Okay, I’m probably a bit behind. But Maiko has managed to great a IP BRIDGE over VARA HF/FM modem.
That’s really great … I read that WINRPR is also already supported. Lots of progress.
prototype IP bridge interface for EA5HVK VARA HF Modem - January 16, 2021
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Ready to declare the first prototype, evening of January 16, this is working
quite well, almost flabbergasted. I am now using PPP as part of the code, and
the interface is now an IP bridge - JNOS to JNOS using VARA HF modems ...
Initially started working on the VARA HF interface on January 5, 2021
Just have to tidy up the code a bit, and document the heck out of it.
Latest prototype code is found under RSYNC area, look for 'varadev.tar' file
(make sure you #define PPP and #define EA5HVK_VARA in your config.h)
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Success - Jaunary 15, 2021
It would appear that I have successfully developed an IP BRIDGE over
VARA HF modem for JNOS. With some mods to the JNOS ppp code,
and integrating into the VARA HF interface I've been working on, I now
actually have an active telnet going on between my 2 JNOS test sites,
both linked to each other via trial copy of VARA HF modem software
over hard wired audio.
It's working flawlessly. I would love to see how fast it is in a real
environment. I need to tidy up stuff, make it more automatic, and
really document the heck out of this, but yes ... appears to work.
This is basically what SCS is doing with their Pactor IP Bridge.
Maiko / VE4KLM
site a ::
attach vara vara0 1500 192.168.1.20 8300
varacmd "mycall ve4klm"
varacmd "connect ve4klm ve4pkt"
site b :
attach vara vara0 1500 10.1.1.2 8300
varacmd "mycall ve4pkt"
varacmd "listen on"
After physical connect established, both sides run :
ppp vara0 trace 2
ppp vara0 lcp timeout 60000
ppp vara0 lcp open
ppp vara0 ipcp timeout 60000
ppp vara0 ipcp open
Timeouts have to be large, I will document all of this, very excited !
F9 trace window
Fri Jan 15 22:12:03 2021 - vara0 sent:
PPP: len 104 protocol: IP
IP: len 100 172.16.72.1->172.16.72.4 ihl 20 ttl 254 prot TCP
TCP: 23->1030 Seq xa66c161 Ack xf22c034 ACK PSH Wnd 2048 Data 60
0000 ff 03 00 21 45 00 00 64 03 da 00 00 fe 06 d0 93 ...!E..d.Z..~.P.
0010 ac 10 48 01 ac 10 48 04 00 17 04 06 0a 66 c1 61 ,.H.,.H......fAa
0020 0f 22 c0 34 50 18 08 00 48 ed 00 00 55 73 65 72 ."@4P...Hm..User
0030 73 3a 0d 0a 54 65 6c 6e 65 74 20 20 20 28 76 65 s:..Telnet (ve
0040 34 6b 6c 6d 20 40 20 31 37 32 2e 31 36 2e 37 32 4klm @ 172.16.72
0050 2e 34 29 20 20 2d 3e 20 49 64 6c 65 0d 0a 0d 0a .4) -> Idle....
0060 28 23 30 29 20 3e 0d 0a (#0) >..
jnos> ppp vara0
Network Protocol Phase (open for 0:00:22:54)
4196 In, 126 Flags, 0 ME, 0 FE, 0 CSE, 0 other
70 Lcp, 0 Pap, 41 IPcp, 0 Unknown
4312 Out, 135 Flags, 0 ME, 3 Fail
72 Lcp, 0 Pap, 41 IPcp
LCP Opened
MRU ACCM AP PFC ACFC Magic
Local: 1500 0xffffffff None No No unused
Remote: 1500 0xffffffff None No No unused
PAP Closed
Message: 'none'
IPCP Opened
local IP address: 172.16.72.1 remote IP address: 0.0.0.0
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IDEA - 3 am January 14, 2021
VARA will be like PACTOR and AMTOR, it requires a changeover which in the
case of VARA is handled internally. Ever wonder how SCS did the IP BRIDGE
over PACTOR ? It's publically documented. They use the PPP protocol used
for telephone circuits, SLIP would work too (pretty sure it would), but
PPP has better error checking and stuff.
I think that's the way to do it now, so that's the next part of all this
experimenting ...
-------------------
update January 13, 2021, decided to try enabling IP over AX25 (datagram mode)
and I got my two JNOS test systems pinging each other. I should know better,
but this VARA link is probably no different then how PACTOR does it's change
over functions, but it's all done 'inside the VARA HF modem software'.
As soon as things try to go both ways, the whole thing stalls. That's where
I am right now. I really like this 'bridge' approach to linking the systems,
since I can technically just connect ax25 (ttylink works as long as each
side waits for the other to finish typing, seems to be okay, but), and I
have been able to telnet to the point of getting the password prompt, but
then again it stalls (that's understandable).
So now spending time trying to figure out flow ctl, may have to rethink
the interfaces, but I just don't want this to be just another forwarding
type back and forth, need to get some type of IP and/or AX25 working over
it, that will most certainly be a challenge (already has been for a bit).
----
update January 11, 2021, now able to establish a ttylink session between the
2 JNOS systems linked to each other with the VARA HF modems. It seems to be
quite consistent, and I was having a keyboard to keyboard with myself :)
(see further below for how to setup this up, sorry if it's vague)
trying to establish a mailbox prompt is another story, seems to be stalling
on me still, not sure why.
The latest vara development code is on my JNOS rsync site. Disclaimer, it is
very experimental, may result in one pulling out their hair, and frustration
as well, But if you want something to play with, or just to see what or how
these VARA HF modems work, then go for it.
Make sure to include this directive below in your config.h before you compile :
#define EA5HVK_VARA
to try out the ttylink tests, setup 2 JNOS systems, each will connect
to their own instance of a Windows VARA HF software modem, use the main
JNOS log to determine the status of stuff for now. Sorry, but it's still
in development, so the log will have to do. See example setup below, make
sure you use valid callsigns of course and the IP addresses applicable
to your setup. It's VERY experimental, your milage will vary I'm sure.
on JNOS A :
attach vara vara0 256 10.8.10.6 8300
once you see both command and data ports connected in the log,
then set the callsign of your software modem :
varacmd "MYCALL CALLA"
on JNOS B :
attach vara vara0 256 192.168.100.201 8300
once you see both command and data ports connected in the log,
then set the callsign of your software modem :
varacmd "MYCALL CALLB"
we will get the second JNOS to be the listener (both can be),
but for this test we will have JNOS A connect to JNOS B, so
still on JNOS B, a few more commands :
varacmd "LISTEN ON"
we need ttylink to be working as well, so set the ttycall :
ax25 ttycall CALLB-4
then on JNOS A, initiate the CONNECT and establish VARA link :
varacmd "CONNECT CALLA CALLB"
again watch the logs, at some point the systems will be linked,
then you can run this command on JNOS A :
c vara0 callb-4
and you should be able to have a keyboard to keyboard :)
To QUIT the ttylink session, just use 'reset' on the main console
on either JNOS setup. To disconnect the VARA HF link between your
2 JNOST systems, issue the following command :
varacmd "DISCONNECT"
on either one, it 'should' discconnect both sides ...
ONE LAST THING - your JNOS will likely hang if you exit the
vara hf modem software, has to do with tcp socket connection
not properly ended between JNOS and the software. You might
have to do a 'kill -9 ' to exit, sorry :)
This seems to stall if I try the mailbox call, the ttycall seems
to work fairly decently. Your luck may vary, but this is what I've
got working so far.