Connecting to wifi questions

[howaboutme]

Hello.

I obtained a wifi module recently and have started to try and connect it. I've only had time to play with it for a short while last night and am very new to RA so please bare with me. I have a few questions that, hopefully when answered, will help me move forward. I have read the sticky in this section and have found some of the same questions but never an answer. Feel free to direct me to an existing thread if one exists.

I have FIOS but have disabled the Verizon wifi settings in the provided router. I have connected my own Linksys router to run my network at home since it's more reliable. I am using WEP because one of the equipment I have connected to my network works better on that setting. So this is what I got last night when I used the wifi attachment software as well as some questions:

- I get green light throughout.

- Connection was successful but it gave me a 0.0.0.0:2000 as my IP. That seems strange and people have reported that in the sticky but nothing seems to answer that directly. Why am I getting that IP?

- Is using WPA-2 a necessity? Will stuff just not work if I continue to use WEP?

- The application seemed to get stuck on trying to port forward (UpnP compatible). How long does this last? I think the longest I waited was 15 minutes.

- I could not connect via web browser when using the above ip address. I uploaded the wifitestcode as well as added the wifi code (w/ my screen name) to my main code to the head unit. This was not a surprise since the IP just seemed wrong to me. Should I try to use 192.x.x.etc even if the application says 0.0.0.0:2000?

- Since this is a 2nd hand hardware, should I do a factory reset? If so, use the application or do a hard reset by opening up the box like in the instructions?

I have already read some hints in the sticky as well as other threads but any additional suggestions based on my situation would be helpful.

Thanks in advance.

[rimai]

I'm pretty sure it is related to WEP.
I wouldn't be surprised if you changed to WPA2 and everything started working.
I've seen a lot of incompatibility with other modes.
I know that WEP64 wasn't even supported until recent firmware.
The important thing is that it needs to be open mode.
http://ww1.microchip.com/downloads/en/D ... 02230A.pdf
Here is what the manual states on page 33:

WEP-64 and WEP-128 (open mode only, NOT shared mode)

You may need to manually change the setting wlan auth setting (page 34):

Code: Select all

set wlan auth 8

Let me know if that works.

[howaboutme]

Ok, I will change my settings to WPA2 and see what happens.

If I need to change wlan auth, I am using something like terra term to get into command mode?

also..i tried to update the firmware last night but the application didn't seem to recognize the connection.

[rimai]

Humm..
If you tried to update the firmware, you may need to redo your entire settings file.
http://forum.reefangel.com/viewtopic.php?p=36284#p36284

[howaboutme]

Ok..in an effort to not get too caught in cause and effects and get confused. I want to do one thing first. In your opinion, is it worth switching to WPA-2 and seeing what happens or shall I go ahead and redo the settings file like you suggested? I guess what I am asking is..which should I do first to see if things work? Update settings file and then WPA-2 or vice versa?

Thank you.

[lnevo]

Wpa-2 what firmware does the device have now?

[howaboutme]

Wpa-2 what firmware does the device have now?

sorry..i knew i forgot to write something down last night. i dont know. i will check tonight when i start tinkering. i suspect the product is at least 1 or more years old, if that helps.

i did think it was weird not letting me update the firmware though.

[howaboutme]

Wpa-2 what firmware does the device have now?

Lee..how do I find out the firmware? I connected the wifi attachment and thought I can easily see it via the application. Do I need tera term? I have it installed. What's the command for it?

[lnevo]

Not sure

The issue with updating if you have an older version i believe the manufacturer came and you have to update some parameters. For now i would skip the firmware and focus on the wpa-2

[rimai]

Yes, you need tera term.
When you type $$$ to enter command mode, it will show a prompt which includes the firmware version.
If you are on 4.4.1, you will need to follow the steps in the link I posted.

[howaboutme]

Ok, I got into cmd and used the get option command. it gave me this:

JoinTmr=1000
Replace=0x24
DeviceId=ReefAngelWifi
Password=
Format=0x0
Signal=0
Average=5
<2.23>

is the 2.23 the firmware? it's not 4.4.1 but i doubt this is what you want me to use, right? should i update firmware?

[howaboutme]

I changed my security settings to WPA2 AES and everything is working so far. It also successfully port forwarded port 2000. I did get into "reef angel controller web server" and /wifi...

Will attempt to set up portal now.

Roberto. I assume I don't need to update firmware for wifi?

[howaboutme]

Ok..so got the portal working..a few questions:

- connection status says "unreachable address". What's this? why?

- when i click on "internal memory", "date and time", "feeding mode" and "water change mode" it gives me this message: "Only available with valid wifi address. Please make sure your controller is sending data to the Portal web server." what does that mean?

[howaboutme]

Ok..I had to manually port forward in my linkys router. When i check the status at open port check, it says still closed. does it take a while?

[lnevo]

It should not be closed. Verify the ip addresses you are putting in the router config. The upnp doesnt always work so manual is required.

