ASIAIR Plus wifi drop out

Fid

I am finding that the wifi connection to the ASI Air Plus is very very intermittant.
The connection might last 5-10 minutes then drop out
It then defaults back to my house connection and I have to restart the wifi for the ASI Air. Then I get messages like 'connection failed, 'cannot find IP address', then eventually it restarts...only to drop out again later.
My roll off roof observatory is about 7 meters direct from my conservatory work desk.

Over the last hour it has dropped out every 5-10 minutes and with a variety of error messages!

It then failed to connect completly, just the 'connection failed' message. I then turn off and restarted to app which worked for a while before dropping out again. Not a happy bunny!

Anyone with any ideas? Again the manual is no help as it is written for the Pro which is different from the Plus.

Scotastrophe

Fid Just got mine today and having the same issue. Don’t know if it will work but tomorrow I am going to get my phone to disallow Asiair access to home network which might work. If you get an answer that works I’d be happy to hear it.

w7ay

Fid The connection might last 5-10 minutes then drop out

Is your ASIAIR mounted on a platform that moves? That could be/become a problem.

Remember that when you use a higher gain antenna, its directivity has to become narrower (conservation of energy, thus the term EIRP -- equivalent isotropic radiated power -- isotropic is a theoretical antenna that radiates equally well in all directions). I.e., there is no free lunch -- as you increase the signal in one direction using a high gain antenna, the signal will have to decrease in other directions).

If you use a vertical monopole, the best you can do is to mount it so that the antenna is as vertical as possible relative to ground all the time, and it is not close to any metal. Mounting an ASIAIR on an (non carbon fiber) OTA is the worse anyone can do, and you see a lot of people doing that. If the ASIAIR can move, use the lowest gain antenna as possible.

You can mitigate the problem somewhat in iOS by removing the Automatically Join property of your home WiFi Setting. iOS tries to switch to another WiFi station if it finds the connection to be abnormally poor. When ASIAIR signal decreases, iOS will auto join some other WiFi hotspot. If you remove the auto join property of your home WiFi, iOS will try to struggle with a weak WiFi station (the ASIAIR) instead of switching away. You will still have poor throughput, but at least iOS will try to keep the connection to the ASIAIR.

If you are using the 2.4 GHz band, you will also find that a weak ASIAIR will be overcome by some stronger WiFi signal nearby, a microwave oven in your home or neighbor's home can do it. If your neighbors uses a mesh network, it could also be a culprit.

If you are only 7 meters away, I would recommend using a direct Ethernet cable to connect to the LAN port of an ASIAIR.

Chen

Byrdsfan1948

w7ay "If you are only 7 meters away, I would recommend using a direct Ethernet cable to connect to the LAN port of an ASIAIR". Which my experience has shown to be the only real way I can have any confidence in both my connection, as well as image downloads.

Fid

w7ay No free lunch? Bit of a cop out IMO. ZWO as far as I can see released this version to get over connectivity issues.

The mount at present is not even moving. It is static and dropping out.

Fid

Byrdsfan1948 Thanks, I have a LAN cable but only ever used it with a PC, can you use LAN with a tablet as there is no port.

w7ay

Fid I have a LAN cable but only ever used it with a PC, can you use LAN with a tablet as there is no port.

Of course, at least with iOS.

Just get a Ethernet to Lightning adapter (older iPads) or Ethernet to USB-C adapter (newer iPads). When connected, the iOS Settings will show an Ethernet settings menu (just below the WiFi settings menu). You need to be careful with the Ethernet to Lightning adapter that can do 1000 Mbps; almost everything but one model on Amazon are the 10/100 Mbps varieties. Pretty much all Ethernet to USB-C adapters are capable of 1000/100/10, and will show as such in the iOS Ethernet settings.

There is no need to do anything special on ASIAIR -- ASIAIR uses Raspbian OS and Rasbian will automatically allow the ASIAIR app on iOS to talk to the ASIAIR box. You do need to give local network access on iOS to the ASIAIR app, but I assume you have already done that.

Fid No free lunch?

No free lunch in terms of Antenna Theory. High gain is only obtained by directivity. If you don't believe me, you can run an antenna modeling program that I had written (works only on MacOS and macos).

http://www.w7ay.net/site/Manuals/cocoaNEC/index.html

When the Raspberry Pi 4 version of ASIAIR first came out, I did a directivity sweep (by mounting ASIAIR on a remotely controlled alt-az mount) and it showed lots of very deep nulls (in the 30 decibel region). You should be able to find that post with a search of this forum.

