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Wifi USB adapter dropping connection


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Hello all. Just got my M20d a month ago. Went to the line 6 store and bought EnGenius USB adapter online. I am able to connect to my iPad but looses connection after 3 or 4 minutes. I have to turn off my iPad and m20d to reconnect only to have it drop out again. I'm only 5 feet from the m20d using my iPad. Any idea why it's not staying connected. I just read some of the other posts. Wow. I paid way too much to the line6 store. Maybe I should have got an apple express. But I thought if line 6 is selling it it's what I need to get. Maybe I need to call them and return it.

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I have kind off the same problem. connection drops out and comes back online. The difference is that mine comes back online almost immediately. Its still really annoying tho.

I found that if i "forget the Network" on the ipad, and then reconnect to it, at the beginning of the show, the problem is gone. it comes back the next time im connecting to the Network, but at least i know how to get around it. :)

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I use the "forget the network" button all the time.  iPads just get confused sometimes.

 

It is almost mandatory if you ever use one iPad with multiple mixers or upgraded software.  Probably not a bad idea to just do it every once and a while.

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Ok. I'll try to use forget network and get connected again. Will let you know if it helps

Also I've been trying to contact the online store phone # foe customer service. Just cut a recording. I've left several messages today. I've called last week also. I'm thinking I may just re turn the dongle

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I've had problems with my iPad dropping out with airplay but the M20D app still seems to be working.

 

Sometimes between sets when I'm just playing music through the PA from my iPad, especially when starting a new song, the iPad Music App will just freeze and quit playing.  Everything else is working but I can't airplay a song to the PA.  Had this happen one gig extensively and then sporadically since.

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I have contacted support and with their help was approved to return item to the line 6 store.

I decided to get the airport express and apple adapter but was hoping a wifi dongle would work.

I really don't want to chance having connection problems when using the system remotely

Thank you all for your input. I'm very happy with the m20d but still learning my way around on it

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Sorry for taking this thread in a new direction but Search really sucks and I was not finding what I need. I am asking here because this was on the front page and is semi-related.

 

I have the Airport Express and the USB-Ethernet adaptor from Apple. I have actually tried two Expresses and neither have worked to set up the wi-fi network. I have tried using with my existing network, creating my own network, and resetting each device to default and trying again. Why is this not working simply? I've tried it multiple times and with multiple Airport Expresses.

 

Is there a specific model of the USB-Ethernet adaptor that is the only one that works?

 

I have also tried two different ethernet cables.

I have also tried using my Mac Mini to create a network and Ethernet into that.

 

No dice.

 

Can anyone help? I never even get the buttons for '...Existing' or 'Standalone'.

 

I've spent hours on this simple thing.

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  • 2 weeks later...

The Moshi brand works as well....it is even sold on the apple store online. And, it comes with a USB port, so you can use a USB stick at the same time. I have done it very often. Our backing tracks are on a USB stick, so I can access the backing tracks, connect with my airport express, and record to an SD card.

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Thanks for the tip.  I'll look for one.

 

I'm sure there are others that work.  The issues is that it must be chip comparable and Apple is the only one officially tested for use.  Don't make the mistake of buying an adapter that says it will work with Apple computers.  That is not the same thing.

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Thanks for the input. You misunderstood my attempt at clarification. Yes, I bought an APPLE one. But there are different model numbers on some of them. I bought the A1277 or something like that. It does NOT work. It's Apple USB-Ethernet adaptor to an Apple Airport Express (as stated above "I have the Airport Express and the USB-Ethernet adaptor from Apple.")

 

I have tried two different Ethernet cables and no dice.

 

The Moshi brand works as well....it is even sold on the apple store online. And, it comes with a USB port, so you can use a USB stick at the same time. I have done it very often. Our backing tracks are on a USB stick, so I can access the backing tracks, connect with my airport express, and record to an SD card.

That sounds really cool actually to still have a USB port available. Thanks for that.

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Might sound a daft question, but are you plugging into the correct RJ45 socket on the back of the airport express?

 

Cable needs to go into the LAN port (icon looks like a pair of arrows) NOT the WLAN port (circular icon).On model A1392, it is the RIGHT HAND port adjacent to the USB port.

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  • 2 weeks later...

Thanks SiWatts and boomer…not daft questions at all. It's always good to start at the most basic and your question helped. I am definitely in the LAN port but my Aiport Express is a 3-4 year old Express that plugs in the wall. It only has a LAN port. It is Wireless 'N' so it's not the really really old ones.

 

So, is this my issue? I've got to buy the new Airport Express?

 

I did get a new Ethernet cable to try differently and at least the M20D recognizes that it's plugged in Ethernet. It didn't with the other cable (maybe it's a crossover cable I heard about?).

