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IFD + Starlink wifi |
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paulr ![]() Senior Member ![]() Joined: 24 Jan 2014 Status: Offline Points: 558 |
![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() Posted: 16 Aug 2024 at 8:09am |
I have paid zero attention to the previous discussions of how to integrate the IFD wifi network with other devices because I don't have any of those other devices. But recently I've seen people start flight testing the Starlink Mini and that got me to wondering. Does the IFD wifi networking support Internet passthrough? I'm wondering if there's a way I can have Foreflight devices connected to the IFD wifi while concurrently using Starlink for Internet access. Based on what little I know, I think the answer is "no", but if it is possible, I'd love to figure out how.
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PA23 ![]() Senior Member ![]() Joined: 12 Oct 2019 Location: MMU Status: Offline Points: 317 |
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Why not make the IFD a client on the Starlink network? Similar to making the IFD a client on a Stratux network?
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paulr ![]() Senior Member ![]() Joined: 24 Jan 2014 Status: Offline Points: 558 |
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That would allow the devices to coexist, and for me to connect Foreflight to both devices concurrently. I don't want to have to reconfigure the IFD if the Starlink is powered down (or out of the airplane), and I'm not sure what happens in the case where the IFD's a client but the host network isn't present.
The alternative is for me to switch networks on the iPad, which is no big deal; I have a GTX345 so FF will continue to get position and FIS-B/TIS-B even when I'm not connected to the IFD.
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gremlin ![]() Groupie ![]() ![]() Joined: 23 Jun 2021 Location: Pacific NorthWe Status: Offline Points: 46 |
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So my setup has been like this for several years, IFD#2 has Bluetooth and WiFi off, IFD #1 has them on, with the WiFi setup to use my Stratus as an access point, which my iPad also talks to, so I Can upload flight plans and see traffic etc.
however, when I updated to 10.3.2 on my IFD's it seems to have removed the ability to not make it's own access point, so about 50% of the time I have to go into "Aux" and make it connect to the stratus, which is pretty annoying as it used to just work.
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AviSteve ![]() Admin Group ![]() ![]() Joined: 12 Feb 2018 Location: Melbourne, FL Status: Offline Points: 2209 |
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Assuming you mean 10.3.1.2... I'm not sure what you mean about having removed the ability to not make it's own access point. 10.3.1.2 did not remove any such capability, but obviously the methodology for managing the WiFi networks moved from maintenance mode to flight mode (in the Setup page). The IFD can create it's own network or it can connect to another network. If the IFD was connected to an external network when it was powered down, then it will attempt to connect to that same network when it powers back up. Sounds like you are not seeing that behavior. Is the Stratus network up and running before the IFD is powered up?
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Steve Lindsley
Avidyne Engineering |
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gremlin ![]() Groupie ![]() ![]() Joined: 23 Jun 2021 Location: Pacific NorthWe Status: Offline Points: 46 |
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Yes sorry 10.3.1.2
So previously because it was in Aux settings you could not have it be it's own access point, and now that's not an option any longer. The IFD is powered up before I start the IFD's in almost every case, but I'd say 50% of the time for whatever reason the IFD creates it's own network, and then I have to go into connections and select the Stratus network and hit connect then everything starts to work again. Prior to the upgrade it almost always connected (everyonce in a while it would drop out in flight for god knows why, then come back)
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AviSteve ![]() Admin Group ![]() ![]() Joined: 12 Feb 2018 Location: Melbourne, FL Status: Offline Points: 2209 |
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So you have the IFD on and the Stratus on. The Stratus has created a network and the IFD is a client on that network. Then, you turn off the entire system. Then, you turn on the Stratus and let it get initialized. You're saying that if you were to turn on the IFD at that point, there would be only a 50/50 chance that it will connect to the Stratus network?
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Steve Lindsley
Avidyne Engineering |
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gremlin ![]() Groupie ![]() ![]() Joined: 23 Jun 2021 Location: Pacific NorthWe Status: Offline Points: 46 |
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That's what I'm saying. I turn on the stratus when I put it into the rear window before I even pull the plane out of the hangar, it's usually a good 10 minutes or so doing pre-flight and then going to the bathroom and then hopping it starting up the plane and then turning on the avionics.
In the previous software since you could tell it not to make a network it never did this, now it does.
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