Which Vonets?
Tristan M. (2946) 1036 posts |
Which Vonets wifi adapter are people using? Now the great Amazon wall has been pulled back down I wanted to price one. Many of them are more than I’ve paid for cars, so I’m a bit confused. |
andym (447) 462 posts |
I have used a VAP11G-300 and a VAR11N-300 successfully. The VAP11G is a just a wireless bridge, which can be configured from RISC OS, using QupZilla or Otter, but I couldn’t get it to work with Netsurf, although it is suggested here that it can be. Maybe different firmware plays a role here. The VAR11N is multifunction and does more than one thing, so I resorted to using my Android smartphone to set it to Bridge Mode, although I believe it starts in router mode, so could be done through RISC OS. To be honest, I find the smartphone set up and configure option invaluable. The manuual for the VAR11N-300 is here and the manual for the VAP11G-300 is here |
Rick Murray (539) 13392 posts |
There are at least two versions of the 11G. My first one (VAP11G, with no “300” suffix) was a dumb bridge and it needed to be configured using a special program running under XP (reason – it responded to special low level broadcast packets, I did analyse how it worked but never managed to get the RISC OS stack to output such packets (we’re working way below TCP/IP here)). My second one (VAP11G_300) is a bridge and a repeater and an access point. I turned the repeater functionality off because using the same frequency it would echo data and that often clashed with the weak original signal. Result – it deafens itself with its own broadcasts. That disabled, it works fine as a gateway. I have it plugged into a switch so can add other machines (it isn’t as if RISC OS has heavy bandwidth requirements). Setup was done using Firefox on a mobile phone. It ought to be possible to write some code to do the same under RISC OS, but since my phone is quick and easy I’ve just not been bothered. Otherwise, probably best to go through the setup process using Firefox on a PC in web developer mode (Shift-Ctrl-Q) or WireShark it. Web dev is simpler to understand. ;-) Just logged into mine (it gets its own IP address). It’s an 11G_300, hardware version 5.0, firmware 2.0.21.28.21 ( Mar 22 2016 ). It looks like it’s all http, no SSL at all. |
Rick Murray (539) 13392 posts |
Okay, I’ve just updated my firmware. Fairly easy to do, except it requires that you reset the device’s configuration. Useful… Anyway, here’s what I did after getting the device updated. Assumes the Vonets is plugged into the Pi. Preamble
Setting the VAP11G to connect to your WiFi
Secondary configuration
And finally…
Summary The VAP11G_300 can be set up and configured under RISC OS. It’s a bit of a pain, but the device is basically intended to be set up and left to do its job quietly and unobtrusively. I got my replacement Vonets around November 2016, set it up, and just left it to do what it does ever since then. Hope this helps somebody if they have such a device… |
Richard Walker (2090) 416 posts |
Another option… https://openwrt.org/toh/nexx/wt3020 You can buy one for less than £20, for example: https://m.banggood.com/NEXX-WT3020H-300M-Portable-Mini-Router-802_11n-AP-Repeater-Client-Bridge-Wireless-Router-p-986997.html Mine gives my Pi Internet access and a NAS with a USB stick. |
Martin Avison (27) 1417 posts |
Re: WT3020H What is required to set it up? |
Ronald (387) 195 posts |
Re: WT3020H I’ve been using one for a year or so. The original firmware works Ok, The OpenWRT firmware allowed me to use a 3gusbmodem as well. You can edit the BSD style network config file from RISC OS using SSH login. The OpenWRT editor is Vim so I had to have a refresher on using it. |
Richard Walker (2090) 416 posts |
I use it with NetSurf, but I cannot remember 100% if i used the initial Chinese firmware with NetSurf, or if I just used my Android phone. Once you have OpenWRT on there, the sky is the limit! |
Tristan M. (2946) 1036 posts |
There’s more choice than I thought. More than many thought apparently. The Nexx is interesting. Can the lowest spec model have OpenWRT put on it? I noticed the ROM is half the size. I’m only asking because I don’t need the NAS functionality. As it is I have one on the network, and the router also has unused functionality for it. It’s a shame USB networking options are limited. My old Acer netbook has damaged Wifi hardware. Ages back I got around that by setting up an old small form factor Samsung Galaxy phone (which had defctive MicroSD hardware) as a dongle of sorts I guess? It just used it’s Wifi settings. |