 

As for the network with the Mac Mini and the Express, yes that all works perfectly. Why couldn't I just have the Mac Mini create the wireless network? That should work too, correct?

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I posted this to another thread about the airport express. If you've got the M20d as far as recognising it has an Ethernet connection...

 

Realise you've been through the whole process several times but...

 

Do a complete HARD reset of the airport express... It may be worth disconnecting your iPad from any other wireless network you have up and running whilst you do this.

 

1.Disconnect everything except the power from your Airport Express. Press and hold the reset button until you see the status light (LED) start to flash amber rapidly, which should occur after about five seconds.

2.Release the button and the device will reset.

3.Wait about a minute for the base station to finish restarting, then in Settings > WiFi on your iPad you should see an entry for "SET UP NEW AIRPORT BASE STATION" with "Airport Express xxxxxx" beneath where xxxxxx is a sequence of 6 letters and numbers.

4.Once the iPad has initially connected, in AirPort Setup, choose Create a New Network (Recommended)

5.Name your network (the name you enter is irrelevant)

6.Name the device (again name is irrelevant)

7.Create and enter a password. This password is simply the password for managing your Airport Express and connecting to it with your iPad and has nothing to do with the stagescape connection directly.

8.Continue without Internet connection (plug no cables in)

9.Wait til setup completes and click "Done"

10.Plug Network cable to LAN port on back of Airport Express (LAN port has the arrows icon)

11.Plug other end of network cable into USB to Ethernet adapter

12.Power up your M20d and when fully booted plug USB to Ethernet adapter in to the USB port.

13.On M20d screen, press the "i" icon in top right corner of screen and select the "Wi-Fi" button on the left.

14.You should see green text stating "Status: Ethernet connected"

15.On iPad, launch the Stagescape remote app

16.Press green "CONNECT" button in app and you should see a "Choose a StageScape" screen.

17.Press the offered entry and you should get an "Enter StageScape M20d PIN" screen. Enter the pin displayed on the M20d screen.

18.After a few seconds, your M20d WiFi screen should now display "1 Remote Connected" and the iPad should now show your SETUP screen.

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The most common mistakes I see users making are:

 

1. Using a USB/Ethernet adaptor that is not the Apple branded unit specified on the FAQ

 

2. Plugging into the WLAN port instead of the LAN port (remember you are not looking to connect to the internet)

 

3. Not fully resetting the Apple Express

 

If you get these three thing correct it practically sets itself up automatically.

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Are intimating that perhaps I've made another mistake? That's not very friendly of you. It's quite assumptive of a Moderator if you are.

 

1. Already confirmed I bought the Apple branded unit. ….with a big Apple on the packaging in the Apple section of Best Buy pointed out to me on the shelf by the guy with the Apple shirt who was an Apple brand specialist.

 

2. The wall mounted Airport Express only has a LAN connector so as much as I might have tried to stick it in a WAN connector that most definitely didn't happen. I mounted my cable to the LAN and had LAN babies because that was the only hole the Church of Steve Jobs was going to allow me into.

 

3. I fully reset the Apple Express (the one made by Apple) many times.

 

 

So, I gave up on the constant resetting of the damn thing as recommended multiple times and followed multiple times…..and voila. The damn thing connected on my old network (without the screen option of Existing or Create New listed in the manual). The resetting of the unit was giving me the problem. Weird. I know. This is one of those times I shouldn't have followed directions.

 

Thanks for your help guys.

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Hi stormstudios...

 

I guess where we have crossed wires is that we have (perhaps naturally) assumed you have the 2nd generation Airport Express when what you have is a first generation one which Apple no longer manufacture and which hasn't been manufactured for longer than the M20d has been around. I've no experience with that unit so cannot say that my sequence list is right for it.

 

Far from not being friendly, I think it is easy to see written comments as personal criticism when they are not intended as such. In my experience, the vast majority of people only want to help.

 

So, cut us a bit of slack ;-)

 

Glad you got it working in the end!

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Hi, Can someone assist me with this question, My NetGear N600 Wireless Router seems to have died on me. The power supply works but the unit is not booting up. I have decided to buy another Router however, from this feedback forum I realise that the Apple Airport Express (latest model) is highly recommended and I have been using the Apple adaptor out of the M20D. Should I go and get another NetGear Router or is the EXPRESS the way to go. One thing I must note is that there were hardly ever dropouts when I am mixing in crowds with the N600. Does the EXPRESS opereate "line of sight?" which would be a ticket for DROPOUTS?

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I guess it depends how big the range you're operating is.

 

I'm using the Airport Express (2nd Gen) and haven't had any issues though the venues we've used it in have so far been pretty modest.

 

The one a number appear to mention frequently is the belkin n600(?) which allows switching off the 2.4GHz band (my express doesn't) leaving just the 5GHz running meaning less interference problems.

