The assumption is that everyone having any problem with the WIFI has already downloaded and verified that each connected TIU is now at rev 5.0.0.
Just a suggestion
I replaced my TIU with an L series and upgraded the software to rev 5 before installing the WiFi module. And on the subject of rev 5, you'll notice that setting up a train in Trolley Mode you've now lost the speed control and display on the remote. Tongue in cheek I'm going to say the assumption before a software release is that you conduct a rigorous test campaign against documented case studies. Then you might do a beta release to the users (because the real world is likely to be more complex than the test environments) before finally putting it into production after any problems thrown up my the beta testing have been resolved. All this takes time and effort. The Trolley Mode issue suggests to me that this rigour hasn't been applied in the testing phase.
Dave,
I don't enjoy spending my leisure hours trying to get someone else's buggy software to work
You need to understand a few things:
- This is version 1.0 software on a brand new device. Bugs should be expected
- The app works reasonably well for the majority of DCS WiFi operators
- Most of the issues that have been reported here are due to either operator error or not following instructions, and most of them have been resolved
- There's a thread, opened up by MTH R&D, for reporting issues, and MTH R&D has entered into dialogs with the problem reporters
- To the best of my knowledge, you haven't reported any specifics of your issues so that I and others, who are ready to help you, are unable to render any assistance.
I'm annoyed that I've had to talk to the vendor directly
Really? I would think that you'd be pleased that you can talk to MTH directly. That's rarely (actually almost never) the case with smart device application vendors.
they have no notice on their website
What "notice" are you seeking? Perhaps something like "Our app and WIU are brand new and may have bugs"
they promoted National WiFi Day before they fixed the problems.
It's called "Marketing". It was advertised as a "show and tell" event, not an offer to sell anything.
The discipline of software engineering has come a long way since I first flicked the switches on a PDP8 so I'm disappointed to see this in a consumer product.
So what?
I wrote my first program for money in 1964 and I've spent more than 50 years in the IS industry. If you have as well, we can compare notes on where the industry has gone in the past 5 decades. However, that has no bearing on this discussion.
Dave,
you'll notice that setting up a train in Trolley Mode you've now lost the speed control and display on the remote.
That's the way it's always been since the very beginning. It was always a matter of limited remote display capability.
Tongue in cheek I'm going to say the assumption before a software release is that you conduct a rigorous test campaign against documented case studies. Then you might do a beta release to the users (because the real world is likely to be more complex than the test environments) before finally putting it into production after any problems thrown up my the beta testing have been resolved. All this takes time and effort.
DCS 5.0 went through a rigorous beta test, by me and a variety of others. As a result, it is absolutely the most error-free release of DCS ever.
The Trolley Mode issue suggests to me that this rigour hasn't been applied in the testing phase.
Your comments "suggest to me" that you should get the facts before you make statements that aren't accurate.
To whom it may concern, What I'm about to say is going to make some of you mad, but I feel that it has to be said. The majority of you guys who are having problems with the wifi system don't know what you are doing. Either you've already had problems with you DCS system and or wifi system and the WIU unit is amplifying the problems that you already had. If you would take the time and read the instructions for the FREE unit, it was not designed to run ALL of the features of the full blown DCS unit. even the Standard app was limited. MTH has previously said that there would be a Premium app that will be released later this year. It was some of you guys who were complaining that MTH was taking too long to release that app, then when it was released, now you complaining that it doesn't work as advertised. When it comes to new technology, there will be bugs in the application. For example, when Microsoft released Windows 10, there were a lot of things that didn't work right, that is why Microsoft releases Windows Updates. If MTH was to wait and get all of the bugs out of the wifi system, it could take up to several years for it to be released. Actually the wifi unit is to introduce the younger generation into a new way to control trains. Most of the younger generation would have no problem connecting this system to the DCS system. I receive the dealer's copy and I had NO problems getting my iOS and Android products to work. There is a slight bug in the Android system (that I made MTH aware of), that I was able to work around and that bug did not prevent me from running my trains. My advise is to read the instructions CAREFULLY and follow the instructions EXACTLY!! Don't try to get this wifi app to do something that it wasn't designed to do....yet. Give MTH time, eventually the app will work exactly like the DCS handheld.............Roger.
