Alpha R36 problem

[Colin K]

Hello,
We have been trying to use our new Alpha and have had a day of failure and wondered if anyone has any clues what I am doing wrong.
I have the Alpha online instructions and all goes well I turn the wifi on it connects to the Alpha unit, Then I load up 192.168.2.1 on my browser and go in with the password. Do my site survey and it accepts the station that I choose (got the password for the best local one) then at the last "next" it just cycles and cycles and nothing happens. Sometimes it also loses the connection to the Alpha unit.
Are there any wifi techys out there?

Cheers, Colin.

Sorry forgot connected to a tube U aerial which has a blue light and I have three blue lights on the R36 unit. Cheers.

 

[VicMallows]

I have an R36 and all works fine . I assume you are using the 'easy set-up' ? I can't remember off hand all the steps but will run through them tomorrow to refresh my memory and maybe able to help further.

 

[Colin K]

Hello,
Thanks for that I have some instructions of the internet and going through it as below. Its after that last "done" it does nothing (the instruction where it says you are finished with the set up.

Thanks for your help. Col.


To setup to repeat a signal from a neighboring Access Point:

Use the USB cable to connect the awus036h to the r36
Establish a connection to the R36 either by WiFi or by plugging ethernet cable into LAN port of R36 and ethernet port of PC
Type in browser address bar: 192.168.2.1 (this is the default IP address of the R36)
Click “easy setup”
Click “usb wireless adapter”
Click “site survey”
Click “rescan”
Click on the “ssid” signal you want.
Click “select”
Click “next”
Click “done” or you can click the “ssid choice” box, and rename it, and click “done.” At this point you are finished with the installation.
Security can be added at anytime by clicking on “advanced” and then clicking on “security.” Adding security is almost identical on basically any brand of router.
The R36 works fine with the Alfa AWUS036H but it also works fine with other wifi adapters that use the Realtek RTL8187L chipset. This offers 802.11b/g (11 and 54 megabit) service but not 802.11n (150 megabit).
Bookmark the IP address of the R36 (192.168.2.1) so you don’t have to keep remembering it.
When using the wifi connection to set up the R36, if you change the channel or the SSID (the name of the signal) of the R36 the change will take effect, but then your computer’s wifi will disconnect from the signal (because the ‘old’ signal is no longer there) and you will need to search for the ‘new’ R36 signal and reconnect and log in to the R36 before proceeding further!
R36 BOOT-UP TAKES ONE MINUTE. Do not have a magnet near the R36 when you are trying to set it up.

 

[nigelmercier]

...Do not have a magnet near the R36 when you are trying to set it up.

Really? Don't answer until problem fixed.

 

[superheat6k]

I sometimes find the R36 just won't latch on, which normally means turning on the hot spot on the mobile and cursing the extortionate Vodafone data charges.

I wonder if a software update is needed, but not sure how to do it.

 

[mickywillis]

Is this why there one of these setups on Ebay at the moment?
Are they any good or problematic?

 

[Colin K]

Really? Don't answer until problem fixed.

Blimey interesting one you spotted there! I guess its only .9m from a speaker and its on the chart table when I tried it this afternoon. I wonder what "near" means?

Just realised that the daughters small computer has a ethernet socket so tried connecting via that rather than wireless but nope stops at the same point. Ah well tomorrow is another day. Some noisy sod has just ten mins ago rafted up behind us and finally realised his engine is still going 20 mins after tying up. Mind coming into this harbour in the dark nooooo way. Me grumpy..

Thanks for your comments and hope others are missing this front thats passing over the East coast just now.

Cheers, Colin.

 

[Vegable]

I have exactly the same too. Asked on here last year. In the end I gave up! Out of interest are you trying to use it with an android device? as that's what I'm using
Mike

 

[RobbieW]

Its possible this is similar to oldvarnish's problem a couple of months ago, see here - http://www.ybw.com/forums/showthread.php?459926-Alfa-R36-config

Edited to clarify that ensuring the R36 is working on a different channel to the desired connection is the possible similarity

 

[Mistroma]

Not certain if OP is saying that his R36 used to work and now won't or that it is new and has never worked.

