Lionel wifi and micro cameras

Set the LCS Wi-Fi to a different channel. Page 14 of the owner's manual. Go higher 9-11. Then try the camera after your portable device re-syncs to the LCS Wi-Fi.

Did that stop the interference?

I have 5 cameras and when I switch channels a different  camera would cause the disconnect. I was able to isolate it to 2 cameras. If I'm using wifi I don't power up those two cameras. Thank you

Ahhh, multiple cameras on multiple channels. Good one. Well, you have 11 channels on the LCS and 5 cameras. One would think you could find a sweet spot.

Do they have the channel marked?  Do the cameras communicate through the home network? if yes, which channel is that using?

Are you using the wifi in access point mode or join home network mode?

There should be way to get them all isolated.

I never did hit the sweet spot but I'm ok with it.

The issue is usually not the channel.  A WIFI hotspot can only use 1 channel at a time.  If you and your neighbors are all using the same channel, then yes this could be an issue.  But it could also be that the video cameras are using a high amount of bandwidth from a single hotspot.

I have set up systems for people that use multiple hotspots.  For example, you can put all the video cameras on 1 hotspot that is using channel 1 and the rest of the devices in your home on channel 6 or 11.  This way the video devices will fight for bandwidth on channel 1 and everything else on either channel 6 or 11.

If you own an Android device, WIFI analyzer is a neat app that lets you see what is broadcasting close to you and can assist in troubleshooting.

Being in both radio and IT for all of my career, I have a bit of knowledge in this area.  I can't be tech support for everyone here for every installation, but if you run out of ideas, contact me privately and I will try to help.

Tony

Tony V,

The LCS WiFi can be it's own "hotspot' or access point, hence my question(s) for him about the configuration.

The cost is that you can't access the Legacy base for updates unless it is connected by cable in that mode, which is a little annoying. Many just join it to the home access point and everything is connected. mobile device for operation and pc to manage the base are already on the network.

The other issue is that the LCS WiFi is only wireless G, no N. So, bandwidth and speed issues.

My video cameras aren't connected to wifi. Their signal just go to a small video receiver that go to a TV by RCA cable

And they cause interference?  That is interesting...

Moonman posted:

Tony V,

The LCS WiFi can be it's own "hotspot' or access point, hence my question(s) for him about the configuration.

The cost is that you can't access the Legacy base for updates unless it is connected by cable in that mode, which is a little annoying. Many just join it to the home access point and everything is connected. mobile device for operation and pc to manage the base are already on the network.

The other issue is that the LCS WiFi is only wireless G, no N. So, bandwidth and speed issues.

Understood, with wireless G, there is only 3 channels that are not in contention with others, 1, 6 and 11.  I wish both Lionel and MTH would develop units that could utilize wireless N.  There is much more bandwidth and far less interference.

I don't have LCS yet, only MTH wireless.  However they both suffer from the same limitations.  Set them up as their own access point, and there is no access to the internet.  Set them up on a home access point and you are more subject to interference.

Tony

Bob Murphy posted:

My video cameras aren't connected to wifi. Their signal just go to a small video receiver that go to a TV by RCA cable

Many of the wireless cameras run on the same 2.4ghz band as your WiFi equipment and can indeed cause interference.  I use these CM200 cameras and they have caused issues with WiFi on some of the channels.

Thank you for the info. I'm also looking for a wireless video camera to put on a slot car that won't interfere with 2.4 wireless controllers. 

I think some clarification on the Wireless 2.4 GHz band needs to be had here. 

Understood, with wireless G, there is only 3 channels that are not in contention with others, 1, 6 and 11.  I wish both Lionel and MTH would develop units that could utilize wireless N.  There is much more bandwidth and far less interference.

Wireless G & N operate in the same small frequency band when using the allowed 2.4 GHz spectrum, the amount of interference between the two is the same and increases when using N.  In the WiFi world routers that operate in G have a max throughput of 54MBps and N will allow up to 300 typically and in some cases as high as 900 MBps. This achieved by the number of channels your wireless equipment uses to communicate.  In G, your wireless access point can use up to 5 channels at one time. In N, that number doubles to 10 channels due to the increased bandwidth needed to achieve the increased speeds.

If you set your wireless router to operate on channel 6:
In G it will actually use channels 4,5,6,7,8
in N it can use 2,3,4,5,6,7,8,9,10
The biggest difference between G & N are the data compression methods used to achieve more speed and the (higher) number wireless channels used to further boost data throughput.

I think where Tony was going with his thread is the newer Wireless AC standards which use a combination of 2.4 & 5.8  GHz wireless channels and boasts a tremendous amount of data throughput vs the older G & N running on 2.4 GHz alone. The 5.8 band has many more channels available and allows for faster speed or better picture quality in the case of cameras.

The 2.4 GHz wireless band is severely overused and severely abused. Just about anything wireless (including Bluetooth stuff) operates in this small narrow band and everyone uses it... a lot. IMO, the best practice for wireless cameras is to move to 5.8 GHz, 900 MHz, or 1.2 GHz.

I don't have LCS yet, only MTH wireless.  However they both suffer from the same limitations.  Set them up as their own access point, and there is no access to the internet.  Set them up on a home access point and you are more subject to interference.

The MTH WIU (and LCS) wireless connection is very configurable. If you connect it to your home wireless router (via a wireless connection) it will operate within the same band as your home router and should minimize your wireless interference because the WIU and your home wireless router will work together when communicating.  If you set it up on it's own "HOME" mode, yes it will not give you internet and it creates more wireless interference because now you have more of that tiny 2.4 GHz band being used. The best option is the one not easily achievable because our Home internet router isn't near our MTH WIU. Use a hardwired (Cat5e cable) connection to your MTH WIU directly to your home router and turn off the Wireless 2.4 GHz radio in the WIU using the LUCI web interface.

One last thing to keep in mind about the WiFi Analyzer app mentioned above. It doesn't do a very good job of picking up signals from devices that transmit wireless communications that don't use typical wireless networking protocols. It most likely won't detect which channel a dedicated wireless camera is operating on unless it is a device your smart phone / tablet can connect to.

H1000