IP Repeater Programming

The below information is only valid for repeaters on R02.09.01.0001 firmware and older. Repeaters on R02.10.00.0001 firmware and later will need to be programmed using CPS2 or Radio Management. Please see this post for up to date information. 

IP Repeater Programming allows a system administrator to program and upgrade repeaters within the system utilizing the IP network. This feature is supported on repeaters equipped with 32MB memory and firmware version R01.07.00 or later. Note that all repeaters in the system must be on the same firmware version as the Master.

Connecting the Customer Programming Software (CPS) to an IP network allows the CPS to

access all repeaters in a Single Site; IP Site Connect; Capacity Plus or Linked Capacity Plus system, utilizing their backend IP network connections.

Prior to using IP Repeater Programming, the feature must be enabled in the repeater, locally connected via USB to the CPS application. The CPS can also communicate with repeaters in analogue mode. The primary requirement is that the repeater must be on an IP network and communicating with a Master repeater. The CPS can only connect to one Master at a time and can only program a single repeater at a time.

Once the repeater has been properly configured and installed in a networked configuration, the CPS needs to know the IP address of either the Master repeater or the router to which the repeater is attached – depending on whether the CPS is within the same subnet as the Master. The CPS then learns the addresses of other repeaters connected to the Master (the same way the Peers do) once the application connects to the Master.

Unlike repeater-to-repeater communication, the CPS application may require firewall configuration. This is to allow the repeater to make a secure connection to the CPS application on the PC. If the PC resides behind a firewall, the firewall will need to be configured to allow inbound traffic (repeater-to-CPS) on a specific CPS TCP port that is configurable in the application.

If the CPS application is connected to the internet, or to the MOTOTRBO network via a Router, the Router between the Host PC and backhaul network must be configured to forward traffic, on specific TCP/UDP ports, to the PC. Additionally, if any of the repeaters are behind a Router, these too may need to have the same configured in them.

Many Routers have a firewall function. The port numbers shown in the picture should be opened. Additionally, Windows 10 Defender Firewall blocks most (if not all) traffic on ports above 1024. The above ports also need to be unblocked in Windows.

Upon initiating an IP Repeater Programming action, the CPS communicates its opened TCP port number to which the repeater attempts to connect. If multiple CPS applications (different PCs) are behind a single firewall, each application must use a unique TCP port number, and the firewall must be configured to correctly route TCP traffic to the corresponding application.

Using the CPS and IP Repeater Programming to provision a repeater will temporarily disable it until the operation is completed. The duration depends on the network bandwidth and amount of data that is transferred to complete the chosen operation.

It of course makes good sense to enable codeplug password authentication on a per repeater basis which can be provisioned in the repeater prior to using this feature.