Hi. I’m setting up a small AllStarLink network for a friend of mine, and I have more of a design question.
I have several nodes in different towns, running on Pi3’s.
I have a Hub server running in the cloud.
All of them will be running ASL3.
My question is really about how the connection from the hub to the node is made. Is it better to initiate the connection from the Hub to the nodes? Or, from the Nodes to the Hub? Or does it not even matter?
A few thoughts:
If I do hub to node, I’ll have to modify port forwarding settings on everyone’s router. Not ideal, since some are far away and I’m hoping for a more plug and play solution.
node to hub - This seems easier. But, I’m going to have to hard code what network ports the nodes use to connect to the hub right? Or, can it handle all the nodes on the 1 port (4569 I believe)?
I’m hoping I can just configure the pi with the right settings, and then ship the pi to the person hosting the link. I really don’t want to have to talk someone into setting up port forwarding, which is where I’m stuck right now.
Thanks in advance, and thanks for hosting this forum, it’s been a great resource so far.
If you have a hub in the cloud and you control the firewall rules there, then for maximum “appliance-ness” have the nodes auto-link out to the cloud. Then no port-forwarding configuration is required. Park the node somewhere, let it auto-link, and you’re good. Run the link as a startup macro.
If you are not changing the position on the network, no change.
PORT is in the registration data. As long as each is using registered port and IP as registered.
A ‘connection or link’ uses that data to do it’s magic.
Connection initiation can be whatever you want it to be.
Each node has it’s own connection rules you give it.
HUB or RADIO.
HUB is simply a designation of a common connection point. All nodes are equal except for remote base or private nodes. Not that you can;t have a private HUB.
A node designated as a remote base allows only one connection by design.
On my network, I had to forward port 4569 (I think it was, whatever the default is) to the pi in order to make the hub to pi connection work. That’s why I suggested it. I’d rather not though…
If you are having the a Pi “appliance” initiate outbound the connections to the “hub” always, no port forwards are ever needed unless you have a firewall from 1992…
Thanks for the help. Going to get the new hub setup and going. Already have 2 pi’s connecting to it fine. Not sure what I did before, but, seems to be working now. I have more questions, but will start a new thread, thanks again!
To answer this directly for those that may stumble on it later,
The port you are setting is for IAX connection only for your node.
It has no effect on anyone else node. Except they need to use it for connecting ‘to you’
So a “inbound” request for connection to you is received on that designated port, it will be answered.
If it is for some other port, it will be ignored.
Hence the registration system so your server knows the IP and PORT of all the other registered nodes.