[lnevo]

Didnt i remember something that you had fios and had two routers? I could be imagining that. You will have to forward on both routers first from the fios router to the linksys and then linksys to the ra

[howaboutme]

Didnt i remember something that you had fios and had two routers? I could be imagining that. You will have to forward on both routers first from the fios router to the linksys and then linksys to the ra

Ok..you're right. I just did it in the FIOS router too....at least I think. It wasn't as straight forward as the Linksys router. Reefangel wifi shows up on the list so I chose it and inputed manually the source and destination and forward to ports to 2000. am i correct in doing that? i chose TCP protocol as well.

but the port is still closed...i wonder if it could be my firewall? i use kaspersky.

thoughts?

[lnevo]

No you want to forward from the fios router to the linksys router on the fios router. The reefangel wifi should not be connected to the verizon router...

[howaboutme]

Sorry to confuse. I have the fios router wifi turned off so the wifi attachment is connected to the linksys. But here is the issue that I found this morning. I am not connected to the RA from outside my network (work computer and android app). I realized that the IP address given to me by the wifi application was not correct. I think it was giving me the IP address assigned by the linksys router. But the address that is actually needed is another IP, which I assume is the IP of the fios router.

Does that make sense?

I can see where this may be confusing for some. I know a lot of people choose not to use the fios router since it's not reliable.

So I think I have this issue solved..Now back to my other issues,http://forum.reefangel.com/viewtopic.ph ... ead#unread for one (relay #6).

[howaboutme]

Another question....I can't get my RA Status android app to work on my work wifi, I guess it's blocking a non standard port based on what I've seen in older threads. Is there a way around this w/o my work's IT dept doing a thing?

[lnevo]

You might be able to forward multiple ports to the same destination. This would have to be done on the verizon side of the router. So let's say port 443 (https) is open from your office, you could redirect that port to the port 2000 on your linksys. That *should* work if the Fios router allows you to forward both 2000 and 443 to the same destination. I don't see why it wouldn't just never tried it. If you can change the port in the portal and the android app from 2000 to something else, you could also just switch to that port instead of 2000.

To address your previous post, the wifi utiliity is going to give you the address that the wifi module receives from the linksys. Let's say 10.192.138.7. On the linksys you will have an IP as your gateway 10.192.138.7 for the "LAN". On the Fios side of the linksys it will have it's "WAN" address of 192.168.1.16. You would need to forward port 2000 on the FIOS router to the WAN address of the Linksys router (192.168.1.16) port 2000 which would then by the linksys get forwarded to the wifi address of the reefangel.

I know it's tricky, it sounds like you have it working though now. But hopefully my explanation helps to clarify it for you.

[howaboutme]

Just talked to one of the IT guys..says we don't block anything "going out" but everything "coming in". Is the app technically "going out" in terms of asking for information?

Thanks for the explanation, it does make sense. All is working good. Obviously not a huge deal if the app doesn't work at work since I am in front of a computer anyways and can use the portal or the client (I think for the client but haven't tried).

[lnevo]

The app queries the RA which is technically an outgoing connection so it sounds like it should not be blocked. Does the android app work at work if your not on their wifi?

[howaboutme]

Yes, works on cellular. Just out of curiosity, I will note whether it works on my wifi at home..just to rule out a few things, I guess.

[lnevo]

Wifi at home and wifi at work are going to be completely different. Also when your on home wifi you will have to deal with home/away profiles...thinking on that is it possible the android app thinks its on wifi at home and may be trying to hit your internal address...

[howaboutme]

I see in the settings of the app that there is a place to put "away host". So far, only the "home host" is filled in. Not sure what I would put into the "away host". I put in the same ip as the home host w/ the same error.

[lnevo]

For home host you should be putting in the IP that you have from the linksys. For the away host it should be the WAN ip on the Verizon FIOS router. If your phone app is working under Cellular then that's the IP you would use for the away setting. This IP can also work at home on your wifi but maybe slower. It does sound like the work IP is blocking it though.

[howaboutme]

The only way the app will work over cellular is if the home host is the verizon WAN. It also does works if I put the WAN into the away host as you've suggested. However, the app does not work over cellular if I put the linksys IP in the home host as you suggested. It almost seems like the linksys ip is a through away.

[rimai]

Your linksys ip should be the home profile ip and the verizon should be the away profile ip.
The linksys ip address only exist within your wifi network.
So, when you are home, connected to your wifi net, you may change to home profile and when away, connected in someone else wifi net or over 3G, you must switch to away profile.

[howaboutme]

I just tried that, nothing. Here is the scenario,

The app only works when the home and the away host are the verizon WAN, and only when in home profile. it will not work in the away profile. If i put my linksys ip into the home host and keep my wan in the away host, i will not be able to connect over wifi (at the office) or cellular, for both away or home profile.

so it looks i can only connect in the home profile and w/ only the wan address..via cellular while away from my home network. i get nothing using my work wifi. will try my home network when i get home.