WiFi issues demystified (i.e. Flashing Green nightmare)

Hi @spongefile

One more thing you could try is opening up port 5683 on the router for the Spark cloud connection. I am not sure you are getting that far.

You can add another router downstream of your cable-modem router, using one of the Ethernet ports.

Try turning off n-mode and with the bandwidth to a lower band and see how it goes

1 Like

Hi @spongefile,

Make sure your security mode matches what you’re entering on your core (WPA2, etc) as well.

Thanks!
David

Tried all of that now except opening port, which I don’t know how to do. Will ask a more wifi/router savvy friend for help on that.

1 Like

You won’t need to port forward unless your core is blinking cyan :wink:

1 Like

Sparks work fine on local cafe wifi, so the problem is my probably overcomplicated home set up.
For the record, this is what I’ve got:
Thomson TCW770 (router with its own wifi, lowest possible bandwidth is 2.4 Ghz)
Airport Extreme (connected via ethernet to Thomson)
Airport Express (connected via ethernet to Thomson)

Wondering if these are interfering with each other, or if none of these can offer 802.11b/g? I’m reaching the limits of my current networking knowledge here.

1 Like

Which router is connected directly to Internet?

You can use that to connect the core to the spark cloud :slight_smile:

If you can get it from listening mode (blinking blue) to blinking green, the wifi network is able to communicate with the core.

We can then move on to see what’s the problem to connect to the cloud

Thomson is connected directly to net, and that’s the one I’ve been trying to connect to, change the settings on, etc. Have rebooted all three cores, used USB and CoolTerm to put in the SSID and password on each, put them right next to the Thomson and waited for ages but they never get past blinking green. Doesn’t the blinking green mean it isn’t getting past trying to connect to the WiFi?

I have a similar setup with an ISP-provided cable-modem/WiFi router and two lower level WiFi routers cabled to it over ethernet. I have actually disabled the ISP router’s WiFi and rely on the lower level routers for all WiFi connections.

The key for me was using WPA2, which has been very reliable.

Newbie. Just received my Spark after a long wait. Cannot get past the flashing green nightmare. Have changed the settings on my router as per above. All my other wifi devices working fine. Where do I go from here?

I had the same problem - just flashing green. I only found out what the problem was after attempting to connect via serial interface (downloaded serial driver, set-up serial comms). After issuing the ‘w’ command, the core asked for SSID and security type…it’s at this point that you’re advised it doesn’t work with WEP doh!
After changing my router to WPA/WPA2 no problem at all - I think this fact needs to be made clearer.

Also a good idea to factory reset before you try something new.

2 Likes

I have tried my Spark on two different wifi networks with varous settings but cannot get a connection. Just get flashing green led. I wish there was some way of telling what the problem is.

Hi @fletch,

We can help! If you can install dfu-util and the spark-cli ( https://github.com/spark/spark-cli ) (if you’re on windows you need extra drivers ( https://community.spark.io/t/tutorial-installing-dfu-driver-on-windows/3518 ), then you can try patching your cc3000 which might help:

1.) Install that stuff above, and connect your core via USB
2.) Put your core into DFU mode by holding both buttons, releasing reset, and keep holding mode until your core flashes yellow
3.) In a terminal (or admin command prompt on windows), run spark flash --usb cc3000, and then wait until your core stops flashing purple, and then run spark flash --usb tinker.

I hope that helps! :slight_smile:

Thanks,
David

1 Like

Hi

I have been successful up to no2 but not sure about no3. What terminal should I be using? A serial program like Coolterm? If so how do I set it up to connect as the Core DFU does not have a comport number.

Hi @fletch,

Good question! If you’re on a Mac use “Terminal”, if you’re on a Windows machine use the “Admin Command Prompt”, if you’re on linux then you probably have a favorite terminal already :slight_smile:

Make sure you install the spark-cli, node.js, and dfu-util, and openssl (details here) https://github.com/spark/spark-cli

If you’d rather not troubleshoot, send me an email at david@spark.io and we can do an exchange! :smile:

Thanks,
David

Ok. I got as far as running the Spark --usb cc3000 command which runs but gives me a message ‘did not find DFU device’ If I go to the device manager the Core DFU is listed.

Just to be sure:

  1. The core should be blinking yellow

  2. You should have changed the USB driver to the DFU USB Driver

Core is blinking yellow. I did load DFU USB driver. In device manager it shows under Libusbk USB devices.
When I run Node.js terminal and type in “spark flash --usb cc3000” it waits for a while then gives message to the effect that it cannot find Spark.

Hi Dave

I don’t seem to be getting anywhere. Can you organize a replacement(one that is tested and works). How do we go about it?

Thanks
Godfrey

2 Likes

@fletch,

you can email hello@spark.io and they will attend to it :smile:

1 Like