Eggtimer Quantum

I built an Eggtimer Quantum. Powers on fine. Shows up in my WiFi and allowed me to connect. When I try to open the web page my browser (Firefox) times out without connecting. Funny thing is, I was trying to explain the failure at a launch this weekend and the f#$%@g thing connected! Now I'm back home and getting the same connection failure. Can't figure if this thing is working or not.

 

Did you disconnect from all other wifi connections? It may be that at your launch site, you're not seeing any other wifi connections, so your phone only tries to access 192.168.4.1 from the Quantum. For some reason, if you're at home, your phone may be trying to access 192.168.4.1 from another network.

 

If that's true then my assembly resulted in a working Quantum and I've got to get my phone to ignore the other networks in favor of the Quantum?

 

Yes, you need to connect to the Quantum access point. Go into the WiFi settings in your phone and select the network 'Quantum_??????' where ?????? is the random name generated for your Quantum. Then try and access 192.168.1.4 and see if that works.

 

Tried to connect and got this:

 

Yes, you want to connect. And you can check the "Don't ask again box".

 

I'm wondering about the "no internet access" part. Like there's something wrong on the board.
Anyway when I try to open the 192.168.4.1 page with Firefox it times out without connecting.

 

Have you tried to connect to it again while you’re away from home? There may be some local issues that weren’t present at the launch.

 

Sounds like it’s all working as it should.

It comes up with that message because ‘normally’ a wifi network would involve a router connected to the internet. With the Quantum you are simply connected directly to the device only and browsing the server on it. As above choose do not show again and make sure your phone wifi is connected to the Quantum and not your normal home wifi before trying to load the page.

 

I'm at work and I'm not in range of any other Wi-Fi networks and I still can't access the internet through the Quantum. I'm connected to the Quantum but I'm getting the "Network has no internet access" notification as in the above screenshot. When I get home I may try touching up the solder joints on the WiFi module. They look ok but something isn't working as it should.

 

The Quantum won't be able to provide any internet access. The "Network has no internet access" is an indication that it is working correctly. Based on being able to connect to it at the field seems to indicate that it is working.

 

As the others have said, you don’t require internet access, you only require a wifi connection to the Quantum. If you are connected to the Quantum and you can open the browser page at 192.168.4.1 then you should be ok.

 

I tried connecting to a Quantum today with my new phone, a Pixel 3. After a bit of fussing around I found that I had to go into settings and turn off mobile data before it would show the Quantum page. My Galaxy S8 did not need me to do this. Both Firefox and Chrome were unable to show the Quantum page until I turned off mobile data.

 

Could be related to my issue. Are you also running Android 10?

 

I have had that issue too. Pity I didn't recall it until you reminded me!

 

I bet that is it. If mobile data is on, your phone is trying to find 192.168.4.1 out there on the internet via mobile data. If you turn off the internet access, hopefully it asks the Quantum to please get a web page from 192.168.4.1.

 

Cha-ching! Success! Thanks for the help. I wonder if this is a Pixel 3 characteristic or something with Android10? Maybe Cris from Eggtimer will weigh in with an opinion.
At the field I may have been in a spot such that I was not connected to a mobile network which allowed me to connect through the Quantum. I admit I'm not the most savvy person when it comes to wireless communication.

 

Some platforms and browsers assume that if you're connecting to a WiFi network then you must be trying to get onto the Internet, so if they can't hit whatever test site they use (probably some public DNS like 8.8.8.8) they they won't complete the connection. You have to tell it that it's OK that you're not on the Internet... because you're not. IOS seems to tolerate it OK, Android complains a lot more. Also, use your private/incognito mode... you don't want it to "remember" the web pages.

 

My Quantum is still failing to connect when I'm at home. I've got a rocket finished and want to do some deployment testing and I can't get my Pixel3 to connect to the Quantum. Anybody have a phone running Android 10 that can explain how to get connected? It seems to work when I'm not in range of my home network.

 

Mobile data off!

 

Yes.

 

Bluetooth off? I think I recall issues with some apps when this is on as well as WiFi. Worth a look, anyway.

Although, it appears that that is off, according to your icons.

 

I'm going to try to "forget" my home network and try that.
The frustrating part is that it works fine when I'm out of range of any WiFi networks.

 

I believe your phone is telling you that it cannot find the network provided by the Quantum altimeter. I never want to assume, so some really basic questions (no offense is intended), but step one: is the Quantum powered on - meaning connected to a fully charged battery? It seems odd that it was connecting for you before, but now it is not. Do your wires going into the Battery + and - through-holes in the PCB look okay? If you check those solder connections with a voltmeter (put red lead from DVM on the Batt + connection, black lead on the Batt - connection), what voltage do you read? How about your resistor leads that connect your Quantum PCB and WiFi module - do they all look good? If you look at all available networks, what do you see? Maybe send a screenshot of that if possible.

 

Thanks g. At your suggestion took a look at the solder joints on the module. I found I had been stingy with the solder on almost all the pads on the side opposite the three pin header. Touched them up and got an immediate connection

 

Outstanding! I'm really glad you got it resolved. Might be worth looking over your board with a loupe to make sure your solder connections are nice and shiny, and that solder completely covers the pads. You ideally want to see a nice fillet where the solder transitions from the PCB pad to the component. I found a couple of images that speak to what a good fillet should look like in the case of through-hole components and also SMT components. Bear in mind your fillets don't have to be perfect, but the closer to "good" you get the more likely your components will be reliably connected to the PCB through the shock and vibration imposed by launch and recovery.

 

Thanks for the help. I'm still coming up the learning curve on soldering. More of my joints are looking like your example. Building a WiFi Switch at the moment, but was anxious to get the Quantum functioning so I can test deployment for a new rocket I'd like to fly in January

 

When soldering, remember to heat the joint, not the solder. The heated joint will draw the solder into it. If you heat the solder, you get blobs that aren't good connections.

 

Exactly! Also, the flux will do its job and clean the joint area and aid in heat transfer and solder flow. If you just apply solder to the tip, you’re not going to get a good joint because the flux can’t do its job.

Remember, apply heat, apply solder to joint, withdraw solder, withdraw heat, in that order.