Constant disconnection from ASIAIR Pro

astrogaby

Dear sir,

During the last 3 nights i have been unable to image due to the wifi constantly dropping. Authentication error appears and without turning all off and restarting from scratch reconnection does not occur.

I have tried the following

1 Directly via wifi to asiair using samsung Tab (worked fine with ASIAIR original). Also tried with my SamsungS8 and S10. Same issues.

2 Tried via home wifi. results were the same.

Have not tried with ethernet cable to router, don't have long enough cable.

The issue is as follows.....

When i switch everything on I pick up the asiair take preview, polar align etc etc.

Disconnection to wifi will occur at a variety of points eg

1 When i return to home position before imaging after PA

2 When i start setting up guiding

3 When i start my autorun

4 At any point of autorun several times.

5 I have even left it alone just connected to Tab and found it will disconnect and authentication error appears instead of auto reconnect.

There appears to be no pattern to it. I have tried changing the ASIAIR pro position on the telescope and off the telescope. Changed cables. I do not know what else to do. I have also reinstalled the software on card.

I am suspecting i have a faulty ASIAIR Pro.

Please help and advice.

Regards

Gaby

astrogaby

Hi,

Just tried from home with ethernet cable to router hub. Connected left for 1hr disconnected and unable to reconnect.

Any suggestions!?

Regards

Gaby

w7ay

>> Just tried from home with ethernet cable to router hub. Connected left for 1hr disconnected and unable to reconnect.

Did you reserve a fixed IP address on your router to the ASIAIR's MAC address?

If not, what is the DHCP Lease Time that you have set on your router?

For home use (instead of a restaurant, for example), it is best to change the Lease Time to at least 24 hours. But a fixed, reserved IP address instead of using DHCP is still the best solution.

Chen

astrogaby

Hi Chen,

I have given the Pro a fixed IP and infinite DHCP lease time.

Same problem starts OK. Then was doing some dark library with autorun 2nd image disconnected. So have to start again problem is can start but cannot finish anything.

Images are not stored either. That I will have to confirm. They did not store last imaging session when I left it to run and finish. Gauged via time not through tab.

Will check later if image taken is saved.

Regards

Gaby

w7ay

>> Then was doing some dark library with autorun 2nd image disconnected.

You should have mentioned this earlier. It looks like the disconnect could be caused by something else than the networking.

Take a look at how much memory is avalable for storing images. Even better, use a USB stick instead of using the microSD for image storage.

I am assuming you are using a real astro camera and not a DSLR, in which case all bets are off. If you are using a DSLR, you can try switching over to use your guide camera as the main camera and try capturing and saving images again, to see if the camera connection (either software or hardware) is causing a problem. DSLR has other variables too, like if its bettery is charged, or if the DSLR has sufficient memory.

Check your ASIAIR power supply connection, too, to make sure it is sold and the supply capable of supplying the power demands of the ASIAIR pro and the camera. If you are using a ZWO camera, try to power the camera from a 12V source instead of through the USB connector of the canera. Additionally, use the USB 3 connector on the ASIAIR Pro (blue plastic insert) instead of the USB 2 connector (black plastic insert).

Try to isolate the problem since the network dropout may be a symptom, instead of the cause of your problem. If nothing works, reflash a new microSD card, in case it is the problem. You can also try to remove everything else (EAF, EFW, Mount, guide camera), and just try an AutoRun with just the main camera connected.

Chen

astrogaby

Hi Chen,

Thanks for quick reply.

I am using a ZWo 294mc driven off the Asiair pro. The guide camera is ZWO 120 mini. The mount is Ioptron CEM40 ec. The power supply is a dc regulated power supply capable of delivering 25amps.(Rapid 1525S) set at 13.8v. The only new hardware I have added recently but problem was prior to this is your dew controller. This is powered off the Asiair via a split cable that also supplies the camera? Asiair also supplies EAF AND IOPTRON MOUNT.

I have tried with the mount on separate ps.

Tomorrow I will try all your suggestions. Most I have tried before posting.

Wish me luck.

Regards

Gaby

w7ay

>> The only new hardware I have added recently but problem was prior to this is your dew controller.

I don't understand. I am not a dealer and I don't sell anything, much less a dew controller. I'm just a retired engineer trying to help a fellow hobbyist.

In any case, remove the dew heater and see what happens. Always debug by regession testing, particularly regress back to the hardware and software state you had before the problem appeared.

Also, make sure that station mode in the ASIAIR is turned off, just in case the ASIAIR was connecting through WiFi to your home network, instead of through Ethernet.

