2 Hotspots - 1 Network?

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G1INU
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Joined: Tue Dec 25, 2018 5:15 pm

2 Hotspots - 1 Network?

Post by G1INU »

Hi Guys,

This should be a simple one given that I have been using pi-star / DMR / D-Star for some considerable time but the more I think about it the more my brain hurts.. maybe an age thing :-)

I have been helping a new to DMR ham get her JumboSpot hotspot and Anyone AT-D878UV radio configured, and all is working fine. Her other half is also licensed, has the identical hotspot and radio and he too needs help setting up. I have chosen hotspot frequencies at opposite ends of the range to overcome any issues there but it now occurs to me that there may be an issue running 2 hotspots connected to the same home wifi network along with 2 instances of pi-star dashboard.

One side of my brain is saying each instance of the pi-star dashboard will only communicate with its own hotspot because of the callsign and DMR ID settings. The other side of my brain is saying but wait, to log into the pi-star dashboard using pi-star.local will mean the browser doesn't no which one to log into.

So I'm thinking, if I log into the respective hotspots and change the device name from pi-star to pi-star followed by the last 3 letters of their respective callsigns it would allow 2 instances of pi-star dashboard by logging in with the new device names? Or am I on complete the wrong tac here?

Thanks in advance.
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W1KMC
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Location: Bangor, ME USA
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Re: 2 Hotspots - 1 Network?

Post by W1KMC »

Yes, but to do this with BOTH turned on, use the IP to do the following:

Hotspot #1 (change to real IP) http://192.168.1.X/
Configuration --> [Enter user pi-star // raspberry if asked] --> scroll down to Hostname

Change this to a new name (e.g.) juliespot

Apply changes

At the reset of the screen, you need to reboot for the new name to actually take effect.

Hotspot #2 - do the same but hostname differs (e.g. fredspot)

now when both are on, you can watch both dashboards by going to http://juliespot/ and http://fredspot/

As long as the frequencies are not the same you should be fine.
I am no developer, guru, expert, nor do I claim to be or want to be. All advice I give is purely from experience and my efforts to help others.

W1KMC - Kevin M Carman
Bangor, ME
Jumbospot on a Pi0W
DMR 3123142 & 3123143
HHUS Trunk Ext 4329
M1DNS
Pi-Star Team
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Re: 2 Hotspots - 1 Network?

Post by M1DNS »

You won't have an issue running two hotspots on a single home network. At odd times I've had 8/9 different devices running. Each has a reserved IP address in the router. So on boot each is given it's own reserved ip. Usually I run 3-4 daily, which sees no issue.

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Andrew M1DNS.
Pi-star Admin Team.
N4NQY
Posts: 77
Joined: Thu Apr 12, 2018 5:47 pm

Re: 2 Hotspots - 1 Network?

Post by N4NQY »

I run a hotspot for each mode (DMR, D-Star, YSF, P25). No NXDN because I have n NXDN radio. All are on the same network. All are named Pi-Star and and I have absolutely not issues. Only two things to remember:

1. Either access them via their IP address or change the Host names (I give each a reserved IP in my router and do not worry about the name). I have a bookmark in my browser for each one named with the mode.
2. They each have to have a different frequency at least a couple Mhz apart. Duplex hotspots help when you have more than one hotspot because of more frequency choices and separation.


jb N4NQY
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