SmartLink Setup

SmartLink Setup

SmartLink enables remote operation of your FlexRadio over the internet. AetherSDR supports the full SmartLink authentication and connection flow.

Requirements

• A FlexRadio with SmartLink enabled
• SmartSDR+ subscription (for SmartLink access)
• Port forwarding on your home router (TCP 4994, UDP 4993)

Radio Setup (at home)

1. Open SmartSDR on Windows → Settings → SmartLink Setup
2. Log in with your FlexRadio account
3. Click Register to register your radio with SmartLink
4. Under Network Settings, configure port forwarding:
   • Forward TCP Port: 4994 (External) → 4994 (Internal)
   • Forward UDP Port: 4993 (External) → 4993 (Internal)
   • Target IP: your radio's LAN IP (e.g., 192.168.50.121)
5. Click Test — both indicators should be green

Connecting from AetherSDR (remote)

1. Launch AetherSDR on your remote machine
2. In the connection panel, scroll to SmartLink
3. Enter your FlexRadio account email and password
4. Click Log In
5. Your radio appears in the Discovered Radios list as "Available (remote)"
6. Click the radio, then click Connect

What Works

• Full TCP command channel (tune, change modes, all controls)
• Connection stays alive with automatic keepalive

Known Limitations

• UDP streaming (FFT, waterfall, audio) over carrier NAT — doesn't work over mobile hotspots (T-Mobile, etc.). Works over home WiFi with proper port forwarding.
• Port forwarding must be set up on your home router
• UPnP may work if your router supports it (try the "Automatic" button in SmartSDR)

Security

• Authentication uses Auth0 (FlexRadio's identity provider)
• All connections use TLS encryption
• Credentials are never stored — only the session token is kept in memory
• Log files sanitize email addresses and tokens

Troubleshooting

• Radio not appearing after login — Verify SmartLink is registered and port test passes in SmartSDR
• Connection drops after 10 seconds — Port forwarding may not be configured correctly
• "Available" but can't connect — Check that TCP 4994 is forwarded to your radio