MCD5000 Remote to Consolette via CradlePoint

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mavericknet
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What radios do you own?: HT1250 VHF, CDM1550 UHF

MCD5000 Remote to Consolette via CradlePoint

Post by mavericknet »

Greetings,

I have a pile of disaster communication consolettes staged and ready for deployment for whatever they can be used for. They have mostly been used as a mobile ona desk in their previous deployments and have been used for tactical cross patch. Moving forward, we also have four RGUs and a few MCD5000s. I am currently reading through the manuals and finding very little useful information.

Our current plan is to deploy a consolette attached to a cradlepoint to the area of an incident so that a centralized command post can have access to the radio systems in the area. Have any of you attempted this, and if so what did your configuration look like?

Also, any general tips and hints on setting up these MCD5000s from a base level would be appreciated. The documentation we were provided was, sparse to say the least.

Thank you
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alex
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Re: MCD5000 Remote to Consolette via CradlePoint

Post by alex »

Yeah - the MCD works great over VPN's. I've deployed them using Cisco, Fortinet, and Cradeploint devices. As long as you have the VPN figured out and it's work/stable the deskset works amazing. I've tested this across systems in other states from the comfort of my desk at home. The stuff works great.

The downside is if you have to extend the 10.0.0.x LAN which allows the RGU to talk to the consolettes. If you have more APX consolettes than RGU's you have to use Cisco XConnect or similar layer 2 pseudo wire extension to convince the device it's local. I think Fortinet supports similar - but I have no idea on Cradepoint because who likes subscription anything.

You can certainly do:

APX Consolettes (x4) -> RGU -> VPN -> Command Post -> MCD5000

APX Consolette (x1) -> MCD5000 in RGU Mode -> VPN -> Command post -> MCD5000 (I think the limit is 8 MCD Deskset's in this configuration but only because that might be the max motorola tested)...

I've worked with colleagues who have over 50 deployed MCD units that speak back to a cluster of RGU's spread across a region.

There are some limitations and gotchas. If you want to post what you are trying to do with some specific's I can let you know the walls I've hit.

The 4 radio MCD5000 control is also pretty nice (with again, some gotcha's) but worth the cost of admission.

Alex
The Radio Information Board: http://www.radioinfoboard.com
Your source for information on: Harris/Ma-Comm/EFJ/RELM/Kenwood/ICOM/Thales, equipment.
mavericknet
Posts: 235
Joined: Mon Jan 28, 2002 4:00 pm
What radios do you own?: HT1250 VHF, CDM1550 UHF

Re: MCD5000 Remote to Consolette via CradlePoint

Post by mavericknet »

Thanks Alex,

This is the first time I've ever worked to configure anything consolette related so I'm still figuring out CT and the basics.

The deployment I'm working on is 1 APX Consolette, 1 RGU, 1 CradlePoint to be configured and then deployed somewhere in the state that has a local TRS or Conventional system. An MCD5000 located at one of Centralized Commcenters or EOC would be able to connect to that Consolette.
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alex
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Re: MCD5000 Remote to Consolette via CradlePoint

Post by alex »

Yup - the CT "needs work" is the nicest way to put it. Once you understand it - it's not terrible. If you have ever done Motobridge it'll be a bunch of "ah-ha" moments as this obviously isn't meant to be a Motobridge replacement but they sure used all the fixings to make it happen.

You will need some network knowledge - at least Layer 3 (IP) level to understand and make this work (to some extent). I took some liberties and didn't describe every cable connection here - so where you get stuck let me know.

Basically to configure any MCD or RGU:

