General Information
Introduction
Features
Supported TNCs
User Interface
Registration
Copyright
Program Setup
Radio Port Mgr
. Edit TNC/modem Port
. Edit Sound Card Port
- Tuning Aid
- Volume Settings
. Edit Parameters
New Port Setup
Network TCP/IP Settings
Radioport Sharing
Auto Start Clients
Other Settings
Views
Program Status
Port Activity Status
Shared Radio Ports
AX.25 Status (Stations)
Connected Programs
Heard Stations List
Monitor
Other Features
TCP/IP Over Radio
. Driver Install
. PE Pro Settings
. Windows Settings
Registration
HTTP Interface
Live Update
Launch IE Browser
Go to AGWsoft web site
Send Error Report
Tips, Tricks, & Trouble
Tips and Tricks
Problems?
Sound Card Use
. Sound Card Interface
. HF Operations
. 9600 Operations
. Receive Problems
. Transmit
Problems
Help Date:
21 June 2004
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Network TCP/IP Settings
Network Settings
Network Security
Network Routing Issues
Packet Engine Pro uses the Winsock TCP/IP Interface
to communicate with most application programs, although it can also use the less
robust DDE interface.
Network Settings
By default, the Winsock interface is activated and the Network Settings
screen should look like the picture below. The Enable
Network TCP/IP Application Interface box should be checked and
the TCP Port should be set to 8000.

There should be hardly little reason to disable the Winsock interface. If you
encounter error messages saying your application program could not connect to PE
Pro, be sure the interface is enabled/ check-marked.
The TCP port setting of 8000 is an arbitrary setting chosen to avoid port
conflicts with other applications. You should only change this is you suspect
some other application has already using port 8000. If you do change the port
number, you must configure any application programs using PE Pro to use
the new port number you have chosen.
Note that the TCP/IP protocol makes it possible for packet applications running on
other computers to connect to your instance of PE Pro over a network (LAN or Internet).
To do this, the application program must be configured to specify the
IP address of the PE Pro computer and Network TCP/IP Application Interface port number
(8000 by default). Not
all applications can do this, however.
Network Security
To control remote access to PE Pro's Network
TCP/IP Application Interface (port 8000, you
can adjust the settings on the
Network
Security screen. By default, PE Pro lets only
applications running on your computer connect to port 8000 without
providing a username and password (button #3).
If you wish,
can permit other unsecured connections to PE
Pro:
- button #2 allows unsecured application connections
from your computer plus any computer in your local area network
(LAN). Applications outside the LAN can only get access with a login name and password.
- button #1 allows unsecured connections from
applications on any
computer anywhere; no login name or password
required.

If you opt for the restrictions of option #3 or #2 , you can still give users in
remote locations secured access to PE Pro by adding their login name and
password to an exceptions list (under User Setup). Press the
New User button to add an arbitrary
Login (user name) and
Password.
In the picture above, setting #2 has been selected,
so any computer in the LAN can access this version of PE Pro (internet users can
not). In addition, anyone using the login name of SV2AGW and a password of 4x77k
will have access even if they are outside the LAN.
Note that for PE Pro's secured
(Login/Password) access to work, your application program must be able to send the
Login and Password to PE Pro. Few programs can do this. Even the other AGW Software programs
(AGWTerm, etc.) have no provision for sending Login/Password information. As of June 2004, only
UI-View32 was known to be able to do this (UI-View automatically sends your callsign as your Login name; you
tell UI-View what to send for a password).
Warning: If you let
remote users
have access to your instance of PE Proports, then they can both send and receive
packets using your equipment. In most
countries, you are still responsible for anything your station
transmits even if someone else is initiating the transmission!
To control use of your equipment:
- Don't permit unsecured use of
your PE Pro (button #1). If you must use this option, do not make
public your IP address.
- Use the Login/Password feature
for trusted users, although this feature will not work if the
users are not using an application that can send the
login/password (only UI-View32 does)
- Use the
Monitor view to watch what PE Pro and your
equipment are transmitting.
