"Request Timed Out", "Error", "Not Working!" MTH DCS WIU

Landon,

You are not doing anything wrong.  This seems to be a bug.  Try not powering up Fixed2.

Dave

Im having the same issue. Worked perfect last weekend, Haven't changed anything and "Request Timed Out"

If you're using the updated app and original WIU firmware, you could well have issues.

You should update both the app and the WIU.

David Minarik posted:

Landon,

You are not doing anything wrong.  This seems to be a bug.  Try not powering up Fixed2.

Dave

 

Just discovered this myself and now can't find the thread that discussed this at length.  If I have both fixed 1 and fixed 2 powered up, will continuously get the "request timed out" message on wifi app.    

Power up ONLY fixed 1 or ONLY fixed 2 and problem solved!

Power up ONLY fixed 1 or ONLY fixed 2 and problem solved!

I don't think so.

Powering up as many as 10 channels on 3 TIUs simultaneously, each with a WIU connected, works just fine for me. You have something else going on.

Just tried mine again on 2 different layouts with 2 different TIUs and it worked well.

I usually find that if there's a problem, it's with the WIFI settings on what I'm using for control (phone, or tablet.)

Mine doesn't work well unless it's talking directly to the TIU without any home router.

Barry Broskowitz posted:

Power up ONLY fixed 1 or ONLY fixed 2 and problem solved!

I don't think so.

Powering up as many as 10 channels on 3 TIUs simultaneously, each with a WIU connected, works just fine for me. You have something else going on.

I would love to hear your input on this Barry or what I can do to diagnose what is causing the "request timed out" error.    I have an inner and outer loop that interchange.  They are isolated from each other. A Z4000 powers the layout. Left handle powers the inner loop and Right handle powers the outer.  I have your 3rd edition if there is a page to point me to.  If both handles are powered up the iPad will request timed out.  Shut down the loop without the locomotive on it and problem solved.  This occurs even if it is the only locomotive on the layout

Some weeks ago I divided each loop into blocks by cutting the center rail and that solved a slew of minor issues and all thanks to your DCS Companion!

The first thing I'd look for is an issue in the tracks where the channels powered by the Z4000 handles are either connected together somewhere or the loops themselves are connected to the TIU channels in such a way that they are out of phase with respect to each other.

Disconnect one handle of the Z4000 from its TIU channel input and connect the other handle to both of the channel inputs. If the problem goes away then the loops are possibly connected somewhere. If the problem persists, I'd look for the loops being out of phase with respect to each other.

Barry Broskowitz posted:

The first thing I'd look for is an issue in the tracks where the channels powered by the Z4000 handles are either connected together somewhere or the loops themselves are connected to the TIU channels in such a way that they are out of phase with respect to each other.

Disconnect one handle of the Z4000 from its TIU channel input and connect the other handle to both of the channel inputs. If the problem goes away then the loops are possibly connected somewhere. If the problem persists, I'd look for the loops being out of phase with respect to each other.

Tried the first thing with one handle powering fixed 1 and fixed 2. I disconnected the wires from the back of the Z4000 on the left side and put a jumper from fixed 1 positive to fixed 2 positive.  Problem still existed.

When you say the loops being out of phase wouldn't that give me 30 something volts when crossing from one loop to the other?  I've had that issue in the past and they are in phase in that respect.  Everything is sharing grounds if that makes a difference. 

This only happens with the wifi app with both an IPhone and Ipad.  The DCS remote is fine.  I have a revision L with 5.0 installed. Trying to give you all the info I can to work with here.

Now that you mention that the problem only presents when the DCS App is used and not when using the remote, the issue can only really be due to one of the following:

• The DCS App is at version 1.1 or 1.2 and the WIU is at firmware level 1.0, or the DCS App is at version 1.0 and the WIU's firmware is 1.1.
• If operating the WIU in Home mode, there's a problem with the WIU communicating with the router.
• There's a cabling issue between the WIU and the TIU.
• The WIU or the TIU are defective.

More detail regarding the above bullet points could prove useful.

I would suspect a bad WIU right out of the box. I have 3 TIUs Rev L v6.1, Phone and tablet apps v3.1.0, and 2 each WIUs that I upgraded to v1.1.0. 

Today I just received my third new WIU and right out of the box when trying to add an MTH engine after the "Interrogating Engines" notice I receive an immediate "Request Timed Out". I tried updating the firmware to v1.1.0 and also tried to reset the WIU to the factory settings and same message. When I swap the WIU out with one of the other two WIUs that I have everything works perfect !! 

