HeaterMeter 4.3.3 WiFi issues with a Raspberry Pi 3


 
M

Mark Lowpensky

New member
I have a new HM 4.3.3 with an RP 3. In the house the Wifi works fine (to connect to my home wifi), but outside, even with an extender (which works for other devices) I have issues. The HM is between the house and the extender, so it should be getting signal from two sides. So far I have been running a network cable out with the extension cord, which works, but I would prefer wifi. Are there any settings/configurations that can be tweaked? I found some information about RP wifi power settings, but they don't seem relevant to the HM.

I checked the wiki for supported wifi chipsets and am a bit confused by the RAlink 5370 section.
https://github.com/CapnBry/HeaterMeter/wiki/Wireless-Adapters

Should something like this work for me?
https://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/B00H95C0A2/tvwb-20

Thanks,
-Mark
 
I think it might have something to do with the MAC address of the extender device being different. I've read others posting about having trouble connecting after changing routers, even though the new router has the same passphrase and ssid, and think the answer had something to do with the HM looking at the MAC address. Perhaps Bryan could elaborate...
 
RalphTrimble said:
I think it might have something to do with the MAC address of the extender device being different. I've read others posting about having trouble connecting after changing routers, even though the new router has the same passphrase and ssid, and think the answer had something to do with the HM looking at the MAC address. Perhaps Bryan could elaborate...
Click to expand...

I can get the HM top connect to the extender (at least I think so), if I get within about 20 feet of it, but 25 is too far... I am right at the edge of connectivity.
 
are you sure the HM isn't connected to the main router rather than the extender, then as you go further away from them both it drops connection because you are too far from the main router?
 
If you go to Network -> Wireless then "Edit" the wifi network, make sure that the BSSID is blank in the configuration. If it has a value here (which it will if you used the webui to connect the wifi), it will only connect to that AP (not the extender). If it has one blank it out and save and apply. You can also see which AP it is connected to by looking at the BSSID field in the info block at the top and comparing that to the MAC address of the router vs the extender.


That wifi adapter you've linked looks like it will work. The wiki talks about them because some adapters look identical to that but have a different chip inside. Since that one claims to be exclusively the correct chip, it should work. However, only one wifi adapter at a time is supported by the autoconfiguration system (where we can use the preconfigured firmware or the config.txt configuration) so you'll have to configure this second wifi adapter manually through the webui and disable the adapter built into the Pi. That might be a bit of a challenge.
 
Bryan Mayland said:
If you go to Network -> Wireless then "Edit" the wifi network, make sure that the BSSID is blank in the configuration. If it has a value here (which it will if you used the webui to connect the wifi), it will only connect to that AP (not the extender). If it has one blank it out and save and apply. You can also see which AP it is connected to by looking at the BSSID field in the info block at the top and comparing that to the MAC address of the router vs the extender.


That wifi adapter you've linked looks like it will work. The wiki talks about them because some adapters look identical to that but have a different chip inside. Since that one claims to be exclusively the correct chip, it should work. However, only one wifi adapter at a time is supported by the autoconfiguration system (where we can use the preconfigured firmware or the config.txt configuration) so you'll have to configure this second wifi adapter manually through the webui and disable the adapter built into the Pi. That might be a bit of a challenge.
Click to expand...

Once again - Bryan is the man. Thanks!! That solved the issue.
Now, how do I buy you a beer remotely? ;-)
 
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