REMOTE OR WIFI

I prefer the MTH Wi-Fi because it is easy to setup & run trains.  My favorite functions are the soft keys all have labels.  These screenshots are a quick look……

Step 1:  Drag the locomotive to the ACTIVE List.

Step 2:  Use the Soft Keys to start the locomotive: (Extended Startup).

Step 3:  Run the AMTRAK #42 - Set the speed.

Step 4:  The window for the main controls.

Step 5:  Follow the same procedures for the second locomotive. UP BIG BOY #4014

Step 6:  The window for the main controls for the BIG BOY #4014

I am on an iPhone 11 Pro with iOS 13.1.3. if you need more information, I have four YouTube videos on this subject.

Gary

Gary, try having all your locos active and operating.  2 active & operating locos with the wifi is duck soup. 10-15 active & powered up awaiting a highball is not.

RJR posted:

Gary, try having all your locos active and operating.  2 active & operating locos with the wifi is duck soup. 10-15 active & powered up awaiting a highball is not.

Hi RJR:

I have 4 main lines.  Two of these I run MTH locomotives with the Wi-Fi and the other two main lines I am running LionChief Plus locomotives.   I have over twenty locomotives parked on sidings ready to go and the all can me moved to the ACTIVE List - Would never have a use to run 10 to 15 at the same time but they are all available.

PS: Love Roast Duck and Soup............  I even have a YT video about how to cook roast duck.... Duck hunting season is on right now in Michigan.... Varies by county............. Must use stainless steel shots ...........

Gary

I have 26, and all are always on the active list, ready to go when orders received from the dispatcher.  Any loco can go anywhere on the 36x16 layout, at any time.  I find I can't keep up with them, and throwing switches, using my wifi's

I prefer the Cab 2 to Lionel's app, but prefer MTH's app to the DCS remote.

Remote, but I have never tried the app.  

I'm strictly remote. I'm not a fan of WIFI systems.

Remotes all the way.  I have tried the Wi-Fi/BT control apps and just can't stand using them.  I love controlling my house with my phone and voice, but as running trains, it just doesn't work for me at all.

Stocking up on remotes and spare thumb wheels. Tried WiFi and din't like it as well as my trusty remotes. Have four that are 16 years old. Only replaced one thumb wheel in that time.

Rigatoni, you raise a good question. For how long will such remote parts remain available?

Remote Commander here because tactile. The Plywood Empire Route is a switching pike so eyes must needs be on the train, not on a touch-screen.  Also too, an old MRC Walkaround Throttle for Conventional because tactile. 

I see several complaints on the forum that the app crashes.  The only time my remotes crash is when they hit the concrete floor.

I ran for 4 hrs and it crashed due to my device dropping the MTH WiFi and picking up on my home WiFi.  I also run g scale outside and O gauge inside. Every know then  you need to refresh but not much.   Still beats the hand held   for out of range and engine not found issues. Generally new engine add a little faster as well.  However you run have fun!!

Al Juzukonis posted:

I ran for 4 hrs and it crashed due to my device dropping the MTH WiFi and picking up on my home WiFi.  I also run g scale outside and O gauge inside. Every know then  you need to refresh but not much.   Still beats the hand held   for out of range and engine not found issues. Generally new engine add a little faster as well.  However you run have fun!!

It's much easier all in all if you connect WIU in HOME mode and run it off your home wifi.  No need to switch back and forth and all your email, text, etc., functions stay live when running trains. At t c.f.rhe NJ HiRailers we have 7 WIUs hard wired to our in house system.  Connect to the club wifi and you're good to go.

Chris Lord posted:

Al Juzukonis posted:

I ran for 4 hrs and it crashed due to my device dropping the MTH WiFi and picking up on my home WiFi.  I also run g scale outside and O gauge inside. Every know then  you need to refresh but not much.   Still beats the hand held   for out of range and engine not found issues. Generally new engine add a little faster as well.  However you run have fun!!

It's much easier all in all if you connect WIU in HOME mode and run it off your home wifi.  No need to switch back and forth and all your email, text, etc., functions stay live when running trains. At t c.f.rhe NJ HiRailers we have 7 WIUs hard wired to our in house system.  Connect to the club wifi and you're good to go.

Hi Chris:

I have my TIU wired to my home Wi-Fi  and I feel this is the most important thing that the end user must do to be successful. The only issue that comes up is that I have 3 Wi-Fi channels in my home. Most of the time the TIU will find the correct Wi-Fi channel, if it does not my iPhone will give the warning below.  Just have to go into the App Setting on my iPhone and select the correct channel. Than back to running trains. 

Do you ever see this issue on your layout (NJ HiRailers)

Gary

Our WIUs are hard wired with cat6 cable. The MOST reliable way to connect them.   No WIU to wifi access point worries and you can remove the WIU antenna if you want.

While I have our wifi mesh network set to only expose one SSID it wouldn't matter if we had multiples. 

You could go into the router and block the WIU mac addresses on the SSIDs you don't want it to connect to or hardwire as I mention earlier if it's convenient. 

Chris Lord posted:

 you can remove the WIU antenna if you want.

I wouldn't recommend this.

While removing the antenna will severely degrade the output of the WIU WiFi signal, it will cause permanent damage to the WiFi hardware of the WIU if left this way for prolonged periods of time.  It would be better to disable the WiFi radio in the LuCI interface so that the signal is disabled and not visible no matter your proximity to the WIU.

Instructions to properly disable the WIU WiFi radio can be found in this thread: https://ogrforum.com/...41#80973530153295041

H1000 posted:

Chris Lord posted:

 you can remove the WIU antenna if you want.

I wouldn't recommend this.

While removing the antenna will severely degrade the output of the WIU WiFi signal, it will cause permanent damage to the WiFi hardware of the WIU if left this way for prolonged periods of time.  It would be better to disable the WiFi radio in the LuCI interface so that the signal is disabled and not visible no matter your proximity to the WIU.

Instructions to properly disable the WIU WiFi radio can be found in this thread: https://ogrforum.com/...41#80973530153295041

As I mentioned I had disabled the wifi.  If this is done I don't see how removing the antenna can cause a problem

The low power used in the WiFi unit would be unlikely to damage the output stage without an antenna attached, that's only a problem for transmitters that put out significant power, we're talking many watts.

gunrunnerjohn posted:

The low power used in the WiFi unit would be unlikely to damage the output stage without an antenna attached, that's only a problem for transmitters that put out significant power, we're talking many watts.

I have a stack of "no more wireless" wireless routers that would disagree with you.  They either had the antenna broke off or not connected at all. These routers were rated to out put anywhere from 65 to 100 milliwatts of power and are now in the single digits or zero. Some still work if you are willing to stand within 5 feet of the router.

Chris Lord posted:

As I mentioned I had disabled the wifi.  If this is done I don't see how removing the antenna can cause a problem

 I must have missed the part where you disabled the wireless transmitter. Blocking MAC addresses doesn't actually turn off the wireless transmitter on the WIU. If the Wi-Fi light on the WIU is lit, the transmitter is still operating.

That's odd, I have half a dozen routers that have come and gone over the years, they're still in my equipment closet.  I've dragged a number of them out over the years for various experiments, many times they got powered up for extended periods of time with no antenna.  I've never seen any degradation of the wireless signal on them.  I've run stuff like the Lionel CAB1 with no antenna as well, still works fine.  I certainly don't know how you were able to destroy a whole bunch of them by just leaving the antenna off, but that's sure not normal.