dmrlink3/INSTALL.md

Installing DMRlink3

Prerequisites

• Python 3.10 or newer
• Linux (developed and run on Linux; other platforms are untested)
• Install and run as the same user account throughout
• dmr_utils3 — install this first (see step 1)

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1. Install dmr_utils3

DMRlink3 depends on dmr_utils3, which is not yet on PyPI and must be installed from source:

git clone https://github.com/n0mjs710/dmr_utils3.git
cd dmr_utils3
pip install -e .
cd ..

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2. Clone DMRlink3 and create a virtual environment

git clone https://github.com/n0mjs710/dmrlink3.git
cd dmrlink3
python3 -m venv venv
source venv/bin/activate
pip install -r requirements.txt

The dashboard shares this same virtualenv — no extra install step needed.

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3. Configure DMRlink3

Copy the sample config (the live filename is git-ignored so git pull won't overwrite your edits):

cp dmrlink-SAMPLE.cfg dmrlink.cfg

Edit dmrlink.cfg and fill in at minimum:

• [REPORTS] — set REPORT_NETWORKS: NETWORK, REPORT_PORT, and REPORT_CLIENTS if you will run the dashboard or any external monitoring. For a same-host dashboard, use REPORT_TRANSPORT: unix with a REPORT_SOCKET path instead of a TCP port (immune to NIC flaps / conntrack eviction).
• [LOGGER] — choose log handlers and level. Use console-timed for foreground testing; file-timed or syslog for production.
• System stanzas — one [SECTION] block per IPSC network.
  • Set RADIO_ID to the DMR ID DMRlink3 should present to that network.
  • Set MASTER_PEER: True if DMRlink3 is the IPSC master for that network; False to join as a peer (and fill in MASTER_IP/MASTER_PORT).
  • PORT must be unique per stanza.

Every system name used in bridge_rules.py must match a stanza name in dmrlink.cfg exactly (case-sensitive).

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4. Configure the bridge (if using bridge.py)

cp bridge_rules_SAMPLE.py bridge_rules.py

Edit bridge_rules.py to define your BRIDGES, TRUNKS, and BRIDGE_CONF. See the comments in the file and README.md for a full explanation of bridge rules.

Optionally, create a subscriber ACL:

cp sub_acl_SAMPLE.py sub_acl.py   # edit to PERMIT or DENY specific radio IDs

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5. Configure the dashboard (if using the dashboard)

cp dashboard/config_sample.py dashboard/config.py

Edit dashboard/config.py:

• DMRLINK_IP / DMRLINK_PORT — point at dmrlink3's REPORT_PORT (TCP transport).
• DMRLINK_TRANSPORT / DMRLINK_SOCKET — set to 'unix' and the daemon's REPORT_SOCKET path for a same-host feed over a Unix socket (must match the daemon's REPORT_TRANSPORT); leave as 'tcp' for a remote dashboard.
• WEB_PORT — port the dashboard web server listens on (default 8080).
• PATH — directory containing alias files (peer_ids.json, etc.).
• LAST_HEARD / LAST_HEARD_COUNT — default state ('open'/'closed'/'off') and length of the Last Heard table.
• SYSTEM_PEERS — default state ('open'/'closed') of each system's collapsible peer list; 'closed' gives a compact view for many-system installs.

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6. Run

Verify the core first

Always confirm the protocol engine works before running bridge.py:

source venv/bin/activate
python dmrlink.py -c dmrlink.cfg -ll DEBUG

Watch the log output. You should see registration, keep-alives, and peer-list exchange. Once that is clean, stop it and move to the bridge.

Run the bridge

source venv/bin/activate
python bridge.py -c dmrlink.cfg -b bridge_rules -ll INFO

Run the dashboard (separate terminal)

source venv/bin/activate
python dashboard/server.py

Open http://localhost:8080 (or the host and port from dashboard/config.py) in a browser.

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7. Run as services (systemd)

Two unit files are provided in the systemd/ directory.

bridge.py service

sudo cp systemd/dmrlink3-bridge.service /etc/systemd/system/
sudoedit /etc/systemd/system/dmrlink3-bridge.service   # set User/Group and paths
sudo systemctl daemon-reload
sudo systemctl enable --now dmrlink3-bridge
journalctl -u dmrlink3-bridge -f

Dashboard service

sudo cp systemd/dmrlink3-dash.service /etc/systemd/system/
sudoedit /etc/systemd/system/dmrlink3-dash.service     # set User/Group and paths
sudo systemctl daemon-reload
sudo systemctl enable --now dmrlink3-dash
journalctl -u dmrlink3-dash -f

The dashboard can be started and stopped independently of the bridge. It reconnects automatically if the bridge restarts.

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Updating

git pull
source venv/bin/activate
pip install -r requirements.txt          # in case dependencies changed
sudo systemctl restart dmrlink3-bridge
sudo systemctl restart dmrlink3-dash

dmrlink.cfg, bridge_rules.py, and dashboard/config.py are git-ignored and will not be touched by git pull.

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Logging

DMRlink3 uses Python's standard logging module. The [LOGGER] stanza in dmrlink.cfg controls where output goes:

Handler	Output
console	stdout, no timestamp
console-timed	stdout, with timestamp
file	log file, no timestamp
file-timed	log file, with timestamp
syslog	system syslog
null	discard

Specify multiple handlers as a comma-separated list (no spaces), e.g.: LOG_HANDLERS: file-timed,syslog

When running under systemd with StandardOutput=journal, use console-timed or console — journal adds its own timestamp.

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Firewall

DMRlink3 opens one UDP port per configured IPSC system (the PORT value in each stanza). If you are behind a firewall or NAT, these ports must be reachable from the IPSC master and all other peers.

The reporting TCP port (REPORT_PORT, default 4321) only needs to be reachable from the dashboard host. If both run on the same machine, no firewall change is needed.

The dashboard web port (WEB_PORT, default 8080) needs to be reachable from your browser.