I haven't had any problems with 5.0, except for a minor (to me) issue that I had under 4.#.
As to beta testing, I don't know how many beta testers there were for 5.0, but I do know how many beta testers there were for the wifi, for android and for apple, and I would agree that more testing would have been appropriate before release, however hot the public was to embrace the wifi technology.
Having said that, I have 2 wifis functioning on my layout, feeding 2 TIUs and some 26 DCS locos on a complex layout with many trains running all over in all directions. (I don't know if there was any beta testing of android and 2 wifis). Some days it runs perfectly and some days not so perfectly; results vary depending on the Android device I use, and network issues.
When you are working with technology (computers, smartphones, tablets, apps, etc.), you have to have PATIENCE and be willing to read instructions. Some (not all) of you don't really know how to operate your smartphone or tablets. You were already having issues with basic functions of your smartphones/tables. When you are working with your home routers, there are instructions that comes with every router that shows you how to set up your router for security purposes. Most of you just plug it up and not learn the features of the router. The instructions that MTH provides on their website is simple and straightforward to operating your WIU. Again before you continue to bash MTH for their WIU, please take the time to READ ALL of the literature that is available on MTH's website.................Sorry Rich, It just needs to be said!!!...................Roger
Roger,
Good posts - well said!
Hello Barry, I just get upset that there are certain people on this forum that is giving you, MTH and others on the forum a HARD time about the WIU. This device is not that hard to operate!!..................Roger
I had my train club come over to my home with their smartphones and tablets (iOS and Android). I was able to get 95% of the members to load their devices with the free app from MTH and run my trains on my layout. The other 5% who couldn't load the app was because they had OLD smartphones that needed to have an upgrade on the phone to get the MTH app to work. It had NOTHING to do with the WIU. I also offered my LHS (The Train Loft), to troubleshoot any of his customer's DCS and WIU if they were having problems operating the WIU. So far......no calls! My dealer only has a few of the WIU's left!....................Roger
Roger,
No big deal, however, I appreciate the kind words!
'Bashing' sadly seems to be a sign of the times and it accomplishes absolutely nothing. Everyone's an expert 'NOT'.
Roger, your comments are right on. LISTEN UP PEOPLE!
Roger, Your saying that it works fine for you, does not mean the system is perfect. Every layout is electrically different. Every house is different from a wifi standpoint. The fact that a single wifi works perfectly on one layout does not mean it is troublefree.
My layout runs under the remote with no issues. Why would my 2-wifi setup work perfectly one day and not at all the next? Why does an android device with the latest version of OS have problems reading the locos on the layout while a 2-year old android tablet with an older OS read them all? Why does a 3rd device, with an even older system (but newer than 4.05) not stay connected to the wifi? These are questions which the average user does not care to address. I'm willing to play with it, and post my findings so that MTH RD is aware of what's being encountered.
I am inclined, at this point, to think that the issues are between the handheld device and the wifi---network issues---or deficiencies in the app, like the ability to read locos which is being addressed in the coming revision.
I am inclined to cut MTH a lot of slack on this. Just as the medicine we take cannot have been checked for cross-reaction against every other possible medicine or combination of medicines we take, so also MTH cannot in beta test every possible environmental situation. In addition, MTH does not have complete control over operation, since much depends on the vagaries of every different variation of the apple or android operating system and the device on which it is running. I recognize that this is of little comfort to the average operator who just wants to run trains.
.
I updated both the WIU to the firmware update (1.1) and downloaded the updated "paid" iOS Wi-Fi DCS app.
I have tested the updated WIU with both Home "Wired" network as well as MTH "WiFi." The results of my testing are pretty much the same regardless of which network setting I utilized.
While I can get the app to now find locos on both FIXED1 and FIXED2 without all locos going to INACTIVE as before (yeah!), at the same time, it does not find all of my locos...it only finds 6 out of 9.
In my subsequent attempts to find/recognize or even ADD the additional locos which are on the layout (handheld remote has interaction with them), all locos sooner or later wind up listed as INACTIVE. REFRESH does not get them listed again as ACTIVE and mostly results in a REQUEST TIME OUT message.
