[SCCC] Fwd: [N1MMLoggerplus] Re: Networking through WAN - through internet

[Prasad VU2PTT]

Just in case anyone requires documentation on setting up a N1MM Logger+ WAN
network over VPN for HQ Stations in the IARU contest next year, please see
the details and links below which I posted on the N1MMLoggerplus email
group.


73 de Prasad VU2PTT, W2PTT (ex-AF6DV)


---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: Prasad VU2PTT <vu2ptt at gmail.com>
Date: Tue, Jul 11, 2017 at 2:04 PM
Subject: Re: [N1MMLoggerplus] Re: Networking through WAN - through internet
To: N1MMLoggerplus at yahoogroups.com
Cc: Stein-Roar Brobakken <post at lb3re.com>, Brian Moran N9ADG <
brianmo at yahoo.com>, Simon Ravnič S53ZO <simon at hamradio.si>, Tom N1MM <
Tom at n1mm.com>



All,

Below are links to setup manuals with step by step pictorial instructions
for a N1MM Logger+ VPN network used by AT1HQ, the IARU station for the
Amateur Radio Society of India (ARSI). This was developed over the past 2
years by the VU Contest Group whos members mostly make up this operation -
one of our efforts to get people involved and work as a team as contesting
takes off on the sub continent with more and more people sending in logs to
contests. I had the client instructions ready last year but not the Server
side which I completed a few days ago. This is a much more refined version
this year :)

The N1MM team can probably put this up in the support files section of the
website if  needed and be of help to folks who setup these WAN stations
each year. A couple of friends from other societies did ask last year and I
was not able to complete the server side manual in time but here it is
finally. I have copied them on this email and also saw another email from
Rag LB3RE on another new thread _ I have copied him here as well to keep
this all in the same live thread.

*1. Server Side Setup Manual -* http://goo.gl/5phfUy

*2. Client Side Setup Manual - *https://goo.gl/xqWwPX

The VPN software of choice was the free Softether Open Source VPN for
Server and Client.  and I configured a Windows Server 2008 R2 instance (F1)
on Microsoft Azure on the cloud which ran as a server with N1MM Logger+
installed as the Master station.

Last year we ran without DHCP to the 8 client stations and had to enter the
allocated 10.0.0.x IP addresses of each client in the Computer Names
list under the Network Status window -> Actions section for all clients and
server. It was very stable without any hiccups throughout the contest.
However all the station operators involved were not computer buffs and to
avoid additional manual entries we moved to a DHCP based system also
provided by the Softether server side and the 6 stations connecting had no
problem at all. We kept the DHCP lease time at 48 hours so that any station
disconnecting during the contest could come back and get the same IP
address from the DHCP pool. Without this the N1MM network status window
would complain about the station connecting form  another IP address and
the only fix for that was to restart the Master instance of N1MM Logger+ on
the server.

These stations could also access the Internet through the VPN pipe -
without the DHCP system and server gateway allocation the remote stations
lost their Internet connectivity last year. That was boring for them during
lean periods when no one replies to CQs and hence this fix was in big
demand :).

Please check out and let me know if there are any issues with this - I will
be happy to answer questions to the best of my ability and update the
manuals based on feedback received. I am sure we can refine this into an
even better document.

Before I finish, I must really thank Brian N9ADG who pointed me in the
direction of Softether VPN and even did a lot of hand holding as we set up
for AT1HQ in 2016. Thank you Brian!


73 de Prasad VU2PTT, W2PTT (ex-AF6DV)

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