Get on the Air

Four ways to use OpLine, from no hardware to a full RF node.

OpLine supports two ways to connect into someone else's node (Web Transceiver and IAXRpt) and two ways to run your own (Radioless and RF). Pick the path that matches your setup. Node-build documentation lives on allstarlink.org; this page is the OpLine-specific on-ramp.

License required. A valid FCC-issued amateur radio license and call sign are required to operate an AllStarLink node and to transmit through OpLine, regardless of which path you choose. Don't have a license yet? Start here.

Pick your path

Web Transceiver Mode. Easy. AllStarLink Portal account, no node number required.
IAXRpt / IAX Direct. Easy. Per-node credentials issued by the node operator.
Radioless Node. Intermediate. Your own ASL3 node on a Raspberry Pi, no radio attached.
RF Node. Advanced. Full node with a radio interface for over-the-air operation.
Connect from OpLine. IAX2 field reference for IAXRpt and your-own-node modes.
Enable AMI. Optional. Recommended for live link awareness.

Path	What you need	What you get
Web Transceiver Easy	AllStarLink Portal account with a verified call sign. No node number, no hardware.	Token-authenticated access to any node that has Web Transceiver enabled. Quickest way on, but many nodes specifically block WT.
IAXRpt / IAX Direct Easy	Host, port, username, and secret issued to you by the node operator.	Authenticated access to that specific node. Works even when the operator has WT turned off (common for club nodes).
Radioless Node Intermediate	Raspberry Pi, ASL3 install, one UDP port forward, your own AllStarLink node number.	Your private hub on the network. Connect from OpLine and link to anything on AllStarLink.
RF Node Advanced	Everything above plus a radio interface (USB sound fob / RIM / repeater controller) and a radio.	Full over-the-air node. OpLine becomes a remote control / mic for your station.

1. Web Transceiver Mode Easy

The fastest way onto AllStarLink. You authenticate with your AllStarLink Portal account (the same username and password you use at allstarlink.org) and OpLine uses that to obtain a token for connecting to any node where the operator has enabled Web Transceiver. You do not need to apply for a node number for this mode.

Why use this mode

Quickest way to connect to the AllStarLink network.
Only requires a valid AllStarLink Portal account. No hardware, no node number, no port forwarding.

Disadvantages

Requires setting up and verifying an AllStarLink Portal account (which itself requires a verified call sign).
Not all nodes allow Web Transceiver authentication. Many operators specifically block it on purpose.
Even when WT is enabled at the node level, the operator can still restrict access by call sign or other means.

Steps

Create an account at allstarlink.org and get your call sign verified.
In OpLine, enter your AllStarLink Portal username and password and switch into Web Transceiver mode. OpLine requests a token from the portal; once that succeeds, you're authenticated.
Dial any node that has Web Transceiver enabled.

Check whether a node supports WT before you dial. Look up the node on the AllStarLink node list and check the WT-enabled flag. Listing as enabled isn't a hard guarantee you'll be let in (operators can layer additional restrictions on top), but it's the right starting filter.

If you frequently get blocked, the IAXRpt path below works against any node where you've been issued credentials, including ones with WT off. For the widest coverage, run your own node (the Radioless or RF path).

2. IAXRpt / IAX Direct Easy

In this mode you authenticate with a username and password (secret) issued to you by a node operator, not a global Portal account. The operator configures their iax.conf with matching credentials and tells you what host, port, username, and secret to use. OpLine then connects directly over IAX2.

Why use this mode

Node operators can grant access to specific users (club members, regulars) while keeping general Web Transceiver access off.
Bypasses allow/deny lists that may be in use for general access. You're authenticated with a pre-configured username and password.
Works against any node where you've been issued credentials, including locked-down ones.

Disadvantages

More setup involved. The node owner has to configure and hand you credentials.
Credentials are tied to one node (or to nodes under the same operator's control). For a different node, you need a different set.

Steps

Get the following from the node operator:
- Hostname of their AllStarLink server
- IAX port (typically 4569)
- Your assigned username
- Your assigned password (secret)
In OpLine, add a new account/node and fill in those values. See Connect from OpLine below for the exact fields.
Connect and key up.

3. Radioless Node Intermediate

A radioless node is a Raspberry Pi running ASL3 with no radio attached. It acts as your personal hub on the AllStarLink network. OpLine connects to it over IAX2, and from there you can link to any other node on the network. No radio means no over-the-air operation from the node itself, but full network access.

What you'll need

Raspberry Pi 3B+, 4, or 5. A Pi 4 with 2 GB RAM is plenty.
microSD card (16 GB+, A1/A2 rated), power supply, wired Ethernet recommended.
An AllStarLink account with a node number assigned to you.
Router access to forward one UDP port (4569).

