Free Wi-Fi Hotspot connectivity - Problem resolved.

[W6SA]

After a lot of effort from Roland & Mike I finally got my PC Client working on my home network and they were able to access my rig through HRD.  My FT-1000MP MKV runs at 4800 baud and they had to do some reprogramming to make it work with HRD.  They also resolved my audio dropout issue.  They are great guys and really work hard to help their customers.

I bought the PC Client and the MKII system with the idea of having access from free hotspots and hotel rooms.  

I have tested this out at my local Starbucks & McDonald locations and my ports are apparently blocked.  I cannot connect with my DNS address and the port I am using at these locations.  I cannot even connect to my router using the remote port I use for management.  

I have to try a local hotel and library to see if I can connect from there.  I can connect to my DNS page and router from work but I am not allowed to attach anything to their system and definitely not allowed to connect to their wireless network.  I'm pretty sure I would be able to connect from work just based on the availability of those ports.

Just wondering if anyone else is being successful in using free Wi-Fi hotspots.  I have no plans for a remote station other than accessing my home shack from on the road.  If this is not something that will work out for me I may end up, after all this work and aggravation, putting the MKII and PC Client up for sale.  I would really like to have the remote capability RemoteRig offers but if it won't work the way I need it to...

73 de Walt, W6SA
 

[dj0qn]

Hi Walt,

A couple of inputs from my side:

- Make sure that the ports are correctly forwarded in your router. I have seen problems
caused by people doing this incorrectly or even forgetting to do so. First test your system
from a trusted location, such as from a friend's or neighbor's house.

- If indeed these ports are blocked, then try changing them to a standard port that is usually
not blocked, e.g. where standard software use these ports. Lists can be Googled. I have
personally not experienced this problem in public hotspots, but have within company networks.

- An easy workaround would be to set-up a VPN. Many routers support VPN connections and
even include clients to install to make the VPN connection. Then you are within your network and
are "immune" to port blocks, using your internal IP numbers.

73,
Mitch DJ0QN / K7DX

[W6SA]

Hi Mitch,

Thanks for the reply.  I will have to see if one of my neighbors will allow me access to their network for testing.  I have tried to connect from a couple of local hotels but cannot even access their websites.  They must have something else that is required to access.  I have not even gotten an opportunity to accept their conditions.  I can connect fine at the local Library, McDonald's, and Starbuck's hotspots, although I cannot connect to my network through their hotspots.  They appear to be blocking the ports I require. 

I will have to investigate what other ports I can try which may not be blocked.  That is going to be interesting.  I will have to read up on the VPN option.  I would have thought that I would need access to the other router for that to be set up.  Time to learn about VPNs.  They use that a lot at work so I am sure I can talk to someone about it to get a start on it.

My router has all the required ports forwarded and Mike & Roland have been able to connect to my rig using HRD and also to my DNS webpage for the Radio Control unit.  We had to change the HTTP web port as it appears that my ISP is blocking port 80.  They had told me that they were not blocking any ports when I called to inquire before I started setting up my system.

I went to my local library today to try connecting from outside the building but they had turned off their access today as they are closed.  Yesterday I had my DNS address changed by DynDNS, to that of the library, so that ended any testing as I could not remember my home IP to switch it back.

I guess I will have to do further research.

73 de Walt,  W6SA

[dj0qn]

Hi Walt,

I still find it hard to believe that these ports are blocked by public WiFi. I have never experienced
any problems, and I have connected back from 20+ countries, including the U.S. many times.

The problem with port 80 was probably not a block, but a port conflict. Your router most likely is
already using port 80 for configuration. It is therefore always a must to forward the HTTP port.

I also recommend always to change the SIP port, because many routers have a VoIP function built-in
(especially in Europe). You may find a conflict with port 5060 on a router where you are visiting, if
not at home.

I am not sure if I understand what you mean about the library changing your DynDNS address. The user
side does not use DynDNS, only the radio side. This is an automatic process that is transparent to the
user, except for a few minutes wait until it updates if you happen to be using it at the time the address
is changed by the ISP. The user needs to enter the DynDNS address (SIP contact) and correct port (SIP port)
on the user side, and the box will find the radio itself. The IP address where you are located at the time is irrelevant.

You didn't mention if you were using an RRC 1258 box, or the RRC PC Client. If you are using the box, I am wondering
how you are connecting its ethernet port up to the WiFi. There are methods, e.g. routers, bridges and PC internet
sharing, but I am curious how you are doing this if you are indeed using the box.

