Two Questions About Stoker Setup

Question 1:

I've been looking at both the Guru and the Stoker and I really like that the Stoker can be monitored and controlled through my browser. But in looking at the instructions the configuration looks somewhat "involved." I'm wondering if I HAVE to set up a Stoker to go through my router or if I can just attach it directly to my laptop with an Ethernet cable and type in the IP address to the Stoker in my browser?

Question 2:

I have a Weber One Touch Gold kettle. I'm wondering how exactly the blower is attached? Here's all I was able to find at the Stoker website:

"The adaptor does not require any drilling or tools to install. You can install and remove it from the outside of your Smoker in seconds. The Weber one touch grills require additional air dams. Specify your cooker type when ordering."

Do you attach it through the lid or through the bottom vent holes? The guru let's you attach through the lid but I've heard it doesn't work as well as mounting below the charcoal grate. But that requires drilling which I don't want to have to do. If it mounts through the lid does it work better than the Guru is said to work?

Thank you in advance for your responses.

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by Mike C.:
Question 1:

I've been looking at both the Guru and the Stoker and I really like that the Stoker can be monitored and controlled through my browser. But in looking at the instructions the configuration looks somewhat "involved." I'm wondering if I HAVE to set up a Stoker to go through my router or if I can just attach it directly to my laptop with an Ethernet cable and type in the IP address to the Stoker in my browser? </div></BLOCKQUOTE>
You can do that. But the setup is very easy. Simply assign a static IP address to your stoker and you are good to go. Pick a number way over your current PCs so there is no conflict. Then use the same IP address in talking to stoker.

Alternatively, you can let your router assign an IP address to it as it does to any PC in your home. Then go to stoker and look up the IP address assigned to it. The issue with this is that the IP address then changes from time to time so you have to keep looking it up.

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Thank you in advance for your responses. </div></BLOCKQUOTE>
It really is great fun to control the stoker from your PC. It is almost more fun than cooking . With it, you can have a full history of your overnight cook so that you know what happened. And learn what to do different. With other black box solution you only know what is happening now, and not what happened in the past.

And of course, you will be talk of the party when you bring out your cell phone with a graph of how your smoker is doing at your house!

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">...the setup is very easy. Simply assign a static IP address to your stoker and you are good to go. </div></BLOCKQUOTE>

That sounds easy enough but I downloaded this 4 page pdf file, the "stoker internet configuration guide" that goes into all sorts of details and it doesn't sound easy at all. It also talks about changing router security settings which makes me nervous.

Here's the guide I mentioned if you're not familiar with it:

Stoker Internet Configuration Guide

It's a lot easier than it looks. If you just leave it alone, plug it in to the hub, power it up, and it'll find your network. Once that is down, you can go through the menu up front and simply change one number to make it static. IE, if your address was assigned by DHCP to 192.168.1.104 , change the 104 to a number outside the ranges assigned by your router. Linksys by default starts at 100 and goes to 199, so you could change your Stoker from 104 to 044. It's all very easy but you can get help here if you need it. All of this assumes you already have a router and a home network setup.

OK, I had never read through that doc . What that doc is trying to do is enable you to access your stoker from outside your home. Is that what you are trying to do? That is more invovled than using it inside your home.

And regardless, the method they are talking about in assigning a fixed (IP) address to your stoker is more complicated than it nees to be. You simply do that at the stoker as Ken and I explained and you are done. No need to mess with the router MAC/IP table, etc.

Also, there is way too much tutorial in that doc. You don't need to understand any of that to get things working in your home. Again, access from outside the house is more complicated. A work-around is to use my stokerlog program and have it send you emails to your PC/phone. That is a simple configuration in stokerlog program.

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">What that doc is trying to do is enable you to access your stoker from outside your home. Is that what you are trying to do? </div></BLOCKQUOTE>

No. And that's why I wondered if I could just directly connect. What they're having you do is "port forwarding" from the stoker. It is also theoretically a "backdoor" for hackers if they figure out the port number and IP address which wouldn't be hard at all. It would get them to the stoker and from there I have no idea what else they might be able to get to. I personally always turn off ALL remote access to my computer that I'm aware of and that I can do without for that reason.

So it's nice to know all you have to do is assign a static IP and be done with it. Thanks to all for the info.

Do you know what numbers netgear routers assign?

In addition to the answers already given you will also need to either make or purchase a crossover cable. This cable will allow the direct connection from your stoker to your laptop to work.

Joe, most equipment today is auto-sensing so I don't think cross-over cables are necessary anymore.