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44Net Connect for ASL

The 44Net Connect services provides publicly-routable IPv4 addresses through a point-of-presence (POP) for amateur radio operators. Connectivity is provided over VPN tunnels using the Wireguard protocol and system.

Create a 44Net Connect Account

To sign up for 44Net Connect, create an account in the 44Net Portal and get your callsign verified.

Obtaining a 44Net Connect Tunnel

Follow the Requesting Tunnels in the 44Net Connect User Guide. Be sure to copy the private key at the completion of the tunnel creation process.

Install & Configure Wireguard

The following commands must all be run as root (sudo -s) or using sudo.

  1. Install the Wireguard tools with the following commands:

    apt update
    apt install -y wireguard resolvconf
    
  2. Create/edit a file named /etc/wireguard/wg0.conf

  3. Paste in the Wireguard configuration from the 44Net.Connect portal into the file.

  4. Replace the string "REPLACE_WITH_YOUR_PRIVATE_KEY" with the privacy key that was displayed in the portal when you created your tunnel.

  5. Save the file.

Enabling the Connection

The following commands must all be run as root (sudo -s) or using sudo.

VPN Tunnel is a Full-Tunnel

The default 44Net Connect Wireguard Tunnel is a "full tunnel" meaning that all traffic will be routed through the tunnel and out through the ARDC POP. If you are accessing your system outside of its local subnet/LAN, your connection will be interrupted and you must reconnect through the 44Net IP address you have been assigned.

  1. Enable the wg0 interface to autostart/autoconnect:

    systemctl enable wg-quick@wg0
    systemctl start wg-quick@wg0
    
  2. Test connectivity to confirm you're traffic is routing through the VPN tunnel. The returned text should start with an IP address beginning with 44.:

    # wget -4q -O- https://www.allstarlink.org/myip.php
    44.27.134.30
    
  3. Wait approximately two minutes, and then confirm your registration is perceived as being from that same IP address:

    node63001*CLI> rpt show registrations
    Host                  Username    Perceived              Refresh  State
    52.44.147.201:443     63001       44.27.134.30:4567          179  Registered
    1 HTTP registration.
    
  4. Your node should now operate on the 44Net Connect service.