Loss of WiFi connection

Try changing to channel 9 or 11 if your home system isn't using 11. Access point and WPS enable.

I had that issue, had to link up everytime. So I decided to just link to the home wifi and since everything else is on it all the time, now I get going in seconds automatically. And the LSU is instant on the desktop since the desktop is on the home wifi. I think the warning about latency is over stated for many of us. Maybe if you are streaming 3 movies at the time, there may be some slowdown. I have not experienced any.

Very interested in your thread! Thank you for sharing these issues. Considering the WiFi module myself. What is the "short period of time"? Does your iPad, iPhone switch to your home network or just loose any connection? 

Please let us know if the channel change Moonman recommended work for you? 

If the WiFi connection is lost when you power for the module, that's normal. What happens is that your iOS device loses the "network" made by the access point mode and reverts to your available home network.

 

Just set the module up as a network device and the problem will not recur, unless possibly, if you turn off your home network.

In my case, I had to go into wifi setup everytime and click on the Lionel wifi. It took a half a minute or more and sometimes seemed not to find the address. I tried fixing the IP and that worked better. But since my iPad and iPhone were already on the home wifi and the Lionel module found that quickly with the home wifi choice selected on the module, that is almost instant.

Guys: Does the Lionel unit require an IP address to function?

I ask because I was having a problem with my wireless printer.

The problem was related to IP addresses.

My printer was getting its IP address via DHCP from my wireless router, and the address was expiring due to infrequent printing. (The printer goes to sleep and apparently does not renew its address, but  the IP address is hardcoded in the client)
The manufacturer suggested going with static IP, but increasing the DHCP lease time (done at router) to it's max resolved the problem for me. On my router, it was about five days (9999 minutes). I guess I use the printer at least once every five days.

Thanks. I see others have experienced the same problem. i'll switch to my home network as suggested. I didn't realize it was an iOS problem, not the Lionel Wifi module.  I had one other quirky event last night. I was using my iPad to run my AC12 and then switched to the Cab-2. With the the Cab-2 I was not able to reverse the direction of the AC12. i had to use the iPad to reverse direction then the Cab-2 worked w/o issues. Don't you just love those bits....

I tried to connect to my home network (Verizon FiOS). I'm not sure if the Verizon supplied router is WPS enable. i tried twice using that button...no joy. My router is on the 1st floor and my Lionel Wifi module in the basement so i pushed the WPS button on the module, raced upstairs to push the WPS button on the router....tried twice. no joy. Any suggestions?

I tried to connect (see below) to my home network, no joy. I guess I don't understand why the LCS Access Point is dropped by the iPad/Phone after a few minutes of inactivity, that is, I'm not tapping it.  I'm puzzled about that.

OK, I'll try †hat. 

Ed,

 

How did you try to connect the module to your home network?

 

If you follow the instructions and your router has the capability to add it to the network as a WPS client, it should connect.

Barry, I followed the instructions in the Manual. I think my router does not accept WPS clients. Does that mean I'm limited to the LCS network Access Point?

 

Although the Lionel WiFi owner's manual instructs you to push the WPS button on the module first followed by pushing the button on your router, you might try doing this in the reverse order as recommended in the instructions provided with most routers. In order to avoid racing back and forth between the two devices, plug the Lionel WiFi module into power in the same room as your router while you are doing the setup, and until you have finished the setup and verified the Lionel WiFi module can be "discovered" on your home network. The Lionel WiFi module should retain the WiFi setup, so you can unplug it from power and move it back to your layout when you are done.

 

At one time, Verizon's FIOS routers did not have the required firmware to support WPS even though the router had a WPS button. I don't know if Verizon's current FIOS routers, or firmware updates for older routers, now provide WPS support.

 

It is unfortunate that Lionel decided to "simplify" their WiFi module by not providing a method for manually configuring its WiFi interface, which is an option provided by most WiFi client devices. Lacking any way to set up this device to join a secure network by any method other than WPS, it can only be used it as a standalone WiFi access point if your WiFi router does not support WPS.

An interesten thing is that I use an Apple Airport Extreme as my router and it lacks a WPS button. However, it does allow a search for WPS printers

 

I just let the router think that the LCS model was a printer and it was connected without any issues. I then gave it a static IP based upon the LCS's MAC address.

