WiFi question

[geppert]

Trying to get my iPad connected to M20d via Airport Express ... unsuccessfully so far.

 

Downloaded the Stagescape App. Hit "Connect" nothing happens.

 

This is an older 1st generation AE A1084 single Ethernet port.

 

I have it configured with a AE network that I created. My MacPro and my iPad can both see and connect to the AE network by wifi.

 

However, when I plug the ethernet cable from the AE to the M20d via 3rd party USB/Ethernet adaptor the M20d says No Remotes Present "no network adaptor present". I am wondering if I have an incompatible adaptor and that is what is causing this problem? As I mentioned, it is NOT an Apple adaptor but it says it is Mac Compatible.

 

Any ideas out there?

 

I have reset the AE several times and reconfigured the network. I don't think the problem is there?

 

I do know from the Connection Tutorial on the Stagescape App that the M20d is NOT behaving as the Tutorial shows which makes me suspect this %$#@ adaptor.

 

PS: the Ethernet cable does work as it provides a connection from the internet modem/router to the AE. I have also tried two different E cables that I know work but to no avail. There is a blue light that comes on when the adaptor is plugged in which I assume indicates that it is receiving some sport of USB power or signal. This happens when I plug it into either the M20d or the computer. So I am scratching my head on this one.

 

I am using V1.20 Firmware on M20d

[SiWatts69]

Apple USB to Ethernet is the ONLY compatible adapter and the connection is chipset specific. You say yours is a third party one. I know someone has mentioned finding that the Moshi adapter works too. I tried a third party one (Thermaltake) and it doesn't work.

[geppert]

Thanks SiWatts69 .... that pretty much says it all .... can you be more specific about the word ONLY .... lol

 

Ordering the Apple one now.

[geppert]

SiWatts69 ..... you mentioned is it "chip specific" .... so would the 1st generation Apple Airport Express A1084 work, or would it have to be a newer model??

[SiWatts69]

Hi geppert... it's the chipset in the USB to Ethernet adapter that is specific.

 

The router itself should be fine.

[geppert]

Understood, Thank you ....

[geppert]

Ok, so a bit of an update for those who might be interested?

 

First of all thanks SiWatts69 for the information about the Apple Adaptor. I also apologize for a) not reading the FAQ and b ) the other related threads first.

 

So ... a friend of mine happened to have the Apple USB/Ethernet adapter and brought it over. I plugged it in and tried things out. Immediately it started to "search for a network" which it didn't before with the non Apple adapter. Good start, however it didn't want to connect to the AE. I tried a bunch of things but won't bore you with the long winded details unless someone asks for them. FINALLY, I remembered you stating in a previous thread "...any Wifi router should work". So I unplugged it from the AE and into my phone Wifi router and in about 20 secs it connected. I then connected back to that Router with the iPad and voila the StageScape app connected and it all worked ..... BONUS.

 

So two things learned (ok three things but I've already mentioned the first one) ... wrong adapter and .... there is something weird (technical term) trying to connect to this first gen AE. A1084. Don't know what, and I am old enough not to waste my time trying to figure it out when I have another WiFi Router that seems to work perfectly and is a much newer device.

 

So I have a gig tomorrow night to mix sound for some friends and we'll see how it all pans (no pun intended) out. I am hoping to be the mysterious man in the audience with an iPad mixing live sound.

 

Thanks again for your help.

 

Will likely update on my experience after tomorrow for those interested.

 

Time for an ale.

[geppert]

Update.

 

Gig tonight went perfect. Everything worked as expected. No Wifi drop outs. Used third party WiFi router not Apple Express. So far so good.

[SiWatts69]

Great stuff :-) Pleased it went well for you!

[dboomer]

Good to hear.  External routers are usually more powerful and reliable than using dongles.

[geppert]

The more I am using (and understanding) this unit, the more I like it. As with all things digital, one has to wrap one's head around new concepts. Much of what I am discovering has been well thought out once the concepts are understood.

 

The various tutorial videos done by Sean Halley are very good. Is there a collection of all of them all be found in one place? 

 

I am surprised that there was no ethernet port provided on the unit instead of making the user buy an adapter (and a very specific one at that)? This seems odd to me?

 

So if you are capturing to a hard drive from the Type A socket you obviously can't be using the WiFi option to a router? Am I correct in this? Can you capture from the Type B socket and run Wifi at the same time through the Type A socket? Capturing from the Type B socket to an external hard drive would then require some adapter voodoo? I don't think I've ever run across an external hard drive with a Type A socket (which would then require a standard printer USB cable Type A to Type B )? So how do you run Wifi and capture to an external HD (not a DAW) at the same time? Seems to me like the SD card is the easiest way to capture by far?

 

Also, so far, I haven't found anywhere in the manual that tells you to format your external hard drive to FAT32 if you want to capture that way? It doesn't recognize a Mac formatted external HD when I tried it?

 

Thank you both for your comments.

[SiWatts69]

I am surprised that there was no ethernet port provided on the unit instead of making the user buy an adapter (and a very specific one at that)? This seems odd to me?

I'll not say to expect this kind of feature in v2 as I'm not a line6 tech but like you I agree that it would be an appropriate (and not expensive) useful addition to the arsenal but I'd guess that there's loads of little features that could have been added but which weren't simply for budgetary reasons. The unit ultimately had to be affordable for bands. Stick too many bells and whistles on it which only a small percentage of your users might want and you push the unit out of the band budget land and into no mans land.

 

So if you are capturing to a hard drive from the Type A socket you obviously can't be using the WiFi option to a router? Am I correct in this? Can you capture from the Type B socket and run Wifi at the same time through the Type A socket? Capturing from the Type B socket to an external hard drive would then require some adapter voodoo? I don't think I've ever run across an external hard drive with a Type A socket (which would then require a standard printer USB cable Type A to Type B )? So how do you run Wifi and capture to an external HD (not a DAW) at the same time? Seems to me like the SD card is the easiest way to capture by far?