My own ASIAIR is directly connected with Ethernet to an eero mesh router, with both inside a waterproof ABS box at the base of my semi-permanently sited tri-pier. As such , it is equivalent to being directly connected to my network, since I am connected directly to a mesh node.

While you are checking things, make sure you have a decent supply to the ASIAIR. If you are using the second generation ASIAIR, the voltage is not too critical, since it uses a buck converter to get the 5V that the Raspberry Pi needs. But current is very important. As a test, remove every device from the USB and power ports of the ASIAIR.

I don't know about the third generation.

I don't have a third generation ASIAIR since I do not trust ZWO to design something solid by themselves. I let guinea pigs like you stumble on the bugs (at least through one Winter), to figure if I can live with said bugs. I have two first gen ASIAIR (one being used 24x7 as an All Sky Camera) and two second gen ASIAIR; both of which are connected through Ethernet when in use. None of my ASIAIR are mounted on the OTA.

There is no evidence that ZWO had tested the ASIAIR in a cold chamber.

Chen

Byrdsfan1948

Fid As you can see Chen has already posted a very detailed explanation how you could do this. After struggling with this problem I eventually settled on using a 50 foot Ethernet cable to hard wire my ASIAIR Pro to my home WiFi router. That direct connection provides me a solid wireless connection from my router to my Tablet all over my home. Typically I have no problems with download speed of the images.
I also have a Ethernet to USB-C adapter Chen mentions that I have connected to the out port on the back of my router that I can use to directly connect to my Samsung Tablet. Typically I do not need to use that, but when I do, the image downloads are virtually instantaneous.
Lastly, I recently had one of my Pro's modified with an external antenna by someone in Colorado with the skills to do that ......... After that modification I have had no difficulty wirelessly connecting my modified Pro to my Home Network, and for the most part have a very reliable connection and image download transfers. Although once in a while it will drop out, but then quickly reconnects......... As Chen points out it's important to make sure the antenna is properly orientated for a solid connection.
Lastly, given my very good experience in getting my Pro modified, and seeing here as well as on other forum sites so many people still having WiFi Connection issues with the new Plus I am beginning to wonder if there is some small differences with the external antenna modification Caleb in Colorado did for me with my Pro verses the Plus? But I am only wondering since I am vert happy with the modification and have had no issues at all after getting that done.

anrake

I waited to get the + and have never used an Asiair device before, but I have been terribly struggling with wifi too. Standing right next to the ASIAIR I get like 5kb/s transfer rates and the connection continually drops. It is even challenging to get through a PA routine without it dropping. Some of these excuses show a blatant lack of understanding the device purpose. Is the signal so weak that my neighbor's microwave could really drop the signal? If that were the case we wouldn't have wifi anywhere in the city! Mounting the ASIAIR on an OTA is "the worse anyone can do"? How many pictures show it mounted to something OTHER than an OTA. I've discovered one commonality to my drops is that the wifi dies in the middle of every slew - even standing next to it. Even the 60 degree rotation for PA. Is the antenna so poor that such minor movement breaks the signal path?

I've given in and ordered a wifi extender and really long ethernet cable and will try those next. Something has to work (without drilling a hole in the wall!) I really wanted to use Station Mode and control it from anywhere in my house.

This is a great product when it works, but there are so many little things that just don't work or are not well documented. First there were mount connection issues, then wifi issues and then it took me a few hours to figure out the fact that you can't transfer images via the USB-C port directly to a Mac USB-C port without an intermediary hub or forcing it through a USB-A adapter. WHY ZWO WHY?

astromoose

Byrdsfan1948

Hello - can you decribe the modifications made? Would be really helpful...

regards, Gerhard

Fid

I am using a Samsung Galaxy tablet. Yesterday I managed to get connections without drop outs from a sweet spot in my conservatory.

I have the LAN cable but that was for use with the Win10 PC and a Prima Luce Eagle. I now need to connect to my router which is in another room.

Or use a Ku wifi bridge.

Thanks for the suggestions.

Fid

Now running a soak test to see if I can maintain a connection and get auto reconnect if it does drop out.

