Hex-Net Infrastructure/AP mode

I've been using Hex-net for a few days, and was wondering how the device switches between infrastructure and AP modes. I currently have it setup with two access points and when I'm not in range of one of those I would expect the device to go into AP mode. I was thinking that the device would try to connect to a access point and then after xx seconds, it might try the second and then finally after xx seconds/attempts it would drop into AP mode. I wanted to know if that is a valid assumption, and also what the parameters are? Thanks!

Options > Network Options > Choose Profile #

rishan said:

I've been using Hex-net for a few days, and was wondering how the device switches between infrastructure and AP modes. I currently have it setup with two access points and when I'm not in range of one of those I would expect the device to go into AP mode. I was thinking that the device would try to connect to a access point and then after xx seconds, it might try the second and then finally after xx seconds/attempts it would drop into AP mode. I wanted to know if that is a valid assumption

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Nope; we believe it would be annoying to have it revert to AP mode without explicitly being told to. Let's say you normally use it in infrastructure mode, but you run out for groceries. Don't you want it to re-connect to your network when you get home?

kristokes said:

Options > Network Options > Choose Profile #

Click to expand...

You can certainly do that. Or just push the button momentarily. That toggles it between using Profile #1 (i.e. being an Access Point) or trying to find a connection using the remaining 7 profiles, which you can re-order the priority of.

-Uwe-

kristokes said:

I can imagine that there will be a time when I'm away from home and would like to be able to utilize the features?

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Of course, so can we!

kristokes said:

That being said - it sounds like that's why we have the button.

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Yup, that's one of the things the button does. I think I'm going to need to put together a "What does the button do?" FAQ entry. But it's Sunday night, and I might not get to immediately.

kristokes said:

I pushed the button momentarily when I couldn't connect to my network, but it kept flashing red. I'll give the button another try and see if that solves my problem. (I was using HEX-NET with an iPad and an iPhone, so no way to connect with a cable.)

Click to expand...

Watch to see if the other LEDs do stuff that confirms your button press. The button is intentionally a bit difficult to press, so you don't do it accidentally.

-Uwe-

Uwe, just to confirm:

Now that I have my home network set in profile 2, I can drive to a friends house, plug in H-N to the OBD2 port in AP mode, connect to his WiFi network with my phone/tablet (so I know what IP addresses are in use), then login to the H-N using it's default AP address, and pick an unused profile to connect to his network. Once that is done, I connect the phone/tablet to his network and using the web browser login to the IP address assigned to the H-N by his network.

Yup, that should work. Depending on what state it was in when you unplugged it at your house, you might have to put it into AP mode using a button press after it powers up. In AP mode you can create a profile for any network you want. The catch is, it can't scan for networks at the same time as it's being an AP, so you have to enter all the data manually. The Java utility is more convenient that way, cause the HEX-NET can scan for networks at the same time as it's communicating via USB.

-Uwe-

IAW, a laptop is still needed if I want to use the Java utility. So I should just leave it in Infra mode and try connecting it to his network?

But something capable of being a USB host and running a Java app. That may not necessarily be a laptop. Heck, you could use whatever computer he's got, download the Java configuration utility on it, and use it to configure your HEX-NET. The amazing thng about computers now is that almost everyone has some. ;-)

But you can't connect to his network without telling the HEX-NET about it somehow, and to do that you either have to use the Java utility, or you have to put it in AP mode so you can talk to it without being connected to your friend's network first.

-Uwe-

Well, that rules out using the free WiFi at McDonald's during a trip!

Hmmm, I wonder if the Java will run on my old PowerBook G4 running Mac OS 10.5.8? I may give it a try.