Pi-Star Connection Guide for MMDVM Hotspots

This guide will help you get your MMDVM Hotspot online and running on the VK44 Network.

Requirements

The below files and resources are required in order to connect your Pi-Star MMDVM Hotspot to the VK44 Network.

Pi-Star V4+ Image

If you haven’t already got a Pi-Star Node up and running head over to the Pi-Star website and download the image. You can then follow their instructions (or numerous other guides online) to get your Pi-Star Device up and running.

Download Pi-Star from:
https://www.pistar.uk/downloads/

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 Repeater 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

1. Connect to the Pi-Star device via SSH and run the following commands:

rpi-rw
sudo su
pistar-update
apt-get install openvpn -y
nano /etc/openvpn/client.conf

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

*** Add these lines or make sure the following is at the top of the .conf file before the <key>

client
nobind
dev tun
remote-cert-tls server
comp-lzo

cipher AES-256-CBC
resolv-retry infinite

remote VPN.VK44.NET 1194 udp

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

systemctl enable openvpn@client
systemctl start openvpn@client
systemctl status openvpn@client

3. If you see “UDP not allowed” or something along those lines, follow these instructions to adjust the Pi-Star Firewall Rules.

nano /root/ipv4.fw

4. Add in the following configurations:

#This line allows outgoing access for VPN.VK44.NET
iptables -A OUTPUT -p udp --dport 1194 -j ACCEPT

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

5. Restart the Pi-Star Firewall and OpenVPN Client with the following:

pistar-firewall
systemctl restart openvpn@client

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