Remote Use

[N7UVZ]

Ok, I am going to re-try and see if I can get my units up and running...................may be 

One thing I have NOT gotten straight is how I am supposed to be able to connect the Remote unit up to the internet from a Hotel/Motel room THAT DOES NOT RPT NOT  have any wired connection?  Hotels/Motels now go with Wireless inter net and I can't see how the remote unit is going to be able to connect when it ONLY comes with a Ethernet connection.  If I get another wi-fi card for the remote, how does it connect to the Model wi-fi when I have no way to log in to their system?

If I am at a Friends house I realize that I can hook up with their system.  It is just when on the road that I can't figure out!

If I can get this straitened out I may go and try using the dns service that I found in the new manual I downloaded.  Which package should I get?  Do I need just the "one zone, fifty record" setup?

Thanks,

Chuck
N7UVZ

[dj0qn]

Chuck,

Actually your question was covered quite a few times. If you search for "hotel", you will find quite a number of
tips on how to use the RRC in a hotel or hotspot situation.

The short answer is just attach a portable WiFi bridge that has an ethernet port to the RRC. You first book this into
the hotel network using a PC, then move it over to the RRC. There are a few on the market and most pocket routers
will also function in bridge mode.

To answer the question about DNS service; I think you are asking about a dynamic DNS service. The answer here is that
no extra service is required. The RRC has a free service from RemoteRig built-in under the  dynamic DNS settings.

73,
Mitch DJ0QN / K7DX

[N7UVZ]

Mitch:

Well I went and bought a WNCE2001 for my use on the road!!!  It came today and I went and connected it to my home router to make certain it would do as requested.  It worked as advertised ! !!   All I had to do was to remember to turn off my wirless connection...           Thanks for mentioning that you use one on the road, it made things a lot easier

Now to set it up for the RRC system.   

One question I have is in using the DynDNS service.  In the latest version of the Manual you say that "old" users can get the service for free, but, "new" users have to pay the $7 per month for the service.

Question is..............how does one tell if he is a "old or new" user??

Getting closer and closer to being on the air...............................

Chuck
N7UVZ

[dj0qn]

Hi Chuck,

Glad you got the WNCE2001 working. I thought they no longer made those, so I am not sure where
you managed to dig that one up.

I am not sure if you are interpreting the manual correctly, or if it was incorrect, but let me try to explain:
the RRC's previously only used the DynamicDNS service from dyndns.org. It used to be free, but then they
started to charge for it. Therefore, Microbit created their own dynamic DNS service for their devices, which
is free and included. You can toggle between the two services in the menu. So just use Microbit's service and
you will be fine.

73,
Mitch DJ0QN / K7DX

[N7UVZ]

Mitch:

You are right that they don't make that on any more but I found one "new in the Box" on ebay!!  Very happy with it................

Ok, I will go back ad re-read the manual.  I missed that it was now included.     That will make things much easier!

Back to the Book!!!

Chuck

[N7UVZ]

Hi Mitch:
 
Well this has been a VERY frustrating day!!  Sieg and I worked for about 6 hours on trying to get the units up and running.  I guess I should start off with a list:
 
1.  I down loaded all the information from your web site eg: latest manual Ver. A38,dated 2017, on the website there is a drop down called "RRC Config that I printed out, and you sent me a copy of your "check off list".  Re; RRC Config.........That has not been updated for a while.  The Screen shots of the Microbit Setup program do not bear much in common with the instructions on the page shown. And the instructions do NOT make it clear that some of the things shown or talked about are NOT available or shown on the Screen shot you may be looking at while trying to do the setup.
 
2. We tried to read all the info but as no two of them have the same information in them it became a very frustrating task to sort out who/what/when for the setup procedure.
 
3.  We hooked up both units to a brand new Ethernet switch and then to my laptop running Microbit Setup Manager (Ver 1.31).
 
4. We did a hard reset on both units to make certain that they were "clean" with no leftovers from my last attempt.  Also loaded the latest Firmware to both (Ver 2.91)
 
5.  After a number of tries we got both units to program to the defaults of 227 and 228.
 
6. We set the units up for a IC-106 unit and tried to use my home network as a testing site.  We found that the unit for the radio (228) would NOT connect with the "WiFi card" that I got with the unit when I purchased them from HRO.
 
7.  The Radio unit would connect when I used the WNCE2001 Ethernet connection and I could log into it with my laptop using my home WiFi.

7.1 One thing that is missing is a "How to connect the cables diagram" for each unit.  Nothing in the paper work tells you where to plug in which cable where.  For some it is easy to do but for others it is/may be far from obvious.
 
8.  The Control unit we never did manage to get up and running on the 'net as we did not have another WiFi bridge to try and connect it.
 
9.  After much chasing back and forth with the various paperwork trying to make heads or tails out of them, we could not get the units to connect to each other.  Due to there being no "connect light" on the front of the units there is NO WAY to tell if the are talking to one another except to see if you can turn on your radio.  If it does not, you don't have a clue if the trouble is with the 'net or one of the units.
 
10.  We then thought to check to see if the "WiFi card" in the Radio unit (228) was working.  I got out my HP 8563E Spectrum Analyzer (goes to 13.5 GHz) and looked for the 2.4 GHz signal from the Radio unit................................NOTHING FOUND!
 
11.  So as there is no WiFi from the unit I need to have that repaired/looked at/replaced and then try again! I got these from HRO, who do I contact for repair/replacement?
 
As you can see we are having a mess of a time trying to figure out what is going on with the units as to why they will not connect to each other.  Unfortunately the Paper Work provided is not conclusive to setting up either unit with out much scratching of ones head !!!
 
It may be that you and I need to try and get in contact via phone and see what is going on with them,  hopefully I can get them up and running or I cannot see keeping them.................................
 
Thanks,
 
Chuck
N7UVZ

[dj0qn]

Hi Chuck,

Sorry to hear that you have such problems. It should only take a few minutes to get everything up and
running.

I am not sure what you mean by my web site....I don't have a web site, at least not one with anything with
RemoteRig stuff on it. All I have done is a checklist to supplement the manual that the RemoteRig guys wrote.
It should be clear; at least over 300 others have used it to get their system working.

If you are positive that the WiFi card is defective, then you should contact HRO where you bought it to get a
replacement.

Is there no way for at least one of the RRC's to be plugged into the router to make the local testing? I would
recommend that you follow my checklist instructions and not try to use the default settings. These generally
will never work over a network and are designed only for direct connect with a single ethernet cable.

If you want me to take a look at your setup using Teamviewer, I will have some time Friday and Saturday
afternoon my time (EST). It would be best to drop me a e-mail directly at dj0qn (at) darc.de to coordinate a time.

73,
Mitch DJ0QN / K7DX

[N7UVZ]

 

Mitch:

Nice to talk to you today!!

Many, many thanks for getting my system up and running...........................

I must remember to RTFM More than once to get ALL the info for the setup

Turns out my trouble was that I, all by myself, did NOT change the Baud rate for the Radio I am using! ! !   

Mitch ran through all the settings and made certain I had not screwed up anything else and I am now on the air ! ! !  !!

Again Many thanks Mitch...........................

Now to run off to KE6ZIQs and run my set from his place.................................

Chuck
N7UVZ