Special Characters in DMR "Hotspot Security" password

[kd2lh]

Brandmeister has recently recommended that every hotspot user activate the "Hotspot Security" password and start using it.

I use a complex password that incorporates more than alphanumeric characters, specifically including special characters common on most keyboards.

When I changed the Pi-Star configuration to add this password, the parser that populates the fields on the configuration page could no longer properly handle the contents of the "Radio/Modem Type" field. It subsequently caused a popup error that claimed the modem type changes, and populated the configuration dialog with a "-" instead of the configured model of modem.

When I removed the password, the configuration page was populated normally again on subsequent renders.

I've tried to have a look through the source code to determine how the configuration files are parsed for populating the configuration page, but must confess I'm not familiar with the code environment and a bit rusty as a programmer.

When I posted this issue on the Facebook discussion, a number of users also indicated that they have encountered the issue. I'm using Pi-Star R4.1.0 RC3 with current updates applied.

Marc

[KE0FHS]

Hi Marc,

I've encountered the same pop-up box many times in many different situation. I also use complex passwords. I don't specifically remember whether adding the BrandMeister security password caused the pop-up, but it could well have; I don't pay much attention to it anymore other than re-selecting my radio/modem and applying changes. That has always worked for me.

[kd2lh]

I do know that the problem stops happening when the password with special characters is removed (returned to the trivial default).

Perhaps it's the technique used to parse apart the actual configuration files and populate the screen dialog.

If the use of special characters is the issue, it should be documented - and ones involved. Also if it's possible to put the password inside quote marks to protect it (linux syntax?)

[w7efs]

The problem results from poor php coding on the "Expert" pages; edit the files directly and the problem goes away

[kd2lh]

I understand that the "expert" page presentation of the actual DMR configuration files can be used to edit the DMR hotspot security password, but this is not a solution to the problem. It is a bypass, a way for more experienced users to get around the problem.

But the vast majority of users first encounter the populated configuration page, and many don't have the skill yet to work with exploring the configuration files themselves - especially when they are starting out.

Since Brandmeister has raised the visibility and necessity of using the hotspot security password, many users (who normally use special characters in passwords) will encounter this problem and be frustrated by the added complexity.

The lack of a visible indicator on the Admin page of a Brandmeister login problem will further confuse and frustrate them until they figure out how to use the live log facility.

Know that dealing with the complexity of DMR and digital ham radio technologies already is a barrier to many potential users of these outstanding modes and the powerful infrastructure systems behind it.

[w7efs]

I understand that the "expert" page presentation of the actual DMR configuration files can be used to edit the DMR hotspot security password, but this is not a solution to the problem. It is a bypass, a way for more experienced users to get around the problem. ...

If I may be allowed to disagree, as mentioned previously the php coding of the "Apply Changes" of the Expert editor is the cause of the problem.

Try this, please: After making the card writable (rpi-rw), as root (or sudo ...) use your favorite editor (vi, nano, pico etc.) on /etc/mmdvmhost to edit the desired "complex password", here with its line number and default entry:

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grep -Eni "dmr network|password" /etc/mmdvmhost
135:[DMR Network]
140:Password=PASSWORD

No doubt you recall the complex password you entered with the Expert editor, so first take note of how the php coding wrote that complex password to the /etc/mmdvmhost file; the complex password in the file doesn't match what you entered in the Expert editor.

Here, I would edit PASSWORD to be the desired complex password, save and exit, then as root (or sudo ...):

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systemctl restart mmdvmhost

to restart the service. If we reload the file into the Expert editor, the DMR Network password will load correctly. Again "Apply Changes" and the php coding will again munge the password in the /etc/mmdvmhost file.

I can't trust the Expert editors with such "complex password" characters, so I always edit the passwords in the files themselves as previously suggested.