franco Cat 6 is perfect, low cost and plenty fast.
for speed over ethernet compared to wifi it's a solid 10x faster. speed you will immediately and actually notice. if it takes you 4 seconds to load a picture now on ASIAir app, it's under a second when on ethernet cable.... assuming your iPad is within the last few years.
I never use WIFI because I am lucky enough to run an ethernet cable along with my power extension cord out to where I park my scope.
All very encouraging....THANK YOU!!!
I get around 120MB/sec, it takes about 1/2 second to xfer my 2600MC pics that are 51MBs. Running on a 5ghz wifi6 network that operates at 2Gbps, so with the M1 iPad Pro it really flies. If anyone was on the fence upgrading their wifi it’s significant when you move to wifi6. And that’s with 40 other devices on the network.
Kring
One question on the explanation you've provided (and again thank you). Please tell me if I"m correct:
I run an Ethernet cable from my router to the AA+, then I access my home WiFi on my iPad and click on the AsiAir app. If I understand this, then the ASIAIR app should open and I should be able to run everything....Am I missing something (seems too easy). In the WiFi settings on the AA+ do I need to connect to the Ethernet? Are there any configurations, etc., that I need to be aware of?
Psy1280 Am I missing something (seems too easy).
No, it is really that easy, because the Raspbian OS (the OS that runs in the ASIAIR's Raspberry Pi) handles the Ethernet connection for you in ASIAIR.
Connecting the ASIAIR to your router (or an Ethernet switch) is just like connecting your computer or printer directly using Ethernet to the router. They will recognize each other and do the right thing, using industry standard protocols, established since the days of the ARPANET (and wirelessly in ALOHANET).
A WiFi router will then relay the data to its WiFi antenna, and from there, to your tablet -- i.e., you are using the WiFi ability of the router instead of the WiFi ability of ASIAIR.
If you have an iPad, you can even connect the ASIAIR directly through Ethernet, by using an Ethernet-to-Lightning or Ethernet-to-USB-C dongle (depending on the iPad model) and get blazing image download speeds if you buy the 1000 Mbits/sec dongles. You just need to turn on the Ethernet setting in iOS.
The ASIAIR's WiFi implementation (both hardware and software) is just broken (they need to hire someone who understands networking), that is why WiFi does not work for you.
If you use some other telescope controller, like the INDIGO Sky, the WiFi would "just work" also. And INDIGO even has a HTTP port so you can connect a web browser to it to configure it for WiFi Station mode, etc, and at 5 GHz.
With ASIAIR, I use a hybrid approach myself. I place a (eero) Mesh Router node right next to my ASIAIR, and connect the ASIAIR using a short Ethernet cable to this node. The mesh node joins my network, and thus, the ASIAIR looks like it is attached directly to the network, but using the wireless backhaul of the node.
With INDIGO Sky, I simply use its WiFi capability and skip the eero mesh router.
Chen
w7ay If you have an iPad, you can even connect the ASIAIR directly through Ethernet, by using an Ethernet-to-Lightning or Ethernet-to-USB-C dongle (depending on the iPad model) and get blazing image download speeds if you buy the 1000 Mbits/sec dongles. You just need to turn on the Ethernet setting in iOS.
To my best of knowledge this doesn't work since the ASIAir doesn't get an IP address since there is no DHCP server. See my comments above. Am I wrong?
wvreeven Am I wrong?
Works fine.
Just tried it on an old Lightning based 9.7 inch iPad Pro. I turned off WiFi just to reduce confusion, since my All-Sky camera is on Station Mode to home WiFi. Also see note at the end.
Ethernet Settings (automatic) shows:
Relaunched ASIAIR app, and got this start page (ASIAIR_2 is the ASIAIR that is connected through Ethernet):
Tapping the Connect button brings up the ASIAIR.
If I turn on WiFi in addition to Ethernet, I see only the All Sky camera, presumably since the iPad is now connected to a different domain (192.168.7.). I didn't try to change the mask to 0.0.0.0 :-).
Works the same way the last time I tried it on the large M1 based iPad pro.
Chen
Chen, To be clear, if I connect my router via Ethernet to the ASIAIr Plus (turn off Wifi in iPad settings)...is that all I have to do to start the AA+ app?
Psy1280 To be clear, if I connect my router via Ethernet to the ASIAIr Plus (turn off Wifi in iPad settings)...is that all I have to do to start the AA+ app?
The above example is if you want to connect the iPad directly to the ASIAIR; for example when you are out in the field away from your home router. Or if you want ultimate speed between the tablet and the ASIAIR.
If you are at home, just connect an Ethernet cable between the ASIAIR and one of your router's LAN port. Or connecting the ASIAIR to an Ethernet switch that is connected to the router. There is nothing else you need to set it up -- just connect your tablet to the same router through WiFi.
Wth a WiFi router, you should be able to see ASIAIR from your WiFi tablet, unless you have blocked new devices on your router.
For best convenience (for example to access the Samba files server on ASIAIR), once ASIAIR is connected to the router, associate the MAC address of the ASIAIR to a Fixed IP Address on your router. In the future, every time you boot up ASIAIR, it will be given the same IP address. Your desktop computer can then access the Samba file server on the ASIAIR using this fixed address, without having to look for it every time. With MacOS, you can just make an alias of the ASIAIR Samba volume, and in the future, just double click on the icon of the alias on your desktop computer to immediately connect to the ASIAIR.
Chen
Great Chen, much thanks. I'm not sure about your last paragraph and what or why I would need to access a Samba file server. But I'll try to look into that.
Psy1280 Why I would need to access a Samba file server.
To remotely access image files, instead of physically moving a USB drive between the ASIAIR and your desktop computer?
In my case, my ASIAIR is inside a waterproof box that is left outdoors 24/7 together with my semi-permanent tri-pier and mount. When not in use, the mount is under waterproof dry bags.
Instead of opening the waterproof box, etc, to access USB storage, I simply download the image files into my desktop by using the Samba server in ASIAIR.
Chen
Chen, I just connected an Ethernet cable to my router and to the ASIAIR Plus, however when I go to setting (with Wifi "off") there is no 'Ethernet' showing (like it is in your settings image you sent). I tried powering on and off the AA+...why won't my iPad recognize the Ethernet cable?
Chen, I also notice that you have a Belkin Ethernet Adapter....do I need something other than a Ethernet cable going from my router to my ASIAIR?
GOT IT TO WORK! I was over-complicating things. Sorry for all the confusion!!!
