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Neep help setting up a ratflector...please!!!

[email protected]
 

Hello,

I have attempted to follow the online instructions but I guess I'm missing something. I have a domain registered to use, I have my IP addresses and I have my port 9000 opened for both TCP and UDP in the computer where the application will run and through the modem. It just will not connect and run.


I am sure I am making a mistake but the online information isn't very detailed.


Can anyone please help me?


Thanks,

Doug

WB4CDH
 

There is a file in the D-Star Yahoo Group on setting up a Ratflector.?

For your convenience, it is attached. I hope this the one you're looking for.

Daryl, WX1DER
 

Whatever computer you run the D-rats repeater software on, make sure you have "trust local host" and "accept incoming connections" check marked and the proper port (9000 obviously) filled in.

This is what tripped me up and what isn't documented.?
Do not enter a call sign.
Do not add a port.

Just click the "on" button at the bottom left.
It wont look like it's doing anything.

I was able to connect to my ratflector from any computer on my network that the computer running the ratflector was also connected to but not from outside at first.

To get on from an outside line you need your external IP address.?
To find it simply type "what's my IP" in a google search.

The IP that comes up is what other people need to know to connect to your ratflector through port 9000.

They need to configure the Drats software to connect to your ratflector.
They need to do the following.
Start drats communications tool software.
Click file-preferences-radio, then click the add button.
Next to the name they can enter the ?name of you ratflector or anything really.
The type is "network"
Host address is and must be typed exactly
net:your ip address here:9000

Example:
net:168.192.1.1:9000

No password. You can add one later.
___________________________________________________________________________
To connect within your own network, instead of typing net:ip:9000, you can just type "localhost" in that spot. Without the quotes.

Hope that helps.

Keith
kc2oon
[email protected]
 

Thank you Keith. I did get it all straightened out. I had some entries on the name server to the DDNS service set up wrong. After I finally found my mistake, it all worked flawlessly.


The next challenge is going to be to figure out how to gate it to the local D-Star repeater. First try didn't work but I'm still working on it.


I don't want to gate it all the time but on occasions during AERES events or emergencies. This ratflector was set up for ARES use with our local emergency management folks. Most of the people using it are part of the emergency backup communications team at our EOC/ARES.


Thank you for your reply and help !


73

Doug

WB4CDH
 

That's not hard actually.
If you can access the computer running the ratflector remotely over the internet via a secure remote connection, you simply enable the port on the ratflector that the radio is assigned by the computer.?

I do this using using Teamviewer free software.
I access my home PC via Teamviewer, use Microsoft remote desktop on there to access my Raspberry Pi running the Ratflector, then simply enable the com port connected to my D-star radio.
Voila, ratflector is now RF enabled through my D-star radio, and out through our local ARES D-star repeater.

Keith
kc2oon?
[email protected]
 

Thanks Keith but what I was talking about was simply getting the D-Star radio to work with the Repeater application. I was trying to follow the online instructions that are out of date. When I simply added the port the radio was on, it all worked.


I don't want it gating to rf all of the time but when we do need it for backup emergency communications to our local shelters, hospitals, etc., it will be a nice backup when the internet goes down. Here on the Florida panhandle, we can't always rely on internet service when a hurricane hits!


Thanks again for your help.


Doug
 

We do the same thing here for ARES/RACES/Skywarn in Ocean County NJ.

We don't have the repeater here tied up all the time with the D-rats either. I simply enable the radio port when we need it.?

I only added being able to do it remotely for you in case your repeater application was running on a PC that was in a location not easily accessed.

Keith
kc2oon
[email protected]
 

Keith - Have you had any problems with laptops just going to sleep, so to speak, while running the D-Rats app? What I mean is they stay connected but cannot ping, send or receive anything including a simple chat message. This is happening with two laptops. I have all of the power saving settings (I can find) turned off. I have the hard drives set to never sleep. No hibernation enabled. I can close the application and reopen it and all is fine but if you leave the laptop just connected and "monitoring", the same thing happens within 10 or 15 minutes.


I have to believe there is some setting I am overlooking. Any ideas?


Thanks again !


Doug

WB4CDH
 

My small laptop I had running the repeater I don't think had that problem. Never that I saw while testing for about a week.?It runs windows XP 32 bit.
I opted for a Raspberry running the app because it's a $35 solution that uses almost no power and runs on the same 12vdc back up power I have set up for my router when the power goes out.

Keith
kc2oon
[email protected]
 

Thanks. I think the issue my be my DDNS service checking the ip address for tracking purposes and causing the issue. I'm looking into that now.


I like the?PI idea...a lot. I have a DVAP and PI running now in the shack! For now though, I better take on one battle at a time if you know what I mean!


Doug
 

That would most likely be the problem.
You absolutely need a static IP address for this system to work properly.

Hope I could help out a bit. If not, maybe someone will find this thread when they are having a problem.

Keith
kc2oon
[email protected]
 

Well, I now think the DDNS is NOT the issue. I turned off the tracking program and without any IP address changes it still happed. I'll keep plugging away at it until I get it figured out.


The repeater app is not going off line. Just two laptops. It may well be a setting in Windows 8.


Thanks Keith.


Doug
 

Windows 8 may indeed be the problem. I didn't even try to set up the repeater on my Win 8 laptop.?
I would suggest not running the repeater program on a laptop anyway. It may not be the best platform for running a 24/7 service on assuming that was your plan.?
I did my experiments on the laptop and got my bearings straight on the software. I then transferred that knowledge to the PI for 24/7/365 service. ?

Keith
kc2oon
[email protected]
 

The repeater program is running on a desk machine with no problems. Just running the D-Rats Communication Tool program on the laptops to access the ratflector. They are the ones that seem to? go dormant. There may even be something in the Communication Tool app that ignores a machine after no activity for a period of time.


Still scratching my head on this one.....
 

OK. I get it now.
I'll bet it is Windows 8. Just the fact that you have two computers running the same OS are having the same problem. I use XP, XP 64 bit, Win 7 64 bit and all of them work fine on Drats. I have yet to try Win 8.?

Keith
kc2oon
[email protected]
 

But you know what puzzles me is the repeater app is running on a Windows 8 machine fine.....


I'm going to go back into my domain name server and DDNS and make sure everything looks OK too. It's probably something I overlooked or made a mistake in.


If I figure it out, I'll let you know what I found. Someone else may experience this same very thing and this can help them......assuming I figure it out !


Doug

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