I am using the ASIAIR Station mode connection to my home wifi, plus I have added a signal booster to the observatory, Now getting 3-4 bars on the wi-fi icon.

Pity the weather does not improve...

Byrdsfan1948

astromoose Sure Gerhard, Here is the link: Best $49 I've spent in this hobby so far. I HIGHLY recommend this guy outstanding !!! Al

https://www.etsy.com/listing/1013982058/asiair-pro-external-wifi-antenna?click_key=085ebd8c20fe66c7a85be38a9767409dc78ca0ee%3A1013982058&click_sum=e7a5e25e&ga_order=most_relevant&ga_search_type=all&ga_view_type=gallery&ga_search_query=asiair&ref=sr_gallery-1-7&organic_search_click=1&frs=1&sts=1

astromoose

Byrdsfan1948 Thanks a lot - it is impressive that it seems to be an hardware flaw. Anyway Caleb does the mod to the ASI Air Pro but not to the plus :-/ Another thing is: I am in Austria, Europe and Caleb is sitting in the US - postal fees etc will be more than the hack. Anyway - i will contact him for eventual procedures on the plus - probably he can help with advice. Thanks a lot again!

regards, Gerhard

Byrdsfan1948

astromoose Well good luck anyway. Good to be able to "speak" in places like this to people like you all over the world. During my working career as SVP of Manufacturing and Product Design for Bic Corp headquartered in Paris, I was able to travel to many, many, many, places all over the world. Unfortunately never Austria :-(( Al

SigurdG

I must say I'm totally disgusted by the ASIAIR plus. It keeps dropping the wifi connection, whether I'm using the built-in or the home network. When the message "Trying to autoconnect" (or whatever), it's a message of death: it never succeds. The wifi signal is strong, it should really not be a problem. Running an ethetnet cable, leaving the door open, is not an option when the temperature outside is -10. I really regret buying this crappy box.

w7ay

SigurdG Running an ethetnet cable, leaving the door open, is not an option when the temperature outside is -10.

It is well known that ASIAIR WiFi is rubbish.

Run an Ethernet cable from the ASIAIR device to a "Travel Router." It can even be located closer to your house if you run a longer Ethernet cable. Configure the router to join its LAN port to the home WiFi network. Connect the ASIAIR app through the home network.

If your home network uses a mesh router, use a mesh node instead of the "Travel Router" to get even better speeds; if you can find convenient poer source (an eero mesh node uses 9V-3A USB-C PowerDelivery, for example, and home routers use 12V).

Note: do not touch the Vonets WiFi extender that ZWO recommends and sells, even if someone offers you one for free. It is equally rubbish. As usual, pay a couple of bucks more, and get much better quality. Get the travel routers from reputable manufacturers like TP-Link or GL.iNet. The latter has a myriads of different models to choose from. You can find travel routers easily at Amazon. Just pick a travel router that has convenient power (5V of 12V depending on what you have) and has a LAN port. Don't buy the travel routers that only have WiFi ports, since you are back to the problem with having to connect to the ASIAIR WiFi hotspot.

If your rig is not too far from the house, the travel routers might even work for you when clamped to one of the tripod legs. Just don't mount them on the OTA, where the antenna orientation can change during the night.

Chen

SigurdG

Well, I bit the bullet and ran an ethernet cable to the device. Went well for 20 minutes, then lost connection again! What is this? A software/firmware issue?

w7ay

SigurdG A software/firmware issue?

Bad hardware. ZWO does not undertand RF design (obvious from placing an antenna inside a Faraday cage for their "Pro" model; and not a single person at ZWO noticed the flaw).

You might be able to tame your problem somewhat by (1) keeping USB 3 cables as far away from the ASIAIR's antenna as possible, (2) using only shielded USB 3 cables, and (3) mounting the ASIAIR on some immovable part of your rig. The worst you can do is to mount a WiFi ASIAIR on the OTA, since the antenna orientation will change as the OTA moves through the night.

Remember that for a good WiFi connection, not only has the ASIAIR need to put out a decent signal, it also needs to receive a signal from your router with a decent SNR. If you have a neighbor(s) whose WiFi signal is much louder at the telescope than the WiFi signal from your own router, or likewise the leakage from the USB 3 cables, then you could be losing WiFI connection because the ASIAIR can't see your router's WiFi signal.

Chen

SigurdG

... though, it has reconnected...