PhotomanTom OR, would a travel wifi device like the Gl. iNet Opal connected to the ASIAIR+ work better?
GL.iNet Opal works fine with the ASIAIR too. It has the advantage of being able to turn on and off either 2.4 GHz or 5 GHz band, and choose a WiFi channel, to get a little better control. I use an Opal myself on my home mesh network to get a solid 2.4 GHz-only portal for 2.4 GHz devices like the Blink cameras.
If your neighborhood is not congested on 5 GHz, the Opal can potentially be faster than direct Ethernet connection. But the speed will eventually be limited by the feeble processors that the ASIAIR use anyway.
The huge problem with the ASIAIR WiFi is that, unlike INDIGO Sky and StellarMate, there is no easy way to change the WiFi channel, and ASIAIR defaults to really poor, congested default channel that all your neighbors also use. The ASIAIR also allows itself to be band steered by the router from a 2.4 GHz connection to a more congested 5 GHz connection; ZWO does not have provisions to lock the WiFi band nor the WiFi channel.
The usual problem with the ASIAIR is not its transmit signal strength, but the signal from the home router to the ASIAIR's WiFi receiver is swamped by your neighbors WiFi devices -- the farther the ASIAIR is away from your house, and nearer to the neighbors (inverse square law at play). Compounding the problem is that many people mount their ASIAIR on something that moves during the night (antenna directivity and directional nulls at play) -- the higher the antenna gain, the worse the problem becomes -- higher gain WiFi antennas should only be used with the ASIAIR in a fixed position.
Direct Ethernet is the only way to get problem-free hook up to the ASIAIR, either from your home router, or from an iPad.
Try not to use the thin flat ribbon cable type of Ethernet cables (although tempting because of the flexibility when it is not frozen stiff in winter) if the cable has an opportunity to touch the ground. At least use the fatter flat cables that offer some shielding. Never, ever, ever, ever bundle an unshielded data cable (be it Ethernet or USB cables) with other data cables. RF neophytes tend to dress their cables that way to give a neater appearance, but pure idiocy when it comes to data integrity.
At the minimum, do not update the ASIAIR firmware when you are not directly wired using Ethernet to the ASIAIR. You are playing the lottery on having your ASIAIR bricked.
Chen
