Ryan Potvin post=16740 wrote: Same issue as Anita and Christos here. I get it to connect for a minute and then it drops. Router is one room over, no issues with signal strength. Connected to 2.4 network. Now the app can’t even find the Londinium at all. I’m not sure what else to do.
You say "no issues with signal strength" -- how do you measure this?
If the phone sees a strong enough signal, how is that when you hold the phone inside a metal box with a few holes in the bottom ;-)
A router in a room nearby can be anything. It might ba a small device, or one of the very powerful multi-channel beasts with 4 antennas dominating all wifi in the neighborhood.
Generally and simply said, in my experience the dongle needs a STRONG and LOUD send/receive signal. The incoming signal must be strong enough for the dongle to receive inside the metal box, and if the outgoing signal "yes I'm here!" coming from within the metal box must be 'heard' by a router that's nearby enough.
Like when you can hear the other person next room well enough, but less so when the other is inside a metal box in that room, and you're not speaking very loud,.
I understand what you’re saying, Frans. Would a repeater/extended plug (not sure what you call them) right near the machine help or do they only kind of work "one way"?
We have set up a new account on Ian’s Android (I’m iPhone) and while it did seem to be working at the time (late last night) it isn’t finding the L-R this morning. I assume, again, the L-R is unable to connect to our router (one room away, similar to the previous comment above.)
There isn’t anywhere I can install a router in the kitchen near the machine.
Anita Cross post=16799 wrote: I understand what you’re saying, Frans. Would a repeater/extended plug (not sure what you call them) right near the machine help or do they only kind of work "one way"?
In my view, a first simple try would be the little cheap RS232 extension cable that I linked to earlier. It enables the dongle to actually be outside of the metal box and this, I expect, would greatly enhance the connection since you take the 5 metal walls out of the equation. If you've successfully tried to connect with the top panel and side panels off, the little extension cable could do that same trick with all panels back on.
For advice about what specific wifi hardware you have now and what could empower the wifi, like a Netgear Orbi, it may be best to consult a local shop where people with know-how and a good stock of hardware can help you. For instance a place where they sell wifi hardware for lossless streaming of high quality music (where they would sell a Roon Nucleus, or Sonos, or Bluesound devices which all rely on either direct cable or strong wifi signal) of for fanatic gamers.
Just a quick update. Was at work today and remembered I had an RS232 extension cable so brought it home. It is maybe 4ft however. . Tried it out but unfortunately it doesn't work at all. Couldn't pick up signal from the dongle at all. Can't see the light to confirm whether it's power issue or not but it doesn't appear on the WiFi or detected by the app. I don't have reason to believe the cable is damaged in any way but keen to see how Anita gets on. Thought I'd leave it with panel off again to check, still, disconnects after 9-10 min. How weak is this thing! Can't believe more people aren't experiencing the same issues..
Just a quick update. Was at work today and remembered I had an RS232 extension cable so brought it home. It is maybe 4ft however. . Tried it out but unfortunately it doesn't work at all. Couldn't pick up signal from the dongle at all. Can't see the light to confirm whether it's power issue or not but it doesn't appear on the WiFi or detected by the app. I don't have reason to believe the cable is damaged in any way but keen to see how Anita gets on. Thought I'd leave it with panel off again to check, still, disconnects after 9-10 min. How weak is this thing! Can't believe more people aren't experiencing the same issues..
Just a quick update. Was at work today and remembered I had an RS232 extension cable so brought it home. It is maybe 4ft however. . Tried it out but unfortunately it doesn't work at all. Couldn't pick up signal from the dongle at all. Can't see the light to confirm whether it's power issue or not but it doesn't appear on the WiFi or detected by the app. I don't have reason to believe the cable is damaged in any way but keen to see how Anita gets on. Thought I'd leave it with panel off again to check, still, disconnects after 9-10 min. How weak is this thing! Can't believe more people aren't experiencing the same issues..
Just a quick update. Was at work today and remembered I had an RS232 extension cable so brought it home. It is maybe 4ft however. . Tried it out but unfortunately it doesn't work at all. Couldn't pick up signal from the dongle at all. Can't see the light to confirm whether it's power issue or not but it doesn't appear on the WiFi or detected by the app. I don't have reason to believe the cable is damaged in any way but keen to see how Anita gets on. Thought I'd leave it with panel off again to check, still, disconnects after 9-10 min. How weak is this thing! Can't believe more people aren't experiencing the same issues..
