Originally from ticket #24807.

WiFi Extender issue: I'm using SkySafari Plus on an iPhone and iPad & iPad (iOS 8.4.1) with your SkyFi router.
The scope is a 10" SC Meade LX200 GPS and the SkyFi router is connect through the rs-232 port.
A Sony a7s is attached to the scope and HDMI is hardwired through a cat6 extender to a work station about 150 ft. away from the scope location.
Problem: the WiFi control between the workstation iPad and the SkyFi router at the scope is "iffy" - frequently loosing wifi connection with the router at that distance.
Questions:
1) Can you recommend a wifi range extender that may alleviate the wifi connection problem?
2) Or would it be better/possible to use a cat6 extender to send rs-232 from the scope to the SkyFi router at the work station? (Hope that's clear...)
Thanks for your attention.
Preston Stahly

Bill Tschumy replies:

Preston,

I'm not totally sure I understand the setup. Are you controlling the scope via SkySafari on an iPad? And the issue is that the connection between the iPad and the SkyFi on the Scope is being dropped?

The range of SkyFi is around 300 feet assuming there are no obstacles in the way. If you have one or more walls in between then the range will be less. It also depends on whatever WiFi traffic is in your area.

1. One possibility is to move the SkyFi closer to the house, using an RS-232 extension cable. Maybe something like this:

http://www.amazon.com/SF-Cable-Serial-Extension-RS232/dp/B006W3XKQU/ref=sr_1_12?ie=UTF8&qid=1449763489&sr=8-12&keywords=serial+cable+extension

You can get longer cables but then you might need a signal booster in between.

2. Another possibility is to get a wireless router to have near the scope The SkyFi and iPad would join this network. The signal from the wireless router is probably going to be stronger than the SkyFi so it can be accessed from within the house.

For what its worth, the SkyFi is not really a "router" per se. It is more like a wireless "cable" using an Ad Hoc network.

Bill Tschumy
SkySafari Developer