General thoughts and suggestions on HEX-NET
- Thread starter jyoung8607
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HEX-NET would be so much easier to use if it utilized bluetooth instead of wi-fi. I would prefer to leverage my iPhone or iPad's internet connections while connected to HEX-NET. It's annoying to have to toggle between AP mode and whichever wifi SSID is closest to me to utilize the cloud funtions. I end up using my laptop to connect via USB to run the wifi configuration tool when I'm not in the same location as the last time I connected. If I already have the laptop out, why even bother with the mobile app? Doesn't that defeat the whole purpose?
Anyway, I dig the mobile app concept. I just wish it didn't require me to switch from my cell's data plan to attach to HEX-NET via wifi. It really limits the entire mobile concept.
Anyway, I dig the mobile app concept. I just wish it didn't require me to switch from my cell's data plan to attach to HEX-NET via wifi. It really limits the entire mobile concept.
It works great tethered to the iPhone or iPad via WiFi.
Just add the iPhone, iPad, or both to profile and it will pick it up:
Note that the AP is profile 1, my iPhone is 2, and my home network is 3.
In this example it will look for my iPhone first, then if it can't find that (e.g. on my desk like it is now) it will look for my home WiFi.
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Nah, I think you're mixing things up - the remote control concept is primarily meant for support related cases - like VNC but instead of taking over the machine connected to the diagnostic interface the idea is to take over the diagnostic interface itself.
Then it wouldn't be a HEX-NET; it would be just another relatively dumb wireless device.
Huh? It only takes one press of the button on the HEX-NET to toggle between AP mode and Infrastructure. In Infrastructure, it will try to connect to any networks you've configured, in the (re-arrangeable) order you see them in profiles 2-8.
Does your phone not have hotspot capability?
-Uwe-
Bluetooth would not make it a dumb wireless device. Ecort Live!, for example, is not a dumb wireless device. I can't think of a scenario where Bluetooth connectivity would be a limiting factor. Why not offer both and let the customer choose?
It took some research to find information about the funtions of the red button. I found it in the forum discussions after I posted but I could not find any reference to it in any of the instructional videos or documentation. Maybe I missed it. Post a link if you have it.
My phone has hotspot capability and the HEX-NET successfully connects to it, but the app will not recognize the HEX-NET. It's odd because my iPad will recognize the HEX-NET when all three are connected to the phone's hotspot session. I read about another user that had a similar problem until he removed all other wireless network from HEX-NET and limited the options to AP mode and his phone's hotspot. I'll try that today.
Thanks for the reply.
Bluetooth would not make it a dumb wireless device. Ecort Live!, for example, is not a dumb wireless device. I can't think of a scenario where Bluetooth connectivity would be a limiting factor. Why not offer both and let the customer choose?
It took some research to find information about the funtions of the red button. I found it in the forum discussions after I posted but I could not find any reference to it in any of the instructional videos or documentation. Maybe I missed it. Post a link if you have it.
My phone has hotspot capability and the HEX-NET successfully connects to it, but the app will not recognize the HEX-NET. It's odd because my iPad will recognize the HEX-NET when all three are connected to the phone's hotspot session. I read about another user that had a similar problem until he removed all other wireless network from HEX-NET and limited the options to AP mode and his phone's hotspot. I'll try that today.
Thanks for the reply.
FAQ 6
FAQ 7
HEX-NET videos
The app cannot connect to the HN when the phone is in hotspot mode... yet.
You can use utilities like Fing or iNet from the app store to find it, but they too have to be pointed at the correct interface on the phone/iPad
As you said you could put iPhone in hotspot mode, tether HN and iPad to it, and the app on iPad would find it.
Remember this is all still Beta.
Mine always get the same address from the hotspot in the form of 172.20.10.x
FAQ 7
HEX-NET videos
The app cannot connect to the HN when the phone is in hotspot mode... yet.
You can use utilities like Fing or iNet from the app store to find it, but they too have to be pointed at the correct interface on the phone/iPad
As you said you could put iPhone in hotspot mode, tether HN and iPad to it, and the app on iPad would find it.
Remember this is all still Beta.
Mine always get the same address from the hotspot in the form of 172.20.10.x
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Thanks for the help. I really appreciate it. I'll keep playing with it and understand it's a beta product. I still think a Bluetooth option would simplify the connectivity issues.
No worries, that's what we're all here for.
One thing that I did was to save a Safari bookmarklet to the home screen once I found it - many months ago before the app was done.
Also have it bookmarked in Chrome - both methods make it easiest to get to in tethered mode.
I expect the app being fixed to work with the hotstpot will happen at some point.
One thing that I did was to save a Safari bookmarklet to the home screen once I found it - many months ago before the app was done.
Also have it bookmarked in Chrome - both methods make it easiest to get to in tethered mode.
I expect the app being fixed to work with the hotstpot will happen at some point.
Well, I literally shudder at the idea of trying to get ASAM data downloaded over BT, so to me that's limiting
Complexity - it's hard enough getting the WiFi functionality wrung out. I also think there's not a BT profile that fits well - Uwe seemed to be thinking about SPP (Serial Port Profile) making HEX-NET look like a HEX-CAN-SERIAL. Don't get me wrong, I'm all in favor of lots of choices, but I think Ross-Tech is doing the right thing by getting WiFi to work before worrying about BT possibilities.
If you're only interfacing via the app, I think you're missing one of the big strengths of HEX-NET: that *ANY* browser should work, and BT wouldn't have that ability. While I happen to currently be in the Windoze and iPhone camps, I greatly appreciate open systems that would let me use any device I had handy.
This may be contributing to your pain point with the hotspot too - try figuring out what the HEX-NET's IP address is - on iDevices it's likely to be in the range of 172.20.10.2-172.20.10.15 and it's likely to be unchanged across reboots, so you can probably bookmark that address and use it all the time via the browser instead of the app. Other OSs may allow you to view the assigned IPs and/or make them sticky.
Hopefully Ross-Tech will soon figure out how to get the iOS app to auto-find the HEX-HET on the hotspot and this will get even easier.
Richard
But I still think the right way to use the device is with the OBD-II extension cable. Putting it somewhere that it's visible means it's unlikely to be forgotten and it also avoids this:
I had left that one in our Touareg; drove to the airport, pulled into a parking space, then stomped on the old-school parking brake pedal in the 7L chassis. CRUNCH. Oops. I've been using extensions ever since.
I did the same thing in my Touareg with the same result but mine is a cable not WiFi. Can it be fixed?
Looks like you just need the outer part of the nose. That's fairly easy. Please send that pic to Support@... and they'll get you taken care of.
-Uwe-
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This is what I did to remind me:
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