Just a quick update. Was at work today and remembered I had an RS232 extension cable so brought it home. It is maybe 4ft however. . Tried it out but unfortunately it doesn't work at all. Couldn't pick up signal from the dongle at all. Can't see the light to confirm whether it's power issue or not but it doesn't appear on the WiFi or detected by the app. I don't have reason to believe the cable is damaged in any way but keen to see how Anita gets on. Thought I'd leave it with panel off again to check, still, disconnects after 9-10 min. How weak is this thing! Can't believe more people aren't experiencing the same issues..
I purchased a plug in wifi extender and installed it in the outlet next to my LR. Unfortunately, the app still can't connect to the LR.
The only way to get the app to connect to my LR is to removed the panels. The Londinium "network" doesn't even show up in the wifi settings unless the side panel is removed. With the panel removed I immediately can get it to connect and for as long as I keep the panels removed it works fine. As soon as the panel is back on the connection is dropped and the Londinium "network" no longer shows up in the wifi settings and the app doesn't recognize it. I was hoping the wifi extender would solve the issue, but unfortunately that made no difference, even with it plugged in next to the machine. As much as I'd like this to work I'm not going to spend several hundred dollars on a satellite router, so unless there's another idea out there I'm about ready to throw in the towel on this one. I'm bummed as it's a really cool feature of the machine.
The fact that with pane off it works, proves that given a strong enough signal to reach the dongle it works. The "plug" seems not to work well enough.The dongle in the box is really a very good 'litmus test' to see if your wifi is really excellent or less than optimally set up. Can't be sorted on the dongle end. No problem for use with phone, probably critical if you want to stream high end FLAC music over the wifi, and problematic if you plan to communicate with the dongle. It's best not to deal with it as with a frustration, but as an interesting wifi optimization project to enjoy.
Our WiFi is enough for us to stream HDR films from a router connected to the home router via WiFi. Our tv is in a cupboard inside a metal box (shepherd’s hut down the garden) connected to this second router. I can watch a film while Ian streams music. We use printers connected by WiFi in cupboards 3 rooms away, and another one in the garden office. Tablets work all round the garden. My iPhone gets WiFi if I sit in the car in the garage. What I am really saying is, I am unlikely to start investing in more equipment purely to run the dongle.
I would rather have paid for a better dongle system.
Anita Cross post=16813 wrote: Our last hope is the cable.
That probably sounds more tragic/dramatic than it is ;-)
I also don't have a super duper wifi thing, just the little Airport Express sitting next to the LR (even though it already worked fine when it was one step away from the machine) and the other LR (in the back of the kitchen) talks well to the Linksys router that I bought for my girl friend in her living room.
The dongles are one production run, not a diverse range of makes and models, so the only variable is the wifi setup people have, the channels chosen, the frequencies used. Tablets and phones are much less picky.
It can no doubt be a fun challenge to sort all that out in between delicious espressos.
The dongle was obviously an expensive (in time as well as resources) small project for Londinium, not so for the LR owners who got sent one ;-)
The dongles are one production run, not a diverse range of makes and models, so the only variable is the wifi setup people have, the channels chosen, the frequencies used. Tablets and phones are much less picky.
Well, my experience is that there will be quite some variation in antenna-sensitivity in a batch of antennas (I didn't open up my dongle so I do not know which model has been used), so as long as you don't check them on by one, I guess it is a gross overconfidence in electronic components to dismiss the dongle as a source of dropped connection.
The wifi protocol does need a much more stable signal between the devices (it is designed for larger amounts of data) than radio protocols like ant or bluetooth, so I am not surprised that connectivity becomes an issue in several cases when you start rolling out these devics in larger numbers.
