Hotspot to Hotspot on D-Star

Help with D-Star related issues
G4CTP
Posts: 13
Joined: Sat Feb 27, 2021 4:49 pm

Hotspot to Hotspot on D-Star

Post by G4CTP »

I'm trying out D-Star for the first time, and trying to get my head around it all. Having to unlearn DMR first :lol:

I can successfully connect my Pi-Star to reflectors and all seems good.

My question is this: If I want to have a QSO with another hotspot user, do we both have to link to an agreed reflector, or is there a way to route hotspot-to-hotspot without a reflector?

If it is the former, i.e. we need to use a reflector, how do I pick a suitable reflector for a simple QSO that isn't lighting up lots of repeaters throughout the world... in other words, what is the D-Star equivalent of DMR TG 80/81/82 etc.?
M1DNS
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Re: Hotspot to Hotspot on D-Star

Post by M1DNS »

75% of reflectors are underused i think anyone running one will be happy to find traffic on a module of their ref. just be mindful in some cases they can be setup for specific use cases. So do a little research before you randomly link.

You can link hotspot to hotspot as ircddbgateway does cater to inbound linking unlike many of the other gateways. You'll need to add the callsign ipaddress of the recipient in the hostfile for the protocol you want to use in /root and forward that protocols port in ur router to push to the hotspots internal ip. You then link to the user as you do a reflector. M1DNS BL if youve set it up correctly it should link.

Sent via smoke signals from my SM-G935F M1DNS (Admin)




Andrew M1DNS.
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G4CTP
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Joined: Sat Feb 27, 2021 4:49 pm

Re: Hotspot to Hotspot on D-Star

Post by G4CTP »

Thanks.
KK7BYQ
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Joined: Mon Apr 18, 2022 9:50 pm

Re: Hotspot to Hotspot on D-Star

Post by KK7BYQ »

I'm hoping someone can help.
I have tried to make this work and I just can't get two hotspots connected. Here are some details.

I have two D-star hotspots, module B (5 watt remote site) and module F on my local network, both using my call sign. I would like to connect the "B" hotspot to the "F" hotspot so that it hears the same reflector without needing to link both hotspots (which, as i understand can get you a ban). I have enabled call sign routing and forwarded all the ports I could find to the "F" module. I even went so far as to set the hotspot as the DMZ. On the "B" module hotspot I added an override in the root DPlus host file for my call. I updated hosts and even rebooted the hotspot. When I try to link from B to F I get a "not linked message" and a text message "KK7BYQ F is busy" response.

I see that both hotspots show up as repeaters in the openquad.net db. I have watched the live logs in both directions but it wasn't very useful.
Is there any way I can diagnose the issue?
Maybe it's not possible between two hotspots with the same call?
Is DPlus the protocol I want to use?


Thanks,
Byron
M1DNS
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Re: Hotspot to Hotspot on D-Star

Post by M1DNS »

Instead of using callsign routing.

Add the external ip address of modul F into one of the host files of hotspot B against its callsign found in /root.

Then link to it the same as you would a reflector ie. KK7BYUQL

Sent via smoke signals from my SM-G935F M1DNS (Admin)





Andrew M1DNS.
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KK7BYQ
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Re: Hotspot to Hotspot on D-Star

Post by KK7BYQ »

I thought that is what I did. I added KK7BYQ {IPADDRESS} to DPlus_Hosts.txt. And then tried to link as you said KK7BYQBL.

Here is some logs that might be helpful
M: 2022-04-19 21:33:42: Link command from KK7BYQ F to KK7BYQ B issued via UR Call by KK7BYQ
M: 2022-04-19 21:33:42: DCS connect to unknown reflector KK7BYQ B from KK7BYQ F
M: 2022-04-19 21:33:42: DCS NAK message received from KK7BYQ B
M: 2022-04-19 21:33:42: Loopback link to KK7BYQ B was refused

Since the callsigns are the same and only the F and B modules change, it sort of looks its trying to link to itself. Its going the other way from what I stated above but I get the same thing if I try to link from B to F

should i be editing a different host file than dplus?
M1DNS
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Re: Hotspot to Hotspot on D-Star

Post by M1DNS »

You can link seperate modules using the same callsign. Thats been a thing since the original icom repeaters. So mmdvm /dstar tepeater wouldnt be having issues with that.

It might be that because they are on two seperate external ip addresses thats why is faultering.

Or one isnt seeing the other. Can you ping the address of the remote install from the cli of the local hotspot?

Next step might be to link via a vpn.

Sent via smoke signals from my SM-G935F M1DNS (Admin)

Andrew M1DNS.
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KK7BYQ
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Re: Hotspot to Hotspot on D-Star

Post by KK7BYQ »

Couple more questions. Does it matter which host file I add to?
When I add to the host file in root and run HostFilesUpdate.sh. Should I see the entry in the corresponding host file in "/usr/local/etc"?

I appreciate the help.
Byron
M1DNS
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Re: Hotspot to Hotspot on D-Star

Post by M1DNS »

Usually you only add it to one host file, but that file represents a protocol which has its own specific port to forward which will be used to gain entry to the remote install. For that reason, in some cases it can be the difference between sucess n fail.

Sent via smoke signals from my SM-G935F M1DNS (Admin)



Last edited by M1DNS on Wed Apr 20, 2022 7:46 pm, edited 2 times in total.
Reason: Typo.
Andrew M1DNS.
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KK7BYQ
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Re: Hotspot to Hotspot on D-Star

Post by KK7BYQ »

Finally got this working! Turns out that I can't use the same call on different hotspots (with different modules). When I would try to connect from B to F all I would get is " Loopback link to KK7BYQ F was refused" we entered my son's call on the F hotspot all of the sudden it started working. Like I said earlier it seems like the hotspot is trying to connect to itself when only the modules are different. By chance is there any way around this issue?

Thanks,
Byron
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