FX needs reconnecting to WiFi data source on each power up

[dperalta]

Should the FX unit remember the SSID for its igrid data connection? On every power up, we need to
- go to the igrid status page
- tap the Scan for Networks button
- wait for the SSID for our 4G dongle to appear
- click the Join button (it does remember the passkey, so that does not need to be re-entered)

Is there any way for it to auto scan for WiFi networks and connect to one it recognises?

[Admin]

Fx will reconnect to the last known network IF it is present
Can I ask, what type of device you are trying to connect to ?
If it is an iPhone, the iPhone will
Only allow clients to connect, IF it is currently on its hotspot page

[dperalta]

Thanks for getting back to me. It’s a usb data-only 4G dongle with its own SIM card. Pic attached. It’s powered by a dedicated usb cable and not by the FX unit. I think it takes a few seconds longer to fully boot up than the FX unit so potentially its SSID is not visible to FX when FX powers up. However FX does not appear to keep scanning for known SSID’s and automatically connect if a previously registered one appears.

[dperalta]

This is what it looks like after we click on Scan Networks, the the Join button against this SSID (I have renamed it from the default on the dongle)

[dperalta]

Took a pic today of what it looks like a few mins after boot up, and after clicking the scan networks button. Manually need to click the Join button to get it to connect.

[Admin]

Thanks for getting back to me. It’s a usb data-only 4G dongle with its own SIM card. Pic attached. It’s powered by a dedicated usb cable and not by the FX unit. I think it takes a few seconds longer to fully boot up than the FX unit so potentially its SSID is not visible to FX when FX powers up. However FX does not appear to keep scanning for known SSID’s and automatically connect if a previously registered one appears.

You are correct, the FX does not continually scan, there is a very good technical reason for this to do with performance.
Once powered up it will perform 3 scans, then it will revert to a manual connection mode.

Can I ask you to try the following sequence

1. power up the 4g dongle
2. confirm you can see the 4g dongle ssid from a device - eg iphone, ipad
3. power up FX

Does the FX now connect to the 4G device ?

[PaulSS]

This is what I have found I need to do. It seems to me it's a bit like having the hotspot page open on the iPhone before turning on the FX. I start my FX after the 4G dongle has had a little while to do its thing and I find it will connect automatically.

[dperalta]

Thanks, thought so but problem is we have FX and the 4G dongle powered by the same USB power adapter behind the panel. Means we can’t delay FX power up to after the 4G power up, unless we modify the panel with a dedicated circuit breaker and another USB power adapter. Obviously not ideal.  What is the recommended setup for giving FX a mobile data connection if not through a dongle?

If FX could either delay the interval between the 3 retries, increase the no. of retries to cover first 60 seconds after boot up, I think that should cater for the latency in all these mobile data dongles.