I have a Losmandy G-11/ Gemini-1 mount that I'm trying to connect to SkySafari 6 through an Orion Wi-Fi Telescope Control Module using my iPad Mini. The control module hardware version is 2.1.3S and the firmware version is 2.0S. Presently I CAN connect using an iPad-1 (iOS 5.1.1) and SkySafari Pro (version 3 Pro). But when I try using my iPad Mini (iOS 11.3) running SkySafari 6.0.5 Pro to control the mount, I can't get it to connect to the Wi-Fi control module. The setup screens for the two SkySafari versions are different. I've photographed the SkyFi settings screen on the iPad-1. But I don't see where to enter the same settings on the iPad Mini. What do I need to do to get the iPad Mini to connect?
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Bill Tschumy The setup screens for Mac and iOS are laid-out differently but they should both have the same settings.
Is this Orion Wi-Fi module a rebranded SkyFi 2? Or is it something else.
What setting on iOS do you think you can't do on Mac
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russmilt Thanks for the reply, Bill. I have a "Orion Wi-Fi Telescope Control Module". It is one of the early versions, not the SkyFi 2. I'll take a look at the screens to see if I can input the same data in the setup screens. I'll go out into the garage later today and fire up the G-11 mount and try connecting the iPad mini. I tried yesterday but just got a message saying to check the Wi-Fi settings.
Last night I was inside the house, turned on the Wi-FI module (not connected to telescope), got the green light. I joined the module's Wi-Fi network, which I have named "Ocean". I tried using the iPad to navigate to http://10.0.0.1. But the iPad would not connect. I got a message that says:
"Safari cannot open the page because it could not connect to the server."
So it may be some setting on the iPad Mini itself apart from SkySafar that is the problem.
Thanks for your help, Bill
Best Regards,
Russ
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Bill Tschumy That sounds strange. And you can still join the SkyFi network from the iPad and get to 10.0.0.1?
When you join the network on the Mac, is it listed under "Devices" rather than in the list with the other hotspots? That is where Ad Hoc networks are displayed. After you join, does the Wi-Fi icon in the menu bar change to like the attached image?
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russmilt Hi Bill,
I didn't try joining the Ocean network from the Mac, just from the iPad Mini "problem child". But when I turn on the Ocean network hot spot the upper bar on the Mac looks like this:
The side bar in finder looks like this:
Does this give us any clue as to what is happening? I'm not really trying to control the mount by the Mac, just with the iPad Mini which has SkySafari.
Russ
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Bill Tschumy Russ,
I'm sorry. Somehow I read the iPad-mini and being a Mac mini.
Yes, there is apparently an Apple bug in iOS 11 with joining Ad Hoc networks (like the SkyFi 2 and the early Orion modules create). I reported this to Apple a couple of months ago but they have not fixed it yet.
When I try to join an Ad Hoc network from iOS 11, it starts to connect and then silently falls back to the original network.
I'm really sorry, but there is nothing we can do about this. It is totally in Apple's court to fix.
All I can recommend is to get our newer SkyFi 3 controller. This uses a standard Wi-Fi hotspot, not an Ad Hoc network. This also means it can work with Android.
The SkyFi 3's are 10% off right now for a limited time (until May 15th)
https://store.simulationcurriculum.com/collections/on-sale
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russmilt Thanks, Bill for the information. Now I won't be trying to do something that the iOS isn't permitting. I did just try navigating to http://10.0.0.1 with both iPads. The iPad-1 connects, the iPad-Mini won't connect.
That's too bad since I really like the features on SkySafari-6. But at least I can still use SkySafari-3 on my old iPad to control the telescope. But I'll consider getting the new SkyFi-3.
Thanks again for your help!
Best Regards,
Russ
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russmilt Hi Bill,
I ordered a SkyFi-3 yesterday and am looking forward to using that with SkySafari-6. Thanks for the heads up on it being on sale. I notice it has been improved lately, going from needing 4 AA batteries to having a built-in lithium ion battery. Is the improved version now in production and being shipped?
Best Regards,
Russ
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Bill Tschumy The SkyFi 3 has always used a built-in lithium battery. It has been in production for over 2 years.
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