Hi, 130FeetDeep,
It is safe to say that SkySafari 6 Pro and Plus work properly with the Mach2 and the CP5 (given my setup) but certain conditions can create WiFi drop outs. However, I found no fault with the CP5 WiFi. That was what I tried to explain with that very long winded-post.

Also, you CANNOT run the Mach2 with just SkySafari. The mount needs first needs to be initialized (or started, woken up, unparked) via APCC or the keypad. And you CANNOT park the Mach2 with SkySafari.

But once the mount is up and running, SkySafari works nicely. I used it last night at my remote dark-sky and had no WiFi issues or dropouts at all. I keep just one Wifi connection (my phone) to the mount. I turn off my laptop Wifi so can't connect and interfere. My previous problems popped up when my iPhone's lock-screen kicked in, which disconnects it from the mount. If another device (like a laptop) is also talking to the mount, SkySafari would not let my iPhone back in. I've concluded that this is most likely a SkySafari issue, and not a CP5 issue.

I did see some talk about USB cables interfering with the WiFi, but I could not replicate that issue. During my imaging session last night, two USB cables ran guide and imaging cameras. The cables were quite close the the WiFi antenna. I had absolutely no WiFi communication issues for my 4-hour session.

Ernie

 

I managed to get SkySafari working on mine as a test case. I don't ever use the mount visually, but I love SkySafari6, so I gave it a shot. Works fine through APCC Pro.

Ernie, forgive me for asking the obvious, but is it safe to say that SkySafari 6 Pro is working correctly with the Mach2 with CP5? I saw some notes about a month ago that it wasn’t working properly. I just was hoping for clarification.

Hello all,
I recently did some more extensive tests to isolate the Mach2 WiFi issues I've had and got some interesting results.

First, my field setup:
A PC with APCC Pro runs the mount.
My MacBook Pro runs my ZWO guide camera and my QHY imaging camera.
My iPhone SE connects to the mount after APCC Pro initializes it. The phone, using SkySafariPlus, operates and direct the mount. This was my standard field setup, backyard or dark sky site.

My problem:
The WiFi phone connection with the mount would repeatedly drop (due to auto-lock, I found out later). Reconnecting failed unless I'd power the mount off and on. I could not figure out why a power recycle was necessary.

The test in my basement home office and workshop (See the attached photo):
I set up the Mach2 powered by AC.
The PC, connected via ethernet to the CP5, was running APCC Pro. The WiFi was disabled.
My Macbook was running SkySafari Pro, with the WiFi also disabled.
My iPhone SE, also running Sky Safari, connected cleanly to the mount AFTER it was initialized by APCC Pro. The phone was set to NEVER auto-lock.
In this setup, I was able to control the mount with no dropouts at all. I ran the mount from 2 feet away. I went upstairs to a different room and the phone still ran the mount. I went out to my back yard, the mount still in the basement, the WiFi ran the mount perfectly. No dropouts.

Adding the laptops:
I connected my Macbook Pro to the mount via WiFi, and watched it track via SkySafari as I moved the mount with the phone. No problems, near or far. The phone maintained its connection to the mount, even with the Macbook connected. I could also see the mount's movement displayed in real time on the APCC program too. So three connections to the mount, no dropouts from WiFi, and clean data moving to all three in real time. 

Adding two cameras via cheap USB cords (see attached photo)
To see if USB data somehow affects the WiFi signal, I connected a ZWO ASI290 planetary camera and a QHY l68c large sensor camera to the laptop, and started both camera programs running image data to the laptop in steady, repeating loops. The iPhone remained connected to the Wifi, no matter where I went with in the house or outside. I could control the mount regardless of my proximity, even two floors up or 50 feet away outside. the WiFi ran the mount perfectly. No dropouts.

The problem returns: I then disconnected my phone from the mount and the CP5 WiFi. When I tried to reconnect, SkySafari informed me that it could not make a wireless connection to the scope, even though the phone was once again linked to the CP5 WiFi.  See attached photo

Here was my field problem repeated. It seems that the CP5 WiFi can handle multiple connections, but the SkySafari program cannot reconnect when other traffic is present. Kind of like a no re-entry rule at a rock concert. After learning this, i tried another imaging session. Wifi on both laptops was disabled. The iPhone was the only device occupying the CP5 Wifi. I had no dropouts. I was also able to disconnect and reconnect at will. 

With the recent arrival of the keypad/hand controller, I can eliminate the PC laptop. During a backyard test a couple nights ago, the iPhone SkySafari worked seamlessly with the keypad.

Conclusion: My Mach2 Wifi issues seemed to be caused when multiple devices were sharing the Wifi, and when one exits, it somehow is prevented from reconnecting.  My initial perception of problem was not complete and I did not fully understand how the entire system was working and communicating. At this time, I don't see an inherent issue that I can definitively trace to the CP5 Wifi on my Mach2.

