The £5 wifi adapter

[R26 oldtimer]

Can it be done? Without any programming skills?

Yes, it actually seems that way...

THIS WAS TESTED ON AN SW AZEQ5 mount which communicates with the handcontroller on a 3.3V TTL LOGIC.

CHECK YOUR MOUNT'S MANUAL FOR 3.3V compatibility (should be azeq5,azeq6,eq6rpro,eq8), although I suspect it will work with the other 5V TTL logic mounts since the DT-06  board appears to be 5V tolerant, but CAN'T CONFIRM

Ingredients:

- DT-06 Wireless Serial TTL WiFi board

- RJ45 ethernet cable

-5v power supply (or 4x1.2v AA batteries)

First, take the ethernet cable and cut it in half. Strip the cables and identify the cables to the corresponding pins. Then I consulted SW azeq5's user manual hand control port's pinout.

In my case the pinout is as follows:

pin1: orange-white         ---- ground

pin2: orange                   ----not used

pin3: green-white            ----not used

pin4: blue                        ---- ground

pin5: blue-white              ----mount Tx  to controller Rx

pin6: green                      ----mount Rx  to controller Tx

pin7: brown-white          ----- +11 to+16 V

pin8: brown                    ----- +11 to+16 V

Then I connected the orange-white & blue cables to the DT-06 Wireless Serial TTL WiFi board's ground pin,

the blue-white  cable to the DT-06 Wireless Serial TTL WiFi board's Rx pin,

the green cable to the DT-06 Wireless Serial TTL WiFi board's Tx pin,

and a 5V power supply to the DT-06 Wireless Serial TTL WiFi board's ground & Vcc pins (or 4x1.2v AA batteries) , I 've ordered a buck stepdown converter to utilize the +11 to+16 V from pins 7&8 to power the module, but for now I just wanted to make sure it works!

Now that the hardware connections are done, we move on to the settings.

Power the module and a led will confirm it's on. It is on AP mode so scan with your phone for wifi, and you 'll see something like DoitWiFi_xxxx. Connect to it (no password was set on mine).

Open your browser and type 192.168.4.1 , this will take you to the Built-in WebServer where you set the parameters for the module.

You will see three tabs: "status", "module", & "more"

From the "module" tab's dropdown menu, select "serial" and enter the values : baud rate:9600, databits:8, parity: none, stopbits:1, serial split timeout : 200. Click save.

From the "module" tab's dropdown menu, select "wifi". Here you can change the SSID name (I put Synscan), and set a password if you like (I don't). Click save.

From the "module" tab's dropdown menu, select "networks". Change the "socket type" to UDP server, and assign UDPserver port to "11880". Click save.

Then from the "more" tab's dropdown menu, select restart. Now you 'll have to re-join the network under the SSID name you 've given.

I 've only encountered some connection problems related with the serial split timeout. I found a stable connection when I set it at 200ms at the module's  Built-in WebServer, and 400ms as the Readtimeout on the synscan app.

That's it, you 're set to go.

Download synscan pro app and skysafari plus or pro and I 'll post the settings in those apps in my next post.

[R26 oldtimer]

Synscan pro android app & Skysafari settings.

Download synscan pro app and go to settings.

Tap 3 or 4 times the empty line between "wifi settings" and "help", and a hidden menu will appear. Go to "connect settings" and set Read timeout to 400ms, disable "find devices" and enter the fixed IP as "192.168.4.1"

Ok... you're good to go, click connect.(make sure you 've established connection to the module's network!)

Then if you want to use Skysafari, go to settings, scope setup, make sure you 've got eq or az right, connect via wifi, and set : IPaddress 127.0.0.1 & port 11882.

That's it, clear skies.

[stash_old]

Nice find ?

 

Couple of questions :-

1. How long is the 5v power supply lasting ?

2. How far (clear line of site) does the WiFi signal go and work  :-

   a. When its in AP mode

   b. When its in STA mode

3. Once the settings have been made do you have to set the settings again on the module ?

4. Have you tried this in the field yet ?

Thanks

[R26 oldtimer]

I have plugged to the mains via an old   5v phone charger, so haven't tried with a battery.

I 've used it only in AP mode, the wifi signal drops to half at about 10m, so it's signal is not very powerful, should have a working range of 15-20 meters but that's more than plenty for my intended use.

The settings, once set, are saved even after power off.

No field tries yet, just dry runs inside the house, checked in eq & Az mode, also with the aux encoders as push-to.

 

[t50ufo]

Interesting. Just purchased one of these modules. Is yours being plugged into the actual handset? Was hoping I could perhaps use on NEQ6. I do not have hand control. I have been using the bluetooth HC05 to DB9 socket successfully. Reason I purchased was documentation says "It is fully compatible with the existing electrical and physical interfaces of Bluetooth transmission module"

[R26 oldtimer]

Hi, mine is not plugged to handset, it's plugged directly to the mount.

If you have used the hc-05 successfully, then you can use the wiring you 've made, simply by swapping the hc-05  module for the dt-06.

[t50ufo]

Thanks! that is what I wanted to hear. Will have a go!

[R26 oldtimer]

Yesterday, the postman dropped off one of these:

I 'll use the step down buck converter to power the DT-06 board through the mount 11-16V, wired like this:

I think we 're still bellow the £5 budget??