There is nothing to prevent you from running a (powered) USB hub between the M20d and the Ethernet adapter. It's going to get a little messy with all the extra wires but is does work. Digital_sound is the one who mentions the Moshi USB to Ethernet adapter as a third party one that works and it has a USB port built in so you get not only the Ethernet connection you need for the router, but you don't sacrifice your USB port in the process.

 

Personally, I just bought two Samsung 32GB SDHC class 10 cards and record directly to them. The two combined give me space to record up to 6 hours.

 

Also, so far, I haven't found anywhere in the manual that tells you to format your external hard drive to FAT32 if you want to capture that way? It doesn't recognize a Mac formatted external HD when I tried it?

Sorry, can't offer you any enlightenment on this as I use SD cards.

[geppert]

SiWatts69,

 

My logic says to just use SD cards for capture. Easy Peezy and it seems to be the way they intended it (by design) to happen? External anything adds complication which is always risky. I am going to pick up a 32GB SDHC Class 10. Problem solved.

 

Thanks.

[eklynx]

I do believe the hard drives need to be FAT32.  I really don't know if even a USB hub will work as it does require a bit more on the USB driver side.

 

But yeah, I recommend just recording on to an SD card. It works well, it's a dedicated port that would otherwise just be used for mp3 playback, and it's small profile.  I'd definitely recommend getting a higher speed SD card, as I did come across some issues with the less expensive ones not being able to keep up speed wise stopping the recording.  I use the SanDisk ones that are rated 80Mb/s or higher (a 32gig card at my local Costco costs around $45).

[geppert]

Eklynx

 

Good tip thanks. I'll check out that SanDisk at Costco next time I'm in there.

 

The M20d would't see my Mac formatted external but as soon as I reformatted it to FAT32 it showed up. That's how I figured it out. Then I went through the manual (quickly I'll admit) and couldn't find anywhere that defined the format requirement which I found odd.

[EllisF5]

Stick with Class 10 cards and you should be fine.

[SiWatts69]

Stick with Class 10 cards and you should be fine.

But don't try using a class10 MicroSD card in an adapter.

I recently did PA for a four band evening and the guy who'd booked the hire turned up with a MicroSD card (albeit class 10). It recorded fine for the first and second bands' sets but the third band had one extra channel in use and it fell over about 5 minutes in.

[case67]

>But don't try using a class10 MicroSD card in an adapter.

 

Wow wow wow! First time i hear this. I am using MicroSD in an adapter and had severe issues like 'recording stopped and touchpad freeze while performing on stage'.

I discussed this issue here on the forum and the only answer from Line6 was 'use another class 10 card', so i lost faith in M20d reliability.

 

That's a good tipp, i will replace MicroSD with standard SD (although i do not understand why the adapter causes an issue)

[SiWatts69]

I don't think it is the adapter itself. Most of these adapters are simple connect a to a, b to b size only adapters.

 

I'm pretty certain it was the card itself. BUT quite why a class10 micro sd card wouldn't work and what the differences are between micro and full size sd I don't know. When I'm buying SD cards, I won't buy the cheapo unknown brands, sticking to Samsung and Sandisk.

[geppert]

But don't try using a class10 MicroSD card in an adapter.

I recently did PA for a four band evening and the guy who'd booked the hire turned up with a MicroSD card (albeit class 10). It recorded fine for the first and second bands' sets but the third band had one extra channel in use and it fell over about 5 minutes in.

 

This is a good discovery/tip indeed .... who would have thought? I haven't been to the store yet but a micro it isn't.

[scotterp]

I have been using MicroSD cards regularly without any issues but one, and it wasn't while recording on the M20d. I was using the card to copy the recorded files from it to a PC that I am using to mix after the fact. After the files were copied, I deleted them in preparation for the next time I would use it. I may have used it in the meantime for other purposes and on various laptops/PC's to copy files around. 

 

Just before the next gig, I tested out the 2 cards that I use in the M20d to make sure all would be well for the gig that evening - which I typically do so that I have no surprises at the gig. It could not read from one of the cards, so I put it aside and used another for that night.

 

When I had time to test that card out, in various PC's, none of them could read it. I was about to throw it out when I decided to test it in another adapter I had lying around, and lo and behold it worked, in every machine that I tested it in including the M20d. 

 

So, I have had the experience where an adapter went bad on me - thankfully not during a recording. I have recorded about 10 gigs using MicroSD cards in adaptors without any issues. 

 

I have also used USB sticks successfully to record but have gone back to SD cards now that I am using my iPad to remotely control the M20d and I need to USB to connect my wifi.

[SiWatts69]

Good to know scotterp. I only used a micro the once, it wasn't one I bought but it crashed out. I'm all for reducing risks of anything going wrong, top quality cabling and connectors, appropriate for the task and recognisable brand SD cards etc. Obviously I've jumped to an incorrect conclusion about miroSD cards, so please accept my apology. YMMV.

[Digital-sound]

Apple USB to Ethernet is the ONLY compatible adapter and the connection is chipset specific. You say yours is a third party one. I know someone has mentioned finding that the Moshi adapter works too. I tried a third party one (Thermaltake) and it doesn't work.

Moshi brand does work. I use it all the time, and it has a USB port so I can use the USB to ethernet, and backing track on a USB stick.

 

It is most easily found on the Apple Store website. I got mine at staples. About the same price as the apple brand, but has the USB port for a stick to be used as well.

 

Edit: Sorry, Si....I see you already credited me.....note to self: READ the whole post BEFORE commenting!