Multiple Hotspots on One DMR ID: ESSID Without Conflicts

Say you have a Pi-Star on a Raspberry Pi at home and a second MMDVM hotspot in your garage. Both should run under your DMR ID. If you simply enter the same identifier into both, the network master server will see a conflict and kick one device off whenever the other connects. The solution is called ESSID — a two-digit suffix to your DMR ID that turns one number into several unique hotspot identifiers.

What ESSID is

ESSID (Extended SSID) is a two-digit number from 01 to 99 appended to the end of your personal DMR ID. The result is a separate nine-digit hotspot identifier. This identifier goes only into the hotspot configuration (MMDVM, Pi-Star, WPSD) and never into the radio itself.

The radio still uses your base seven-digit DMR ID — that is what the network sees as the operator's callsign when you go on the air. ESSID is a device service identifier, not a user's "second DMR ID."

How the master server sees identifiers

A DMR master (the network server) operates on the principle of one active session per identifier. When a hotspot connects to the master, the master registers it under a specific number. If a second hotspot arrives with the same number, the old session closes and a new one opens. This is protection against loops and duplicated traffic.

By adding a suffix, you create different identifiers for each device:

• Home hotspot: base ID + 01
• Garage hotspot: base ID + 02
• Mobile hotspot: base ID + 03

The master sees three different devices and holds three independent sessions. No conflicts.

Why exactly a two-digit suffix

An operator's personal DMR ID is a seven-digit number (for example, 2060945). A two-digit suffix yields a final nine-digit hotspot identifier: 206094501, 206094502, and so on.

A single-digit suffix (1, 2 instead of 01, 02) produces an eight-digit ID — a format that is not recognized correctly by a number of master implementations and leads to registration errors. Always use exactly two characters.

Setup in Pi-Star and WPSD

In Pi-Star, the suffix is set on the Configuration → Expert → MMDVMHost tab, the Id field in the [DMR Network] section. Or via the standard interface: Configuration → DMR Configuration → BrandMeister / DMR Master → ESSID — a dropdown from None to 99.

In WPSD (the current replacement for Pi-Star by W0CHP) the same field is under Admin → Configuration → DMR, the ESSID row.

After changing the suffix, restart MMDVMHost so the hotspot reconnects with the new identifier.

# MMDVM.ini fragment — [DMR Network] section
[DMR Network]
Enable=1
Address=dmrhub.ru
Port=62031
Id=206094502     ; base DMR ID + suffix 02
Password=YOUR_PASSWORD
Debug=0

ESSID in DMRhub: private IDs and centralized issuance

In public networks (BrandMeister and others) a DMR ID is registered through RadioID.net — a seven-digit number issued once per operator. ESSID is an add-on that lets you "multiply" one ID across several devices.

In DMRhub the approach is different: the network is private, and all identifiers are issued centrally through the portal. On registration, each hotspot receives a separate private ID from the 10 000 000+ block. That means:

• Each of your hotspots has its own unique number from the start — no suffixes and no risk of conflict.
• Your personal (operator) DMR ID and your hotspot identifiers are different numbers and never overlap.
• The DMRhub master automatically holds a separate session for each registered hotspot.

That said, you can still use the ESSID field in Pi-Star / WPSD when connecting to DMRhub — if you are migrating a device and want to keep your previous configuration style. The key thing is to make sure the final ID in MMDVM.ini matches the one registered in your personal account.

Common mistakes

• One ESSID for two hotspots — the session conflict is still there; suffixes must be different on each device.
• Suffix in the radio — a radio with a nine-digit ID will be rejected by the master or identified as a hotspot rather than an operator.
• Single-digit suffix — an eight-digit ID fails validation on a number of servers.
• One frequency for two hotspots in the same place — radio interference is guaranteed; ESSID will not help here.
• Confusing ESSID and talkgroup — ESSID has nothing to do with call groups. It is purely a device identifier on the master.

Quick cheat sheet

1. Write down your base DMR ID (7 digits or the number issued by DMRhub).
2. Assign each hotspot a unique two-digit suffix: 01, 02, 03…
3. Enter the full ID (base + suffix) in the ESSID / Id field of the hotspot config.
4. Leave the radio alone — it keeps the base ID.
5. Make sure the hotspots run on different frequencies if they are in the same location.
6. Restart MMDVMHost on each device.