Edited January 23, 2019 by R26 oldtimer
images added

[adyj1]

Thanks for the update, @R26 oldtimer-one now on order...

Ady

[t50ufo]

In the Skysafari Settings Screen Grab the IP Address is 127.0.0.1 what or where does that address come from or relate to?

[adyj1]

127.0.0.1 is a special ip address that equates to the computer/host itself - in other words it means the device running skysafari. 

Ady

[R26 oldtimer]

The dt-06 board emulates the skywatcher wifi adapter, so you have to download the synscan pro app to be able to "talk" to the mount. The skysafari does not communicate with the mount directly but through the synscan pro app.

The 127.0.0.1 adress and the 11882 port are the settings provided by the synscan app, to allow third party control over it(such as skysafari).

[t50ufo]

Thanks Guys - now it's clear!

[adyj1]

when you are running skysafari on a different device to the one you are running synscan,  you have to go through a convoluted way of finding out the real IP Address of the synscan device. With this, because they're both running on the same device, it's easy!

[Stub Mandrel]

I've got plans to do this -I have the module.

Rather than a big buck converter, I'll use a 3.3V regulator chip which will be smaller.

[R26 oldtimer]

33 minutes ago, Stub Mandrel said:

Rather than a big buck converter, I'll use a 3.3V regulator chip which will be smaller.

You have to feed it with 5V, and the buck converter is actually pretty small.

[Stub Mandrel]

Ah, slightly confused then realised that despite the part description in the first picture, it's wifi not bluetooth.

The module I have is bluetooth, so ideal for my laptop as it will just work as a serial port.

[t50ufo]

Making some progress.

Module hooked up to NEQ6. I can connect to the Skywatcher App and move the mount with the arrow keys on iPad but in SkySafari I can make wireless connection to mount but not connecting. Any Ideas?

 

Originally my config. was Bluetooth dongle from PC Laptop running XP to Bluetooth HC-05 module direct to Hand Contoll socket on Mount using EQMOD Ascom Driver, Stellarium with Stellarium Scope with the addition of iPad running SkySafari via WiFi Scope. I could use both at same time. Great control with EQMOD and Stellarium but found SkySafari interface easier to find targets etc.

 

My old Laptop died  a couple of months ago - hence upgrade to Win 10 and hopefully similar setup. So far is has not been a smooth transition!

 

Is Bluetooth a better option? Just trying to streamline the whole thing.

[R26 oldtimer]

So, is synscan app working ok?

You must first initiate synscan app and complete a mount align before going over to skysafari. If done that and still doesn't work then try to lower the readout rate in skysafari settings.

If you can connect and control the scope through the synscan app then whatever the problem might be, would be irrelevant to the hardware or its settings.

[adyj1]

Just to add for clarification (in case it helps) Skysafari *thinks* it is connecting to a mount, when in reality it is Synscan 'pretending' to be a mount by advertising an ASCOM interface on port 11882. Synscan takes the commands from Skysafari via ASCOM and then controls the mount through the connection you have already made (hence @R26 oldtimer saying make sure all is well with synscan, including alignment, before trying Skysafari.)

Skysafari -> (ASCOM) -> Synscan -> (WiFi ) -> Mount

Hope this helps 

Ady

Edited January 23, 2019 by adyj1
Autocorrect typo

[t50ufo]

Thanks [R26 old-timer] and [adyj1] for your help - I will have another go and report back. Always learning! Appreciate your time and assistance.
Trev

[stash_old]

Hi

a question does the chip on your DT06 say m2 as per the pictures (from the seller) ?

Reason  - I bought one from China(like yours) but it neither works (doesn't give DoitXXXXX Wifi AP address) and I cannot connect to the Web Server even if I connect to the AP name (ESP_XXXXX) - so budding buyers be warned some appear to be no quite true

[R26 oldtimer]

That's the actual board I got and tested.

The first line reads "FCC ID 2AL3B-ESP-M" and the second "ISM2.4G 802.11b/g/n"

Perhaps its a faulty board, so frustrating after a month wait. Before you discard it though try  a reset, I think there is a reset button on it. Also try to pull-up the EN pin although everything I read on the internet suggests it works just as well without the EN pin pulled up.

[stash_old]

13 minutes ago, R26 oldtimer said:

That's the actual board I got and tested.

The first line reads "FCC ID 2AL3B-ESP-M" and the second "ISM2.4G 802.11b/g/n"

Perhaps its a faulty board, so frustrating after a month wait. Before you discard it though try  a reset, I think there is a reset button on it. Also try to pull-up the EN pin although everything I read on the internet suggests it works just as well without the EN pin pulled up.

Thanks for the reply.

I bought 2 (I normally do from China just in case !) both are the the same as yours (Level 3.3v on the reverse plus Doit trade mark) and both have the same problem as described - Yes read Github Wiki and so did Reset etc still the same. My seller (not Alice) just sent me a std picture which was on the orig ebay sell - helpful NOT. I haven't tried the "enable" pin but as you say you shouldn't need it plus it should have the correct AP name (esp_ is the std on all bare ESP's wifi chips).  

Oh well it was only a test - not for a mount but for wireless focuser.

[R26 oldtimer]

39 minutes ago, stash_old said:

My seller (not Alice) just sent me a std picture which was on the orig ebay

Do you have a link?