Cannot Connect Via ASCOM Through Synscan Wifi Dongle

[paulferris1964]

I have a Sky-Watcher Skymax 127.  I can connect using ASCOM to programs on my laptop using a USB cable through the hand controller, but I cannot connect to anything on the laptop using the Synscan WiFi app and dongle.

The Synscan Wifi app works fine on my iPhone, and I can also connect to SkySafari on my android device, but I'm keen to try the auto-guiding feature in FireCapture.

I haven't found many posts on the subject, and nearly all the ones I have found about configuring ASCOM refer to EQMOD (which isn't relevant to my Alt-Az mount). I've followed the advice from Sky-Watcher, ie:

1. Connect the device that the Synscan Pro app is on (my iPhone, but I've also had it on my laptop, too) to the WiFi network creaated by the dongle.
2. Align using the Synscan Pro app.
3. Install the Synscan ASCOM driver on my laptop.
4. Connect the laptop to the same WiFi network
5. Connect the laptop program (eg, Cartes du Ciel) via the Synscan ASCOM driver, changing the IP address to look for the IP address of my iPhone, and the port to 11882.

However, whatever program I try to connect to this way fails. There's a host of error messages, depending on the programme (and ASCOM's are impenetrable to me).

Has anyone got this to work?

[happy-kat]

This is what I do with an AZ-GTi with the wifi dongle as it has better signal for me

mount level, telescope facing north level and horizontal, turn on az-gt

1- connect pc wifi

2- connect mobile wifi

3- start  mobile synscan pro app and connect

I do one star alignment (because it moves the mount and this method suits me)

4- start ascom and connect

5- start phd2 and connect mount etc.

6- sharpcap and connect

7- start stellarium and connect 

every thing is connecting and staying connected

Edited November 18, 2023 by happy-kat

[paulferris1964]

Thanks. It's not too different to what I have been doing, except that you are connecting to the PC before your mobile. I wil try that, but I can't see why that would make the difference.

What settings are you using on the ASCOM synscan driver on the PC? I think that's where my problem might be.

Edited November 18, 2023 by paulferris1964

[happy-kat]

Sorry I'm not at the PC too double check but it's the synscan app driver I downloaded the Ascom driver from skywatcher

[paulferris1964]

Thanks. That's the same one I use. I would be VERY grateful if you could please check when you're at the PC, and let me know?

Actually, noted you said that you 'start ASCOM'? It's been 15 years since I last used ASCOM! What is it that you 'start'?

Thanks & BR

 

Edited November 18, 2023 by paulferris1964

[happy-kat]

Will do

Ascom device hub

[happy-kat]

I have skywatcher ascom driver 1.40 installed

start ascon device hub (it will be in your programs start all apps list) / go to tools setup / select choose / select synscan app driver / properties mine is on search devices when connecting / select ok / select ok again / then ok again to close that dialog / and if on step 4 of my connecting steps select connect telescope /  leave ascom device hub running though once connected you can minimise it

Edited November 19, 2023 by happy-kat

[paulferris1964]

Many, many thanks for taking the trouble to help me.

I had thought that this was what I was doing, and I couldn't get it to connect.... then, hey presto! ....it suddenly decided to connect!

It is, however, a rather flaky connection - sometimes deciding to connect, and sometimes not finding any device. Re-starting Ascon Device Hub a few times seems to fix that, but I'll continue trying to discover and fix the source of that instability.

[happy-kat]

I too had flaky connection stability but when I followed the connection order I posted above (advised by skywatcher) all was good stayed connected al evening.

I'm using ascom 1.40 and the latest synscan mobile app 

[paulferris1964]

Thanks, I'll follow that exactly. Confirm using Ascom 1.40 and latest synscan app.