Are there public AllStarLink nodes that could allow access using DVswitch without a private node at home?
Thanks for any info, Dale
Dale, sorry to say that what you ask is a bit contradictory.
A private node is only needed as a go between having a USRP driver interface.
Allstar network is expecting a IAX interface.
You may also want to ask in the dvswitch forum at groups.io
Guess I don’t understand AllStarLink. I thought the word node was another name for a computer running the AllStar version of Asterisk which is a VOIP PBX
If it was a version of Asterisk then a VOIP softphone app should be able to be configured to connect to the PBX provided the PBX has an account setup for the user of the softphone and allows inbound connections from the Internet.
All the Internet searches that I have run so far only show the softphone being used to connect to a node on a LAN
Dale, your premise about a node and a PBX account are correct. This all comes down to an authentication issue. To communicate on AllStar, you need to either (1) authenticate via AllStarLink using your AllStarLink account or (2) authenticate to a node that has provisioned an account for you (e.g. someone’s private node). Applications like RepeaterPhone on iOS can use either option, and option (1) is by far the easiest. However, I do believe that DVSwitch needs an account on the node you are connecting to (I could be wrong). Thus, if you have your own node setup, you could remotely connect to it via DVSwitch, which can then connect to the rest of the AllStar network.
Don’t confuse NODE with SERVER. A server can have many nodes, each doing there own thing.
A server can do many tasks besides nodes. A node is both a endpoint and a beginning point as needed.
It can be. I do and have done this since the beginning to test everything before attaching radio’s.
I access mine from the internet. But first you have security concerns. What to allow through the firewall.
How to identify it to allow it. I use mac address since IP’s change on cellular.
But that is about the only real issue. Normal iax or sip sign-on once you get past that.
You need a stanza in extensions.conf to say how the connection is handled like anything else and you should find that info in the wiki.
Perhaps I need to post something on this issue ?
I might make a suggestion… if you have a spare computer to load ASL on to play with everything and leave the radio’s off of it till you get a handle on how it all works.
Asterisk is one of the most powerful tools I have seen since JAVA which I do not care for. But it is very powerful if exploited. Flexible. I’m sure you will agree if you dabble some.
The only way to get your feet wet is to step into the water.
Thanks for the info Mike, Roger that on the Asterisk being powerful complex program with the potential of being exploited. I have been messing around with VOIP phone services for quite a while and recently I signed up for a VPS to test some things out. Made the mistake of trying to compile and install Asterisk on the VPS. After just a few hours I took a look at the .log files and the thing was getting pounded with thousands of bogus sip request. Had to kill that server and start again. This time around I have the firewall locked down real tight but I have not tried to re-install Asterisk.
The security concerns of Asterisk is part of the reason I want to try and skip the local node and go direct from the DVswitch to the server if possible.
I do have a Raspberry P400 that’s not doing anything at this time and I am thinking about setting up a full duplex radio less node but for now I think I will see how bad I can break Asterisk on the VPS 
Take care, Dale
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Thanks Dale,
Yes, security is a must. It does not take long to be discovered and pounded.
Even when you think you have a good handle on it and one subtle change later and a day or two and it’s all back.
I encourage you to continue.
You are always welcome to PM me with security questions. It is preferable to keep that stuff private.
I have been though a bunch the last 15 years with Asterisk.
I don’t know it all, but I do know a lot of tricks LOL