I installed a Google Nest mesh router today. It operates very well, the only thing is it does not have a wps button to sync in network mode. Has anyone been able to find a work around this or must I only connect in access point mode?
Marty
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Get the Lionel LCS WiFi Monitor, it's a PC program that will let you manually configure the WiFi. It's how I got mine working when it wouldn't connect to any of my routers.
Most modern routers do not have a WPS button because WPS is insecure. There are ways to still use the LCS wifi and to get the LCS wifi onto your home network.
You can use the LCS wifi in Access Point mode. If you use the LCS wifi in Access Point mode, when you want to do trains, you connect your device to the LCS wifi network instead of your home network.
If you have an old router with a WPS button: Turn off your current wifi. Set up the old router with the same SSID and password you are using for your network. Press the WPS button and join the LCS wifi. Turn off the old router. Turn on your new router. As long as you use the same SSID and password on the old router and the new router, the LCS wifi should now join the new router without any further intervention. I have kept an old router around for just this purpose and used it successfully a couple of times.
You can buy a cheap wifi extender with a WPS button. These usually come with decent software for joining the extender to your home network. Then you just push the WPS button on the extender and VIOLA! If you use the same SSID and password on the extender as you do for your main network, this works the same as the trick above and you do not even need to keep the extender plugged in once you have joined the LCS wifi to your network. If the extender sets up its own separate SSID, you will need to keep the extender plugged in.
The LCS WiFi Monitor LE software mentioned above was designed for Windows 95 but others have reported to work in Windows 10. I have not tried it in Windows 10 myself.
@andy b posted:Most modern routers do not have a WPS button because WPS is insecure. There are ways to get the LCS wifi onto your home network, but you really should not add it to your home network for the following reasons: It is old and runs on the slow 802.11b protocol. Because of how wifi works, if you join this to your home network, the speed of your entire 2.4Ghz network drops to 802.11b speeds.
This is actually not correct for a couple of reasons. Rather than type it all, I'll just link one of the many articles on the topic.
Most modern routers are already dual-band and the 801.11b device will have no effect on the 5ghz band. Also, unless the 801.11b device has high activity on it's channel, it's unlikely to have much effect on the 2.4ghz channel either. I've run the Lionel WiFi unit, also 802.11b, and noticed no degradation of speeds. This conversation came up before, and I did some brief tests. While the Lionel WiFI was active, it was running (and sending commands), I tested my laptop with a network throughput test. With or without the Lionel WiFi active, I couldn't measure any significant difference in the throughput.
Oh, and the LCS WiFi Monitor LE works on Windows 10, at least here it does.
I also used the LCS wifi utility on windows 10 and was able to set up with my network. I too have not noticed any degradation in wifi speed.
Marty
Thank you for reporting your experience. I updated my post so it is helpful when others find this topic in the future. Removed the info based on your results. I love the helpfulness of this community!
I have many posts referencing the LCS Monitor LE software from Lionel. Every link that I have found results in a 404. I know Lionel has made major changes to their website. Does anyone have a current link to download the Monitor LE software?
Here's my archived copy.
@gunrunnerjohn posted:Here's my archived copy.
Setup-LCS_WiFi_Monitor_020118.zip
That .zip worked perfectly, happen to have a copy of the users manual?
@TedW posted:That .zip worked perfectly, happen to have a copy of the users manual?
Boy, you want everything! 
I guess I should have thought of that. 
@gunrunnerjohn posted:Boy, you want everything!
LCS-WiFi-Monitor-LE-Manual-180411.pdf
Thx John, you’re the best! 
@gunrunnerjohn posted:Boy, you want everything!
LCS-WiFi-Monitor-LE-Manual-180411.pdf
Good work you old Gunny!
@Madockawando posted:Good work you old Gunny!
Not to quibble, but I think John was in the Navy, maybe an EE, certainly not a pharmacy mate! Gunrunner comes from him selling arms to the Contras I think.
@TedW posted:Not to quibble, but I think John was in the Navy, maybe an EE, certainly not a pharmacy mate! Gunrunner comes from him selling arms to the Contras I think.
Oh? I thought he was in the Marines! I’m Army myself. Good to know!
Thanks for uploading the software and documentation John.
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