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Connection Drop outs between Rig & PC

Larry
Larry Member ✭✭
edited June 2020 in SmartSDR for Windows
I have been having dropouts between the 6500 and PC. The radio in connected directly to the router, PC is wireless. PC is a Windows 7 system and appears to be working great on any internet site. We have rebooted the radio several times all of which result in "no change". Watching the wireless connection on the PC does not show any wireless drops while this is happening. Please see the attached video for reference. I have also tried different Ethernet connections on the router all give the same results. If the bar shows red for more than about 10 seconds then a  rig/pc disconnect will happen. Any help will be appreciated-- Thank you--Larry
https://screencast-o-matic.com/watch/cqX2bmUqlq

Answers

  • Bill -VA3WTB
    Bill -VA3WTB Member ✭✭✭
    edited November 2019
    According to your video, the connection health is going yellow, then dropouts will happen. You are having a wireless connection problem. Remember that the radio moves a lot more data then any other computer work. so any slow information over wireless connect can be a problem.

    It you connect you radio directly to the computer bypassing the router you should see no dropouts.
  • Stephen VA3KXP
    Stephen VA3KXP Member ✭✭
    edited December 2019
    I would start two command prompts on the PC. In one window I would run a continuous ping of the router (ping -t router-ip-address), in the other window I would run a continuous ping of the 6500 (ping -t 6500-ip-address).  then start a SmartSDR session on the PC. When the disconnect happens, check the ping windows to see if a any of the pings did not return a response. 
  • Larry
    Larry Member ✭✭
    edited November 2019
    Thank you for the quick comments. I have connected the radio directly to the PC as suggested above and all seems well. This is the first time I have ever noticed this issue. Any ideas as to the reason! I don't seem to have or see any other wifi problems at least as far internet is concerned.
    Thanks You
    Larry
  • WK2Y
    WK2Y Member ✭✭
    edited November 2019
    I am not an expert, but what you are saying sounds like you may have a channel conflict with a neighbor's router or maybe getting dropouts from a nearby microwave oven. 
    73,
    Bob, WK2Y
  • Michael N3LI
    Michael N3LI Member ✭✭
    edited November 2019
    Larry, are you usinf 2.5 or 5 GHz wireless?
  • John KB4DU
    John KB4DU Member ✭✭✭✭
    edited November 2019
    As mentioned above, the radio produces a constant stream of data that some wifi situations handle poorly. The newer .11ac routers help because they use a different frequency band that is less congested. If a direct connection works, then it is most likely a wifi issue, usually either channel congestion or interference from other devices on the same band.
  • Patrick
    Patrick Member ✭✭✭
    edited June 2020
    If you have a microwave oven that puts out that much RF, then you need to get rid of it.  The heating effect (which is how MO’s work to heat food) is dangerous.  But would not think that the frequency would have an effect on WiFi, is in the middle, a gigahertz away from both the 2.4 and 5 GHz bands. I just finished rearranging and extending my WiFi setup, because of heavy neighborhood  use of WiFi. A great program to see the used spectrum and signal strength is called “WiFi Explorer” I think it is available for PC, but not sure as mine runs on my Mac.  It allowed me to go from automatic control of all the WiFi channels, to being able to select and use channels unused channels or very low signal level channels.  A side affect of this is that when every one else is using automatic, they move away and further open up your selected manual selected channels.  Also a help is to use extenders as a way to improve overall   Signal (inverses square law) strength as apposed to distance.  I have no more dropping out or increased latency from opposing WiFi signals.  

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