WebIF - can it be accessed from the WAN?

[makem]

Go to one of the speed test web sites and measure your uplink speed - that will give you an idea how long a video file will take to transfer. Half hour of HiDef is about 2GBytes, half hour of StDef is about 700MBytes (roughly speaking).

My upload speed is 1mbps but that is local. To China it would be different. I would need 700MBytes per corry

 

[Black Hole]

So even if you achieved 1Mbps, with all the other packing that would be about 100kB/s, we're looking at a 2h download.

This makes me wonder how Slingbox works.

 

[Sam Widges]

I guess that's on cable or something like BT Infinity - I'm jealous

At 700MBytes/Corry you would expect that to take a couple of hours, as long as the Humax can encrypt fast enough to keep the link full. I suggest that you use nicesplice to cut out a 5 minute chunk and a stopwatch and time how long that takes. You might have to try it in a few other places, just to make sure that you find somewhere with a decent Internet link which isn't being used by other customers, so that'll be Starbucks, a few pubs, maybe a hotel...

 

[makem]

I guess that's on cable or something like BT Infinity - I'm jealous

At 700MBytes/Corry you would expect that to take a couple of hours, as long as the Humax can encrypt fast enough to keep the link full. I suggest that you use nicesplice to cut out a 5 minute chunk and a stopwatch and time how long that takes. You might have to try it in a few other places, just to make sure that you find somewhere with a decent Internet link which isn't being used by other customers, so that'll be Starbucks, a few pubs, maybe a hotel...

I do have cable at the slowest speed available from Virgin. 2 hours is acceptable, certainly in China where I can use the connection in our house although I forget what that is. In the other countries it would be hotel/Costa/Starbucks. I believe Singapore has fast hotel connection speeds If I remember correctly,

But before I can get to that stage I need an example of how to set up winSCP and whether I need to foward port 21 instead of 80 in the putty setup. I have made several attempt at connecting without really knowing what I am doing.

Edit: Think I am making progress. I now get an error: Cannot initialize SFTP protocol. Is the host running a SFTP server?

Using SCP I connect after receiving the messages in the attached jpg's and can list 'mod'

 

[makem]

So even if you achieved 1Mbps, with all the other packing that would be about 100kB/s, we're looking at a 2h download.

This makes me wonder how Slingbox works.

Downloading a 700mb file atm @ 500kb/s initially but dropped to 90 now. Thats over a wireless connection so wired will improve it. I will try wired tomorrow.

Connection keeps breaking so maybe the humax can't keep up? The box hung and did not respond to the remote. Needed to turn off the power. At first glance winscp does not append.

 

[af123]

You need to install the greenend-sftp package to enable an SFTP server, or just use the SCP protocol in the WinSCP settings. You don't need to forward any ports at all to use SFTP/SCP so forget about port 21, it isn't used for this.

 

[makem]

You need to install the greenend-sftp package to enable an SFTP server, or just use the SCP protocol in the WinSCP settings. You don't need to forward any ports at all to use SFTP/SCP so forget about port 21, it isn't used for this.

Yes, I found out how to use WinSCP with SCP protocol. I have edited above posts to include the results. I will look at greenend-sftp thanks. (found the cause of the 'groups' error). I keep getting disconnected.

Now for bed, got to get a Malay visa in London tomorrow so early start.

 

[makem]

Downloading a 793mb decrypted file to a wireless laptop via WinSCP. After 3 minutes @ 900kb/s the connection was broken. At the time the humax was recording and I was watching a recorded program. The whole machine hung up, didn't respond to the remote and required a power off/on.

Tried again without the humax recording this time. After 2minutes @ 450kb/s the connection was broken and the box rebooted. Obviously the recording was terminated but the system did not freeze.

Tried again as above and again after 2minutes @ 1000-800 kb/s the connection was broken but no reboot this time but WinSCP could not establish a connection. Picture was frozen, sound carried on normally, no response to the remote.

Needed another power off/on to get it up and running again.

I am wondering if this disconnection is a consequence of using WinSCP rather than ftp as I don't remember a problem when just downloading via ftp as normal.

