Wireless setup review

[sticks4legs]

I finally had the opportunity to assemble some equipment over a rainy weekend. I have decided to move to a wireless solution in hope of elimination long runs of CAT cable. If you could review and provide any suggestions. I have e read countless pages on setups but some seems to confuse me more.

AC channels via LOR

PC -> ELL ~~ ELL -> CTB16 -> CTB16

E1.31

PC ~~ wireless router DIR615 ( with DD-WRT) flash

-> e6804 ( lan 1)

-> e682 ( lan 2)

-> = hardwire CAT

~~ = wireless

My goal is to eliminate the wires running out my garage doors. My concern is the wireless connection from show computer to router. Old girl show computer is only 54 Mbps. E6804 runs 342 pixels e682 runs 312 pixels ( possibly more depending on time)

Edited June 15, 2015 by sticks4legs

[k6ccc]

Unless I'm missing something, you missed a step on the E1.31.  You're only showing one end of the wireless link between the PC and the E1.31 devices.  I assume that you are going to have the DD-WRT operating as a bridge, but if that is the case, I don't believe (never used DD-WRT - but have red some of the docs), it acts as a WiFi client and not an access point.  Your laptop needs an access point to connect to - not another client.

 

So unless the DD-WRT can operate as an access point (for your laptop to connect to), and as a bridge (to supply Wired LAN to the E1.31 devices), you would need an additional access point so it would be something like this:

 

PC ~~ Access point ~~ DD-WRT bridge -> E1.31 devices

 

Now, I will point out that I could be wrong about the DD-WRT router being able to be an access point and a bridge at the same time.

[sticks4legs]

Edited posted above. Show PC connects to wireless network on router. ( with nothing in the WAN port and no internet hard to call it a router) Wireless router is a dlink DIR615. Firmware to dd-wrt. Operates its own wireless network and has the two sandevices plugged into it. Small scale tests works on the weekend.

Edited June 15, 2015 by sticks4legs

[k6ccc]

OK, I stand corrected.  I didn't think that a DD-WRT router could do both at the same time.  Tells you how much I know about DD-WRT - either that of that I've never used a DD-WRT router and only read SOME of the docs.

 

Good luck with the project.

[Dcroc]

Very curious to see how well this works.  I worry about dropped wireless signal, and lag.

[sticks4legs]

Tests on the weekend was only with two arches 31 pixels each. Worked ok, sandevices info page did report 30 sequence errors under the packet stats after about 10 minutes but I'm wondering if that had something to do with my accessing and leaving open the setup pages for the equipment.

Next will be to test my AC controllers via the ELL and see if there is difference or lag between wireless pixels and AC channels.

Edited June 16, 2015 by sticks4legs

[k6ccc]

You will almost always get SOME packet errors over time - I can tell you how to get lots really fast too..  I just looked at my two E6804s and one shows an up time of just under 23 days and 585 and 302 sequence errors on the two universes out of 83 million packets - and most of those were from a few days ago when I inadvertently had two computers sending packets to the same universes (fortunately NOT while my show was running).  The other one has 3755 sequence errors with an uptime that goes back to sometime in 2013 (the counter overran after 9999 hours).

[sticks4legs]

Full scale pixel test today for Canada day, just looping an animation over and over. No issues with running it over wireless. I did have to revert back to D-Link firmware. I was having some connectivity issues with the WRT firmware.