LCS WiFi

I think we need more info on how it's connected to the base.

It's connected via the LCS DB-9 Cable... I now have two of those cables.  I did try both ports on the LCS WiFi unit and tested with both cables.

What version software is on the base and Cab2?

It's v1.6.   When I place the WiFi on No Base the LCS Utility Software sees the base but cannot read the data (which is correct).  When the WiFi is switched to Base the LCS Software cannot detect the base (the PDI LED turns Red).

@Dennis-LaRock posted:

It's v1.6.   When I place the WiFi on No Base the LCS Utility Software sees the base but cannot read the data (which is correct).  When the WiFi is switched to Base the LCS Software cannot detect the base (the PDI LED turns Red).

Any other LCS devices hooked up or just the WiFi?  Anything else on the base serial port?

Just WiFi... no other LCS devices ...and, the LCS Utility Software is v2.0.

I'd have to be in front of my setup to be of more help I think but the PDI light should not be on solid according to the manual.  Is the amber light on the base pulsing every few seconds?

Yes, the Base is pulsing.  All Base functions seem to be working correctly with all engines and lash-ups/MUs.  I last used the WiFi about three years ago around the Christmas tree... now that I have a permanent layout it sure would be nice to be able to gather and manipulate all the Base data and back it up via the LCS Utility.  I was considering four ASC2 units but this is giving me a little pause.

OK.  Until I get home this evening and turn on my system I'll have to step back. Hopefully some one may offer some suggestions.

Thanks Marty!  Hopefully this gets knocked out before tonight.

In the meantime, Dennis, take a look at the Lionel installation video.   It is very clear on the steps necessary to connect everything together.

http://www.lionel.com/lcs/LCSp...s/LCSWiFi/index.html

I have the SER2, WiFI, and four of the CSM2 boxes.  They're cabled SER2 to the Legacy command base, then WiFi, and then the four CSM2 boxes using the Lionel cables.  My switches are set to BASE and CONNECT TO NETWORK.  I connect my WiFi to my network so I can connect without changing configuration on any of the devices.  Also, if you connect to your network, you still have access to all the other network facilities as well as the WiFi.

Thanks Dan!

Yup, I went through the video step by step.  When you get to about 4:12 in the video with the BASE/NO BASE switch in BASE mode the Red PDI LED goes off and the WiFi LED goes Green.  With mine the PDI LED stays Red.

The WiFi is working... but, when in BASE mode the LCS Utility cannot Detect the Base (PDI Solid Red).  When in NO BASE mode (PDI LED off WiFi LED Green on) the LCS Utility Detects the BASE but Cannot Read the Data... which, makes sense.

OK John!  I briefly thought about that but decided banging my head against the wall would be way more fun as per Lionel's recommendation.  I'll head back upstairs in a bit and give 'join network' a go.

@Dennis-LaRock posted:

OK John!  I briefly thought about that but decided banging my head against the wall would be way more fun as per Lionel's recommendation.  I'll head back upstairs in a bit and give 'join network' a go.

I guess there's no harm in trying but IMO it's easier to troubleshoot as an access point before you join the home network.  There are so may other variables you will be dealing with. 

I'm glad I didn't run across any issues.  My WiFI stuff was boxed up for a long time waiting on a layout as well.  My only issue is occasionally my WiFi joins with a different IP address to the network and I have to go into the LSU and find it again.  For some reason the iPad was able to find it without help.

Marty... that was my feeling as well but I had run out of options so John's suggestion was up next.  It would be nice if Lionel would just give you the MAC address instead of having to trace the device... anyway, I gave it it's own dedicated IP to try and reduce conflicts.

If your base is working normally to control locomotives, can you connect the base directly to the computer with a serial cable and use the LCS to examine the base data?  If so, I would rate it as highly unlikely that the base is the issue.

Have you connected with the LCS WiFi Monitor LE to see if anything looks amiss in the WiFI unit?