I had a similar problem when I bought mine. It had the correct firmware version for the Tube U(G) but CrucialWifi suggested changing the firmware. I had thought of that already and had tried a newer version from Alfa's website. CrucialWifi is an Alfa dealer and was able to send another version of the firmware. That solved the problem completely.

It was a while ago so I had to look up the exact details of the fault I had. It was failing with WPA/WPA2 but OK with Open or WEP.

Open (all security disabled): Connects and works as expected with USB LED lit
WEP: Connects and works as expected with USB LED lit
WPA: Will not connect and USB LED remains off
WPA2: Will not connect and USB LED remains off

The firmware image file CrucialWifi supplied was R36-V1.2.1.2b6.img

 

[Colin K]

Not certain if OP is saying that his R36 used to work and now won't or that it is new and has never worked.

I had a similar problem when I bought mine. It had the correct firmware version for the Tube U(G) but CrucialWifi suggested changing the firmware. I had thought of that already and had tried a newer version from Alfa's website. CrucialWifi is an Alfa dealer and was able to send another version of the firmware. That solved the problem completely.

It was a while ago so I had to look up the exact details of the fault I had. It was failing with WPA/WPA2 but OK with Open or WEP.

Open (all security disabled): Connects and works as expected with USB LED lit
WEP: Connects and works as expected with USB LED lit
WPA: Will not connect and USB LED remains off
WPA2: Will not connect and USB LED remains off

The firmware image file CrucialWifi supplied was R36-V1.2.1.2b6.img

Hello,
Thanks for the pointers and link to Old varnished post. Its a new R36 I did have one a long time ago that I had connected to a dedicated laptop and it worked ok. Sadly it got wet and so I bought a new one for our new boat.
Trying to use my ipad as the .....the .....computer thingy that does the connecting I think they said at the shop that I could use that? They said it had the latest updates but I guess that was a cpl of months ago so I guess I had better check.
Once again thanks for the help and I will work through this this afternoon fingers crossed.

Cheers, Col.

 

[Colin K]

Hmmmm, Looking for the channel section which I cannot find I see that the firmware is dated 28th June 2015 !? I would say thats pretty old but will be guided. So much (possibly) for it being up to date as it was sent to me just a few months ago.
Waiting for the daughter to return now so I can borrow her computer as it says do not update firmware via wifi.
Think thats a good starter? Cheers, Colin.

 

[VicMallows]

Hi again. I have been through set up from scratch a few times and can't see anything different to the sequence you are following.

If you have not already tried it, it might be worth fully resetting your R36 (long press on the button underneath. Do you get to the screen where it says it is booting (in red, with a 0-100% progress indicator?). During the boot it will drop the wifi signal and your device may have latched onto another wifi signal, so you may need to manually reconnect to the R36.

My firmware is V.1.2.1.2 (Sep 10 2013). Although WPA-WPA2 works fine, I do find that IF encryption is set then I do have to do a full reset if switching from dongle mode to USB adapter mode.

However I am using an Alfa AWUS036NHR v.2. adapter, so it is quite possible that with the 'tube' you do indeed need the updated software.

 

[Colin K]

Hi again. I have been through set up from scratch a few times and can't see anything different to the sequence you are following.

If you have not already tried it, it might be worth fully resetting your R36 (long press on the button underneath. Do you get to the screen where it says it is booting (in red, with a 0-100% progress indicator?). During the boot it will drop the wifi signal and your device may have latched onto another wifi signal, so you may need to manually reconnect to the R36.

My firmware is V.1.2.1.2 (Sep 10 2013). Although WPA-WPA2 works fine, I do find that IF encryption is set then I do have to do a full reset if switching from dongle mode to USB adapter mode.

However I am using an Alfa AWUS036NHR v.2. adapter, so it is quite possible that with the 'tube' you do indeed need the updated software.

Thank you so much for checking the settings with your unit. We are making a run for it at 6 am to the river Ore where we will moored up in the quiet looking for internet ha ha (or the kids will be) will connect the R36 to a computer via a cable and update the firmware and try again taking in your settings.
Fingers crossed and thanks so much for your help.

Cheers, Colin.

 

[mrsnigel]

My husband (currently banned) suggests that it isn't a question of having the latest firmware, it is a matter of having the correct firmware for the Wi-Fi adaptor you are using.