ZWO ASIair

[Figgis]

Dear All.

               I'm in the Proceeds of putting together a better Kit for Astro-imaging.  I've ordered an ASIair Plus, and although ZWO have attempted to address the connectivity issues from previous models there still seems to be a few comments/complaints in the air.  Therefor I thought a good idea to get a wifi booster.  Looking at the market there seems to be quite a lot of choice.  To save time and money is there a specific spec that's best for me?  Let me know what worked for you and I'll get the Beers in..

[Elp]

https://stargazerslounge.com/topic/402737-asiair-plus-or-asiair-mini-wifi-range-and-transmission-speed/

 

[Dinglem]

@Figgis I'm not sure the issue with connectivity will improve with a WIFI extender, I have a Whole Home WIFI solution and my ASIAIR Plus keeps losing connection. Sometimes that badly I have to reset it.

[AstroMuni]

Slightly off topic but related....I use the RPi which is effectively an ASIAir minus software. I remote into it and the imaging software (Ekos & INDI server) runs on the RPi, so even if my Wifi connection breaks it doesnt impact the imaging, guiding etc. I am guessing thats how it would work on the ASIAir too. So the wifi connectivity is not paramount. Am I missing something here?

Edited March 16, 2023 by AstroMuni

[StevieDvd]

1 minute ago, AstroMuni said:

Slightly off topic but related....I use the RPi which is effectively an ASIAir minus software. I remote into it and the imaging software runs on the RPi, so even if my Wifi connection breaks it doesnt impact the imaging, guiding etc. I am guessing thats how it would work on the ASIAir too. So the wifi connectivity is not paramount. Am I missing something here?

If you are using a remote connection and it gets disconnected the host machine would still be running. For example when I would remote connect into servers in various countries running WIndows or Linux as the main user I could get kicked off if someone else logged in remotely using the same user/password.  But the processes running on the server still carried on.  It's similar using the astro systems running on a Rpi (like the Asiair) as you don't have different user profiles for every connection.

[AstroMuni]

30 minutes ago, StevieDvd said:

But the processes running on the server still carried on. 

I guess you and I are saying same thing then...that Wifi connection is not critical UNLESS you have some sort of ASIAir client running on your laptop/ipad and iyou have backend processes running on the ASIAir

[StevieDvd]

14 minutes ago, AstroMuni said:

I guess you and I are saying same thing then...that Wifi connection is not critical UNLESS you have some sort of ASIAir client running on your laptop/ipad and iyou have backend processes running on the ASIAir

Not quite. Let's say an imaging plan is started by you, via your Ipad, and you go out of range or switch it off, the plan will still be running and you can connect on the same device or another and see the process status as if you'd been connected all the time.

 

[AstroMuni]

36 minutes ago, StevieDvd said:

Not quite. Let's say an imaging plan is started by you, via your Ipad, and you go out of range or switch it off, the plan will still be running and you can connect on the same device or another and see the process status as if you'd been connected all the time.

And that why I felt that Wifi connection is NOT critical as you dont need a constant connection to ASIAir. VS a situation where ASIAir client (thick client scenario) on Ipad is controlling the ASIAir rather than handing off to backend.

Edited March 16, 2023 by AstroMuni

[Lumos]

I have the pro and the plus. I always use a hard wired ethernet connection straight into the units. Thus I can be monitoring the imaging session from an iPad 100m away, in the morning I can copy all the files across the network into Pixinsight, the subs download at around 27MB/s and everything is rock solid. Of course this means you need to get an ethernet cable up onto your rig so that is a downside but personally I would only go wireless if really there was no way to go wired.

By the way, congratulations on getting the ASIAir Plus, it makes getting into this obsession hobby so much more enjoyable.

[900SL]

I have two range extenders, a TP link Nano router and a Slate AR750 S.

I'd recommend the Slate if you need a router with decent range and more than one LAN connection (as I do to connect AAP and Starbook10)

 

[saac]

On 18/03/2023 at 10:55, Lumos said:

I have the pro and the plus. I always use a hard wired ethernet connection straight into the units. Thus I can be monitoring the imaging session from an iPad 100m away, in the morning I can copy all the files across the network into Pixinsight, the subs download at around 27MB/s and everything is rock solid. Of course this means you need to get an ethernet cable up onto your rig so that is a downside but personally I would only go wireless if really there was no way to go wired.

By the way, congratulations on getting the ASIAir Plus, it makes getting into this obsession hobby so much more enjoyable.

@Lumos , I do similar using an ethernet connection over a Powerline adapter and it works very well, no dropouts.  However I'm manually transferring the image files at the end of the session by pulling out the SD card. Did I read you correctly that you are downloading the files remotely over the ethernet?  I didn't know you could do that, is it straightforward to do?

Jim 

[Deepblue12]

Just purchased and tested one of these:

https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B07KCTMJ4Q?psc=1&ref=ppx_yo2ov_dt_b_product_details

Works a treat, fast connection to my home network means i can sit indoors and monitor the scope outside. Would definitely recommend it.