RRC Connectivity Problem

[w9ac]

One of our remote site users is in Cancun, trying to use his RRC from a condo to connect back to the remote site in FL.  He's an experienced RRC user and routinely operates remote. 

He can obtain a solid green PWR LED connection indication, and perhaps 20% of the time he can connect to the site.  But for the most part, he cannot connect.  When he can't, the yellow LED on the RJ-45 jack flashes yellow.  The RRC manual states that this is a SIP error. 

TelMex is the cable modem ISP in Cancun.  He can ping the remote site and connect to the site's VNC and TeamViewer apps with no trouble.  Ping times are about 100 ms.

Any clues to localize a problem where the PWR LED is solid green, yet there's a flashing yellow LED SIP error?

Paul, W9AC

[dj0qn]

Paul,

What does the status page of his and the radio RRC say when he tries to make a connect?
You can perhaps locate the problem there.

Are you using port 5060 for SIP?

73,
Mitch DJ0QN / K7DX

[w9ac]

Mitch,

We use the following for port-forwarding at the remote site's router.  These ports are set based on Elecraft's recommendation for use with the RRC:

RRIG_cmd 13002 (UDP and TCP)
RRIG_audio 13001 (UDP and TCP)
RRIG_sip 13000 (UDP and TCP)

I have asked him for a print screen of the status page and will attach when received.  Many thanks, Mitch.

Paul, W9AC

[w9ac]

Status page attached...

[dj0qn]

Does he have access to the router where he is?

73,
Mitch DJ0QN / K7DX

[w9ac]

Mitch, I will definitely ask.  The bottom portion of the status screen attached.  Note that I erased the full RRC DDNS name.

Paul, W9AC

[dj0qn]

Hi Paul,

I didn't have much time before I ran out to explain my last question -- basically if an RRC works at one
location (or, like in your case, others do as well), then does not work when one moves it, then the
problem is that there is a problem with the control RRC's network. This is rare and is usually found with
business routers at companies and sometimes in a hotel. In these cases, routers need to get tweaked if
possible. That is why I asked if he can get router access or at least have an admin do something.

One other thing popped-up in my head while I was out: did he change his RRC to DHCP? If it was set to
a fixed IP at his home, then that would possibly explain his problem. If so, all he needs to do is to use the
Microbit Setup Manager and a USB cable (maybe also network will work if lucky) to set the RRC to DHCP.
I usually assume that people run their control RRC's under DHCP, but some people don't and are surprised
when it doesn't work when they do go somewhere else.

73,
Mitch DJ0QN / K7DX

[w9ac]

Thanks, Mitch.  Before he left for Cancun, we used Microbit setup manager and set the RRC to DHCP and verified operation before his departure.   Since his arrival, he has tried DHCP and a static IP on his LAN's subnet.  There's no change with either set-up and his RRC still connects only a small portion of time to the remote site with either setting. 

Still trying to determine if he has authorization to access the router at the condo. 

Paul, W9AC

[K0NM]

I have had this problem with some hotels in Germany. After about two days of working with the tech guys serving the hotel, I found out that they limit the use of pets to minimize abuse. I could have changed the ports. I could have also used VPN, which the tech guys allow. Both were too much trouble for the short time I sped there.
NIZAR K0NM.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[dj0qn]

Right, that is exactly what I suspect. He will have to have the admin enter port forward or
some other method to allow him to access. It is a rare problem in hotels, but I have experienced
it as well.

We shall see what their answer is.

73,
Mitch DJ0QN / K7DX

[w9ac]

Mitch/Nizar,

I have a feeling that since a connection to the remote site does periodically work, that the LAN side of the setup is OK.  If he can get Admin access to the router should he try port-forwarding the same three ports (i.e., 13000, 13001, 13002)? 

Since we don't get to choose the internet path, possibly one or more paths in Mexico are blocking SIP data while another path is passing it.  If that's the case, how difficult is it to set up a VPN with the RRC device.  I am experienced with SoftEther VPN but I only have it working with my iOS devices -- and it was a nightmare to set up.

Looks like the easiest path is with two VPN enabled routers.  Unfortunately, our basic VZW 4G/LTE router does not include VPN.  That would require us to set up a new router at the remote site with the VZW router set to bridge mode.  The basic router works well when roaming in the U.S, so I really don't want to go there especially since each router on the other end of the link will need similar VPN capabilities -- just not worth it for short operating. 

Paul, W9AC

[dj0qn]

Paul,

Using VPN with an RRC is somewhat difficult to use when traveling to a hotel. There are ways
to get it working, but some normal users may struggle to get it working. It may or may not
solve this issue in the future for this type of problem.

I doubt that it is blocked somewhere in the internet. If blocked anywhere, it is in that hotel's
router or their ISP. That is correct about having them forward those ports (UDP) in their
router.

73,
Mitch DJ0QN / K7DX

[w9ac]

Mitch, many thanks for confirming.

Paul, W9AC