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I am looking for information on troubleshooting Lionel Control System. I just bought a WiFi module and power cable. I hooked to my Legacy base. On my new iPad, I can connect to the Wifi, but the app then claims it cannot find my Legacy base unit. I meet all requirements listed in the owner's manual.

I am looking for places where I can learn how to make this work.

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@Larry.PRR posted:

I am not familiar with LSU. I have not joined the WiFi to my network since I do not have WPS on my router. I cannot think of a reason to have Windows or Linux or even a Mac connect to my Legacy Base.

Legacy System Utility is LSU.

While you may not want or need to use it, by seeing if connects might help narrow down the issue.

I am glad to get Legacy System Utility.  What hardware does it run on, what does it do, where can I find it?
I just got into Legacy at all in December, so I have a lot to learn

WPS was once a standard. The external WPS button is no longer on MESH routers like my Orbi. I may be able to get the Lionel added to the network by working with the Router Admin utilities, provided there is a reason. Lionel seams to think it is better stand alone.  I do notice the WiFi module uses 802.11b, which is a standard that is quite long in the tooth and sometimes slows down the network. I will make sure it is enabled on my home network before I try to add it.

So far I had not bothered since Lionel suggested standalone. A utility that can see my Legacy Base would make it worth the effort.

My goal for LCS is to control switches and accessories. I will continue to use my CAB-2 for engines.

Thanks for all the ideas.

@Larry.PRR posted:

I am glad to get Legacy System Utility.  What hardware does it run on, what does it do, where can I find it?
I just got into Legacy at all in December, so I have a lot to learn

WPS was once a standard. The external WPS button is no longer on MESH routers like my Orbi. I may be able to get the Lionel added to the network by working with the Router Admin utilities, provided there is a reason. Lionel seams to think it is better stand alone.  I do notice the WiFi module uses 802.11b, which is a standard that is quite long in the tooth and sometimes slows down the network. I will make sure it is enabled on my home network before I try to add it.

So far I had not bothered since Lionel suggested standalone. A utility that can see my Legacy Base would make it worth the effort.

My goal for LCS is to control switches and accessories. I will continue to use my CAB-2 for engines.

Thanks for all the ideas.

It runs on a PC only and available here.

I will try connecting my PC directly to Lionel WiFi. That was a good idea.

In my traveling days (2003-2016), I had to tell my router to not transmit 802.11b.  I worked in campgrounds and managers with WiFi in the campground did not like any chance of congestion from my personal WiFi network. Of course their network was usually strictly 802.11b.  Today's newer protocols are faster and more robust. If anyone wants to dive into the rabbit hole of 802.11, start with this link:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/IEEE_802.11
I will make no more comments about  802.11b or connecting the Lionel WiFI to my router since the direct connection is recommended by Lionel anyway.

I should have a chance to try Legacy System Utility via the Lionel WiFI next weekend.

@Larry.PRR posted:
I will make no more comments about  802.11b or connecting the Lionel WiFI to my router since the direct connection is recommended by Lionel anyway.

FWIW, I connect the Lionel WiFi to my network and it operates flawlessly.  The benefits of having it connected to the router are numerous.

Also, the impacts of connecting an 802.11b device to your network are overblown unless it's a device that's doing continuous full-bandwidth communication.  Also, many modern devices connect to the 5GHZ channel, and most modern routers and access points are dual channel and those communications aren't affected by any 802.11b devices.

How Much Does an 802.11b Device Slow Down a Newer Network?

A lot of people misunderstand exactly how — and how much — an 802.11b device slows down a newer network. Some people believe that having an 802.11b device on an 802.11g or 802.11n network will slow that network all the way down to 802.11b speeds for compatibility reasons.

This is false. Even if you have an 802.11b device on your Wi-Fi network, those newer 802.11g and n devices won’t slow all the way down to 802.11b speeds. It’s not as bad as some of the myths make it out to be.

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