Two sites, two servers with a single node on each, or

App_rpt-users
1

So the RTCM modules are no longer available, which is what I would have used for this…

I am looking to move over to Allstar and here is the scenario we are trying to accomplish.

We have two separate hilltop sites that we have Raspberry Pi4’s and a USB dongles to connect the repeaters to, to use on the Allstar network. They have independent RF internet links to the sites with decent bandwidth. This would be perfectly simple and straight forward, but I seem to be confused. Can a permanent link be established between the two nodes (1 on each server) connecting the sites (From what I can tell the answer to this part is yes), and thus both sites can utilize a single Echolink login on one of the servers (This is the part I am questioning)? Basically only enable the Echolink on one of the servers??? Does the Echolink audio only pass to the nodes on that server and not other nodes connected to it remotely from another Allstar server? We want to only have one Echolink available to the public, but bring up both sites when someone connects over Echolink.

If the RTCM modules were still available i would have used one of those tying back to a single server at one of the sites, instead of running two servers. I started to read the Proxy section on the Wiki, but not sure if that would apply in the scenario we are trying to accomplish.

Any guidance is very much appreciated! Thanks and 73’s!!

2

In a word, yes. You can permeant connect two (or more) nodes and they will work with the one echolink connection.

Check your PM for info about RTCMs.

Edit: If you put Echolink on a private node number (anything below 2000) all of your other nodes can connect or disconnect Echolink at will and still remain connected to AllStar.

3

What would happen here, is at site #1 you would probably want to have a public allstar node and echolink enabled. Then site #2 you can choose to either use a public allstar node number or make it as a private node and have it connect to site #1 by IP address. On your RF internet link, is port forwarding available? If not you’ll need to run your nodes on a VPN. Port forwarding isn’t required for Allstar to function, but it is required for echolink to function . I’d highly suggest using a VPN if port forwarding isn’t available in your RF internet links. You’ll be able to SSH into the nodes and make adjustments from the comfort of your easy chair, and you can do this for as little as $12.50 a year.

Fred
W5MGM

4

Ian,

I’m posting a portion of your PM because it’s something that others may want to read and learn from and it’s not sensitive…

I am very intrigued by this: “Edit: If you put Echolink on a private node number (anything below 2000) all of your other nodes can connect or disconnect Echolink at will and still remain connected to AllStar.”
Are there any basic steps you can share to accomplish this?

So it’s actually quite simple. You create another node just like a normal node but give it a number below 2000 and add the number to the [nodes] stanza in a special way. Please read this WiKi Link and if you have any questions do not hesitate to ask. “the only stupid question is the one you don’t ask”.