73,
Mitch DJ0QN / K7DX

[W6SA]

Hi Mitch,

I got frustrated using the RRC 1258 box in the field.  Too many problems for me.  I tried with a travel router, using a bridge connection, and using ICS.  Never was successful.  I decided to get the PC Client, which is what I am working with now to try to make a connection.

I have changed the HTTP Web Port and the SIP port already and, as I mentioned my rig was accessible from Sweden. 

The DNS address changed when I went to DynDNS to check my setup and it automatically changed my address to that of the library, which it detected as soon as I went to check my account setup.  I had it on both my desktop and laptop for Auto Checking.  It is no longer active on my laptop.  I learned that lesson. 

I have been checking into the VPN option and that sounds like a possible solution.  I will set that up tonight at home and see if my company computer at work will allow me to setup a VPN connection from there.

Unfortunately they will not allow me to connect my personal laptop to their wireless network or to attach any other devices to the workstation.

73 de Walt, W6SA 

[dj0qn]

Hi Walt,

Logging onto DynDNS will not automatically change the IP address. There is a link that
must be clicked to do so. I assume you must have clicked on that link by accident.

Even so, the remote unit would have changed it back during the next planned DynDNS
update in your radio RRC, so you would have only to wait a few minutes to get back in
(assuming you didn't change it to a longer update delay).

Again, please connect up from a neighbor or someone else with a "normal" broadband
connection. I bet that your problem will still be apparent, so that will give you an
opportunity to find the problem easier.

73,
Mitch DJ0QN / K7DX

[W6SA]

Yep, I clicked on the link.

Tonight I logged into my router and discovered that I had completely lost the port forwarding setting for SIP and even though the other ports said they were forwarded they were not showing up when checking with a couple of port checking applications. Apparently editing the settings doesn't always work properly.

I deleted my settings, rebooted the router, and reentered the settings.  They all seem to be open now.  Time to make another test run.  If that fails then I go annoy my neighbor.  May not get a chance to test until Thursday morning.

I will post my results once I have a chance to test again out in the real world.

73 de Walt,  W6SA

[dj0qn]

Hi Walt,

That brings us back to point one on my very first posting; first check again
in the router to make sure everything is really forwarded. I bet it works now.

I will be looking forward to your report.

Tomorrow is travel day to Dayton, so I will not be around much the next few
days.

73,
Mitch DJ0QN / K7DX

[W6SA]

Hi Mitch,

Hope you are enjoying Dayton.

I am still beating my head against a brick wall here.  Still haven't had a chance to talk a neighbor into access for me to test.

After making sure my ports were all open I tested at the local hot spots.  No Luck.  Upon checking I discovered I had also left the DMZ set to on for the unit which won't allow Port Forwarding to work.  I cleared that and tested again today.  Still no luck.

Of course it works fine on the home network.  I have disabled port forwarding and set the unit back into the DMZ.

I have been trying to connect using my DNS address and port 800 which worked fine for Roland and Mike when they got in from Sweden.  I got tired of doing all the hookup to my laptop so if I cannot get to my webpage from a hotspot I just give up on it.  I am not using a password so that should not be an issue. 

I find I also cannot connect to my router which I have set up for remote administration.  This indicates to me that either something on my laptop is blocking me or the local hotspots are blocking those ports.  The firewall is shut off.  I don't use Windows Defender.  I was too optimistic and turned Bitdefender back on.  I will have to shut that down and try again tomorrow.

I can connect to my webpage and my router from my work PC with no problem.  That still doesn't eliminate something on my laptop from causing the problem.  I cannot connect it to the network at work as they won't allow it.

I will be trying it from a hotel when I go on vacation, shortly, and if that doesn't work it is time to go to my neighbors and plead my case.

73 de Walt, W6SA

[roland]

Maybe the local hot spots (what are they, internet cafe's?) doesn't allow ports 5060,12000,11000 ?
As you know I can connect and remote control your radio from Sweden so there must be something with those hot spots.

Just to be sure I tested before writing this post. I noticed that you had changed Serial Settings/ Com2 mode
to 'Mode 4' from 'logical parallel' since I last tested. This should be 'logical parallel with COM-0' in order for things to work,
so I changed that setting. With that setting Connection, HRD and Audio works great again, at least from Sweden

You could of course run a session with Debug enabled (SIP+RTP+COM0) on a hot spot and send the mblog.txt, but I guess
it will only show that no traffic occurs. But if you do I will of course have a look at it.

