Please read my postings regarding the WR902-AC travel router with the ASIAIR on these threads in this forum:
https://bbs.astronomy-imaging-camera.com/viewtopic.php?f=33&t=10784
https://bbs.astronomy-imaging-camera.com/viewtopic.php?f=33&t=10436
https://bbs.astronomy-imaging-camera.com/viewtopic.php?f=33&t=10452
If you don't want to join the Home Network (for example, when you are at a remote site with no WiFi hotspots), you simply configure the TP-Link router as an Access Point (there is a small slide switch on its side, and you also need to configure it through the router's HTTP setup (web page).
To join a Home WiFi network, you would configure it as a Range Extender.
In both cases, the best way to utilize the router is to connect a CAT-5 or CAT-6 LAN cable between the ASIAIR and the router. That way, you will not be using the ASIAIR's internal antenna, but you will be connected to the better RF signal from the router instead.
In Access Point mode, you would set your tablet up to join the Router's SSID. In STN mode, you would have earlier configured the router with your home network's SSID and password, and you would simply select the home Router's SSID on the tablet.
You can alternately connect the ASIAIR to the router using WiFi instead of using the LAN cable. However, that defeats the purpose of using the router because you are still depending on the WiFi signal from the ASIAIR itself. My recommendation is therefore to use a short and thin CAT-5 cable, shown diagrammatically below:
ASIAIR === wired === TPLink as Extender --- wireless (home network SSID) --- Home network router --- wireless (home network SSID) --- tablet (ASIAIR app)
or
ASIAIR === wired === TPLink as Access Point --- wireless (Router's SSID) --- tablet (ASIAIR app).
In both cases, the ASIAIR Setup window should show that you are connected using "Wired Ethernet." You do not have to manually select it in ASIAIR, the ASIAIR switches automatically to "Wired Ethernet" when it senses that there is an active LAN signal connected to the ASIAIR's Ethernet port.
By using "Wired Ethernet," you also do not need to select STN mode or Hotspot (Access Point) mode in ASIAIR.
You do not need to use CAT6 or CAT7. Even CAT5 has sufficient speed for the puny Ethernet capability of the Raspberry Pi boards that are used in the ASIAIR. With very short runs (less than a meter or two), you can buy very thin and flexible CAT5 and CAT6 cables.
If you have a long Ethernet cable (say 10 meters) between the ASIAIR and the router, I would recommend using a shielded cable (shielded CAT-n cables are labeled STP, unshielded cables are labeled UTP) to avoid radiating radio frequency signals.
Please note that it takes time for the router to boot and to join the home network. So, power both it and the ASIAIR up, wait 60 to 90 seconds before launching the ASIAIR app on your tablet.
The only caveat is that the TP-Link router has limited speed. It is designated AC750, which means the total throughput (2.4 GHz and 5 GHz) is 750 Mbps. The 2.4 GHz side is limited to 300 Mbps, and the 5 GHz side to about 450 Mbps. For the very best performance, especially with the ASIAIR pro, you would need to wire the ASIAIR directly using a long Ethernet cable to the home router (or one of the beacons of a home mesh router). For DSO astrophotography, the TP-Link speed is more than adequate, even with full frame sensors, if you are not trying to capture with exposure times that are less than 15 seconds.
Chen
