Using FlashAir W-03 SD card in machine

[biz1219]

I agree with you that distance from FlashAir WiFi card to router should not be a factor.   At those distances interference from "weak" WiFi signals from neighbors normally should not cause a problem.   But again there are no guarantees.

Many of the most popular routers can be accessed from your browser at IP 192.168.1.1 (but not all).   I'd suggest going to Support information from the mfg. for your router.

With the presumption that the FlashAir card is working properly the most logical focus should be on the signal strength being radiated from the FlashAir card to the router.  Good luck!.   c!

[Tubaman]

Just tried changing router channel to 5 (it was on "Auto Detect" and 6).  I assume the "Auto Detect" feature chooses / changes the channel whenever the router is rebooted (not often, occasionally I do it).

FlashPAP did not download anything at all on channel 5 (worse than channel 6 which got approx. 25%).

I then returned the rounter to "Auto Detect" and it selected channel 11 this time.  FlashPAP then smoothly succeeded in downloading to the SD chip.

The only way to thoroughly learn if the problem has been resolved is to see what happens tomorrow.  In the past I've rebooted the router and had successful FlashPAP downloads (both to drive E:\SLEEPDATA and to the chip K:\).  The next day nothing would work.

I don't know how the router's "Auto Detect" function works.  Does it select a channel and then change channels while being used or does it select a channel and not change channels until router reboot.

FYI:
My router is 2015 or 2016 vintage and only has 11 channels, not 14.

Thank you!  You have given me some ideas to work with.  I've never changed router channels before so this is a new learning experience for me.
Carl

[Tubaman]

Clarification:
My router is ~2.5 feet from my computer.  My FlashAir SD chip is maybe 18 feet from my computer, through 2 walls and a 10 foot wide room full of miscellaneous (stored) stuff.

I shall see tomorrow if the channel change from 6 to 11 has any significant effect.

Thank you!

[Tubaman]

I just adjusted my router to stay on channel 11 -- removed the "auto detect" option.  I then made a couple of FlashPAP download attempts.  It timed out and would not download.

I then adjusted my router to include "auto detect" but left it on channel 11.  I then made a FlashPAP download with no problem at all.

Hmmmm..?  Sure wish I knew what was going on.  It's a 2015 ZyZel router with 11 available channels.

We'll see how it goes tomorrow with new data.  Otherwise it's back to the tried and proven carrying my SD chip back and forth between my CPAP machine and my Win7 desktop computer.

Thanks in advance if anybody has any thoughts or can tell me what I'm doing wrong.
Carl/Tubaman

[Crimson Nape]

Some things that come to mind are:

1. FlashAir cards use only a 20Mhz bandwidth in the 3.4Ghz spectrum. Most new routers use a 40Mhz bandwidth in this frequency range to increase data speed.  Depending on your router brand, you may have an option for specifying bandwidth, or like Netgear, have the option to allow coexistence of both 20 and 40Mhz bandwidths.
   
   
2. Make sure that you have a 2.4Ghz capable access point and this frequency range is turned on.  I've noticed some 5Ghz only models starting to appear on the scene.
   
   
3. FlashAir Cards prefer a static IP address as opposed to a DHCP assigned one.  This is particularly true if you don't have a dedicated WINS server.  This means that some computer on the network will record the address assigned to the Flashair at some point in time.  If your Flashair drops out of connection and reconnects and is issued a different IP address, then when a request to access the Flashair is issued, the old address is going to be supplied.  This will happen until the computer's cache that is supplying the address's is updated.
   
   
4. To set static IP parameters in the CONFIG file, reference the previous post by AlanE, http://www.apneaboard.com/forums/Thread-...#pid285121.  
   
   
5. As an alternative a "sudo" static IP can be set by going into the configuration section of the device being used as the DHCP server and, under the "connected devices" option, select the current assigned IP value to be dedicated to the current issued device (i.e:the FlashAir).
   