Chen

astrogaby

Hi Chen,

Meant no offence. It should have read "zwo dew heater". I am extremely grateful for your help and find it very useful.i am also a retired dental surgeon an enjoying this hobby. Started on astronomy when I was 12 years old. Astrophotography many years ago when I recorded a Venus transit. Since then have not stopped.

This afternoon I will follow you advice and do some regressive testing.

Keep up your help in forum. Without members like yourself some of us would be lost.

Best regards

Gaby

astrogaby

Hi Chen,

Just finished retesting and reflashed card. Problem persisted could not reconnect. Removed all hardware except for camera. Reconnection failed on both the 294 and 120mini. The disconnection took longer to happen. Overheating when all connected accelerates problem?

Reconnected my Asiair original not pro. Connected everything via USB EAF,ZWO294 AND ZWO120MM. All units requiring 12v powered independently from 12v distributor.

Been running for a good 45mm and working.

Must be Asiair Pro?

Left for well over 2hrs and no issues.

Do you have any further suggestions.

I am going to contact ZWO support and see what they say.

It is under warranty and not been used more than few times.

Regards

Gaby

w7ay

Hi Gaby,

If the camera is the only device connected with a fresh microSD card, and an older ASIAIR works, it does look suspicious that the Raspberry Pi in the ASIAIR Pro is the culprit.

I assume that you have also swapped the camera to a different USB port and also tried a different Ethernet cable, too, right? Try a short cable with the ASIAIR near the router, since you don't need the mount and only need to connect up the camera to the ASIAIR.

The Ethernet RJ45 connectors are rather flimsy when it is plugged and replugged often. Especially when astrophotographers plug an ST-4 connector in them :-).

Use a flashlight and look inside the ASIAIR's LAN connector -- the eight springy wire pins should all be in a nice even and evenly spaced row. If they are not, that could be your problem. If so, it can often be remedied with a pair of tweezers or small needle nose pliers -- but be very careful, since they are delicate.

However, since both WiFi and LAN connection appear to fail, it is probably not the RJ45 connector. But it doesn't hurt to check.

I assume that the under-voltage warning does not appear, correct? If the under-voltage appears, it could be the 12V to 5V converter that ZWO had included inside the ASIAIR pro. But it is not a user repairable item, in any case.

It is a good thing you have a spare ASIAIR; since you can live with it as long as you don't have a very long focal length OTA, or need to do live captures. I had kept a spare ASIAIR around back in the v1 days, and have a spare Pro nowadays, just because I am so used to ASIAIR that if my only ASIAIR goes down, I am dead in the water, since I can't bear bringing the StellarMate up again (or worse, using INDIGO from a laptop). I would rather wait for a replacement ASIAIR than to set up StellarMate again.

BTW, the ZWO guys are quite friendly folks, as long as they don't feel badgered. One person wrote that he/she replaced the processor in the ASIAIR box with a generic Raspberry Pi 4 board, and was able to get a replacement license from ZWO. That might be a faster route than the warranty route which can take weeks (express shipping can cost as much as a new RPi4 board, $40 at Amazon :-). Best to check with ZWO first.

Gaby, I too started back in high school. I'd ground my first 5" mirror in the mid-1960s, using water pipes as the RA and DEC axes :-). Rather primitive compared to an FSQ85, a RainbowAstro RST135 and ASIAIR today. I did "borrow" my dad's Nikon rangefinder (a copy cat of the Zeiss Ikon, that had a removable lens) back then to make a couple of blurry hand held prime focus moon shots on Kodak Tri-X, so that probably counted as "astrophotography" :-).

Chen

astrogaby

Hi Chen,

Thanks again for reply.

I checked all that you said on the last post. All OK.

The only thing was I reflashed the same micro card and it did an upgrade to latest version. Do you think that its worthwhile doing on new virgin micro card? I suppose it is. Not to leave any stone unturned.

I am going to order a new Pro. cables are less of a nuisance with it.

I have contacted Zwo and got an email acknowledging it and that help was forthcoming. I also mentioned the great guidance on troubleshooting I had from yourself.

My first scope was a 6" newtonian wonderful scope I was 15 then late 60's. Great on planetary and moon. Still have it even had mirror serviced. Some years ago.

The Tak85 is a great scope a friend of mine has one. Images are fantastic. Top top quality. I have a Tak106 which I'm preparing for full automation. On my Avalon M-Uno mount.

My arthritis is slowing the project. I need help with setting up etc.

Most of my imaging i have done on TS71 and ioptron cem40

Which is light enough for me to cope with when disassembled. I can now do it and polar align in 15min.