Dennis

I did a little testing last evening to see how my LCS WiFi comes up.  When I first power up the layout the red LED comes on as shown in the video.  After about 10 seconds it flashes and then goes out.  Only coming on again when commands are being sent.  I did have one time last evening when, with the Legacy base already on, I powered up the LCS chain and the red LED came on and did not go out.  Rebooting the power supply to the LCS chain fixed that.  My switch settings are Base and Access Point.

John, I cannot find my Dongle!

Marty, Almost home!

OK, my networking is a tad complicated.  I have three servers a laptop and three routers.  LCS works from the office server downstairs... all data is now backed up. The newest... router three (Lionel-Router) upstairs seems to have an issue or the LCS WiFi seems to have an issue with the router.   Upstairs, the PDI socket in the LCS Utility cannot be determined... i.e., whether its TMCC PDI, IRDA, Base PDI etc.

So, I'm rethinking my network... and, I think I've got it ...but, it's going to take a hot minute.

Thanks Guys!

Upon first power up, my red light comes on for a few seconds, the goes out and the green light starts flashing.  The green light is still flashing a minute later, and I have a connection, the LSU is connected and I can read and edit command base data. Fast forward another minute and the green light is on steady, I'm still connected with the LSU and able to read/change data.

I'm in Connect To Network mode, and not AP mode.

John, I'm with you on the 'Connect to Network'.  I already have plenty of 'Access Points'!

@Dennis-LaRock posted:

OK, my networking is a tad complicated.  I have three servers a laptop and three routers.  LCS works from the office server downstairs... all data is now backed up. The newest... router three (Lionel-Router) upstairs seems to have an issue or the LCS WiFi seems to have an issue with the router.   Upstairs, the PDI socket in the LCS Utility cannot be determined... i.e., whether its TMCC PDI, IRDA, Base PDI etc.

Dennis, when I first got the LCS WiFi, I had a heck of a time connecting it to my network.  I had a bunch of routers in a box, and I had to sort through them before I finally found one that would connect.  Lionel's decision to make this "closed" without a wired option really complicated the connection, their WPS didn't seem compatible with many routers!  When the LCS WiFi Monitor LE came along, I finally had a way to configure and connect without using WPS, then I could get connected properly.

When I dug out the WiFi this time, I first used the monitor to configure, then it was smooth sailing.

@Dennis-LaRock posted:

John, I'm with you on the 'Connect to Network'.  I already have plenty of 'Access Points'!

For me, connecting to the network was a no-brainer!  I wanted seamless operation of the WiFI links as well as other Internet functions on my iPad and smartphones.  Both the MTH DCS WiFi and the Lionel LCS WiFi are connected to my network, so they're just always there when the layout is powered up, I don't have to screw around with the device and change networks, a really kludgy way to operate IMO.

Yup, It 'will' be nice to be able to access the LCS Utility from anywhere in the house and just open it up as it's on the network.  Right now though... running up and down the stairs kinda sucks.  So, now I'm pondering whether to swap routers or get a new one?  Two of them are Nighthawk X6S R8000Ps the other is an Asus RT-AC87U... I probably should take the Asus upstairs and dual WAN the Nighthawks downstairs.  Y'all probably have a pretty good idea of how my weekend is going to be spent.

Why so many routers?  I added the Google WiFi mesh network for better coverage.  Are you using some of them as access points?

I'd normally connect mine to the house network but I have been doing some playing with some things and for now found it easier to have it as an access point.  Probably in a week or 2 I'll set it back.

If you like the Nighthawk product line then I highly recommend the Netgear Nighthawk AX3600 tri-band Mesh (3 Points). Works fine with my LCS WiFi and MTH Wifi (I have them both on it). The range is insane on it, I get 2 bars out in my garage which sits over 50 feet from the house.

I have been doing network admin work for over 20 years so it's worth every penny IMHO.

It's mostly redundancy habit.  I use dual WANs in case of hardware failure and it provides better coverage.  I've have the asus and one of the netgears running as dual wan downstairs (that's where the 3D Repository is... in my living room).   I can probably just use those but it is much faster with a router upstairs running in Bridge mode to the others.