- To configure any "new" out of box RGU or MCD device you must set your laptop up to use 10.0.0.2 (though, I think 10.0.0.2 is a reserved IP - but I've never had an issue). MCD product support is likely to tell you differently - I think they say to use 10.0.0.16 - but then I think in some product's it's outside the hard coded network mask.
- You use the INTERNAL LAN port of the MCD5000 or RGU in order to set it's device IP. The Device IP is set through the configuration tool under Resource -> Gateway Unit -> Set Gateway Unit IP (or Set GU IP).
- In this screen you are setting the "EXTERNAL" LAN port's IP ADDRESS. You should statically configure these addresses for where the device is going to sit. I am pretty sure you can also say "DHCP" however I would only do this if you are handling reservations. Once you set the EXTERNAL LAN the CT tool will ONLY configure the device via the EXTERNAL LAN IP address.
- Once the device has it's IP and has rebooted (FYI - these devices reboot after almost EVERY configuration change. Get used to it. Kind of like dealing with RAD IPMUX (but that's another story - never change the default username and password or lock one of those out... that's a lesson learned the expensive way).
- You then configure the computer with the config tool to be on the same IP Subnet (or a remote subnet with a routing path) to the subnet with the RGU or MCD you want to configure. Note routing path could easily be over VPN - the points need to see each other.
- Do not. I say again. Do not put these on the public internet with public IP addresses. The usernames and passwords are well documented and these do pose a security risk without making the proper changes. You have been warned.
- Once you have setup the IP of the workstation you are using for configuration to match the subnet of the EXTERNAL LAN POE port you need to go under the System Menu and create a new system.
- Give the system a name.
- The next window needs a CSV file. Just hit cancel. There's certainly some work you could do with this but I'm not going to cover that and generally never use this.
- To add the RGU go under Resource -> Gateway Unit -> Add GU
- Type in the IP address of the EXTERNAL LAN POE assigned to the device you want to add. You add both RGU's and MCD's this way - and the configuration tool is what marries one to talk to the other.
Hit OK.

Go through the screens and you should be able to muddle your way through some of the config.

For the APX Consolette - you'll have to program the IP address to be 10.0.0.5->8 (if it's an "A" model RGU). I forget the exact way to do this and often have to google to remember the port number. The password is the serial number of the APX Consolette if you get that far and are scratching your head. Once you program the consolette for the IP - that gets connected to the RGU via the "INTERNAL LAN" port. The only way the RGU can talk to the consolette is via INTERNAL LAN PORT.

Remote site:

Setup two VLAN's:

RGU Internal VLAN (NOT ROUTABLE VIA VPN - XCONNECT/Virtual Pseudowires not covered but they DO WORK for this config!) (plug the APX Consolette in here!)
RGU EXTERNAL LAN (ROUTABLE VIA VPN)

Build a VPN tunnel which routes the External LAN back to another site...

On the other end:

MCD5000 plugged in to External POE on a LAN segment which can ping the RGU EXTERNAL IP address via the VPN.

Done.

This will work all day - as long as your cellular tunnel stays up.

OH - Edit after the fact here..... MAKE SURE YOU SAVE THE CONFIGURATION. YOU WILL NEED THIS CONFIGURATION FOLDER FOR EVERY TIME YOU WANT TO MODIFY THIS MCD/RGU DEPLOYMENT. IT WILL STATICALLY PROGRAM EVERY DEVICE WITH THE CONFIGURATION. THERE IS NO WAY TO PULL THE CONFIG BACK OUT LIKE A CODEPLUG ON A RADIO!

Alex
The Radio Information Board: http://www.radioinfoboard.com
Your source for information on: Harris/Ma-Comm/EFJ/RELM/Kenwood/ICOM/Thales, equipment.
mavericknet
Posts: 235
Joined: Mon Jan 28, 2002 4:00 pm
What radios do you own?: HT1250 VHF, CDM1550 UHF

Re: MCD5000 Remote to Consolette via CradlePoint

Post by mavericknet »

I'm not getting any of the soft keys to display on the MCD5000, I'm aware that should be a mapping of the 05 control head, however these units have the E5. Ideas?
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alex
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Re: MCD5000 Remote to Consolette via CradlePoint

Post by alex »

E5 support was added in R2.4 of the firmware for MCD and RGU. They are up to version 2.5 - so I’d call 1-800-MSI-HELP and talk to the folks there. They may be able to email you a link or direct you where on MyView to find the updated SW.
The Radio Information Board: http://www.radioinfoboard.com
Your source for information on: Harris/Ma-Comm/EFJ/RELM/Kenwood/ICOM/Thales, equipment.
mavericknet
Posts: 235
Joined: Mon Jan 28, 2002 4:00 pm
What radios do you own?: HT1250 VHF, CDM1550 UHF

Re: MCD5000 Remote to Consolette via CradlePoint

Post by mavericknet »

Many thanks again. I have our rep working on getting it to me.

New question, is there a away to connect more than 1 APX consolette to the the RGU and access it from the MCD5000? I have 1 APX 10.0.0.6 and 1 APX at 10.0.0.11 and can't seem to locate where to add an additional radio connection to the RGU.
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alex
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Re: MCD5000 Remote to Consolette via CradlePoint

Post by alex »

I'm not in front of the software - but off the top of my head:

Using the configuration tool you have to select one of the RGU ports (it has the radio tower icon) and should be yellow (e.g. the CT can reach the device). Click "Modify GU Configuration." Under the radio resource properties tab there will be on the right side a Port and On/Off checkbox. Click each port and you can change the associated radio properties. Put the IP address on the APX Consolette that you have connected to the INTERNAL LAN port on the DIU. Make any other changes (such as access groups and advanced changes) you may want and click apply. The RGU will reboot.