Ernie Mastroianni

Hi Rolando, Hi Liam
I just tested by surrounding the USB3 cables near the CP5, with aluminum foil and the antenna raised, it does not give anything better. There may be a set of factors which combine on my installation to arrive at this situation (USB3, CC, ...). It would take other devices than the ones I have to measure the different fields present in this area.We know that there can be a problem like this and we know there is a solution for it to work, that's the main thing right?
Thanks to you two
Best regards
Dominique

On Wed, Sep 30, 2020 at 06:23 PM, uncarollo2 <chris1011@...> wrote:

Your USB3 cable is probably not shielded, so it creates interference.

 

Rolando

Thanks Rolando,
I'm not sure they are actually armored and so that explains it. I'll check by surrounding those near the CP5 with aluminum foil. On the other hand, the fact of putting a small Usb2 extension cable in the path eliminates the problem.
Best Regards
Dominique

Hi Liam

So I made some measurements with WIFI Analyzer, and it goes from -35db to -80db depending on my position compared to the CP5, but the problem is that when I turn on the computer with the USB3 connected and the antenna raised , the GTOCP5 hotspot disappears, so no measure possible of course. When I put the aluminum foil back on the antenna the hotspot reappears. I also made another test with a small USB2 extension cable (50cm) on the connection to my computer and there with the antenna raised and without aluminum foil the hotspot also reappears !!! This suggests that the "USB3" stream creates interference via the antenna which goes as far as "hiding" the hotspot, because if I move the CP5 away from the USB3 cable it works again.
You should be able to reproduce this situation I think.

Best regards
Dominique

Hi Liam,
With a little time for observations, I will find the time to make these tests and measurements to see what it is. Losing the hotspot on my smartphone placed at 1m and on my PC located at 2m50 left me with a big weakening of the signal and especially the fact of finding it by holding the antenna between my fingers. But I'm not particular in his fields of course.
See you soon then.
Clear Skies
Dominique

On Sun, Sep 27, 2020 at 05:55 PM, Peter Bresler wrote:

I might suggest that you can circumvent the entire issue of nudging the mount for centering by using plate solves and centering in a program like SGP which will quickly and easily autocenter the object you want to photograph.

Hi Peter,

Subject error can be, here it is the WIFI of the GTOCP5 which is in discussion.

Clear Skies
Dominiquer

I might suggest that you can circumvent the entire issue of nudging the mount for centering by using plate solves and centering in a program like SGP which will quickly and easily autocenter the object you want to photograph.

Hi Liam,
Hi All,

In my case, the problem was not that the CP5 was not emitting enough when the computer was plugged in, but that it was emitting too much with the antenna active. The new CP5 manual with the chapter TROUBLESHOOTING, TIPS AND SUPPORT gives the solution. With the antenna lying down or not but surrounded by an aluminum foil no more worries. I just tested.

Clear Skies

Dominique

On Mon, Sep 14, 2020 at 04:29 PM, Liam Plybon wrote:

Dominique,

When you say you connected the PC to the mount with USB3, are you saying you connected the PC to the through-mount cable? The CP5 can only use a USB2 cable, since USB3 will not fit in the receptacle.

I am interested in trying to replicate as close to how you experience it as I can. If you are willing to spend some time with me working on the issue, I would really appreciate it. I want to find a solution to the issue.

Hi Liam,
Great. Lately I have been focusing on modeling and photos, because the WIFi was not essential, but in July I did a lot of tests to see under what conditions the WIFI worked and when it didn't. not. I can repeat his tests of course. I had also solved the problem it seems to me by moving the CP5 away from the stand which has 3 stainless steel threaded rods for the support of the frame. I put a diagram of my installation which beyond the WIFi works perfectly with speeds of 200 to 300mo / s for the USB3.

Dominique

Dominique,

When you say you connected the PC to the mount with USB3, are you saying you connected the PC to the through-mount cable? The CP5 can only use a USB2 cable, since USB3 will not fit in the receptacle.

I am interested in trying to replicate as close to how you experience it as I can. If you are willing to spend some time with me working on the issue, I would really appreciate it. I want to find a solution to the issue.
--
Liam Plybon
Astro-Physics

My CP-4 has always had an issue with maintaining wireless connections with 3 different Android devices (phones, tablets)...and others have same issue with some Apple products. I reported this about 4 years ago and even after all firmware updates I (and others) have the same issues. Out of frustration I got a SkyFi wireless device and it has been trouble free, maintains the connection over very long distances. I suspect it may be the wifi module used in the CP mounts. I know AP in many cases weren't able to duplicate the issue with various connections but ok on others. I am OK with using the SKYFI module but a little put out that that was one of the reasons for upgrading from my 900 CP 3 setup to the 1100 CP 4 although all the other enhancements made it worthwhile. I still have the old 900 CP 3 mount for field use and the 1100 CP 4 is for permanent setup. I know at one point AP was considering working with the owner and engineer of the SKYFi module and SkySafari to help figure it out but evidently never happened.

Hi,
With Mach2 / CP5 I also have an equivalent problem. When the mount is connected to the PC via USB3 the CP5 network disappears from the networks visible on the smarphone and on the PC and for indication if I hold the antennas of the CP5 between my fingers it reappears. I have tried different combinations, but what is certain is that the CP5 / PC connection disturbs the WIFI hopspot of the CP5. I have no password worries and with the CP4 of my previous Mach1 I have never noticed this problem.

Dominique