Frans Goddijn post=16814 wrote: The dongle was obviously an expensive (in time as well as resources) small project for Londinium, not so for the LR owners who got sent one ;-)
True, but I can understand the sentiment that people expect things to work as seamlessly as the rest of the Londinium products, without endless fiddling to get everything just right
I greatly appreciate all effort that has been put into it by Reiss and others at Londinium, and certainly enjoy the LR with or without connection
It wasn't meant to sound tragic or dramatic! The typed word isn't the same as a face-to-face chat. I meant . . . if fitting the cable, enabling the dongle to be outside the L-R case, doesn't work - FOR US that is as much as we can do! Sorry, but I don't find it enjoyable fiddling with wi-fi, although I am sure many folk do,
Jeroen Bergmans post=16815 wrote: I guess it is a gross overconfidence in electronic components to dismiss the dongle as a source of dropped connection.
Your guess is as valuable as mine ;-)
I won't say anyone's is 'gross' though but I am sure you mean well.
I’m with you Anita, it can be a whole world of frustration! I only got mine working be moving router next to machine. I appreciate this isn’t possible for all situations. That said, I still had to retry a few times this morning to get it connected. As with yourself, my WiFi works perfectly with all other items I have, even at the top of my drive & in car! Good luck sorting it.
1. I’ve been able to measure the strength of the signal. It’s weaker than a phone or tablet for sure but in line with other devices like Sonos and Roku. I’m now consistently at around 10mb/s, which is “enough”.
2. This is a mixed 2.4/5ghz system, which caused issues at first. I found instructions that allowed me to put the Londinium on my guest network which prioritizes the 2.4ghz band. That has helped a lot, as it would lose connection after an hour using the mixed network.
3. Google WiFi is easy to move around or to add hotspots, and does offer some basic testing and analytics, I’ve been very happy with it otherwise in many regards.
4. The android app still doesn’t update the Bar Pressure when you change it,;the slider moves but you have to hit Info then go back to get the reading. Easy enough to work around, but definitely something for a v2 fix.
I’ve got the PI low now with a darker roast and it’s very handy not removing the panels!
1. I’ve been able to measure the strength of the signal. It’s weaker than a phone or tablet for sure but in line with other devices like Sonos and Roku. I’m now consistently at around 10mb/s, which is “enough”.
2. This is a mixed 2.4/5ghz system, which caused issues at first. I found instructions that allowed me to put the Londinium on my guest network which prioritizes the 2.4ghz band. That has helped a lot, as it would lose connection after an hour using the mixed network.
3. Google WiFi is easy to move around or to add hotspots, and does offer some basic testing and analytics, I’ve been very happy with it otherwise in many regards.
4. The android app still doesn’t update the Bar Pressure when you change it,;the slider moves but you have to hit Info then go back to get the reading. Easy enough to work around, but definitely something for a v2 fix.
I’ve got the PI low now with a darker roast and it’s very handy not removing the panels!
1. I’ve been able to measure the strength of the signal. It’s weaker than a phone or tablet for sure but in line with other devices like Sonos and Roku. I’m now consistently at around 10mb/s, which is “enough”.
2. This is a mixed 2.4/5ghz system, which caused issues at first. I found instructions that allowed me to put the Londinium on my guest network which prioritizes the 2.4ghz band. That has helped a lot, as it would lose connection after an hour using the mixed network.
3. Google WiFi is easy to move around or to add hotspots, and does offer some basic testing and analytics, I’ve been very happy with it otherwise in many regards.
4. The android app still doesn’t update the Bar Pressure when you change it,;the slider moves but you have to hit Info then go back to get the reading. Easy enough to work around, but definitely something for a v2 fix.
