Psy1280 Can the Vonet Wifi extender work with the Plus (I know it works with the pro)?
Keep in mind that a WiFi connection requires both ends to have a good signal to noise ratio (SNR).
The ASIAIR has to put out a decent signal for your router to see it in Station Mode. This is often not the problem. The ASIAIR has to also receive a signal from your router, and see a good SNR from your router.
I suspect that most people have problems with the latter, although they think their problem is from the former.
Remember that your telescope will be outdoors and receiving all sorts of signals from your neighborhood.
As such, an extender may or may not work better. Just follow good engineering practices. A couple of hints here...
Something that works better is a long Ethernet cable to a WiFi extender that is mounted closer to your router. That way, the SNR will be better (signal between ASIAIR and the router is stronger, interference from your neighbors are weaker).
In Station Mode, your ASIAIR will be using the same WiFi channel as your router. It is crucial that you do a survey of the WiFi occupancy where the telescope is situated (not where the router is situated). There are numerous Android apps that will display the signal strength and SSID of different WiFi signals. For security reasons, iOS does not allow them, so you will need to use an Android tablet.
If your router supports it, find a less used channel as seen at the telescope location, and move your router's channel to that. And reboot the router.
Most pig farmers don't know about this aspect of WiFi, and simply use the default channel that comes with the WiFi routers. As a result, they will all be piling on top of one another. You simply need to move your router where the madding crowd is not at. You will find that your indoors WiFi performance increases too.
By the way, there is a configuration file in the ASIAIR firmware to choose the WiFi channel for AP mode.
Try to do a survey with your microwave oven active (get your spouse to run the microwave oven with a cup of water in it) while you are outside making measurements. Try to find a quiet spot too.
The best position of an antenna is not where the ASIAIR signal is strongest at the router. It is where the ASIAIR gets the best SNR from the router. The problem is asymmetrical (in spite of the Reciprocity Theorem) because of the interference from neighbors are not the same at your telescope and at your router. I.e., often, the antenna directivity should be use defensively to minimize interference from a neighbor.
By the way, the Raspberry Pi OS allows the ASIAIR to be band steered. Even though the AISAIR firmware only allows you to initiate Station Mode connection on the 2.4 GHz band (don't know why they are still doing that, the world has moved on long ago), see if your router has a feature where it can band steer 5 GHz devices to use a quieter band. If so, turn the router's band steering on, and you will find that ASIAIR will connect to the router on 5 GHz in the future. No other intervention needed -- Raspbian is doing the work behind ASIAIR's back. Don't believe ASIAIR's documentation that says that Station Mode need 2.4 GHz. That is only needed to initiate connection the first time you give it the SSID and password of the router.
This latest may not be as good a trick as time goes by since even budget routers can now support 5 GHz band, so most of your neighbors will also be on that band. But you will at least avoid smart lamps, garage door openers, microwave ovens, etc, that are still stuck on 2.4 GHz.
Just do a survey of the WiFi signal (and remember, at the telescope location, not where you are sitting indoors). You should be able to find better watering holes.
I live in the semi-boonies with 2 to 5 acre lots, and still can see a strong signal from a neighbor two lots away. The problem is not going to get better. Start planning on burying an Ethernet cable to your favorite telescope location.
Chen
