Reflector "Not Linked' Issue

Help with D-Star related issues
wx9kvh
Posts: 33
Joined: Mon Oct 15, 2018 5:57 pm

Re: Reflector "Not Linked' Issue

Post by wx9kvh »

KE7FNS wrote: Tue Jan 25, 2022 3:30 pm
wx9kvh wrote: Tue Jan 25, 2022 1:13 pm It for some reason seems to have stayed connected to the reflector. And multiple times yesterday while I was in the car most of the day, it stayed connected even after I walked away with my phone and came back. Nothing has changed that I can see.
Could be the network that your phone is providing.
But this is both my home network the last two mornings, so fingers crossed whatever I was having an issue with has been resolved(knock on wood).
wx9kvh
Posts: 33
Joined: Mon Oct 15, 2018 5:57 pm

Re: Reflector "Not Linked' Issue

Post by wx9kvh »

KE7FNS wrote: Tue Jan 25, 2022 5:37 pm
wx9kvh wrote: Tue Jan 25, 2022 3:32 pm But this is both my home network the last two mornings, so fingers crossed whatever I was having an issue with has been resolved(knock on wood).
You never said anything about your home network, but it could be that network too.
My apologies, enough coffee had not yet been had before I sent my reply.
Ki6anr
Posts: 37
Joined: Fri Apr 05, 2019 7:37 am

Re: Reflector "Not Linked' Issue

Post by Ki6anr »

this appears to be an actual bug. there are other posts on this sub describing the same issue. I had the same issue today... brought my hotspot to work and on bootup it would not connect to its default reflector (30C) on startup. I repeatedly tried to connect and it would say "Linking to REF030C" and but never connect (Dashboard says not linked). If I issued a disconnect command and then retried manually i eventually got it to connect. I tried to replicate this issue by rebooting both the hotspot and my phones network and got it to do it again. This time issuing a disconnect/reconnect would not work... However, once I connected to a DCS reflector, disconnected, I could then connect back to REF030C. People have been reporting this multiple times on here (there are at least 3 other posts in the 'D-star Specific Support' thread and no answers have seem to come from it.
AF6VN
Posts: 821
Joined: Fri Jul 20, 2018 1:15 am

Re: Reflector "Not Linked' Issue

Post by AF6VN »

Ki6anr wrote: Sat Feb 26, 2022 6:56 pm this appears to be an actual bug. there are other posts on this sub describing the same issue. I had the same issue today... brought my hotspot to work and on bootup it would not connect to its default reflector (30C) on startup. I repeatedly tried to connect and it would say "Linking to REF030C" and but never connect (Dashboard says not linked). If I issued a disconnect command and then retried manually i eventually got it to connect. I tried to replicate this issue by rebooting both the hotspot and my phones network and got it to do it again. This time issuing a disconnect/reconnect would not work... However, once I connected to a DCS reflector, disconnected, I could then connect back to REF030C. People have been reporting this multiple times on here (there are at least 3 other posts in the 'D-star Specific Support' thread and no answers have seem to come from it.
Too many variables for me to consider diagnosing... Does your place of work have internal cell-phone repeaters (probably rare, but I recall some companies have been known to install them as the facilities may block/interfere with direct cell-phone to cell-tower reception)? The repeaters may be causing some firewall issues. Are you on the same cell-phone tower at work as at home (short commute, but I did spend a few years where such was a possibility) -- if not, there could be differences in the equipment at the cell-tower that is causing problems; etc.

Heck, what IP #s are you assigned on the phone? Possibly your node shows up as still connected to a different IP # from what has been assigned at the new location.

--
AF6VN
Dennis L Bieber
Ki6anr
Posts: 37
Joined: Fri Apr 05, 2019 7:37 am

Re: Reflector "Not Linked' Issue

Post by Ki6anr »

I don't think it has anything to do with my network or cell provider for several reasons, primarily I can repeatedly reboot the hotspot and re-create the same issue with the same fix by issuing commands in pi-star itself.

1) There are no cell extenders installed here
2) My phone is continuously broadcasting the same network each time I am rebooting the hotspot
3) My hotspot is being issued the same IP address each time (just as if I rebooted at home on my regular home network and received the same IP)

This only seems to be happening with settings the startup reflector as REF030C and REF001C... I have not had time to test numerous other REF's.

If I set my startup reflector to an XLX it boots fine and connects appropriately.