I’ve got the PI low now with a darker roast and it’s very handy not removing the panels! I’m
if you are experiencing connectivity issues i strongly encourage you to start by decoupling the 2.4GHz and 5GHz signals as i dont believe the dongle will stay connected unless you do
the default setting of many routers is to combine the 2.4GHz and 5GHz signals, so if you don't know if your router is handling the 2.4 and 5GHz signals separately you should assume that it is combining them; you need to go into the router and separate them if you want our dongle to perform reliably
you dont have to be a techie to do it, all you need to do is find the instruction manual for your router - go to the website of the manufacturer of your router if you have misplaced the paper instructions - you will need a login and password to gain access typically and the default ones will be provided in the instruction manual for the router
if your ISP provided a router with their branding on it as part of a sign up deal (i.e. the brand of router is not visible on the router) go to the website of your ISP and search in the support area of their website for instructions on how to log into the console of your router to edit its settings
all router consoles will have a different layout so you might need to browse (not changing any settings) for a while until you find what you want
in my router console you can see that this setting is located under the 'Wireless' tab
below i have attached two screen shots to show how the setting works on my router; your router will present it in a different way visually, but it will do the same thing
happily it should be fairly conspicuous as it will refer to 2.4GHz and 5GHz and some reference to combining or separating them - it probably won't talk about 'smart connect' as this is just a marketing term that my brand of router uses (ASUS)
if you find what you believe is the relevant parameter but are unsure please post a screen shot here and i'm happy to provide some assurance before you charge in and start changing settings
make a written record of any setting you change and which screen/menu/tab it is located on so you can find it again if it has unexpected consequences
so i have gone through this thread and as i best i can tell the following customers are unable to connect;
1. Anita Cross
2. Christos Georgiadis
3. Ryan Potvin
if you would like to arrange a FaceTime or WhatsApp video call with me i would very much appreciate the opportunity for you to step me through the process you are following. Obviously you will need two phones, the one for the video call and the second one for attempting to connect the dongle to. I do not use android but i am very familiar with the steps involved in getting it to connect on an iPhone.
Comments
Is the wireless dongle (already) out of stock? It's now listed that way in my shopping cart.
Thanks,
Carl
i have released some more into stock
the only delay we have presently is 3D printing the housings for the dongles, but progress is slow rather than non existent
kind regards
reiss
You say "no issues with signal strength" -- how do you measure this?
If the phone sees a strong enough signal, how is that when you hold the phone inside a metal box with a few holes in the bottom ;-)
A router in a room nearby can be anything. It might ba a small device, or one of the very powerful multi-channel beasts with 4 antennas dominating all wifi in the neighborhood.
Generally and simply said, in my experience the dongle needs a STRONG and LOUD send/receive signal. The incoming signal must be strong enough for the dongle to receive inside the metal box, and if the outgoing signal "yes I'm here!" coming from within the metal box must be 'heard' by a router that's nearby enough.
Like when you can hear the other person next room well enough, but less so when the other is inside a metal box in that room, and you're not speaking very loud,.
We have set up a new account on Ian’s Android (I’m iPhone) and while it did seem to be working at the time (late last night) it isn’t finding the L-R this morning. I assume, again, the L-R is unable to connect to our router (one room away, similar to the previous comment above.)
There isn’t anywhere I can install a router in the kitchen near the machine.
In my view, a first simple try would be the little cheap RS232 extension cable that I linked to earlier. It enables the dongle to actually be outside of the metal box and this, I expect, would greatly enhance the connection since you take the 5 metal walls out of the equation. If you've successfully tried to connect with the top panel and side panels off, the little extension cable could do that same trick with all panels back on.
For advice about what specific wifi hardware you have now and what could empower the wifi, like a Netgear Orbi, it may be best to consult a local shop where people with know-how and a good stock of hardware can help you. For instance a place where they sell wifi hardware for lossless streaming of high quality music (where they would sell a Roon Nucleus, or Sonos, or Bluesound devices which all rely on either direct cable or strong wifi signal) of for fanatic gamers.
Tried it out but unfortunately it doesn't work at all. Couldn't pick up signal from the dongle at all. Can't see the light to confirm whether it's power issue or not but it doesn't appear on the WiFi or detected by the app. I don't have reason to believe the cable is damaged in any way but keen to see how Anita gets on.
Thought I'd leave it with panel off again to check, still, disconnects after 9-10 min. How weak is this thing! Can't believe more people aren't experiencing the same issues..
Attached files
Tried it out but unfortunately it doesn't work at all. Couldn't pick up signal from the dongle at all. Can't see the light to confirm whether it's power issue or not but it doesn't appear on the WiFi or detected by the app. I don't have reason to believe the cable is damaged in any way but keen to see how Anita gets on.
Thought I'd leave it with panel off again to check, still, disconnects after 9-10 min. How weak is this thing! Can't believe more people aren't experiencing the same issues..
Tried it out but unfortunately it doesn't work at all. Couldn't pick up signal from the dongle at all. Can't see the light to confirm whether it's power issue or not but it doesn't appear on the WiFi or detected by the app. I don't have reason to believe the cable is damaged in any way but keen to see how Anita gets on.