Few notes:

- For every RGU where you are using an Internal Port to talk to consolettes it must have it's own dedicated isolated VLAN. You can't change the IP of the internal IP (that at least I've found). You can use separate network swtiches but I'd advise using VLAN's to be more reasonable and less cost - just depends on your networking equipment available.

- When you add or remote physical devices from the MCD network you should make sure that the config tool can see everything. If you don't there's a chance the MCD won't see the newly added ports. The config tool counts on everything being online. If something is not online you can always try "update" on the MCD itself. Hit the menu key next to home. Pick Quit from the menu at the top. In that screen will be "UPDATE." Tap update to refresh. I think this causes the MCD to reach out to known MCD and RGU's to pull whatever configuration information it can from the other devices. Note that restarting the device doesn't really "update" the device.

- The above point about adding/removing physical devices hits home when you realize the value of static assigned devices via IP. They don't have any resources to "find each other" without using static IP addresses or DHCP leases. You can do some fun things with EIGRP/BGP/OSPF if you are good with routing protocols to make remote subnets float between routers but you have to know your routing protocols.

- If you don't see all your resources in the "connect" screen of the MCD note that by default when you go to connect you see "RECENT" devices only. Make sure you hit the next softkey "All" to get it to show everything in the resource list. Sometimes that's why people are unable to find a resource that was recently added.

- In the APX Consolette don't forget to check the IP DESKSET checkbox in one of the HTML configuration pages otherwise the RGU won't talk to the APX. Another annoyance of note is that while the APX Consolettes are multi protocol - e.g. they support tone control, ACIM, Ethernet/IP, E&M - but it will do ONLY ONE OF THESE at the same time. So if you need a bunch of 4 wire remotes plus the MCD you are better off using audio bridging + RGU in 4 Wire mode vs APX mode.

Good luck.
The Radio Information Board: http://www.radioinfoboard.com
Your source for information on: Harris/Ma-Comm/EFJ/RELM/Kenwood/ICOM/Thales, equipment.
mavericknet
Posts: 235
Joined: Mon Jan 28, 2002 4:00 pm
What radios do you own?: HT1250 VHF, CDM1550 UHF

Re: MCD5000 Remote to Consolette via CradlePoint

Post by mavericknet »

The adventure continues, where in the world is the firmware update procedure for these things? Not in the book for sure, and not in the CT help file.

Thanks.
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alex
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Re: MCD5000 Remote to Consolette via CradlePoint

Post by alex »

Using the configuration tool go under the O&M Menu choose GW DB then choose SW LOAD.

You must have all the devices already loaded in config tool in order to do the firmware/software updates. All of the config tool versions I have had to use seem to work fine if the RGU/MCD's are older firmware. Like all things Motorola do your best to match your Config Tool & Firmware versions and when you change one always change both.

You'll see the online devices load up under GU Name and they will have Yellow Icons.

Above you will see "Select Version to Download"

You then choose the folder that contains the download. Here's the tricky part. Make the folder name which contains the firmware something like R[version number] with no spaces or funny characters. Periods seem to work OK for this. Then select that folder name in the Browse for Folder screen with the ... button next to "Select Version to download." If it won't select the folder you may have to go one deeper (and close the Browse for Folder window and re-do the naming on a sub folder. It's annoying. But once you see it and it works it'll go for life.

Once that process is done - use the checkbox next to each device you want to upgrade and click Download. It'll push the firmware out to everything. It will do it one at a time. If it's a big network and you have a lot of stuff over VPN it's going to take a LONG TIME to upload everything to all the devices. Note that if you want to use 5 config tools to do 25 devices in 1/5 the time you can do that too - just copy the config folder in the system directory to the other computers. Note that if you make a change on one - the changes won't sync to that config folder - so reserve configuration changes for a master PC.

Once that process finishes you should see the new version (and this is why you named the folder what you did in the earlier step) you can then click the check boxes, look at the top of the list and you'll see Activate Version. Pick your version you just uploaded. Click activate.

Drink more coffee (not part of SUA2 Customer Agreement - so they won't reimburse you for the coffee while you wait).

Your devices should start resetting and coming back online.

Your firmware update is now complete.
The Radio Information Board: http://www.radioinfoboard.com
Your source for information on: Harris/Ma-Comm/EFJ/RELM/Kenwood/ICOM/Thales, equipment.
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