[Elecraft] Fwd: K3/0 to K3 RemoteRig issue

[bwruble at gmail.com]

Thanks a lot guys. Both of these explanations are excellent.  

I have been messing with routers for years, as we live in places that have complicated and multiple structures. I learned a lot from having to daisy-chain routers to get my wifi signals to cover a variety of places.  We left New York City for Key West in 2010. In NYC we had Time Warner cable internet, pretty fast when the whole neighborhood wasn't home using it.  The beauty of that was the modem was separate from the primary (most upstream) router.  I could buy whatever router I wanted, and then run downstream routers, (some with little 500mw rf amps and bigger antennas) off of that one.  

I had no problem getting good results throughout our 5 story Manhattan "brownstone" by stringing wires up and down the outside of the building to downstream routers on each floor.  I used, with good result, Linksys, D-Link and Netgear.  

BTW, not totally OT, it would be great to hear what people have to say about reliability and durability of all three ( or other ) brands. They are equally easy to set up and use, all with nice webpage interfaces,

The AT&T DSL and the more advanced AT&T U-VERSE DSL use routers (2-Wire in the first case, Motorola in the 2nd) that DO NOT separate the modem from the router.  I despair of trying to explain the problems this creates to an ATT customer service rep in St. Paul or Bangladesh.  There are a gazillion posts on-line from people having problems with the Motorola NVG510.  The only time I seriously messed with the 2-wire, before I upgraded to U-Verse service, I lost internet for the whole family for several days.  I am tiptoeing around now to avoid a re-run.

Several of the posts said they had solved the NVG510 problems by using that device just as a "bridge" and then putting a regular (maybe Linksys) router behind that to handle all the router functions.  I assume "bridge" means essentially a modem only. I'd love to know more about that, but I am terrified to try much more messing with it.

I am familiar with port-forwarding, as you have to port-forward to set up the radio-end RemoteRig for the remotely controlled K3. I also have a very robust remotely controlled Web7 power switch that lets me turn things on and off up at the "big station" in MD that I am remotely controlling.  That also requires port-forwarding. 

I also leave a PC running in MD on an uninterruptible power supply, and I use that to move my rotor and control the KAT500 if needs be. I have put that on a static ip on the LAN.  

The external static ip that I need here in Key West, for which I pay $5 per month extra, is needed for a system of remotely viewable surveillance cameras. Those were installed by our alarm company, and they wanted me to get the static ip.  My problems with the K3/0 started after that visit by the ATT technician.

So, unwilling to try the "bridge" approach for fear of really getting screwed up, I tried plugging the RemoteRig Control unit into a downstream ( daisy-chained) router from the NVG510, and the problem went away.  I am throwing no parades until this fix proves to be lasting,

What was so bizarre in all this --- i should be able to take the K3/0 plus RemoteRig control box (RRC) to a local Starbucks and get on the air using wifi. I should not have to do more than change network addresses in the RRC. Why the NVG510 isn't similarly blind to the device attaching to it seems illogical. But, nevertheless, once the tech left, having set up 5 static external ip addresses, the RRC and K3/0 would turn on the remote K3, I could hear it, tune it, change modes, filters, key up, etc., but none of the changes made at the radio end were reflected in the front panel of the K3/0. It just sat there saying 21.000.00 CW. 

Now, having plugged the RRC in one box downstream, it all works again. Further mysteries remain, but I am going to pretend all is well. 

Sorry for this long screed, but I am hoping it will:

A. Help someone else
or
B. Stimulate someone to offer a better fix.

73 to all. Happy Holidays to all.

Brian, W3BW




> On Dec 20, 2013, at 1:02 AM, Alan Bloom <n1al at sonic.net> wrote:
> 
> This may be the blind leading the blind since I also am not a computer networking expert, but I've learned a few things in the School of Hard Knocks.
> 
> 
>> On 12/19/2013 09:01 PM, Rick Tavan N6XI wrote:
>> FWIW, I have just about completed a transition from slow DSL to moderately
>> fast cable Internet (30Mb down, 2Mb up on a good day), motivated by the
>> desire for smoother audio in my K3 Remote setup. In the process, I've
>> learned more than I ever wanted to know about routers and, perhaps most
>> important, their control facilities. It may be helpful to you, Brian, and
>> others. Note that I am not an expert on modern, computer networking. If you
>> are, you need read no further
>> 
>>> OK guys.  Don't waste time on this. The problem is definitely the router.
>>> 
>>> I cannot successfully ping my remote router in Maryland (where the remote
>>> K3 is) from inside my network here in Key West. I CAN successfully ping it
>>> when I am using Verizon with my iPad.  I CAN ping anything else I try from
>>> inside the network.
>>> 
>>> 
>>> 
>>> The router is a Motorola NVG510 used by the ATT 
>>>> 
>>>> Hi all:
>>>> 
>>>> I have had my remote operation working beautifully, with just problems
>>> figuring out CW and Digital, but slowly getting there.  Sideband has been
>>> fine, and I am enjoying ham radio in Key West while operating through my
>>> station on Maryland's Eastern Shore.
>>>> 
>>>>