Rather surprising that WinSCP does not allow append so must always start again if the connection is broken. Found - WinSCP supports resuming file transfers with SFTP and FTP protocols. SCP protocol does not allow it

Checking out greenend-sftp now but if this secure ftp continues causing freezes then I cannot use it at the risk of having the box in a frozen on position for 5 or so weeks 24/7

 

[makem]

You need to install the greenend-sftp package to enable an SFTP server, or just use the SCP protocol in the WinSCP settings. You don't need to forward any ports at all to use SFTP/SCP so forget about port 21, it isn't used for this.

I found this in relation to freenend-sftp:

Until such time as the test suite is expanded to include actively hostile clients, it is not recommended that this server be used in such configurations without some additional form of protection against malicious use.

In addition, it needs to be installed on the humax?

 

[Sam Widges]

Yes, I found out how to use WinSCP with SCP protocol. I have edited above posts to include the results. I will look at greenend-sftp thanks. (found the cause of the 'groups' error). I keep getting disconnected.

Now for bed, got to get a Malay visa in London tomorrow so early start.

Hmmm - maybe I'd installed that package and had forgotten about it. Sorry!

 

[makem]

Hmmm - maybe I'd installed that package and had forgotten about it. Sorry!

No need for apology as I don't understand your meaning.

Have you any comment of the disconnections? Do you agree it appears not possible to use secure ftp to download? I cannot risk the box hanging up unattended.

 

[af123]

Have you tried downloading a file from the web interface that you have tunneled? That might be a simpler solution.

 

[makem]

Have you tried downloading a file from the web interface that you have tunneled? That might be a simpler solution.

No, I have not, I only have used webIF. Thanks for that obvious solution. I will try it now.

Edit: Can I change the login name easily?

 

[makem]

After 30% downloaded it hung. I think the tunnel was broken as I was unable to type in there.

I was watching a recording at the time. I will try again with nothing going on as if I were away.

Edit: There may have been a network disconnection.

 

[makem]

Ok, tried again and this time watched the download.

At 35% downloaded it hung and Putty gave an error: Fatal error - software caused disconnection. In addition the network was broken and I could not connect to the WAN nor the humax. The router appeared to be still downloading data as did the modem, both lights was flashing very fast. I had to reboot the router to get control. The humax was not apparently affected, the watched movie continued. The first failed download was after 232mb, the second at 269mb.

Tonight I downloaded the same file via insecure ftp without problems. I will try via webIF without the tunnel.

Edit: Download went ok. Unless anyone has any other suggestions, it appears I can only download from the WAN with insecure ftp.

 

[Sam Widges]

My worry is that the encryption for SSH takes so much processing power by the core Humax processor (unlike decrypting programmes, this will use the core processor) that it can't keep up with its other housekeeping duties. Is there a 'nice' command that we could use to deprioritise the dropbear process? (Sorry, we have a guest sleeping in the living room at the moment and the Humax is off, so I can't find out!)

 

[makem]

Are there any custom software packages which if not installed (not needed for my purpose whilst away) would reduce processing power?

 

[Jason_a69]

Ah, good point Black Hole I hadnt thought about that. However after some digging for what is legal I found http://www.streetarticles.com/cyber-law/vpn-in-china-is-it-legal. Seems it isnt illegal and a use such as communicating with a home network wouldnt pose any problems. However it seems its best to use something other than PPTP and L2TP as they are disabled for one reason or another.

With regards to security you can indeed use SSH to achieve your VPN. There are many guides online, simply search for "VPN" and "SSH" for example http://bodhizazen.net/Tutorials/VPN-Over-SSH

I have travelled a bit in China so I know they ban loads of sites likes Facebook (not a bad thing), BBC (could be lifted now) and pretty much any social media sites. I got round it as I had a proxy server running in London.

Which has just given me another idea. Next project is to get Squid running on the Humax.

 

[Sam Widges]

Are there any custom software packages which if not installed (not needed for my purpose whilst away) would reduce processing power?

What packages have you got installed?

 

[makem]

Thanks Sam, attached are snips of the list.

Btw I am looking at greenend-sftp as that resumes. Have to go out now so later I will find it and look into how to connect to it.