Thought I'd leave it with panel off again to check, still, disconnects after 9-10 min. How weak is this thing! Can't believe more people aren't experiencing the same issues..
Tried it out but unfortunately it doesn't work at all. Couldn't pick up signal from the dongle at all. Can't see the light to confirm whether it's power issue or not but it doesn't appear on the WiFi or detected by the app. I don't have reason to believe the cable is damaged in any way but keen to see how Anita gets on.
Thought I'd leave it with panel off again to check, still, disconnects after 9-10 min. How weak is this thing! Can't believe more people aren't experiencing the same issues..
Tried it out but unfortunately it doesn't work at all. Couldn't pick up signal from the dongle at all. Can't see the light to confirm whether it's power issue or not but it doesn't appear on the WiFi or detected by the app. I don't have reason to believe the cable is damaged in any way but keen to see how Anita gets on.
Thought I'd leave it with panel off again to check, still, disconnects after 9-10 min. How weak is this thing! Can't believe more people aren't experiencing the same issues..
Thanks Frans!
The only way to get the app to connect to my LR is to removed the panels. The Londinium "network" doesn't even show up in the wifi settings unless the side panel is removed. With the panel removed I immediately can get it to connect and for as long as I keep the panels removed it works fine. As soon as the panel is back on the connection is dropped and the Londinium "network" no longer shows up in the wifi settings and the app doesn't recognize it. I was hoping the wifi extender would solve the issue, but unfortunately that made no difference, even with it plugged in next to the machine. As much as I'd like this to work I'm not going to spend several hundred dollars on a satellite router, so unless there's another idea out there I'm about ready to throw in the towel on this one. I'm bummed as it's a really cool feature of the machine.
It's best not to deal with it as with a frustration, but as an interesting wifi optimization project to enjoy.
Our WiFi is enough for us to stream HDR films from a router connected to the home router via WiFi. Our tv is in a cupboard inside a metal box (shepherd’s hut down the garden) connected to this second router. I can watch a film while Ian streams music. We use printers connected by WiFi in cupboards 3 rooms away, and another one in the garden office. Tablets work all round the garden. My iPhone gets WiFi if I sit in the car in the garage. What I am really saying is, I am unlikely to start investing in more equipment purely to run the dongle.
I would rather have paid for a better dongle system.
That probably sounds more tragic/dramatic than it is ;-)
I also don't have a super duper wifi thing, just the little Airport Express sitting next to the LR (even though it already worked fine when it was one step away from the machine) and the other LR (in the back of the kitchen) talks well to the Linksys router that I bought for my girl friend in her living room.
The dongles are one production run, not a diverse range of makes and models, so the only variable is the wifi setup people have, the channels chosen, the frequencies used. Tablets and phones are much less picky.
It can no doubt be a fun challenge to sort all that out in between delicious espressos.
The dongle was obviously an expensive (in time as well as resources) small project for Londinium, not so for the LR owners who got sent one ;-)
Well, my experience is that there will be quite some variation in antenna-sensitivity in a batch of antennas (I didn't open up my dongle so I do not know which model has been used), so as long as you don't check them on by one, I guess it is a gross overconfidence in electronic components to dismiss the dongle as a source of dropped connection.
The wifi protocol does need a much more stable signal between the devices (it is designed for larger amounts of data) than radio protocols like ant or bluetooth, so I am not surprised that connectivity becomes an issue in several cases when you start rolling out these devics in larger numbers.
True, but I can understand the sentiment that people expect things to work as seamlessly as the rest of the Londinium products, without endless fiddling to get everything just right
I greatly appreciate all effort that has been put into it by Reiss and others at Londinium, and certainly enjoy the LR with or without connection
Your guess is as valuable as mine ;-)
I won't say anyone's is 'gross' though but I am sure you mean well.
I only got mine working be moving router next to machine.
I appreciate this isn’t possible for all situations.
That said, I still had to retry a few times this morning to get it connected.
As with yourself, my WiFi works perfectly with all other items I have, even at the top of my drive & in car!
Good luck sorting it.
Simon
1. I’ve been able to measure the strength of the signal. It’s weaker than a phone or tablet for sure but in line with other devices like Sonos and Roku. I’m now consistently at around 10mb/s, which is “enough”.
