WIU Questions

Ricky,

• We have two separate parts, the mainline and the yard. I have figured out how to connect the two WIUs so they operate together (Like Super TIU mode), but this only works when you are on a WiFi network. Can this feature work when it is in MTH mode?

Yes, it can. Put one TIU in MTH mode and get it setup. Then, put the other ZTIU in Home mode and use the first WIU as a router instead of the club's router. (Refer to The DCS WiFi Companion 1st Edition fro details.)

• We have about 15 DCS Remotes, with our engines in them. We are buying the brand new TIUs with version 6 on them, but we need to upgrade the hand held remotes to version 6 as well. How do we do that With keeping the engines in that remote in the same remote?

No worries. Updating a remote's software will not affect its contents.

• Since our layout is sometimes at the county fair, we are outside and away from a WiFi network. If we use an Apple Wifi Personal Hotspot, will the WIUs work with the hotspot?

I haven't done it but see no reason why it would not work. However, if you operate in MTH mode, as I described above, you don't need a WiFi network at all, except for the one generated by the WIU in MTH Mode.

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!

Thank you for your help. I appreciate it. I might have more questions in the near future.

Ricky 

Hi Again,

I have another question. With the app, I am aware that you can set speed limits on the locomotives. I would like to set speed limits on all engines. Is there a way to do this without doing it individually?

Also, I have the WIU at my house. I am going to be flipping between my home network and the club’s. Will my phone know to switch or do I have to do something else. If you don’t know, that’s ok. Thank you for your help. 

Ricky 

Ricky,

With the app, I am aware that you can set speed limits on the locomotives. I would like to set speed limits on all engines. Is there a way to do this without doing it individually?

No, there is not.

Also, I have the WIU at my house. I am going to be flipping between my home network and the club’s. Will my phone know to switch or do I have to do something else. If you don’t know, that’s ok

When you connect to a layout by connecting to its local WiFi network, the app assumes that the layout is the same one that you previously used. When you then do a refresh command, the app will look for only those items (engines, switch tracks, accessories, etc.) that are already in its contents.

However, there's a relatively easy way to switch between different layouts by exporting the apps contents for each of the layouts that you frequent, and saving them as E-mail attachments in the smartphone or tablet. Then, when it's time to operate on a particular layout (personal, club, store, or other), you can quickly (about a minute) import that layout's app contents from the appropriate E-mail attachment int the app itself, replacing its current contents. Then, when back on the original, or some other layout, you can import that layout's contents back into the app.

This is explained in detail in The DCS WiFi Companion 1st Edition, in Appendix D; More than 100 Command Control Engines, on pages 191-192.

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!

Hello,

Thank you for your help. I appreciate it. 

Ricky

Hi,

I have another question. In our club we have multiple remotes and different engines in each. Will the WIU have access to all engines? Thanks,

Ricky

Ricky,

The DCS App will have access to all engines on the tracks of all TIUs to which WIU is connected.

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!

Hi,

Thank you for your help. 

Ricky

Hi,

I have another question. How will our engines work with the new TIUs and WIUs? Will they automatically come up on our phones? We have some remotes with different engines. Thanks,

Ricky

Hi,

I have another question. How do we transport the information in our current TIUs into the new TIUs? Thank you. 

Ricky

Ricky,

You cannot transfer information between TIUs. However, the TIU only contains Record/Playback sessions and Custom Sounds.

Everything else is in the DCS Remote and/or the DCS App.

Hi, 

Thank you for your help. 

Ricky

Hi,

Our layout has a 4 track mainline. We have DCS on all the tracks. Will the WIU work on all 4 tracks like regular DCS does? Thank you,

Ricky 

Ricky,

Will the WIU work on all 4 tracks like regular DCS does?

It will handle everything that your TIU can handle, so the answer is "yes".

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!

Hi,

Great. Thank you so much for your help. 

Ricky

Hi,

Does the WIU use a USB 2.0 Cable or a USB 3.0 Cable? Thanks,

Ricky

Ricky,

Does the WIU use a USB 2.0 Cable or a USB 3.0 Cable?

Whatever USB 2.0 or 3.0 cable that has the connectors as indicated below will work. From The DCS WiFi Companion 1st Edition, page 41:

The DCS Application requires the following MTH DCS devices in order to operate:

• DCS 6.0 or later and DCS Loader Program 5.0 or later
• #50-1003 DCS TIU
• #50-1002 DCS Remote (for functions not present in the application)
• #50-1034 WiFi Interface Unit
• USB cable (for Rev. L TIU), male USB-B (TIU end) to male USB-A (WiFi Interface Unit end or
• USB to Serial cable (for all other TIUs). If using a USB to Serial cable and the TIU is already connected to a Lionel command base, then a serial "Y" cable (1 male end, 2 female ends) will also be required.

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!

Hi,

Thank you so much. 

Ricky

Hi,

We are using our WIUs at the club and we are having a few problems. When we connected the two WIUs using "MTH Mode", our devices and apps kept saying that there was a connectivity issue. We also got a TIU Interrogation Failure message, and there was a note that said, "Is there a TIU with an unpowered TIU on the Network?" Is there a way to fix this? If not, that's ok. Have a nice day!

Ricky

Ricky,

When we connected the two WIUs using "MTH Mode", our devices and apps kept saying that there was a connectivity issue

Are you connecting both WIUs in MTH individually? If so, the DCS App will be able to only access one or the other but not both. If you want to connect multiple WIUs and not use a local network, the first is connected in MTH mode and additional WIUs are connected in Home mode where the network to which they connect is provided by the first WIU in MTH mode.

We also got a TIU Interrogation Failure message

This can happen if you attempt to access teh TIU (via the WIU) either without first issuing a Refresh command or before the WIU has stabilized, i.e., its LEDs are showing that it's connected and ready to receive commands.

and there was a note that said, "Is there a TIU with an unpowered TIU on the Network?"

I don't recall ever seeing such a message, however, it could be due to to the app not finding the WIUwithout a TIU connected, as noted in my previous comment above.

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!

Hi,

We are connecting both WIUs and using them as one in MTH mode. Thanks,

Ricky

Ricky,

We are connecting both WIUs and using them as one in MTH mode

No, you're not, unless you have the primary WIU in MTH mode and the second WIU in Home mode, connected to the first WIU.

Is that how they're configured?

Hi,

Yes, we have them configured like that. Thanks,

Ricky