- Consider disabling your radio's
PTT circuit so that PE Pro does not transmit, i.e. users
can only receive and not transmit. (Many radios have a
Lock button to disable the
PTT. Or if you are using a sound card modem, set it for "RX
only" or disconnect the PTT interface cable from the computer's
serial/LPT port.)
- Experiment with your firewall
program to see if it can limit access to the IP addresses
of trusted users only.
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Networking Routing
Issues
- "Other computers on my LAN" -- PE
Pro defines "other computers on my LAN" as other computers whose IP address
has the same first three octets as the PE Pro computer. Example, if the PE
Pro computer has an IP address of 192.162.0.101, then other computers with
an IP address beginning with 192.168.0. are considered part of the LAN.
(Same as having a sub-net mask of 255.255.255.000
Note: Even though computers on different networks may have the
same local IP address, say 192.168.0.101, they will not be seen
as being part of your LAN. Here is why. When you communicate over the
internet, your computer's network communication device (router, data modem)
uses Network Address Translation (NAT) to replace a.) your local IP address
with b.) the router/data modem's unique network address as assigned by your
Internet Service Provider. By protocol definition, network addresses do
not use the same beginning numbers reserved for private networks
(private addresses begin with 192.x.x.x or 10.x.x.x.) Example: Your computer
has a private, local IP address of 192.162.0.101, however, when
communicating over the internet, your data modem uses NAT to substitute its
unique network address, say 24.124.49.109, for your computer's local IP
address. A distant computer will see only your modem's network address, not
your computer's private address. When the data you requested comes back to
your modem, the modem uses NAT to reverse the substitution so that the data
goes to your computer. In sum, private local addresses are never
used to communicate over the internet, so a remote computer will never be
seen as port of your LAN.
- Firewalls: Firewall programs
(example Zone Alarm) and hardware devices (routers) by default are
configured to block messages from remote computers unless they match
specific IP addresses and/or ports (or unless your computer initiated the
request). If you are having difficulty with a remote computer accessing your
PE Pro, it could be because of a firewall issue. To test this, turn off the
firewall at both locations.
To correct a firewall blocking issue at your end, you must configure the firewall program or device to allow
data requests for port 8000 (default) and route them to the PE
Pro computer. Read your software/hardware's manual to find out how to do
this. (It may be listed under "Virtual Server"). Programs such as Zone Alarm
may also restrict your computer's programs from sending out responses
to information requests from remote programs. Again, you will have to read
the firewall program's documentation to learn how to designate PE Pro act as
a server that is permitted to send information outside the LAN.
- How to specify the remote IP Address of
the PE Pro Computer: If remote users want to connect to your PE Pro
computer, they must specify the network address assigned to your
data modem by your ISP (internet service provider) or internet proxy
server. They would not specify your computer's local IP address.
If you have an arrangement with your ISP for a static network
address (usually a more expensive option), then your network address will not change.
If you are a dial-up customer, proxy user, or have a DSL/cable dynamic
(changing) connection, your network address may change with each new
connection. Remote users would then have the problem of knowing your
currently assigned network address.
One way to learn your network address is to send yourself an email. When the
email comes back to you, look in the expanded message headers to see the
address your ISP used to forward the mail to you. Also, some web sites will
tell you what it is. Do a web search for "What is my IP address?" to find
such sites.
- Dynamic IP Address? Here's
work-around for you to consider if you have a dynamic IP address, but want
to provide remote users with a fixed address:
- First, obtain a personal domain
name (for about USD $35/year). Example: www.sv2agw.org
- Then, find a dynamic DNS (domain name
system) service that will match your current dynamic IP address with
your domain name. This is done by running a utility on your computer that periodically
contacts the DNS service to tell it your current network IP address.
With this setup, users
can then just enter your personal domain name to connect to you; they
need not worry about entering your actual network IP address. The
dynamic DNS service will make the translation.
To find a dynamic service provider, do a web search for "dynamic DNS". Some offer free services or free services if you
buy your domain name from them.
Copyright 2004 SV2AGW George Rossopoulos
. All rights reserved.
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