CRAPOLA!!!! This is the electrical forum... should get moved ...sorry about that!

@Dennis-LaRock posted:

CRAPOLA!!!! This is the electrical forum... should get moved ...sorry about that!

I asked the mods to move it this morning.  Looks like they noticed someone's request.

Thanks Marty... glad you were on the Ball!

@Dennis-LaRock posted:

Thanks Marty... glad you were on the Ball!

Good discussions like these need to be saved.  I think sometimes if you ask nicely they'll move it rather than delete. 

Although I will say, lately there has been a great effort to move threads and I thank OGR for that.

I am going to resurrect this thread on the LCS WiFi module.

I purchased an LCS WiFi module shortly after it was available and connected it to my layout without any problems. I had it connected to my Legacy Base and set to "Join to Network."  It worked fine for years along with several other LCS modules.  My layout has been out of service for the past couple of years.

Jump ahead to the present time.  When I power things up, there are no lights on the WiFi module.  The WiFi is the first module in the LCS device chain.  I can see that downstream LCS devices are getting power.  The first thing I did for troubleshooting was to disconnect the LCS cable that goes from the WiFi module to downstream modules.  So, it is just the Legacy Base connected to the WiFi module. 

As I said, when applying power, I get no LED's illuminating on the WiFi module.  It does feel very slightly warm so it is definitely getting power.  The LSU cannot connect to it.  I have tried connecting to my network router using WPS withouth success.  I have the set the switch to Access Point with no LED activity or connectivity.  I have even set the switch to No Base and had no success.

I fear that my WiFi module is dead.  Does anybody have any suggestions on further troubleshooting?

Well, if  you have no lights at all on the WiFi module and it's for sure getting power, I suspect your analysis is correct, it's dead.  As to troubleshooting, the first thing I'd do is pop the top and look for something obvious.

Vince,

While I can't speak to the LCS Wifi lights since I do not own one, but since your unit worked previously with no problems and was powered down several years ago.  During that period of time have you by any chance upgraded the routers on your home network?

I do know on my network I had several devices that refused to connect that previously had no problems.  The common denominator for the devices was they are only capable of connecting at 2.4 gHz.  It seems the newer dual band or tri-band routers attempt to service a log on request with the first available module.  I ended up editing a MAC Address table in the routers to force the router to only log those units on to the 2.4gHz network.  I've had no problems since then.

Don't know if this will help or not but thought I'd at share it.

Good luck with yours.

Barry

@gunrunnerjohn posted:

Well, if  you have no lights at all on the WiFi module and it's for sure getting power, I suspect your analysis is correct, it's dead.  As to troubleshooting, the first thing I'd do is pop the top and look for something obvious.

Thanks for the reply GRJ.

After I made my post I did pop off the cover.  Looked for anything that looked fried, sniffed for a burning smell, and looked to see if I could see any broken tracings (not that my old eyes would necessarily see them).  Nothing looked out of the ordinary.

From everything I have read in this thread and from watching Youtube videos, no matter what, when you first power up the WiFi module, the red LED is supposed to come on.  Mine never does...not even a quick flash.  So, I fear it's time to buy another WiFi module.

The red light does indeed come on for a few seconds when you first power up.

@barnun posted:

Vince,

While I can't speak to the LCS Wifi lights since I do not own one, but since your unit worked previously with no problems and was powered down several years ago.  During that period of time have you by any chance upgraded the routers on your home network?

I do know on my network I had several devices that refused to connect that previously had no problems.  The common denominator for the devices was they are only capable of connecting at 2.4 gHz.  It seems the newer dual band or tri-band routers attempt to service a log on request with the first available module.  I ended up editing a MAC Address table in the routers to force the router to only log those units on to the 2.4gHz network.  I've had no problems since then.

Don't know if this will help or not but thought I'd at share it.

Good luck with yours.

Barry

Thanks for your reply Barry.

I am still using the same wireless access point that had worked previously.

I think my WiFi module is a goner.