Indeed. Likely Apple wanted to leave out the physical WPS button in keeping with its minimalist philosophy on the exterior appearance of its products. But at least the design does have a "virtual WPS button"

Thanks.  I'll try again as you suggest. I agree, I don't understand why Lionel implemented as it did. 

I am waiting for my wifi module & my AT&T uverse modem does not have a WPS button so I called tech support & WPS is built in & should find the wifi module. Just for info in case someone has the same equipment.

 

Ken M

Ken,

 

I'd take what the U-verse folks told you with a large gain of salt, for the following reasons:

• Unless the person you spoke with was more than just a run-of-the-mill rep, odds are good that he or she doesn't even know what means "WPS"
• Typically, some (most, actually) routers have WPS capability, however, modems typically do not
• Even if the modem does have WPS capability, it isn't likely to just find the LCS module when the module's button is pressed and automatically add it to your network. You should be required to log into the modem and tell it to connect to the LCS.

All of the above is assuming that you already have a wireless network established. However, if U-verse provided you with a router rather than, or in addition to, the modem, you may be in better shape and you can just disregard my dire prognostications!  

It's probably as simple as looking at the WiFi details on the iPad and setting it to connect automatically to both the home network and the Lionel or LCS network automatically.

 

If you want to join the LCS WiFi to the home network and have a Modem\Router\Wifi combo device from your cable company, then you are bridging routers\access points. Then, like Barry did, you must assign a static IP address in the cable device for the LCS WiFi to connect to it. You can't have both assigning IP addresses automatically for the same range.

 

I know, it shouldn't be that difficult for a train hobbiest, but it's basic networking configuration that doesn't happen automatically.

 

I sincerely recommend that you attempt to get the LCS Wifi to work as a standalone. It will be a security weak point if joined to your network. I could sit outside with my iPhone and access your home network through the LCS device. Granted, not many will be war driving in your neighborhood, but it's there.

I received this info from Uverse tech support hopefully they know what they are talking about.  Unfortunately the wifi module is on back order.

I also asked them about security & they said that will be no problem.

All I know is what I was told.

 

Ken M

This is not the way it works.

 

If the LCS WiFi module is configured to function as a WiFi client (ie it is configured to "join" an existing home WiFi network) then it is not functioning as an access point. All WiFi communication occurs directly between the LCS WiFi module and the home wireless router and it is not possible for any other WiFi client (like your iPhone outside the house) to connect directly to the LCS WiFi module. Your phone outside the house would only be able to communicate with the LCS WiFi module by establishing a connection with the home's WiFi router, and doing that would first require you to crack the WiFi router's wireless security password.

 

There is only one way to configure the LCS WiFi module as an access point - and that is when it is being used as a standalone device broadcasting its own WiFi network. In this case your phone outside the house would be able to establish a direct connection to the LCS WiFi module - but the only thing you would be able to accomplish is to hijack the trains it is controlling since no connection to the home WiFi network exists.

As Barry pointed out - their answer to you wasn't completely wrong, it was just overly simplistic by leaving out a few important steps. No secured wireless router will just allow a client (like the LCS WiFi module) to connect to it automatically as soon as it "sees it"- some intervention is required on your part. Allowing a connection to occur automatically without you vetting it would completely defeat the purpose of having WiFi network security. 

I understand. What I've not been able to figure out is how to get the LCS Wifi module to connect to my home network  the manual was of no help.  I've tried all the suggestions in this string but no luck. 

I think your next move will need to be a call to Verizon's tech support to get a definitive answer as to whether or not your wireless router model provides any method for setting up a wireless client using WPS.

 

iOS does not, unfortunately, provide a configuration to set a "preferred" wireless network. I assume what happens is that your iPhone or iPad is automatically switching from your LCS module's WiFi network to your home's wireless network. The only way to change this behavior is (in the iOS WiFi settings panel) to configure your iPad or iPhone to "forget" your home WiFi network - leaving the LCS module's WiFi network as the only one it knows to connect to. The downside of this approach is that you will need to re-enter your home WiFi's network password on your iPad or iPhone when you want to connect to it again.

Thanks. I'll try that. Reconnecting to my home network should be simple and far less annoying than having to reconnect often to the Accesspoint.

I connected to my home network with the LCS WiFi, but it screws up my network ID for my primary network if I use the WPS on my router, not a good scenario!  Still trying to figure if I can get it to work without altering my primary SSID.