Tristan M. (2946) 1036 posts |
Alright. The VAP11G-300 and various models of Nexx are about the same price on eBay. What I want is a set and forget option on my network for an RO device which isn’t near the wired network / movable. Which option woud be best for this use case? Or is there no real advantage to either? |
Tristan M. (2946) 1036 posts |
I ended up grabbing a VAP11G-300 from eBay. Hopefully it’ll be here by next month. |
andym (447) 462 posts |
I’ve had a go with the WT3020 using OpenWRT. As a “set it up and leave it” device, it’s fine, but is quite fiddly to move from one network to another as far as I can see. I couldn’t access it with Netsurf, Otter or QupZilla, but my phone worked. As did Chrome, elsewhere on the network. I bricked one in the process, and had issues recovering a second, even though it was working, I couldn’t change the configuration very easily. I belive the stock Nexx firmware can be accessed using Netsurf though. The Vonets on the other hand, can be configured by QupZilla and Otter, but just does what a bridge should do, and is easily movable between networks. |
Martin Avison (27) 1417 posts |
I can sign on, but cannot enter any values into the fields using Netsurf with JS on or off. I would try OpenWRT, but put off because: |
andym (447) 462 posts |
That pretty much sums up what I found with OpenWRT on the Nexx itself! Too many bells and whistles, and it’s become too confusing!
Which version of the firmware do you have on your Nexx? I have a couple of versions of stock firmware.
Been there… done that!
I can confirm it absolutely cannot be configured using Netsurf. Or Otter. Or Qupzilla. On my system anyway. When I get time, I’ll try the other stock firmware versions with Netsurf |
Martin Avison (27) 1417 posts |
WT3020H v1.10 15/2/2015. I did search for any on the net, but the nexx website just times out for me. If it cannot be configured from a RPi, it rather negates the portability if I have to lug my laptop to do it! |
andym (447) 462 posts |
That’s just picky! There’s a version here that is unnumbered, but read to the bottom of the page as it appears to have a different username and password to the normal admin/admin arrangement. I haven’t used it. There’s also a version 1.07 that can be used (it’s currently installed on mine after I did the OpenWRT install) although it presents itself as Firmware Nexx 3020F V2.43_EN (Oct 27, 2014 20:11:05) and is largely configurable with Netsurf, except the odd button “cannot be activated” which is a deal breaker! But it can be configured using Qupzilla on this Pi3. Like you, I can’t find v1.10 and the Nexx website is dead here too. Looks like it’s been out of action for a couple of years. |
David R. Lane (77) 728 posts |
@Rick Yet I was told that “it would just work”! |
Rick Murray (539) 13392 posts |
N != G. I set mine up on a PC, telling it to be a bridge (not a repeater). Got it to sync with the Livebox. Now “it just works”. No idea what the flashes mean. I think mine flashes slowly if not connected, and quickly if the signal is poor. I don’t pay attention to that, it’s more a question of can I ping out? Forget your RISC OS machine for now. You have two puzzles to solve – getting the Vonets working, and getting your computer working. Take them one at a time. If your Vonets is correctly associated with the hotspot, it will have an IP address. Does your hotspot list connected devices? If not, run a scan of your network. Or if directly connected to it, rummage in the system status for the address. Once you have the IP address, go to it with another device (PC, phone, etc, via the hotspot, not directly). It should show you the login page. If you can’t get that far, you’ll need to play around with things to get the Vonets working. What I have done here:
The reason for this is the Pi boots to desktop in about fifteen seconds. It’s a little complicated, but it does mean that after a power failure (or switch on if I turned off for thunderstorm etc) that everything comes back up correctly regardless of how long each thing takes. Anyway, get your Vonets taking to the world. Once that’s done, you ought to be able to plug in the RISC OS box and have it “just work” (even via DHCP). The point of the Vonets, once it is set up, is that it is basically “set it and forget it”. Good luck! |