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Hi SiWatts69, thanks for the reply but can you give me a little more clarification?

How " modest " is modest?

Is 50ft away from the Router a range that you still pick up the M20d?

Do you have dropouts when the signal gets blocked by people on the Dance Floor?

Is 2 feet off the ground too low to place the Router and still be able to pick up the signal without interference from people on the Dance floor?

 

With my old Router I could have accomplished the above without dropouts. I ask these questions to be certain that the " EXPRESS " is the way to go. By the way my friend suggested that I will be more happier with the Apple AIrport EXTREME. What's your take?

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hi eukieb

 

How " modest " is modest?

Is 50ft away from the Router a range that you still pick up the M20d?

This is somewhat tainted by how we use it. For our setup, the M20d sits on the opposite side of stage to me, where our guitarist is. He does much of the mixing pre-gig and only a little during a gig.

I, meanwhile am on the opposite side of the stage, with the iPad. He is responsible for unmuting/muting etc at the start and end of sets whereas I'm there to start and stop recordings and adjust our singers' monitors if need arises (I'm a sax player so often have passages where I'm neither playing nor singing). Midway through our first set is a song where I don't play or sing anything so I scurry off stage out to the back of the room and do any quick adjustments that might be necessary. The biggest room I scurried to the back of so far has been a 300 capacity room, about 40m long. My express has never yet (that I know of) dropped out.

 

Do you have dropouts when the signal gets blocked by people on the Dance Floor?

From what I know, it is unlikely that people will create difficulties. To my knowledge, the bigger issue is wifi noise, generated by the collection of wifi enabled devices in your vicinity.

 

Is 2 feet off the ground too low to place the Router and still be able to pick up the signal without interference from people on the Dance floor?

Mine lives beneath the mixer in a gator case that the mixer sits on top of. The desk is about 1m off the ground, so the express isn't far from there. A longer network cable in my bag of tricks means I can always move the router somewhere else if I have problems when initially connecting.

With my old Router I could have accomplished the above without dropouts. I ask these questions to be certain that the " EXPRESS " is the way to go. By the way my friend suggested that I will be more happier with the Apple AIrport EXTREME. What's your take?

I've had zero issues with the express and given its size it's less to lug around, fits neatly in my mics flightcase and is easier to position. Extreme does look like it ought to provide a more stable connection, but that single pro (for an issue I've not experienced) wouldn't be enough to convince me to swap from my express.
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If you are on 2.4Ghz, the dance floor, or just a filled venue, will be a problem because almost everyone has a cell phone now, and often, Bluetooth is activated. That can be a problem. I also found that my wireless mic and guitar would be great in soundcheck, and then have many dropouts during performance. That was fixed by using the other mode. It is line 6 gear. Now, nothing gets in the way of my wireless gear, or my 5GHz connection.

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Thanks Guys for your input especially SiWatts who took the time to address the individual questions. I was fortunate enough to borrow an EXPRESS from my friend and used it at our Gig last night, I am happy to report that it's performance was Exceptional. We had a packed Dancefloor and I worked my way between the crowd and as far back from the mixer approx fifty feet and there was Never a dropout. I am sold on the EXPRESS now, all my concerns were addressed so I will have my daughter FedEx me one from Canada over the weekend. I am wondering if I should buy the EXTREME though which I think has the ability to shut off the 2.5G.

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Just did a double check on the EXTREME, yes, it has more strength but not the ability to turn off the transmitting frees so I will stick with the Express, Thanks again Guys and also thanks to Line6 for creating this Forum.

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  • 2 weeks later...

Unfortunately you cannot shut off the 2.4G on Apple Express so even though you connect your iPad to it at 5GHz it is still sending and being hit by 2.4G.

Does it matter though? I don't know the answer. I just assumed as long as it wasn't getting in between my ipad and the router, it wouldn't affect me. But can it burden the 5GHz just by putting weight on the 2.4GHz?

 

In any case, my ipad connection was solid everywhere since switching to 5GHz. But, I am not usually far from the board. At a small festival last weekend, I was only doing sound. When too many people got between me and the board, I had dropouts. But the router was in a case, very concealed and behind the stage. Probably an easy fix if I put it even on top of the case....exposed.

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But the router was in a case, very concealed and behind the stage. Probably an easy fix if I put it even on top of the case....exposed.

I reckon you've answered your own query there... If it's going to be busy and you're controlling from back of room, raise the express so it is above head height (if possible). Everywhere is different though. Sometimes extra metalwork in a venue can cause issues. RF interference from other electrical devices and so on. The express is a great little router, I like it because it is small/compact and no bits and pieces sticking out of it (aerials etc) but ultimately, it is designed for domestic usage.

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  • 11 months later...

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