I have shut everything down, exited/removed app from active iOS memory, restarted, and pretty much the same behavior results with limited number of locos from both FIXED1 and FIXED2 listed as ACTIVE, and subsequent REFRESH and/or ADD results in all locos being listed as INACTIVE. Very frustrating.
So, while it appears that improvements have certainly been made to the app and firmware (thank you!), at the same time, the iOS app does not yet function with the same consistent reliability as the handheld remote.
If there is anything that I can do to help chase this down, please let me know. But it seems to me that there are still issues that need to be resolved.
didn't even know my APP got updated today, forgot about automatic updates. Anyway no connection issues to date.
I will put my two cents in here my wifi is great and works perfect every time and just did the update and was very easy to do. I must say nobody should be bad mouthing mth or Barry both work very hard on all of us to have a easier time with our hobbie. Just imagine not having Barry there we would be up the creek without a paddle. I will be the first to say or second in this case to say thankyou Barry and mth for all the support because without you I probably would of gave up on this hobbie.
I would say if it wasn't for Barry and Marty DCS would never had survived let alone be successful.
Help!!
I have the same problem that DELTA14SIERRA described. I had no problem with the initial upgrade to 5.0 and with the installation. In fact, the whole thing worked flawlessly for the first several weeks. I paid the additional few $ to upgrade the app on both my android phone and IPad. Both worked well -- until today. All of a sudden, all my engines went to the INACTIVE list and I cannot get them back to active. I try to REFRESH and get a very quick message that the REQUEST has timed out, or not connected to the TIU? All the proper lights are active on the WIU. I did a reset on the WIU and on the app (my phone version now has no engines recognized at all either active or inactive and I'm not able to add any). I turned all systems off and back on, and I disconnected and reconnected all cords, but all of my engines remain INACTIVE or gone in the case of the android ? Yes, I have the MTH switch in the right mode and I did connect to the MTH wifi - again, everything worked fine until today.
BTW, my normal handheld works fine, but simply, all of the apps just stopped working. Any suggestions?
Bob
Did you reset your router? Unplug it for 10 sec, that did it for me
Bob, have you installed BOTH the wifi firmware upgrade and the app upgrade?
Gary,
Thanks - first, I'm not hooked up to the home router but rather to the MTH WIU. I did a reset of that and let it set for an hour. I just tried it again - I did manage to add 3 of the 5 engines back to my android but they immediately went to INACTIVE and I can't get them to ACTIVE. Also, I have not upgraded the WIU to 1.1 but I'm not use if I should at this point. I'll try agin later.
Again, thanks for the suggestion.
Bob
RJR,
I did not install the firmware. I will try that tomorrow -- just not confident that would make a difference since everything worked fine until today. Thanks for your thoughts.
Bob
Don't waste anymore time before you update both.
With original WIU firmware and the original app, there are some sever Android problems, and with only the phone updated results will be unpredictable.
Bob, trust me. The firmware upgrade and the revised app will make a world of difference in the reading function. Both are needed. I doubt that system will work well (if at all) if you don't have both the wifi and app upgrades.
Thanks to all for your help! This forum really is a special place for great people enjoying such a neat hobby!
One more thing to add - I have my devices set up for automatic upgrade - I suspect that is why I am now encountering problems - the android and IPad apps were upgraded (without me realizing such) but I've not done the WIU. So while I said that nothing had changed, in fact it had. I will upgrade the WIU and let you know if it doesn't work!
Bob
You guys rock! The upgrade of both firmware and software cured the problems immediately! Thanks again!
Bob
I upgraded my WIU, Android and iOS devices. Upgraded all without a hitch!! Everything works as advertised. My opinion is that upgrading the WIU works better when using a laptop. I tried using my I-pad and I wasn't successful. Once I switched to my laptop, everything worked without a hitch!!!!............Thanks MTH!!!
A little tidbit to consider...
If you have a USB cable with a male Type A connector for your PC and a male Type Mini B (5 pin) connector for the WIU's power port, there's no need to move the WIU's power supply to the PC when upgrading its firmware. Just connect the USB cable between the PC's USB port and the WIU.
This way, you can leave the WIU's power supply plugged in at the layout. Further, if you have a spare iPhone or iPad 5 volt DC, 1 amp power plug you can use that with the USB cable described above as a spare power supply for the WIU.
