Connection Guide for AllStar and EchoLink Nodes (ASL Build)

This guide will help you get your AllStar/EchoLink Node which is running the ASL Build Image (NOT the HamVOIP Image) online and running on the VK44 Network.

Requirements

The below files and resources are required in order to connect your AllStar/EchoLink Node running the ASL Image to the VK44 Network.

AllStar Image

The distribution has been updated to Debian 10 (buster) to allow users to use the latest apt packages, kernels, and boot on a Raspberry Pi 2, 3, or 4 or Intel/AMD 64 bit.

Download AllStar Images at the below:
http://downloads.allstarlink.org/index.php?b=ASL_Images_Beta 

VK44.NET Profile

You will need to apply for a VK44.NET VPN Profile from our dashboard and ensure your have it ready to place onto the Node OpenVPN Client.

This service is available free of charge to VK (Australia) Amateur Radio Operators which are approved users of the VK44 Network. Service Terms and Conditions apply.

Instructions

NOTE: These Instructions are in DRAFT, please let us know on the Support Chat if they work okay for you!

1. Connect to the Linux device via SSH.

sudo su
apt-get update && apt-get upgrade -y
apt-get install openvpn -y
nano /etc/openvpn/client.conf

3. PASTE the contents of the VK44.NET VPN Configuration from the CALLSIGN.conf file that you downloaded from the VK44.NET Dashboard.

1. Ctrl + X to close
2. Y to save

4. We have found that OpenVPN Service needs to automatically restart the Asterik Service to ensure that Allstar and EchoLink Register with the correct IP Address. This ensures that people can connect to your node.

systemctl enable openvpn@client
nano /usr/lib/systemd/system/openvpn@.service

5. To do so, replace the line starting with ExecStart to the following…
Please Note: You may need to change the script location for the asterisk restart service script to suit your node.

ExecStart=/usr/bin/openvpn --cd /etc/openvpn --config /etc/openvpn/%i.conf --script-security 2 --up /usr/sbin/astres.sh --daemon openvpn@%i --writepid /run/openvpn@%i.pid

1. 1. Ctrl + X to close
   2. Y to save

6. Apply the changes to the Service and Restart the OpenVPN Client with the following:

systemctl daemon-reload
systemctl restart openvpn@client

Check to make sure that the node is showing up on the VK44.NET VPN Dashboard - https://vpn.vk44.net 
If all is correct, you are now able to access your node at it's Dashboard URL: https://CALLSIGN.vk44.net

If you need additional assistance, want to give us some feedback or don’t have a User Guide for your device, please reach out to us via our Support Portal or by emailing us at: support@vk44.net.