Wifi Classic

[cfarrell]

I am using a pilot aware classic, and love it.

It's based on the Pi Model 2B, so no internal wifi. So I'm using a wifi dongle.

The only thing that I don't like about my PA is that I lose the ability to get internet access on my tablet when connected to the PA. My tablet has no 4G connection and relies on a wifi connection to my phone's hotspot.

Previously I was able to use bluetooth to get around this problem, but since replacing my old iPad with a Samsung Tab S6, this is no longer possible. The bluetooth connection on the Tab S6 refuses to share internet saying that it's already got a wifi connection and I can't share internet connection on bluetooth with an active wifi connection!

But I got to thinking. Is it possible to install a second wifi dongle on the PA Classic so that the second wifi connection connects to the mobile hotspot from my phone, and then shares out the internet connection through the existing PA hotspot?

That way any device connected to the PA would be able to have internet access!

Is it possible? If so, any guidance on how to do it?

Thanks
Colm

[exfirepro]

Hi Colm,

Sorry to have to say this, but I’m pretty sure what you are suggesting  is impossible.

The only way a Raspberry Pi can directly access the Internet is via an external router or Hotspot (such as a mobile phone or other 4/5G device). Linking with a raw Pi2 is limited to Ethernet by cable. The Pi3B (which is used in Rosetta) has its own inbuilt WiFi which can under certain circumstances (e.g. when used in a base station) be set up to connect direct to the Internet by WiFi via an external router or hotspot, but even the Pi3 can’t provide both a Data Source ‘Hotspot’ which we need to provide GPS and Traffic Data to your Display, and an external internet connection at the same time.

The problem I’m afraid lies with the developers of the newer versions of the Tablet / Phone firmware, who in their wisdom and increasing fear of allowing unrecognised data sources to access your device, seem to have removed the option to connect to two different external sources via WiFi and Bluetooth at the same time. Not at all helpful I’m afraid, but probably something we will have to learn to live with. Unless someone else out there knows different??

Regards

Peter

[rodent0_2]

Another question will the PAW support two devices connected on Wi-fi, asI have been trying to connect an I pad this afternoon along with an android tablet, the iPad says it’s connected but I don’t get the Wi-fi icon on the screen and get a no connection error, reason for doing this is I wanted some screen shots for the BMAA transponder mod. Cheers Nick, pi 3 with on board Wi-fi and bt.

[Ian Melville]

Nick, yes it should. I do it quite often. Look to see if an IP address is allocated to the iPad. It should be 192.168.1.XXX. If yes open a browser and try connecting to the home page http://192.168.1.1

[rodent0_2]

Thought so, it wouldn’t go that address or any other as it hadn’t got a Wi-fi signal although it was connected in the settings. ?

[exfirepro]

Strange Nick,

I've had issues with a faulty WiFi dongle plenty of times, but never had an issue getting a WiFi connection with a Pi3.

Ah - just a thought. I think I know what the issue might be. I've had this loads of times with my iPads. You don't want http://192.168.1.1 - that makes the iPad think it's looking for an external address via the internet (which of course it doesn't have access to). It needs to be just 192.168.1.1. If it won't accept that and keeps saying it can't connect to http://192 etc, you need to clear your browser history and ideally tell it to forget your PAW WiFi, then reconnect and retry with the bare URL - 192.168.1.1

Regards

Peter

[rodent0_2]

Thanks I’ll give it another go, I’ll try my phone as well, haven’t had any problems with my android device which is what I use in anger, been carrying my iPad as a back because SkyDemon have had a couple of connection issues on older android devices (now sorted) so turns out the iPad wouldn’t have helped me in panic mode