Steve Pampling (1551) 7925 posts |
This page here has a nice table laying things out. Interestingly on a google search there’s a Cisco page that, in their normal fashion, has more words and less content. For some people that’s fine, but I’m all for quality content over style and “bulk” (yes, pot, kettle on the “bulk” bit)
A correctly built DHCP implementation will drop into APIPA (if configured that way) and retry for a DHCP sourced IP at intervals. Most printers fail on this. RO5 DHCP is managing something akin to a printer at the moment. |
Doug Webb (190) 1129 posts |
I have a Vonets VAR11N-300, AKA Wispy V, and that was set up via RISCOS using Qupzilla and also Otter. It currently acts as my Wifi link for my ARMBo(o)k. I have it set up in Bridge mode and also Wifi Repeater as well as I can then still change the set up via my Mobile phone. I have the DHCP server set off when I attach to my home Wifi as I have the ARMBo(o)k set for DHCP. If I use my mobile phone as the wireless access point then I have to set the Vonets to give out an address via DHCP. Andy of RISCOSbits is very helpful and I’d recommend a chat with him if you are at the show on Saturday. Other Wifi solutions are available from other RISCOS suppliers :-) |
David R. Lane (77) 728 posts |
I have my Vonets VAR11N-300 Ethernet-WiFi adaptor working. As I see it, the configuration comes in two parts: First one gets the gadget to communicate with the hotspot and; second, one gets the computer to communicate with the hotspot (via the gadget). The first needs giving the computer a static address in the range of the gadget (will DHCP also work?) to configure the gadget via the web interface and, after that, the second needs to reset the LAN address of the computer to a static one in the range of the hotspot (DHCP doesn’t seem to work). Of course, a reboot of the computer is needed after changing the static address. It would have been helpful to have had an explanation of what the lights on the gadget signify. |
Rick Murray (539) 13392 posts |
If it is like my VAP11G-300… The green one is supposed to reflect wired LAN connection status. The blue one is bollocks. Ready? If no WiFi connection or a good WiFi connection, it’ll blink rapidly (how to tell the difference?!). If a medium (between 10% and 50% signal) it’ll blink intermittently, and for a rubbish signal (under 10%) or connection failed, it’ll blink slowly. I kind of wish I could set the blue LED to simply on (WiFi established) or off (otherwise) because they are bright and the blinking in a dark room is rather annoying. Accordingly, an appropriate XKCD that is coincidentally the year of my birth: https://xkcd.com/1973/ |
Steve Pampling (1551) 7925 posts |
Not this one covering the modifications then? |
David R. Lane (77) 728 posts |
Thanks for the comic suggestions, but I couldn’t find anything on the Vonets gadget – there was no search facility that I could see. On the lights, there are 4 lights on my gadget. Three are blue and the right-hand end one is green. One of the blue lights is nearly always off – I saw it come on briefly once at the beginning of a session and immediately go out. Ignoring that one, it is the second (left to right) of the other two blue lights that flashes rapidly, fast or slow according to the gadget’s status. That and the green light are the only ones referred to in the manual with “green light” occurring once in the troubleshooting section without explanation of what it signifies. I think the first of these two blue lights is the power light and the green light comes on while the gadget is attached to the computer. The green light flashes sometimes, I think when data is being transmitted between the computer and the gadget. I am still unsure as to whether the computer can be configured for DHCP for the configuration of the Vonets (via the web interface) and whether in use the computer can be set to DHCP. I know I can experiment, but feel I want to give it a rest and do other things. Besides, the best testing will be on other hotspots and I will have some opportunites next week. By the way, I used my email client’s spellchecker on an email to SASAUG members and it baulked at “Vonets” suggesting “vomits” instead! But, it really isn’t that bad. |
Clive Semmens (2335) 3125 posts |
HAL: Dave, I need you to remove the cover from the status lights, NOW. Something actually important is happening. I hope you know what they all mean. |