schicotka If I unplug any one of the USB ports and turn on the asiair it turns on and wifi initializes, I get the beep, and I can plug the usb back in
This almost sound suspiciously like one of your devices (perhaps the mount) could be back powering the USB connection.
By convention, USB devices and hubs are supposed to only take power from a USB host. However, there are many devices that ties the USB 5V line directly to its internal 5V bus (saves 10 cents, but most of the time just designed by uneducated designers).
Better hosts also have protection against this, but the 2nd generation ASIAIR does not, and from your description, it is possible that the third generation ASIAIR also may not.
Since your mount also receives 12V directly, it is just plausible that it is back powering the USB port.
If you have the proper measuring tools, you can test to see if the USB port on your mount puts out power. A simple USB tester with just the "Source" connected to nothing but the USB port of your powered mount will be a sufficient test e.g.,
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01D9Y6ZFW .
If you have no measurement tools, you might test by temporarily removing 12V power to the mount itself, and see if your ASIAIR will boot. The ASIAIR may actually see the mount (since the ASIAIR is still powering the USB chip at the mount), but may or may not connect. The ASIAIR will certainly won't move the mount with no direct 12V at the mount.
If the ASIAIR boots without 12V going to your mount, then it is quite likely that your mount is back powering the USB port. But it does not solve your problem since the mount will not connect/move without power.
If you suspect back powering, you can either go into the USB cable to cut the 5V line to the mount (usually red wire). Or, short of that, you can get a USB "power blocker" like this to see if it helps:
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B094FYL9QT .
Back powering is sometimes hard to diagnose because it depends on the precise 5V voltage at the back powering device and the 5V at the host device -- a small voltage difference will sometimes not disturb the host, and sometimes a temperature change will make a difference too.
You can also isolate the mount from the ASIAIR by going through a powered hub that does not back power.
Most powered hubs will back power an (2nd generation) ASIAIR. They will sometimes not allow the ASIAIR to boot, sometimes allow the ASIAIR to boot, but be flakey, and sometimes work fine until there is a temperature change. I have only found one powered hub at Amazon that works properly and not back power the ASIAIR.
Check your other USB devices that have their own power (cameras, etc) too, while you are at it.
If you do detect back powering from some device, please post a message here to warn others. A host (e.g. ASIAIR) that does not protect itself against back powering could potentially fail catastrophically, or at the minimum, have a much shorter MTBF.
Chen
