Ethernet switch problem

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Buck
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Joined: Sun Apr 09, 2017 3:57 pm

Ethernet switch problem

Postby Buck » Thu Jun 29, 2017 4:01 pm

I have been running my 200D plugged directly into the PC, with the PC having a wifi connection to the router. I decided to try an ethernet switch since I may want to use a Pi console, but cannot get it to work. It's a tp-link 8-port Gigabit switch. When I plug the PC and 200D into the switch, but without the router, the PC easily finds the 200D. If the router is already also connected, the PC does not find the 200D. If the PC and 200D are running and the router is then plugged in, the 200D drops out and a computer restart is needed for the PC to re-discover the 200D. Any help is appreciated.

Buck ko0y
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w-u-2-o
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Re: Ethernet switch problem

Postby w-u-2-o » Fri Jun 30, 2017 12:56 am

Buck,

From your description, I'm guessing that the router is providing DHCP to the PC but not the radio, and they wind up on different subnets when the router is connected.

I recommend that you ensure that the PC and the radio are both set to obtain their addresses by DHCP, plug everything in, restart the computer, power cycle the radio, and all should be good.

Do you know how to ensure that both the radio and the PC are set to obtain their IP addresses via DHCP?

73,

Scott
Buck
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Re: Ethernet switch problem

Postby Buck » Fri Jun 30, 2017 2:53 pm

The PC, yes. Control Panel>Network and Internet>Network Connections>Ethernet>Properties>Internet Protocol version 4>Properties>Obtain an IP address automatically and Obtain DNS server address automatically.

The radio, not sure. When first connected via switch, the router assigned an address in the same subnet, and I reserved that address for the MAC address of the radio. This did not work, so I assigned that address on the radio as a static IP, see Router.PNG. That din't work, either, but it does work in that config when LAN is not attached, see No Router.PNG. The differences are that the MAC address disappears from the setup page if the LAN is attached, and version 0 of Hermes is shown. I see also that the radio continues to show a IP in the 167 range even though I assigned a static IP in the 192 range. I guess I'm not managing to get the radio to use DHCP. What have I got wrong here? Thanks.

Buck ko0y
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w-u-2-o
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Re: Ethernet switch problem

Postby w-u-2-o » Fri Jun 30, 2017 3:11 pm

Buck,

First, the user interface in PowerSDR mRX is horribly misleading. You can NOT set the IP address of the radio by merely typing it in there. You have to use HPSDR Programmer or HPSDR Bootloader to program the IP address of the radio.

I'm going to make suggestions based on the following assumptions: you have no idea what the IP address of the radio is, and you are not familiar with common methods to figure that out. So what I'm going to suggest is to go "nuclear" on the problem and use HPSDR Bootloader to set the radio address. In addition, this solution will basically require you to have everything tied together: router, switch, PC, radio, so that the router can automatically assign addresses using DHCP to both PC and radio.

HPSDR Bootloader Instructions:

1. Do not use a managed (layer 2 or layer 3) switch. The MAC that the radio uses in bootloader mode is illegal and managed switches will not forward packets. Use a direct connection or a dumb switch (this should not be problem with your switch).
2. If you have more than one network interface card (NIC) in your PC (including Wi-Fi), set your network metrics manually per the guidance here:

http://www.w1aex.com/anan/anan.html#metric

3. Download and install WinPCAP (Bootloader requires it, you will have to restart after install).
4. Download and install HPSDR Bootloader.
5. Power off radio.
6. Place jumper on board or flip bootloader switch to bootloader position, depending on the radio (on your 200D it will be the switch on the bottom--you may want to mark the positions with some tape, since they are unmarked to start with, I suggest "Normal" and "Bootloader").
7. Power up radio.
8. Run Bootloader.
9. Click "Test for Bootloader". Bootloader should discover the radio.

At this point you can use the Bootloader to change the IP. Click the IP button. Set it to 0.0.0.0 for DHCP operation. Save that into the radio.

10. Quit Bootloader.
11. Power off radio.
12. Remove jumper or flip bootloader switch back to normal position, depending on the radio (on your 200D flip the switch on the bottom back to the "Normal" position).
13. Power up the radio. If the router, switch and radio are all connected, the radio should get a proper address via DHCP and be reachable from your PC.

In PowerSDR select "Reuse last address".

73,

Scott
Buck
Posts: 66
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Re: Ethernet switch problem

Postby Buck » Fri Jun 30, 2017 5:02 pm

Thanks for the very detailed response. I got it to work, and this is how:

1. Leave the PC ethernet using DHCP. Setting a static IP there doesn't work. The router reserves an address for it.
2. I have version 2.04.10 of the programmer, and that will update firmware, but it doesn't work for setting IP. It crashes when I try to write the IP to the radio. It will discover and show the correct IP after bootloader works.
3. With the PC and radio hooked through the switch to the router,and the loader DIP set, bootloader will discover the radio and write IP to it. However, 0.0.0.0 does not work, no real idea why. perhaps the software doesn't like the fact that an address is being reserved for it? Writing the IP that is reserved to the radio works. PowerSDR finds the radio. I set Reuse last IP and a dot next to 192.168.0.3, the address written to the radio.

It should go without saying that I restarted the PC and re-powered the radio after each change or attempted change.

Buck
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w-u-2-o
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Re: Ethernet switch problem

Postby w-u-2-o » Fri Jun 30, 2017 7:51 pm

Buck,

I'm glad you got it working but a lot of what you wrote is a bit strange:

1. If you set a static IP on the PC it does not matter if the router reserves and address for it. The PC will utilize the static IP you set.

2. Not sure why the programmer is crashing. In case there is any doubt, not that there is, this is the version of programmer you want: https://github.com/TAPR/OpenHPSDR-Proto ... 0.4.10.msi

3. Again, it's very strange that writing an IP of all zeros does not work. How do you know it does not work? Did you get an error message? What did the message say?

4. Based on what you have written, you have programmed a static IP into the radio. It is unnecessary for the router to reserve an address for it.

5. if you are using static IPs, you should make certain that you are assigning them out of a pool of addresses that is defined on the router for static IPs. For example, on my router all addresses with a last octet of 100 or lower are reserved for static IPs.

6. Based on what you have written, you should have "Use Static IP Address" checked in PowerSDR.

Finally, bear in mind that the MAC of the radio when in bootloader mode is 11:22:33:44:55:66. Do not rely on this MAC for anything. The only MAC you care about is the normal MAC that the radio responds to when it is in normal mode.

73,

Scott
Buck
Posts: 66
Joined: Sun Apr 09, 2017 3:57 pm

Re: Ethernet switch problem

Postby Buck » Fri Jun 30, 2017 8:22 pm

1. PC is using DHCP, no static IP there.
2. That is the version I have, and I don't know why it crashes. Read IP would return the 167 address initially used by the radio, but Write IP would crash the program.
3. Bootloader wrote all zeros to the radio and did not return any error message. But PowerSDR could not find the radio and acted as though it was not turned on.
4. Yes, but reserving the address for the radio ensures that if another client logs in when the radio is off, the router will not assign that address to the new client.
5. I don't think it works that way on my router. There is a range of addresses for DHCP and another for the guest network, but no indication for static IPs.
6. I will try that. It appears that Use last returns the same address since it doesn't change.

I know about the bootloader MAC. The correct MAC is shown by PowerSDR and the programmer.

Thanks again; I hope this topic may be of use to others, as well.

Buck ko0y

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