Asiair wonderful for this kind of setup.

Best regards

Gaby

Keep safe and well

w7ay

>>The only thing was I reflashed the same micro card and it did an upgrade to latest version.

>> Do you think that its worthwhile doing on new virgin micro card?

Hi Gaby,

At this point, I don't know what else you can do other than contacting your dealer for a warranty return. I have not done it before and have no idea how long it takes. So, I think your idea of just acquiring a new Pro makes sense. But you can turn the non working one in for warranty exchange, and end up with a backup ASIAIR pro later.

If the only things in your system are 1) the ASIAIR Pro, 2) your router, 3) a single camera, 4) power supply and 5) the LAN and camera cables, there are not many stones left unturned.

Presumably you have already tried connecting a laptop to your router to confirm the router is OK. You have already tried two different ZWO cameras. You have tried different cables, and presumably the power supply voltage is normal (my PowerWerx power supply is a 30A unit that I have set to about 14.8 volts to compensate for the 10 meter 10 AWG cable).

If you have a USB 2.0 power meter (pretty ubiquitous at Amazon) you can plug it into one of ASIAIR's port to see if it is actually delivering 5.1V when unloaded. You can check the 5V at the Raspberry Pi GPIO port too, but that involves opening the metal case, and your dealer may use that as an excuse to void warranty.

>> I have a Tak106 which I'm preparing for full automation. On my Avalon M-Uno mount.

The only reason I did not go to an FSQ106 is that I can't carry it safely (I am old, and 5' 2" tall). The M-zero was actually one of the final mounts I considered when I transitioned from my old Tak EM-11 mount; that mount became too heavy to handle too as I got old. But decided to go with the RST-135 since it does not require counterweights, albeit tracking is inferior to the Avalon (especially M-uno). But it is good enough for my small telescopes.

Of course, now that M-zero (and probably the M-uno too at some point) as a motorized Alt-Az option, you can be fully automated even for touching up Polar Alignment from indoors :-).

>> I can now do it and polar align in 15min.

One thing I did in the past year was to get the William Optics Mortar tri-pier and leave both the RST-135 and tri-pier outdoors all the time (with two layers of waterproof "backpacks" covering the mount in the daytime :-). If I am careful not to move the mount when setting up and tearing down the OTA and guide scope, the polar alignment is within a couple of minutes of arc from night to night, and it takes 4 minutes flat to get the polar axis fine tuned.

>> Asiair wonderful for this kind of setup.

I agree completely. No more craning of the neck with polar scopes, or get bitten by mosquitos waiting for slow drift alignment, either. Or the need to go outdoors to refocus the telescope. Plate solving is icing on the cake.

INDIGO Sky and StellarMate could do the same things as ASIAIR, but with a messy jumble of disparate programs and drivers. They are just too un-integrated to be as appealing as the ASIAIR. I just hope that ZWO does not lose focus with their DSO beginnings, and start doing the "everything but the kitchen sink" approach too.

You stay safe too, Gaby.

Chen

astrogaby

Hi Chen

Thought I would give you an update on the problem. As you so kindly guided me through problem chasing.

Received my new Asiair pro and replaced the problematic unit. Low and behold all worked well over 5 nights of imaging!!!!

I contacted support again and informed them of the situation.

They have asked me to wait for update 1.5 which includes some improvements on the Pro wifi management issues. If problem still remains to contact them.

Yesterday I powered up the faulty Pro on it's own, same issue appeared disconnected and would not re-connect to my Tab unless restarted.

Wifi signal is there because I can see it on my phone, it will just not re-establish connection.

Thanks for all your help.

Clear skies and stay safe

Gaby

w7ay

Thanks for the update, Gaby.

If you can still initially connect to the old ASIAIR, it might be worth updating it to the v1.5 beta (the link to the Beta is in the announcement section of the ASIAIR Facebook group). Not much to lose, and you might end up with two working ASIAIRs.

v1.5 now keeps a log of activities that you can send to ZWO from the tablet's app (interface is in the menu with the three dots). Ihat might be a way to get it diagnosed. Assuming you can still see a log after a disconnect :-).

All the best,

Chen

MartinEclair

Thank for taking the time to describe your problem... and for the potential solutions. I am just starting astronophotography, and got equipped with a very similar setup: using the ioptron CEM40G, ZWO ASI294 pro as my main camera, the ZWO mini as a guider. These are controlled by the asiair pro, and I have experienced similar issues as those you described over the last two nights. I just got back... and its late, so I’ be to troubleshooting tomorrow...