MTH DCS Wi-Fi Module App won't recognize engines on the layout.

Do you have the DCS Remote as well? If so does it work any better with that?

I do have the DCS  Handheld remote and it will recognize all the engines.  I was trying to move away from using the remote.   It has been easier to navigate between functions and engines with the  app.   I trying to figure out is this a flaw with the app or am I not doing something I should be.

@rscott posted:

I have been using the MTH Wi-Fi Module and App on my Mini iPad.  For the most part, it works very well. I have about 10 MTH Proto 2 and 3 engines programmed into the App.  The problem I am running into is when I have more than 4 or 5 engines on powered track  the App does not seem to recognize all of them. Some get stuck on the inactive list.  I have the latest TIU and utilize all 4 channels I have my layout separated into 4 power blocks, three main loops of track and my yard to park my engines.  So when everything is powered, I have never been able to have all of my engines in the active list at the same time.  If I only have 1 or two power blocks activated and less than 4 engines I have no problems.   So my main question is: if I have an engine that is on the powered track and it is not showing up on the active list, is there a trick or something in the App that I can do to get it to recognize the engine?  Has anybody else ran into this problem?  Everything is the most recent release possible,  The App, TIU, and Wi-Fi Module.  If anybody can give me some help it would be greatly appreciated.

After everything is powered up, do you hit the refresh engine button, to re-read all engines on the track?

I have never had the issue you describe.

Although why do you want so many engines powered at once?  Are they all running at the same time or just sitting there?

  Don't forget if an engine is powered, even if you are not running it, the chronometer is ticking away.  So I never have an engine powered if I am not running it.

What is your power supply to the rails?

What gauge wire?

What type of track?

Minimum 16 gauge stranded.

I don't leave alot of powered engines just sitting on the track, most of my engines are sitting in the yard section and when I need one on the main layout to run, I pull it out.  I apply the power, refresh the engine list, select my engine and move it out. Once out, I then shut down that section of my layout as it is isolated, but sometimes when I have more than 4 engines parked in the yard, one of them will not appear on the active list.  Sometimes after multiple refreshes it will appear.  I use Lionel 180 watt power bricks, one for each power block.  4 altogether.  16 guage stranded wire type of track, FastTrack.  It is not a major issue, but it crops up from time to time enough to be a little annoying.   Thanks to everyone who has responded!

Thinking about this, if the remote works as expected but the app does not, it is likely you have run into a bug (feature) of some sort.  Have you tried powering on sections of the layout 1 at a time to see if there is any difference in the number of engines that show up on the active list?  I am thinking maybe if they are all powered up at the same time there is some sort of communication issue between the TIU, WIU and the app that keeps all from being recognized at nearly the same time.  I would try powering up 1 block at a time, waiting at least 30 seconds before reading from the app.  Rinse and repeat for each block just to see.

Do the same engines always show up active or does that change?  Does it change based on where engines are on the layout?  If it is always the same, what happens when you remove 1 or 2 of the engines that always show up?  Do others take their place?

I think the most engines ever on my layout at the same time was like 5.  I've never seen this but I also power up the layout's blocks 1 at a time.  Also, you are sure your WIU has v1.1 of the firmware?  I don't remember what the issue was with v1.0 but MTH released 1.1 almost immediately due to a bug (or 2).  I also use an iPAD mini but do you know anyone with the Android app that could test it as well? 

Tony

well?

the fast track joints might be suspect if the remote didn't find the engines either.

I suspect something with the iPAD mini connection.

Are you using a router or direct DCS wifi mode?

I run Android and have not seen this issue where the remote works better (as of late). The app usually finds them better and faster.

There were bugs like this so maybe something in the new(er) IOS format reappeared?

I noticed a lot of issues connecting to engines with the iPad version of the app until I put the WIU into "Home" mode, attached it to my network and crucially, put a Wi-Fi access point near my layout. The basement didn't have good wireless signal previous to that at the latency was horrible.