RM and OTAP questions.

[slowjoe6969]

Afternoon;

I have successfully setup OTAP using a control station, so I am familiar with some of the in's and outs. I have searched and was going to post my question to a couple of threads but they are closed and can't submit anything new.

So I have a Cap plus system which in the near future will have a computer with RM running and located at the tower site. Just need to confirm a few items for new radios going to this site so once RM is up and running locally I can start using OTAP in the future. So from my research;
1. I will need to ensure a NAI license is purchased and applied to each repeater in the system? (currently they are not, and no data revert channels are configured)
2. The computer running RM will need MNIS and DDMS setup and proper routing configured in windows.
3. The radios need to have an ARS # programmed in, RM user guide recommend 16448250, but I presume I have to configure that in the MNIS as well?
4. RM has the ability to auto read radios into it, will it auto read radios the 7000 series radios as it sees them populate in the MNIS and DDMS (not sure which one store this information). When I say read just populate serial number, and the basics license information, not using OTAP to generate configurations, as this would be cumbersome.

 

[Firebuff880]

@slowjoe6969

You are close but I would recommend a few minor changes to your plan --

Put your RM in your Data center on a VM if you want or a box, but use Win 2014 server or newer. You really do not want this box at the repeater site.

You need the NAI, although not the Data Revert for this to work via IP.

Build a separate box with DDM, MNIS and Device Programmer on it, you also may want the job processor here or you can leave that on th RM server I have done it both ways depending on how much programming you are doing.

The ARS & TMS server are the DDMS/MNIS box and the peer_id you use is defined in MNIS.

As to #4 no it can not for many reasons not the least of which for a new subscriber it has no way of being identified. Auto read is Cable / WiFi based and you will want to assign the configuration once it has been read and then write it from RM..

I usually also get a couple of laptops and set them up with RM Client and Device Programmer, USB cables for the Techs to use and to handle that odd radio that does not like the OTAP/WiFI programning.

Wayne Holmes has a great new set of youtube videos on this whole process. .

 

[slowjoe6969]

Thanks for the information. I have watched his videos a couple of times as I get more comfortable working with RM and OTAP.

One other question on the static route setup. With a box on site and writing via ip, do I still need to add the 12.0.0.0 route into windows, or since I plan to write via IP this would be irrelevant?

Thanks

 

[Firebuff880]

Yes you have to add the 12/24, 13/24 and 14/24 routes in the workstation that is running MNIS as well as enable IPV4 Routing through the registry value. This sends packets destined for radios to MNIS for the proper protocol enveloping - Configuring and Starting MNIS should setup these and a couple of other routers for you. I also suggest not using the 192.168.10.1 tunnel address incase you ever try to cable connect a subscriber to this box.

Additionally, any application that is not resident on this box needs routes that tell it how to find this gateway.

 

[Biggenz]

You do not have to add static routes when running MNIS. It's exactly what NMIS does when you start the service - it creates the 12/13/14 routes.

I've also never had to enable IPV4 routing in the registry on any instance of RM/MNIS/DDMS I've ever installed.

 

[Firebuff880]

You do not have to add static routes when running MNIS. It's exactly what NMIS does when you start the service - it creates the 12/13/14 routes.

I've also never had to enable IPV4 routing in the registry on any instance of RM/MNIS/DDMS I've ever installed.

You are correct in three out of four installs it does, and sometimes depending on if the Windows OS is hardened an other various Windoze things it does not. But the routes "HAVE" to be there. Of the hundred plus MNIS installs I support, IPV4 routing is a requirement, but then not everything runs on the one Windoze install in any of these projects.. So maybe your mileage varies..

 

[slowjoe6969]

Have another quick question. I am working on our lab setup for this, and have run into the windows firewall issue. While trying to write a repeater via IP, with windows firewall enabled it fails, disable it writes just fine.

I have setup the TCP inbound and outbound rules for RM of 443, 49202-49210, 51020-51030, 50003, 65534. I have also setup UDP inbound and outbound of 2000, 50000, 55000. (I have left all the settings default in RM, Repeaters).

When I run Wireshark to try and determine the blocked TCP or UDP ports. I am seeing blocked TCP ports I have seen numbers from low 14000 to when successful with Firewall disabled to the high 49000. Every time I try to add the blocked port, or a range it continues to fail.

Anyone have any success getting around the windows firewall issue, and if so what are your port ranges are, or do I create a firewall exception for the IP range of my repeaters and be down with it?

Thanks

 

[Biggenz]

You are correct in three out of four installs it does, and sometimes depending on if the Windows OS is hardened an other various Windoze things it does not. But the routes "HAVE" to be there. Of the hundred plus MNIS installs I support, IPV4 routing is a requirement, but then not everything runs on the one Windoze install in any of these projects.. So maybe your mileage varies..

The routes will be created once you start the MNIS service. There's no need to set them up manually.

 

[Biggenz]

Have another quick question. I am working on our lab setup for this, and have run into the windows firewall issue. While trying to write a repeater via IP, with windows firewall enabled it fails, disable it writes just fine.

I have setup the TCP inbound and outbound rules for RM of 443, 49202-49210, 51020-51030, 50003, 65534. I have also setup UDP inbound and outbound of 2000, 50000, 55000. (I have left all the settings default in RM, Repeaters).

When I run Wireshark to try and determine the blocked TCP or UDP ports. I am seeing blocked TCP ports I have seen numbers from low 14000 to when successful with Firewall disabled to the high 49000. Every time I try to add the blocked port, or a range it continues to fail.

Anyone have any success getting around the windows firewall issue, and if so what are your port ranges are, or do I create a firewall exception for the IP range of my repeaters and be down with it?

Thanks

You'd be better off logging the Windows firewall traffic in Windows to see which packets are dropped so you can open those ports.

 

[Firebuff880]

From the Current but dated MOTOTRBO™ Radio Management User Guide..

Installation Considerations
All three parts of the RM tool can be installed on different PC’s. For example, a partner with multiple systems in different bands can all be managed on one server. By installing the RM Device Programmer on a PC at different locations, the partner can then have their techs or the end user, connect to the RM Device Programmer from a remote client PC because the RM Device Programmer and the client are not required to be installed on the same PC. The only requirement is that there is network connectivity between the PC’s and that port 8675 is open through any firewalls. The firewall can be disabled, but this can leave your PC vulnerable. Please check with your IT department before disabling the firewall.