2. This is a mixed 2.4/5ghz system, which caused issues at first. I found instructions that allowed me to put the Londinium on my guest network which prioritizes the 2.4ghz band. That has helped a lot, as it would lose connection after an hour using the mixed network.
3. Google WiFi is easy to move around or to add hotspots, and does offer some basic testing and analytics, I’ve been very happy with it otherwise in many regards.
4. The android app still doesn’t update the Bar Pressure when you change it,;the slider moves but you have to hit Info then go back to get the reading. Easy enough to work around, but definitely something for a v2 fix.
I’ve got the PI low now with a darker roast and it’s very handy not removing the panels!
1. I’ve been able to measure the strength of the signal. It’s weaker than a phone or tablet for sure but in line with other devices like Sonos and Roku. I’m now consistently at around 10mb/s, which is “enough”.
2. This is a mixed 2.4/5ghz system, which caused issues at first. I found instructions that allowed me to put the Londinium on my guest network which prioritizes the 2.4ghz band. That has helped a lot, as it would lose connection after an hour using the mixed network.
3. Google WiFi is easy to move around or to add hotspots, and does offer some basic testing and analytics, I’ve been very happy with it otherwise in many regards.
4. The android app still doesn’t update the Bar Pressure when you change it,;the slider moves but you have to hit Info then go back to get the reading. Easy enough to work around, but definitely something for a v2 fix.
I’ve got the PI low now with a darker roast and it’s very handy not removing the panels!
1. I’ve been able to measure the strength of the signal. It’s weaker than a phone or tablet for sure but in line with other devices like Sonos and Roku. I’m now consistently at around 10mb/s, which is “enough”.
2. This is a mixed 2.4/5ghz system, which caused issues at first. I found instructions that allowed me to put the Londinium on my guest network which prioritizes the 2.4ghz band. That has helped a lot, as it would lose connection after an hour using the mixed network.
3. Google WiFi is easy to move around or to add hotspots, and does offer some basic testing and analytics, I’ve been very happy with it otherwise in many regards.
4. The android app still doesn’t update the Bar Pressure when you change it,;the slider moves but you have to hit Info then go back to get the reading. Easy enough to work around, but definitely something for a v2 fix.
I’ve got the PI low now with a darker roast and it’s very handy not removing the panels! I’m
the default setting of many routers is to combine the 2.4GHz and 5GHz signals, so if you don't know if your router is handling the 2.4 and 5GHz signals separately you should assume that it is combining them; you need to go into the router and separate them if you want our dongle to perform reliably
you dont have to be a techie to do it, all you need to do is find the instruction manual for your router - go to the website of the manufacturer of your router if you have misplaced the paper instructions - you will need a login and password to gain access typically and the default ones will be provided in the instruction manual for the router
if your ISP provided a router with their branding on it as part of a sign up deal (i.e. the brand of router is not visible on the router) go to the website of your ISP and search in the support area of their website for instructions on how to log into the console of your router to edit its settings
all router consoles will have a different layout so you might need to browse (not changing any settings) for a while until you find what you want
in my router console you can see that this setting is located under the 'Wireless' tab
below i have attached two screen shots to show how the setting works on my router; your router will present it in a different way visually, but it will do the same thing
happily it should be fairly conspicuous as it will refer to 2.4GHz and 5GHz and some reference to combining or separating them - it probably won't talk about 'smart connect' as this is just a marketing term that my brand of router uses (ASUS)
if you find what you believe is the relevant parameter but are unsure please post a screen shot here and i'm happy to provide some assurance before you charge in and start changing settings
make a written record of any setting you change and which screen/menu/tab it is located on so you can find it again if it has unexpected consequences
reiss.
Attached files
Screenshot2020-05-23at23.03.03.pdf (1.7 MB) Screenshot2020-05-23at23.05.53.pdf (1.7 MB)1. Anita Cross
2. Christos Georgiadis
3. Ryan Potvin
if you would like to arrange a FaceTime or WhatsApp video call with me i would very much appreciate the opportunity for you to step me through the process you are following. Obviously you will need two phones, the one for the video call and the second one for attempting to connect the dongle to. I do not use android but i am very familiar with the steps involved in getting it to connect on an iPhone.
kind regards
reiss.