Unless I am missing something, I believe that I have received a brand new WIU that has a hardware not software problem and will be sending it back to MTH unless Barry or someone can tell me what else I can try to fix it.

Thanks,

Woody

OK.....Hold the phone......I have two separate layouts so it is easy for me to swap my WIUs back and forth (see post above) so I thought I would do some more swapping and see if I could figure out what was going on. Upon doing so one of my older WIUs that were working perfect when swapped above started to act just like the new one and said "Request Timed Out" when I attempted to add an MTH engine. So I swapped phones and tablets, and WIUs back and forth and even got the same message on the other layout before I swapped anything and it was running perfect before the last shutdown. Now I was really going nuts but after only retrying the same add engine request without doing any swapping or touching anything else it all of a sudden started to work perfect again. So now I am second guessing, did I not wait long enough for the WIU to come on board even though all the lights were lit, TIU, Power, and WiFi?

So I tried the other layout with one of the older WIUs and still got the same timed out message. I then removed the one Lionel TMCC engine and the other MTH Proto 2 engine from my layout and again attempted to add my one MTH Proto 3 engine and this time it worked perfect. So I shut everything down, swapped in my new WIU that had never worked right, fired everything up, and the new WIU would now add my MTH engine and work perfect.

My conclusion after being a bit dizzy from all of this swapping is that possibly the other two engines on the track, the MTH Proto 2 and the Lionel TMCC may have somehow interfered with the adding of the MTH Proto 3 engine. This does not explain why the other layout without touching anything but using the same tablet to run both did screw up that one time.

It is still a bit of a mystery and I am now wondering if there is a bug in the latest app software v3.1.0 ??

Anyhow please disregard my conclusion on my first post as there does not now seem to be any problem with the WIU itself, as I said before I am now feeling dizzy and either need to lay down or have a stiff drink. :-)

Woody

Woody,

the Lionel TMCC may have somehow interfered with the adding of the MTH Proto 3 engine

That's a known issue that is resolved by placing a 22 uh RF choke inline with the offending TMCC engine's wire between the pickup rollers and the electronics.

This and a whole lot more about DCS is all in MTH’s “The DCS Companion 3rd Edition!" This book is available from many fine OGR advertisers and forum sponsors, or as an eBook or a printed book at MTH's web store!

This and a whole lot more about DCS WiFi is all in MTH’s “The DCS WiFi Companion 1st Edition!" This book is available from many fine OGR advertisers and forum sponsors, or as an eBook or a printed book at MTH's web store! Get the free TMCC & Legacy Addendum here!

Thanks Barry:

I have both of your latest books they are a great source of information. The problem seemed to be an intermittent one that somehow went away on it's own. Having the other engines on the track was never a problem with my main layout when using the DCS WiFi to add an MTH engine and in fact this was the first time I had ever seen the "Request Timed Out" message. It all seemed to be triggered by the addition of the new WIU and seemed to follow my I Phone 6+ and I Pad Tablet to each of the separate layouts using different TIUs and WIUs. This is why I thought there could be a glitch/bug in the new app v3.1.0 software.

The problem has mysteriously gone away without me having to do anything that was an obvious solution and I will report back if it pops up again and can maybe zero in on just what exactly is causing it.

In the mean time things are back to normal and I'm just glad it's gone !!

Thanks for your help,

Woody

When your track signal is good but maybe not perfect, 1 or 2 pieces of offending equipment parked in the right spot can tip the scale and lower the signal.

I can usually pull my Lionel tank cars w/ sound around without issue. Every once in awhile they have to be removed from a train if there's an issue. I should add chokes but I haven't.

It would be nice if somehow the app could tell us the exact issue it is seeing. We have to search for it.

I love how this thread has been activated by us once a year since 2016 😂😂 Thanks for your help!

@Landon Eshbach  Here I go ... activating the thread for 2019 

1. I too am getting the Request Timed Out message when attempting to add an engine (app was downloaded, so it's current) 
2. Cannot check signal strength via the App since adding an engine is what gets me "timed out"
3. The remote is reporting signal strength of "1" throughout. 
4. After working to replace all of the track power buss underneath, I am now thinking I have a bad TIU channel. 
5. @Barry Broskowitz suggests several things to me in a private email, which I am grateful for (he'da'man)
6. Will try routing power through FIXED CHANNEL 2 and see what happens. 
7. Barry also reminds me that stranded wire is preferred (I used solid copper in the re-wire). 
8. I did remove all other rolling stock (including TMCC engines) and that did not help. 
9. @mike g. - yes, wine always helps, but I have to wait for cocktail hour. 
10. Oh yes, everything is current (6.1 on the TIU and Remote, and 1.1 in the WIU). 