 

I'm still trying to get this to work on my home network. i've sent a missive to Lionel out of desperation. I'll let everyone know what they say. I still don't understand why they have made this so hard...

WPS has always been somewhat "twitchy" in many environments.  The first couple times I tried to connect it, it didn't work at all.  Then I got it working, only to discover it nuked my primary network SSID and my other wireless devices didn't connect!

 

Seems like more frustration that it's worth just to run some trains...

 

Rusty

That's discouraging. Wifi is so ubiquitous now why did Lionel make it so difficult. It's not that the technology is not available. Oh well. Problem solving is a part of this hobby. 😊

Seems so, but it is convenient and has that 'cool factor' when folks visit. 😉

Ed,

That's discouraging. Wifi is so ubiquitous now why did Lionel make it so difficult. It's not that the technology is not available.

Actually, I think that Lionel took a very good route towards connecting to the LCS module.

 

On the one hand, they made it easy for those without any WiFi capability to connect to the module as an access point.

 

On the other hand, they used WPS, which is fairly ubiquitous technology, to allow those with WiFi routers that have WPS capability (which is just about every modern router) to connect a bit more elegantly as  a client. Further, once connected to the WiFi network, the LCS module can be assigned a static IP so the network operator always knows the module's IP address.

 

You, personally, can connect to the module even though you aren't at all knowledgeable of WiFi and its operation. The fact that you don't have a router isn't Lionel's problem, rather, they anticipated that and gave you a way to connect without a router.

 

Not to belabor the point, however, if Lionel had used a different method to connect to a WiFi network as a wireless client other than a WPS connection, you still would be unable to use your device because it would involve working inside the router to fiddle with the module's IP address.

Well, I didn't mean to imply the entire approach was bogus, yes you can connect via the LCS Access Point, which is good. However there are two issues that could have been addressed easily I suspect.  Even the access point connectivity has a shortcoming, it's in that that it does not stay connected after short periods of inactivity. (Also, i wonder how many folks electing to implement LCS really don't have a home network.)  2nd, it's difficult for those in which the WPS is not enabled or for whatever reason you cannot connect to the home network. Every other device I have simply finds the network and connects. The Wifi module does not. I do have a router, it does have a WPS button, still no joy Additionally, as gunrunnerjohn pointed out, even though he can connect via his network he still has issues. So, as Roseanne Rosanadana quipped, "It's always something." I'll keep at it, I'm sure I'll break the code. I sent a query to Lionel, I'm looking forward to the reply.

 

Does the Legacy base have to be on before the wifi module?

 

Thank You

Ken M

Mine power up together.  Never had an issue but for the most part I've had mine connected via a dedicated wireless router.

I opted for the $25 cheap home router solution dedicated train network , though the default direct connection to the Lionel wifi worked OK, I just liked the extra range I got with the dedicated cheap router.

 

As for putting on to my existing home network I didn't see an advantage and the warning that doing so could cause lag when running my engines made me decide not to do it.

Never thought to do that...elegant solution.  Thanks.

I just got the NETGEAR RangeMax WNR1000 Wireless Router from Amazon, it is pretty plain Jane and but does have WPS mode. It is powerful enough that when I get home my iPhone will sometime grab it over my home network

Figured it would also be useful for when the MTH system comes out. I can run both on the iPad without switching networks

Ed,

 

Let's be clear.

Even the access point connectivity has a shortcoming, it's in that that it does not stay connected after short periods of inactivity.

That's not any kind of a "shortcoming". That's the way that iOS devices work. Period. They always seek a known network. When you shut off the LCS Module's network, the iOS device automatically connects to your home network.

 

If you were to turn off your home network and then turn on the LCS Module, the iOS device would connect to the LCS Module automatically.

it's difficult for those in which the WPS is not enabled or for whatever reason you cannot connect to the home network

True, but that's not Lionel's problem. If your stuff doesn't work, that's your problem. That's why there CS Module also has access point connectivity.

Every other device I have simply finds the network and connects. The Wifi module does not

 The WiFi Module is designed to find the network when you use it's WPS button.

 I do have a router, it does have a WPS button, still no joy

 Then one of the following is the problem:

• Your router is defective
• Your LCS Module is defective
• You aren't following the instructions exactly as defined in the LCS Module's documentation.