Converting the Duet WiFi to use an external antenna

fma · 27 Jan 2018, 16:34

Ok, I just changed my wifi module, but I can't set ssid/password (get "Bad or missing parameter"). Here are the logs:

>>> M997 S1
SENDING:M997 S1
Trying to connect at 460800 baud:
 success
Erasing 302928 bytes...
Uploading file...
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Upload successful
>>> M552 S0
SENDING:M552 S0
WiFi module started
>>> M587 Sxxx Pxyyy
SENDING:M587 Sxxx Pyyy
M587: Bad or missing parameter
>>> M122
SENDING:M122
=== Diagnostics ===
Used output buffers: 1 of 32 (9 max)
=== Platform ===
RepRapFirmware for Duet WiFi version 1.20beta8 running on Duet WiFi 1.0
Board ID: 08DDM-9FAM2-LW4S8-6JTDG-3SD6Q-13YRX
Static ram used: 15488
Dynamic ram used: 99136
Recycled dynamic ram: 64
Stack ram used: 4328 current, 5532 maximum
Never used ram: 10852
Last reset 00:19:36 ago, cause: reset button or watchdog
Last software reset reason: User, spinning module GCodes, available RAM 11504 bytes (slot 4)
Software reset code 0x0003, HFSR 0x00000000, CFSR 0x00000000, ICSR 0x00400000, BFAR 0xe000ed38, SP 0xffffffff
Error status: 0
[ERROR] Error status: 0

Free file entries: 10
SD card 0 detected, interface speed: 20.0MBytes/sec
SD card longest block write time: 0.0ms
MCU temperature: min 26.4, current 27.2, max 27.4
Supply voltage: min 1.7, current 1.7, max 1.7, under voltage events: 0, over voltage events: 0
Driver 0: ok
Driver 1: ok
Driver 2: ok
Driver 3: ok
Driver 4: ok
Date/time: 1970-01-01 00:00:00
Cache data hit count 1442288766
Slowest main loop (seconds): 3.074205; fastest: 0.000033
=== Move ===
MaxReps: 0, StepErrors: 0, FreeDm: 240, MinFreeDm 240, MaxWait: 0ms, Underruns: 0, 0
Scheduled moves: 0, completed moves: 0
Bed compensation in use: none
Bed probe heights: 0.000 0.000 0.000 0.000 0.000
=== Heat ===
Bed heater = 0, chamber heater = -1
=== GCodes ===
Segments left: 0
Stack records: 1 allocated, 0 in use
Movement lock held by null
http is idle in state(s) 0
telnet is idle in state(s) 0
file is idle in state(s) 0
serial is ready with "M122" in state(s) 0
aux is idle in state(s) 0
daemon is idle in state(s) 0
queue is idle in state(s) 0
autopause is idle in state(s) 0
Code queue is empty.
Network state is running
WiFi module is idle
Failed messages: pending 0, notready 0, noresp 0
WiFi firmware version 1.20b9
WiFi MAC address 5c:cf:7f:61:99:c5
WiFi Vcc 3.35, reset reason Turned on by main processor
WiFi flash size 4194304, free heap 32376
HTTP sessions: 0 of 8
Socket states:  0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Responder states: HTTP(0) HTTP(0) HTTP(0) HTTP(0) FTP(0) Telnet(0)

Any idea?

dc42 · 27 Jan 2018, 16:43

Are you putting the ssid and password inside double quote characters?

fma · 27 Jan 2018, 16:52

Yes. I tried with Pronterface (using single quote to prefix each lower case char), and with minicom. Same error each time.

Whatever I use as S/P values, I get the error.

Did I fry the esp module? I don't think, as the firmware was successfully updated, but…

fma · 27 Jan 2018, 17:13

I just upgraded to lastest stable firmwares (1.20), and all is now working fine!

fma · 28 Jan 2018, 12:33

I have a question… M122 returns:

WiFi signal strength -73dBm

But my router says:

Signal    Noise     RX Rate       TX Rate
-59 dBm   -89 dBm   54.0 Mbit/s   65.0 Mbit/s

Why is there such difference in signal level? In fact, while I'm now using the ESP-07 with a +6dB gain antenna, the signal level returned by M122 didn't changes that much (I think I was around -75dB before)…

garyd9 · 28 Jan 2018, 17:30

Large differences is wifi signal strength are normal for differing wifi devices. Each one "hears" the other differently. This can be due so many different factors it's impractical to enumerate. Usually, it's different radio power, different antennas, or different propagation paths.

In your case, it appears the router has "bigger ears" (better antenna.)

fma · 29 Jan 2018, 06:58

Ok, I see.

But why switching from the default ESP (no antenna) to the new one (6dB gain antenna) didn't change that much the signal strength returned by the Duet?

I don't have signal values given by the router with the default ESP (didn't think to read it at the time); so I don't know if it really changed. But the thing is I know have a much better connection: transfers are very fast and I don't get any disconnection anymore.

dc42 · 29 Jan 2018, 08:50

If M122 is telling you that the signal strength is -73dBm now, that is already very low. If it was even lower before, that would explain the disconnections you had.

Which wifi channel is your router set to? Does the reported signal strength vary if you switch between channels 1, 6 and 11?

fma · 29 Jan 2018, 10:26

Yes, it is low. But, as said, real transmissions work much better and faster, now. And no more disconnection.

I will make tests with different channels (I think I'm on channel 1 - the router is in auto and chose this one).

parovoZZ · 30 Jan 2018, 10:30

Hi!

I have WiFi signal strength -61dBm in three meters from the router. The ESP-07 has a very very weak antenna ((
I will change to ESP-07S or connect external to ESP-07.
Laptop, iPhone, Nokia etc. - everything works fine.

fma · 3 Feb 2018, 08:20

I used a wifi analyser on my phone, and noticed that there where 3 other AP on channel 1. In fact, it depends where I am in the house, and on the AP side, they are not detected. So the AP chose this channel. But on the printer side, they where as powerfull as my AP!

I moved to channel 3, unused by other wifi AP, and I now have -66dB strength…

ephemeris · 3 Feb 2018, 15:39

Will this be available as a build option?

martins · 9 Feb 2018, 23:37

ESP-07S sold out in RS-online how thats possible

S1lencer · 26 Mar 2018, 17:03

Hi, i have a problem since i changed the Module.
I can only connect to the Duet Wifi in Accesspoint mode. If i change it to M552S1 it only says: Wifi reported error: no known networks found.
The wifi is defenitly present.
Did flash the right firmware files main as also the Wifiserver one.
Running 1.21

Anyone a clue why this could be?

S1lencer · 27 Mar 2018, 19:43

Got the Problem solved.
David, i think the firmware 1.21 has a problem with loading the M587 with the Router data from the config.g to the remembered list.
Got my problem solved with Repetier host, did send the M587 with ssid and password via g-code console.

dc42 · 27 Mar 2018, 22:30

@S1lencer:

Got the Problem solved.
David, i think the firmware 1.21 has a problem with loading the M587 with the Router data from the config.g to the remembered list.
Got my problem solved with Repetier host, did send the M587 with ssid and password via g-code console.

How did you send the M587 command originally?

S1lencer · 28 Mar 2018, 05:33

Via the config script

dc42 · 28 Mar 2018, 08:59

Sending M587 in config.g isn't going to work, because the wifi module doesn't get enabled until the end of running config.g. That's why I suggest using a macro to send those commands.

S1lencer · 28 Mar 2018, 17:08

Ok for the next time i will do that.
Should be mentioned in the Wiki.