Thinking of it... One great solution could be that you move to Sweden. Just joking

[dj0qn]

Hi Walt,

Greetings from Dayton.

That is new information.....your work PC can access your router, but your laptop does not. I therefore
do NOT believe the problem is port blocking, but something in your laptop. The default port for your
router config (over browser) is port 80, which no one will block. Otherwise, no web page could be used!

The is fine with the DMZ, actually easier as port forwarding.

So now you really need to focus on your laptop as being the culprit. Can you access normal web pages
from these hot spots, but not your router config page? If so, then there appears to be a problem
probably accessing that particular IP number for some reason. Check to make sure that you have the
correct DynDNS address entered as a starter. Compare the way the work PC is requesting the page
from the way the loptop is. Once you have checked that out, we can move from there.

Time to get ready for breakfast and the convention 

73,
Mitch DJ0QN / K7DX

[W6SA]

Thanks for the replies.

I have been suspecting the hotspots were blocking the ports but I have no way to confirm it.  I doubt it the clerks would have a clue.

My ISP, as Roland knows, is blocking Port 80 so we changed it.  I have no problem with accessing my  webpage from work and also can connect to my router.  I can connect to other web pages from hotspots and that includes using LogMeIn to access my shack desktop.

I have enabled a few services which look like they could be affecting my ability to connect, assuming it is not just a local hotspot practice to block most ports.   Maybe I WILL have to move to Sweden.

I will have to try again tomorrow to see if that makes any difference.  I did take the 1258 out of the DMZ and went back to Port Forwarding today after seeing my rig suddenly start stuttering in and out of transmit last night with nothing else going on. 

There was nothing else hooked up to account for that.  My laptop and PC Client were sitting in a backpack at the time and the Control 1258 was off and not connected to anything.  I'm still waiting for version 2.39 of the firmware to post so I can install it on the Control Unit.  Roland installing it on my Radio 1258 allowed me to connect with HRD.

I figured I was being attacked and killed everything immediately.  Just lucky I was there to observe it. 

73 de Walt, W6SA

[W6SA]

Tried to connect to my webpage from my hotel and no luck with my laptop whether I am wireless or wired to network.  I tried the wired connection with their computer in their business center and I can bring up my webpage using the dns and port I have assigned to the unit in the shack. 

I did not think they would appreciate me experimenting down there. 

The conclusion I have reached is that either that connection has no port blocking but the room connection does have blocking for each access point or there is something on my laptop that is blocking my ablilty to connect to my home system. I have started every service that seemed like it might have an effect but with no change.

As I have now experienced the same problem in NV & CA it would be highly coincidental if those ports were blocked at every site I have tried.  I will have to see if my neighbor will give me access to his system so I can see if it works from there.

[dj0qn]

Hi Walt,

I suggest that we speak by phone when you are home and available. I may be able to figure your problem
out that way. I am sure it is something simple.

I think you are looking in the wrong place about blocked ports, since I have not seen that problem
elsewhere and have a lot of experience. Port 80 is NEVER blocked, because that is the port used
for web browsing. If it were blocked, you would not be able to browse the internet (except for SSL pages).
Your port 80 problem was caused by a port conflict: your router uses port 80 for config and your RRC was
also set to port 80.

Let me know when you are available directly at dj0qn (at) arrl.net for a phone or Skype call.

73,
Mitch DJ0QN / K7DX

[W6SA]

This just pertains to my connectivity from a wifi hotspot to my webpage on the 1258 at home.

Bottom line is to make sure you have not set up a route in the HOSTS file.  I did at one point and it is looked at before any attempt to resolve the DNS address.  The changed Port was not specified so it could not resolve no matter how many times I entered it in the address window of my browser using the Port number.

Cleared out the HOSTS file routing and no problem connecting to my webpage. 

That still leaves me with another problem.  I can no longer connect at home as I get a long delay between the Splash Screen and the Client Screen.  I can access the Settings page OK but clicking on the link for Info.txt or trying to make a link freezes the application.  The link shows it is Initializing and eventually says it is connecting to my IP address locally.  Eventually it Times Out.  I can get receive audio but the screen and app are completely frozen.  I have to kill it in Task Manager.

This started happening a couple weeks ago and would sometimes allow a connection.  I got rid of the Not Responding message by using Vista Compatability but still freezes up.  I'm thinking perhaps it was a Windows Update that I will need to remove that is causing the issue.  I've exhausted all other ideas.  I have Firewall and AntiVirus disabled .