When startup reflector is set to one of the above REF reflectors it attempts to connect and ends in a "Not Linked" state at bootup. From the dashboard I can repeatedly hit "Link" and it will again attempt to link to REF030C, ultimately resulting in another "Not Linked" state. It will continue to do this indefintely until..... On the pi-star dashboard I issue an "Un-Link" command THEN try and link to REF030C that it finally connects OR I connect to a different reflector then connect BACK to REF030C.

Again, I can reproduce this over and over by simply rebooting the hotspot and starting all over again. I found it rather strange to see this behavior and was surprised to see others on here describing the same exact issue, which makes me feel less crazy.
AF6VN
Posts: 821
Joined: Fri Jul 20, 2018 1:15 am

Re: Reflector "Not Linked' Issue

Post by AF6VN »

Ki6anr wrote: Sat Feb 26, 2022 11:46 pm 2) My phone is continuously broadcasting the same network each time I am rebooting the hotspot
3) My hotspot is being issued the same IP address each time (just as if I rebooted at home on my regular home network and received the same IP)
"same network" doesn't answer the question about same cell tower.
Also, if the phone as access point is acting like most routers, it is issuing the hotspot a LAN private address -- I was interested in what IP * the /phone/ received from the cell-tower and if that changes...
This only seems to be happening with settings the startup reflector as REF030C and REF001C... I have not had time to test numerous other REF's.
My fixed-location hotspot is configured to link to REF030C on startup. It gets (re)booted once or twice a week (usually as a result of my logging into it via SSH to investigate some question from the forum, at which point I discover it is locked into RW mode from some update [as I just discovered it again).

It has not had any problems with being linked after reboot.

Granted, I've not added the extra level of using a cell-phone access point (last time I tried the access point was during chemo, and I was unable to get my [Lenovo-built] Nook tablet to connect to it at all!). Hotspot is in middle of house, atop a china cabinet (and below a metal roof and aluminum siding), using WiFi to get to my router.

I don't know where/how the servers for the various D-Star reflectors are located, but it could just be a poor network (though if you haven't moved and kept a call, you shouldn't be obscenely away -- regardless of the "8" in mine, I'm near Grand Rapids MI; I just liked "alpha fox" too much to ask for a new call when I moved from the peoples republic of CA).

Code: Select all

pi-star@pi-star-3b(rw):~$ grep -i "ref030" /usr/local/etc/*.txt
/usr/local/etc/DPlus_Hosts.txt:REF030   45.79.43.161
pi-star@pi-star-3b(rw):~$ sudo ping 45.79.43.161
PING 45.79.43.161 (45.79.43.161) 56(84) bytes of data.
64 bytes from 45.79.43.161: icmp_seq=1 ttl=49 time=66.6 ms
64 bytes from 45.79.43.161: icmp_seq=2 ttl=49 time=67.9 ms
64 bytes from 45.79.43.161: icmp_seq=3 ttl=49 time=69.0 ms
64 bytes from 45.79.43.161: icmp_seq=4 ttl=49 time=64.2 ms
64 bytes from 45.79.43.161: icmp_seq=5 ttl=49 time=68.3 ms
64 bytes from 45.79.43.161: icmp_seq=6 ttl=49 time=69.9 ms
64 bytes from 45.79.43.161: icmp_seq=7 ttl=49 time=68.4 ms
64 bytes from 45.79.43.161: icmp_seq=8 ttl=49 time=68.4 ms
64 bytes from 45.79.43.161: icmp_seq=9 ttl=49 time=65.9 ms
^C
--- 45.79.43.161 ping statistics ---
9 packets transmitted, 9 received, 0% packet loss, time 19ms
rtt min/avg/max/mdev = 64.180/67.633/69.853/1.691 ms
pi-star@pi-star-3b(rw):~$

Code: Select all

C:\Users\Wulfraed>tracert 45.79.43.161

Tracing route to li1142-161.members.linode.com [45.79.43.161]
over a maximum of 30 hops:

  1    <1 ms    <1 ms    <1 ms  dsldevice.attlocal.net [192.168.1.254]
  2    17 ms    18 ms    18 ms  76-255-152-1.lightspeed.gdrpmi.sbcglobal.net [76.255.152.1]
  3    18 ms    18 ms    17 ms  71.152.176.29
  4     *        *        *     Request timed out.
  5    29 ms    30 ms    22 ms  32.130.17.77
  6    26 ms    22 ms    23 ms  cgcil403igs.ip.att.net [12.122.132.121]
  7    23 ms    23 ms    22 ms  be3039.ccr41.ord03.atlas.cogentco.com [154.54.12.85]
  8    23 ms    22 ms    23 ms  be2766.ccr42.ord01.atlas.cogentco.com [154.54.46.177]
  9    46 ms    45 ms    45 ms  be2832.ccr22.mci01.atlas.cogentco.com [154.54.44.169]
 10    46 ms    45 ms    45 ms  be2433.ccr32.dfw01.atlas.cogentco.com [154.54.3.213]
 11    45 ms    45 ms    45 ms  be2764.ccr41.dfw03.atlas.cogentco.com [154.54.47.214]
 12     *        *        *     Request timed out.
 13     *        *        *     Request timed out.
 14    60 ms    60 ms    59 ms  li1142-161.members.linode.com [45.79.43.161]

Trace complete.

C:\Users\Wulfraed>
Do you show anything extremely long duration for those?
(traceroute is blocked on the Pi-Star node itself, hence the Windows trace)

--
AF6VN
Dennis L Bieber
Ki6anr
Posts: 37
Joined: Fri Apr 05, 2019 7:37 am

Re: Reflector "Not Linked' Issue

Post by Ki6anr »

It's really doesnt seem to be a 'network' issue. I am reproducing this at a fixed position on my desk in my office with no disruption in the cell connection and can reproduce the issue just as fast as I can get the pi-star to reboot. The fact that it will continue to result in a "not linked" state after its boot and then no matter how many times I click 'Link" once it's running. Again, it is not until I issue an Unlink command or switch to a different reflector that I can then switch back to the "startup reflector" in question that it will connect. If it was an issue with the network I would expect to have varying issues at various times and while trying to connect to any other reflector once it's booted. Also, the resolution/fix would not be to have to issue commands in pi-star itself to get it to work. It's almost as if something is "hanging" at the startup trying to connect to ref030C and it will not release whatever that hang-up is until you manually disconnect the connection (UnLink or Linking to a different reflector) and try again back to the startup reflector.

Phone IP and the IP being issued to the hotspot are not changing. Like I said I can create this problem, fix it, reboot the hotspot and in 30 seconds do the whole process over and over again. The fact that it is not only happening with me but other users posting on here tells me its something in the software/boot process.

Strange indeed...
Ki6anr
Posts: 37
Joined: Fri Apr 05, 2019 7:37 am

Re: Reflector "Not Linked' Issue

Post by Ki6anr »

I just did the whole process again sitting at my desk at work today and same issue/same fix (unlink command, relink back to ref030C).

This time I took the time to watch the dashboard during the boot sequence and it appears it is attempting to link to the startup reflector PRIOR to the MMDVM light turning green...

It boots, I see down on the bottom that it "connects" to REF030C, the MMDVM light is red... then the link to REF030C is dropped resulting in "Not Linked" and then eventually MMDVM lights up green. At this point is where I can try to link to REFO030C manually indefinitely and it will not connect until I Unlink and then re-link.
G4AON
Posts: 84
Joined: Tue Apr 24, 2018 5:34 pm

Re: Reflector "Not Linked' Issue

Post by G4AON »

I too have this issue, in my case auto connect to REF079D says “connected to” on power up, but the status page shows not connected.

If I run an update, it then connects and works.

It appears that something is set following an update but not at powering up.

73 Dave G4AON
ID51E plus 2
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G0UJA
Posts: 11
Joined: Wed Apr 11, 2018 7:17 pm

Re: Reflector "Not Linked' Issue

Post by G0UJA »

I'm not sure if this will help but I had a similar issue to this thread which I discovered tonight and 'fixed'.

This is a recent issue and everything was working perfectly up until a week or so ago.

I could connect to all XLX reflectors and also REF079 but not REF001 or REF030.

First I thought I had been banned from REF001/REF030 but it was not via my IP because I could view the status pages.

Then I thought maybe my callsign was blocked so I tried changing my callsign on my hotspot and bingo, everything worked...

I was about to write a sorry email to the admin of the reflectors begging for forgiveness for whatever I had or had not done when I discovered that despite registering over a decade ago at the start of Dstar and being active ever since my details had TOTALLY DISAPPEARED FROM THE DSTAR DATABASE!!!

I have no idea how or why but a stab in the dark is that the gateway I originally registered with (GB7AU) is now obsolete/changed hands and perhaps all users who registered through it over the years have been lost/deleted?

Who knows anyway after registering again everything works perfectly.

Very strange.

73 James G0UJA
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