Steps

Get a node number. Sign up at allstarlink.org, request a node number, set a node password.
Install ASL3. Follow the official install at allstarlink.github.io. The short version: flash Raspberry Pi OS Lite (64-bit, Bookworm), add the ASL3 apt repo, install asl3, run sudo asl3-node-setup, and choose radioless when asked for the radio interface.
Forward UDP 4569 on your router to your Pi's LAN IP. Set a DHCP reservation so the Pi keeps the same address.
Add an IAX user for OpLine. OpLine uses the standard iaxrpt user/context by default. Add a stanza like the one below to /etc/asterisk/iax.conf, then run sudo asterisk -rx "iax2 reload".

[iaxrpt]
type = friend
secret = a-strong-password-you-pick
host = dynamic
context = iaxrpt
disallow = all
allow = ulaw
qualify = yes
deny = 0.0.0.0/0
permit = 0.0.0.0/0

Why a hostname instead of an IP? Once your node is registered with AllStarLink, the network publishes NODENUM.nodes.allstarlink.org automatically and keeps it pointed at your current public IP. You don't need DuckDNS or No-IP. That's the host you'll use in OpLine.

For the full ASL3 install (commands, dialplan, troubleshooting), follow the official AllStarLink documentation. The active AllStarLink forums are the right place for ASL3-specific issues.

4. RF Node Advanced

An RF node is the same as a radioless node, plus a radio interface. The Pi side is identical; the additional work is wiring (and tuning) a USB sound interface, a RIM, or a repeater controller to a radio, and configuring simpleusb.conf or usbradio.conf in Asterisk so PTT, COS, and audio levels are right.

From OpLine's perspective nothing changes. You still connect to the node over IAX2 with the same iaxrpt stanza shown above. The difference is what happens on the node side: keying OpLine keys the radio.

What's extra (vs. radioless)

A radio interface. Common options: CM108-based USB sound fobs, the RIM-Lite / RIM-USB family, or a repeater controller with sound card.
A radio with the right cabling for PTT, COS, and discriminator audio.
Configuration of simpleusb.conf or usbradio.conf, plus interface tuning with simpleusb-tune-menu / radio-tune-menu.
Awareness of duty cycle, ID, and any local coordination if you're putting the node on a repeater pair.

Full RF node build documentation lives at allstarlink.github.io. Once the node is on the air, return to Connect from OpLine below. The connection setup is identical to the radioless case.

5. Connect from OpLine

This field reference applies to IAXRpt, Radioless, and RF modes (anywhere OpLine connects directly over IAX2). Web Transceiver mode uses your AllStarLink Portal credentials instead and doesn't need these fields.

Field	Value
Host	For your own node: `NODENUM.nodes.allstarlink.org`. For IAXRpt: whatever hostname the node operator gives you.
Port	`4569` (unless the operator specifies otherwise)
Node number	The node number you're connecting to.
Username	For your own node: `iaxrpt` (OpLine's default; matches the stanza above). For IAXRpt to someone else's node: the username the operator assigned you.
Secret	The password matching the IAX stanza on the node.
Codec	`ulaw`

Save the node, mark it as a favorite, and tap Connect. Hold push-to-talk and you should hear your node ID. Try connecting to the AllStarLink Parrot (node 2002) for an echo test.

6. Enable AMI optional, recommended

The Asterisk Manager Interface (AMI) is a TCP control channel built into every AllStar node. When OpLine talks to AMI, it sees every node currently linked to yours in real time, including links created by another client or an earlier session. Without AMI, OpLine only knows about links it created in the current session and limits you to one peer at a time as a safety measure.

Only relevant if you run your own node (radioless or RF). Skip this for Web Transceiver and IAXRpt modes; those connect to someone else's node, where AMI is the operator's call to configure.

Quick setup

In /etc/asterisk/manager.conf, make sure the [general] stanza has these lines (default bindaddr is localhost only; that's the one to change):

[general]
enabled = yes
port = 5038
bindaddr = 0.0.0.0

Add a user stanza at the bottom with a strong password:

[opline]
secret = a-strong-password-you-pick
read = command,reporting
write = command
deny = 0.0.0.0/0.0.0.0
permit = 0.0.0.0/0.0.0.0

Reload (sudo asterisk -rx "manager reload"), then forward TCP 5038 on your router to the Pi's LAN IP. In OpLine, open Settings → Asterisk Manager (AMI) and enter the username, password, and port.

Auth fails on LTE but works on Wi-Fi? A permit rule is blocking your phone's mobile IP. Either widen the permit range (paired with a strong secret) or whitelist the carrier ranges you control. telnet your.node.host 5038 from the failing network is the quickest credential test.

Next steps

You should be on the air. From here:

Hardening AMI and IAX2 against the internet. Strong password, Fail2ban, non-standard port, and/or a VPN.
Asterisk-specific issues (won't start, won't link, ID not playing). The official ASL3 docs and the AllStarLink forums are the right place.
Stuck on something OpLine-specific? Email support@opline.app.