SignalK Peplink Monitor

A SignalK plugin that monitors Peplink router WAN connections and provides cellular signal quality scale.

Features

• Monitor Cellular Connection
• Real-time cellular signal quality calculation based on RSSI, SINR, RSRP, and RSRQ
• Configurable polling intervals
• Support for multiple cellular carriers
• Network statistics tracking (TX/RX packets and bytes)
• Signal strength metrics for marine internet connectivity

Installation

From SignalK App Store (Recommended)

1. Open your SignalK admin interface
2. Navigate to App Store
3. Search for "peplink-monitor"
4. Click Install
5. Activate SSH access on your Peplink Router
6. Set ssh port to 22 on your Peplink

Manual Installation

1. SSH to your SignalK server

2. Navigate to the SignalK plugins directory

3. Clone this repository:

   git clone https://github.com/wmbutler/signalk-peplink-monitor.git
   cd signalk-peplink-monitor
   npm install

Prerequisites

• SignalK server running on Linux/Raspberry Pi
• SSH access to your Peplink router
• Peplink router with "get wan" command support

No additional system dependencies required! The plugin uses pure Node.js libraries.

Configuration

Configure the plugin through the SignalK admin interface:

Required Settings

• Router IP Address: IP address of your Peplink router
• Password: SSH password for router access
• Connection Name: Name you assigned to the Cellular WAN connection to monitor (e.g., T-Mobile, Verizon)
• SSH Port: SSH port (default: 22)
• Username: SSH username (default: admin)
• Connection Name: Name you assigned to the cellular WAN connection to monitor (e.g., T-Mobile, Verizon)
• Poll Interval: How often to check status in seconds (default: 30, minimum: 10)

SignalK Data Path

The plugin currently publishes data to the following SignalK path:

• communication.cellular.signalQuality - Signal quality (0.0-1.0)

Signal Quality Calculation

The plugin calculates cellular signal quality as a weighted percentage based on:

• RSRP: Reference Signal Received Power - most important for coverage
• SINR: Signal to Interference plus Noise Ratio - most important for data quality
• RSSI: Received Signal Strength Indicator - general signal strength
• RSRQ: Reference Signal Received Quality - signal quality indicator

Quality Ranges

• 90-100%: Excellent signal
• 70-89%: Good signal
• 50-69%: Fair signal
• 30-49%: Poor signal
• 0-29%: Very poor signal

Troubleshooting

Common Issues

1. SSH connection fails

   • Verify router IP address and credentials
   • Check that SSH is enabled on the router
   • Ensure firewall allows SSH connections
   • Try connecting manually: ssh admin@<ip_address>

2. No data appearing

   • Check SignalK debug logs for error messages
   • Verify the connection name matches exactly (case-sensitive)
   • Ensure the router supports the "get wan" command

3. Connection timeout errors

   • Increase poll interval to reduce load
   • Check network stability between SignalK server and router
   • Verify router is not overloaded with connections

Debug Mode

Enable debug logging in SignalK settings to see detailed plugin operation:

• Set log level to "debug"
• Look for "Peplink Monitor" messages in the logs

Compatible Routers

The peplink router must support:

• Cellular connectivity
• SSH access
• "get wan" command that returns structured WAN connection data

Contributing

1. Fork the repository
2. Create a feature branch
3. Make your changes
4. Add tests if applicable
5. Submit a pull request

License

MIT License - see LICENSE file for details

Support

For issues and questions:

• Create an issue on GitHub
• Post in the SignalK community forums
• Contact the author

Marine Use Case

This plugin is particularly useful for:

• Remote monitoring of vessel connectivity status across cellular connections.