.
  • Paul Bradbeer
    Paul Bradbeer Member
    edited July 2017
    Thank you, Ria (and the other individual's who have posted diagrams).  Going back to my original post though, my idea was that it would help lots of people (and reduce forum traffic?) if FRS produced a diagram set to go along with Release Notes/FAQ etc.  I know a favoured saying is 'the software is the radio' but it still needs hardware connected (Ethernet, wifi etc) to make it work.  I just feel that the info package would be strengthened by the addition of connection/network diagrams - especially for those of us for whom networks aren't second nature  ;-)   Regards  Paul  M0CVX
  • Ernest
    Ernest Member ✭✭
    edited July 2017
    Here is from the Flex insider volume December 2012.
    "A word from our CEO"

    Physically Connecting the FLEX-6000 to the LAN

    The simplest broadband Internet connected LAN configuration is where the broadband modem/router that has only one connection to the Internet, referred to as the wide area network (WAN) port and one LAN Ethernet port directly connected to a single PC.  Refer to the diagram below.

      image

     

    In this configuration, there are not any available or "open" Ethernet ports to connect the FLEX-6000 or other network devices to the LAN, so additional port capacity must be added by inserting an Ethernet Switch in between the broadband modem / router and the PC.

     

    Once an Ethernet switch has been installed in the network as shown below, the FLEX-6000 Signature Series SDR can be physically connected to the LAN via one of the available open Ethernet switch ports.  Refer to the diagram below.  

     

     

    image 

     

    There are a few considerations to take into account when selecting an Ethernet switch to expand your LAN's port capacity.  The FLEX-6000 Signature Series SDRs come equipped with a gigabit (1000 Mbps) 1000BASE-T Ethernet port that can operate at lower speeds such as 100 Mbps.  To accommodate the different Ethernet device speeds, Ethernet switches are available in multiple speed varieties; ranging from 10 Mbps to 10,000 Mbps so it is recommended to use an Ethernet switch that is capable of operating at different port speeds for greatest flexibility.
  • Albert PA0A
    Albert PA0A Member ✭✭
    edited July 2017

    Kevin,

    The same problem here, LTE 4G via TELE2 is my primary, trying for 2 days already to get it working, no luck until now.

    73, Albert 

  • Ken Hansen
    Ken Hansen Member ✭✭
    edited July 2017
    Yes. The wireless gaming adapter makes the Flex a peer with the laptop in the same network.

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