-- Dr Joe

(PS: I can never remember: Is BUSS the correct term? :-)

Dr Joe 

When I become frustrated with which component of my layout, TIU, WIU, etc. is causing a problem, I will often do the following.

I set up a temporary loop on the floor of the living room (the wife loves this) and remove my TIU etc. from my large layout and wire it up to the living room loop just to see if I can get the component to work correctly and make sure that there is not a problem with it or the way that I wire it up.

You then should be able to get a signal strength that is higher than 7 and just give you your confidence and sanity back and that you are working with good components to start with.

Sounds pretty simple and basic I know but sometimes it just helps to start over from the very beginning and then work back toward your problem.

Good Luck!

Woody

@F3 Woody ... Bingo! Perfect advice. Thank you!

I set up a test track (actually had one built already) and wired the TIU into it. Viola! Everything works. 

Gotta be my wiring. 

Back under I go (to re-wire everything, this time the right way).

Dr Joe

I have had 7 engines in my list over the past many years all working fine thru the WIU and TIU.  A week ago, nada. Deleted APP as was suggested and reloaded it.  Rebooted WIU & TIU.  All lights work properly.  Then a couple of days ago out of the blue when I tried to add engines again, it recognized 3 that were on the tracks, so I loaded them.  It is a hit and miss situation.

The next day, I got "Connection failed" or "timed out"  again and again.

Today I tried again and was having no success.  I thought what the heck I will start one of the engines up.  After it started up I went to Add Engines and one of my other engines WAS recognized and added.  Tried it again later and no luck.

There is a BUG among us.  I'll try again tomorrow.  It is now 2023 - has anyone found a work around?

@zipper69 posted:

The next day, I got "Connection failed" or "timed out"  again and again.

There is a BUG among us.  I'll try again tomorrow.  It is now 2023 - has anyone found a work around?

Repeating advice you should have heard by now- turn the airplane mode setting on on your phone or tablet. This forces the network communications over WIFI.

Part2- bug MTH @MTH RD @MTH about this updated version of the app they were supposed to release. https://ogrforum.com/...3#182184738803441193

@MTH RD posted:

Hi all.  We are aware of some issues with both the Android and iOS versions of the app.  The OP's issues are not among them.  There are some reports of incompatibility with some of the latest devices and OS.  We are in the process of updating the app to current Android and iOS versions at the present feature level.  Then, with delivery of the new WTIU, there will be another update released to support the new features and functionality in the new hardware.

Sorry for the inconvenience.  The supply chain issues demanded a lot of attention in order to keep building the engine boards in support of production.  We hope to release the app updates by the end of October.

I've personally never had any issue running without disabling the cellular functions.  I have my WIU connected through my router and not a direct connection, I find that to be a more reliable connection.  Since I have four access points, I can run trains from anywhere through the router without regard for the connectivity to the WIU.  I vastly prefer this mode of operation over turning off my cell service, it's easy to forget to turn it back on!

OGR Forum is your friend!! 

I just bought a WIU and it timed out trying to find an engine with the app on what I thought was an isolated track section.  It always timed out, but I could start the engine with the remote.  I disconnected the TIU from layout wiring and jumpered directly from the TIU output to a section of track on the floor with an engine on it.  The app found the engine right away and operate functions from the app.  Interesting, when I connected the TIU output back to the layout wiring and placed the engine back on the layout, I could start the engine with the app right off.  Looks like I have some wiring troubleshooting to do. 

If @Landon Eshbach is still on the Forum, thank you for asking the question 8+ years ago!!  Thank you everyone for the help in helping me diagnose my problem.

Thanks Mark Boyce for your recent email.  After reading it I set up a separate track to my TIU and turned everything on and BINGO, it worked. I was able to reload all of my engines into the system and now all is working as it should be.  Obviously a wiring problem in my set up somewhere.  Good to know:  WIU and TIU functioning as they should and trains are working with the DCS App once again.  I'm happy!

You’re welcome, zipper69!  I just think if an old thread helps me, I should write a thank you comment and get the thread back in circulation again for someone else!

Yes, something is crossed up in my wiring, but since everything works I may knock myself out cold trying to find it and still fail.  😄

I will add, I got my 9 DCS engines and 3 TMCC engines setup in the app on the new programming track I added.  I have 1 and only 1 Legacy engine, and it just doesn’t want to cooperate with the app, but runs fine either with the TMCC remote or with the DCS remote.  I am starting to wonder if the WIU app won’t work with the original TMCC base.  🤷‍♂️ Another question to search out.