I've upgraded the WIU's firmware this way and have also used the USB cable and power block combination to operate the WIU on the layout.
Roger,
I gave up trying to use the iPad as well. There was really no easy way to access the downloaded file. I'd be curious to hear if others had success and how they did it.
Bob
Hello Bob, When I saved the BIN file to my I-pad, I couldn't find on the I-pad where it was saved at. That's when I used my laptop to upgrade my WIU. I know where I save files on my laptop.............rogerw.
Same problem for me Roger. I even tried saving it as an offline Dropbox file and still couldn't navigate to it. There has got to be some sort of file app for IPad but otherwise, sure not obvious. I ended up using my phone as it has a file protocol.
Bob
Barry,
Thanks for the above tips, good information to know. I saved it, if I can just remember where it is when I need it again. 
Hmmm...maybe I will just print this and stick it in your new book. 
maybe I will just print this and stick it in your new book.
Actually,it will be in the 1st update to the 3rd edition.
Probably not so good for my print copy, but I have the digital copy as well which I will update (if you do the digital updates as you have in the past).
Delta14Sierra posted:I updated both the WIU to the firmware update (1.1) and downloaded the updated "paid" iOS Wi-Fi DCS app.
I have tested the updated WIU with both Home "Wired" network as well as MTH "WiFi." The results of my testing are pretty much the same regardless of which network setting I utilized.
While I can get the app to now find locos on both FIXED1 and FIXED2 without all locos going to INACTIVE as before (yeah!), at the same time, it does not find all of my locos...it only finds 6 out of 9.
In my subsequent attempts to find/recognize or even ADD the additional locos which are on the layout (handheld remote has interaction with them), all locos sooner or later wind up listed as INACTIVE. REFRESH does not get them listed again as ACTIVE and mostly results in a REQUEST TIME OUT message.
I have shut everything down, exited/removed app from active iOS memory, restarted, and pretty much the same behavior results with limited number of locos from both FIXED1 and FIXED2 listed as ACTIVE, and subsequent REFRESH and/or ADD results in all locos being listed as INACTIVE. Very frustrating.
So, while it appears that improvements have certainly been made to the app and firmware (thank you!), at the same time, the iOS app does not yet function with the same consistent reliability as the handheld remote.
If there is anything that I can do to help chase this down, please let me know. But it seems to me that there are still issues that need to be resolved.
I am happy to say that I am making some positive headway on this issue.
Today I noticed that several of the loco Addresses in the App were...for some reason...not the same as the loco Addresses in the Remote.
So I removed all of the locos listed in the app and went back and reADDed them. I was not able to have all 9 of my locos on the layout at the same time while ADDing...I had to take several off, ADD some locos, then place the remaining locos on the layout and ADD again. I had to do this several times before I had all 9 locos listed in the app. I then made sure that the Addresses in the App and Remote were the same. There were some ADDRESS reassignments that I had to do to clean things up. I also had to do a couple of READs with both the App and the Remote before all of the locos were listed with their appropriate ADDRESS assignments and were showing up as ACTIVE.
With the little bit of time I had today, I am at least at this point now able to communicate successfully via both App and Remote with all 9 of my locos. Yeah!
Hopefully, everything will still be functioning as expected next time I run my trains either later on today or sometime tomorrow. I will let you know.
With the initial version of the app&firmware, I did have some locos come in with the wrong name, but always with the correct ID#.
I have the digital copy as well which I will update (if you do the digital updates as you have in the past).
I will be doing at least one update to the 3rd edition.
Thanks, I will be watching for it.
First I would like to say that I love the Wi-Fi App and am confident that MTH will work through the rest of the start-up bugs. In the meantime, I want to get some feedback to make 100% sure I am not missing something.
I have 4 loops of track powered by 2 transformers.....a Z4000 (one side to Var1 and the other to Var2) and a ZW (one side to Fixed 1 and the other to Fixed 2).
The app works fine with Var1 powered only. The same with Var2 powered only. Both Fixed tracks work fine if they are powered only. The root of my problem is when either Var track is powered. It does not matter which Var track. Neither Var track will work together. When the 2 Fixed tracks are working and either Var track is powered the App looses connection with all operating engines.
Suggestions?
