Duet wifi connection fail.

scottpickstock

Hi Guys, i feel i have been plagued with connection issues since i got my board, it constantly times out and i have to click "connect" several times before it finally connects, some times i end up turning it off and on again.

anyways the last two days i have really been struggling to get it to connect, i have also noticed that the blue LED on the wifi...thing goes off so i do the old off and on.

question: does this sound like a software thing or a hardware fail?

WiFi/Ethernet
Firmware Electronics: Duet WiFi 1.02 or later
Firmware Version: 2.01beta2(RTOS) (2018-07-14b5)
WiFi Server Version: 1.21
Web Interface Version: 1.21.1

timcurtis67

Next time the blue wifi light goes off. Send a M552 S1 command and the wifi should come back on.

hayseed_byte

I've been having trouble with timeouts and the blue wifi light going off a lot lately, too. Big pain in the ass. Having to constantly troubleshoot connectivity issues have kind of outweighed the convenience of not having to carry an sd card back and forth. Especially since the wifi connection is the only way to control my printer. So if the wifi is acting up (either my network or a problem with the board), the printer I spent $1,000 and six months of my life building is basically just for decoration.

scottpickstock

@hayseed_byte

yea, i kinda miss the simplicity of throwing an SD card at it. At the minuet i dont see any benefit of using wifi, if anything more hassle. i dont have the outright knowledge to figure all this out. just frustrated.

scottpickstock

@timcurtis67

but i cant connect to it to send the command.

dc42

Have you read https://duet3d.dozuki.com/Wiki/WiFi_disconnections_and_AJAX_timeout_errors ?

chrishamm

I suspect this has something to do with your WiFi signal strength. If it is too low, uploads tend to fail and the overall connectivity between RepRapFirmware and Duet Web Control is rather bad. Please follow dc42's article to check if this is the case.

scottpickstock

Will go through the Wiki and see if that helps, thanks.

timcurtis67

@scottpickstock said in Duet wifi connection fail.:

@timcurtis67

but i cant connect to it to send the command.

Sorry,
I was assuming you had a PanelDue connected to your printer. You could send it through that if you had one.

scottpickstock

So i have been busy with work but finally got around to looking at the wiki that @dc42 suggested. i ran the M122 command and got the below out.

=== Network ===
Slowest loop: 14.21ms; fastest: 0.01ms
Responder states: HTTP(0) HTTP(2) HTTP(0) HTTP(0) FTP(0) Telnet(0) Telnet(0)
HTTP sessions: 1 of 8

WiFi -
Network state is running
WiFi module is connected to access point
Failed messages: pending 0, notready 0, noresp 0
WiFi firmware version 1.21
WiFi MAC address 84:f3:eb:82:dc:78
WiFi Vcc 3.45, reset reason Turned on by main processor
WiFi flash size 4194304, free heap 15072
WiFi IP address 192.168.0.27
WiFi signal strength -76dBm, reconnections 0, sleep mode modem
Socket states: 2 4 0 0 0 0 0 0
=== Expansion ===

i mentioned previously that the blue LED on the wifi modal went out as well, here is the readout from one of those instances.

=== Network ===
<-Slowest loop: 1.27ms; fastest: 0.01ms
<-Responder states: HTTP(0) HTTP(0) HTTP(0) HTTP(0) FTP(0) Telnet(0) Telnet(0)
<-HTTP sessions: 0 of 8
<-- WiFi -
<-Network state is running
<-WiFi module is idle
<-Failed messages: pending 0, notready 0, noresp 0
<-WiFi firmware version 1.21
<-WiFi MAC address 84:f3:eb:82:dc:78
<-WiFi Vcc 3.45, reset reason Turned on by main processor
<-WiFi flash size 4194304, free heap 19408
<-Socket states: 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
<-=== Expansion ===

I know the signal is bad at -76 however but its in the next room no more than 5m away from the router with one wall. Im hoping this isn't the issue as it makes it rather pointless. moving the router closer in not really an option and Im not moving the printer into my living room.

dc42

Yes you need to improve the signal strength. Possibilities include:

If the Duet is mounted in the depths of the machine then metal framing etc. will weaken the signal. Remount the Duet with the WiFi antenna outside the metal frame.
Changing the orientation of the Duet may help. If it is mounted horizontally then it won't pick up vertically-polarised WiFi signals well.
Use an inexpensive WiFi repeater in the room where the printer is.

scottpickstock

@dc42 right ok, i will get a wifi repeater for starters, is the fact the wifi turns off on the duet down to loss off connection and is there something i can do wile connected directly to restart it.

You will have to pardon my ignorance but can you tell me why my phone/laptop etc work file in my house and garden but the duet wont?
genuine question. i ask because i believe my setup to be a good representation of an average user and having it sitting on my bench next my printer no more than 5m and one wall from my router.

dc42

Your phone and your laptop probably have larger antennas than the WiFi module has, and you don't use them inside a metal frame.

We are considering an external antenna option for the Duet WiFi.

fcwilt

@dc42 said in Duet wifi connection fail.:

We are considering an external antenna option for the Duet WiFi.

That would be an excellent idea.

The normal access point on the basement level where my printers are is only 25 feet away through one wall of wood and drywall.

And yet the Duet cannot use it because it does not get a good solid connection.

Other WiFi device works fine in that room.

I had to install a dedicated access point near the printers to get them to remain connected - it's 6 feet away - fortunately I had access to a WiFi channel that didn't conflict with the channel the normal access point used.

If you can modify the Duet design to support an external antenna think about a way to retrofit the antenna to those of us with existing Duets like the four that I have.

Thanks much.

Frederick

dc42

@fcwilt said in Duet wifi connection fail.:

If you can modify the Duet design to support an external antenna think about a way to retrofit the antenna to those of us with existing Duets like the four that I have.

Already possible, see https://forum.duet3d.com/topic/2825/converting-the-duet-wifi-to-use-an-external-antenna.

fcwilt

@dc42 said in Duet wifi connection fail.:

Already possible, see https://forum.duet3d.com/topic/2825/converting-the-duet-wifi-to-use-an-external-antenna.

Hmm... Doesn't look all that easy for an inexperienced person without the proper equipment.

OK next long shot idea - how about offering a upgrade service for a fee - someplace we would send our boards to for this work?

Frederick

Phaedrux

@fcwilt At that point maybe easier to sell the DuetWifi and get a DuetEthernet?

fcwilt

@phaedrux said in Duet wifi connection fail.:

@fcwilt At that point maybe easier to sell the DuetWifi and get a DuetEthernet?

I would prefer a WiFi connection as it saves having network cables running to each printer.

Thanks for the idea though.

Frederick