I hope something I listed will work for you.

[AlanE]

Here's my 'config' file (Win7 operating system):

[Vendor]


CIPATH=/DCIM/100__TSB/FA000001.JPG
APPMODE=5
APPNETWORKKEY=XXXXX
VERSION=FA9CAW3AW3.00.01
CID=02544d535731364740d6fd3179011201
PRODUCT=FlashAir
VENDOR=TOSHIBA
APPNAME=FlashAir
APPSSID=XXXXX
LOCK=1
DNSMODE=1
APPAUTOTIME=0
UPLOAD=1
NOISE_CANCEL=2

What am I doing wrong?
Thank you!
Carl/Tubaman

I would rule out firmware. they haven't updated W-03 since 2017. Your config looks good. You can try setting NOISE_CANCEL=0 (actually anything other than 2 will work) and you may get slightly better performance. If your environment is noisy, this will make it worse. Another setting to try is STA_RETRY_CT=0. This will "Set how many times to retry connecting to a wireless LAN in STA mode. 0 will retry indefinitely."

[Tubaman]

Yesterday I set my (ZyZel model c1000z, 2015 vintage) router (not new) to "Auto Detect" channel.  It displays channel 11 when I did this.  Sometimes it displays channel 6 (it only has 11 channels).  Today it is still on channel 11.

It is definitely 2.4 Ghz since it has no 5 Ghz capability (I think it's too old for 5 Ghz).

I previously tried to turn off the "Auto Detect" function and manually set it to channel 11.  That did not work at all with a FlashAir download attempt.  When I turned the "Auto Detect" back on and assured it was on channel 11, it downloaded OK.  I did a little research and learned that it is common for the "Auto Detect" function to only select channels 6 or 11 on the less expensive routers so I suspect that is what is happening when it selects channel 6.

I have set the radio power to 20% (it was 10%).  I've been using minimum power because our networked equipment, with the exception of the FlashAir chip, are easily within a 10 foot radius of the router.

Anyway, I did 2 FlashAir downloads today and they went quite well so I shall leave it alone for now.  I still wish I knew why the "Auto Detect" function must be turned on with channel 11 indicated to work.

The router's indicated chip IP address appears fixed, as well as the other networked systems (printer, my wife's laptop, my desktop, my phone & Kindle).  They only changed once when the router, for reasons unknown, decided to reset itself a couple of months ago.  There have been no IP address changes since.


Thank you for helping me understand what (may) be going on with my setup!
Carl/Tubaman

[AlanE]

Flashair supports wifi channels 1 - 11 which is 2,412 - 2,462 MHz. 802.11 b,g,n. It has a small antenna that can be easily swamped by interference. a lot of things use 2.4ghz these days: alarm systems (including those wireless window/door/glass break sensors), motion detectors, smart lighting, smart thermostats, smoke detectors, ceiling fans, cars etc.

You mentioned you have an older wifi router. It's possible your router is reaching max capacity for connections. This is what I am facing now.

[rpinpv]

I have the same experience with distance.    My S9 autocpap is around 40 feet from the router behind a wall (plywood, not Sheetrock) and my router can not see it.    When I move the cpap closer to the router it works fine.   In my case 10 to 15 feet is about the max distance.  I may spend some money on a wifi extender, but probably not.   It is  no big deal to remove the SD card and read it with Sleepyhead.  Sometimes I forget to put it back in to the S9,  but usually its fine.   I consider this to be an experiment for information only.   I plan on moving soon, and maybe the router will be closer to the cpap, like in the same room...

[AlanE]

There really is no reason to reduce your radio power unless you have nosy neighbors that like to hack on your wifi. Flashair, like most transceivers, will glom onto the strongest signal. If you're unable to move your router closer, you can try repositioning the antenna or just turning the router 90 degrees. Either in the left/right orientation or vertical. If your router's antenna is on the circuit board it may be positioned wrong. Horizontally polarized instead of vertical.