View Full Version here: : Private WIFI network for Star Party - what do I need?
glend
05-06-2018, 10:53 AM
I would like to setup a secure WiFi network at Qld Astrofest, so that I can monitor my imaging equipment from the warmth of my camper. I use Teamviewer for this at home between the Obs and the house. It would be local secure LAN only of course. What do I need in the way of hardware? I doubt my TPG NBN router from home is suitable but heck maybe it is, I don't know this equip very well. Suggestions?
I'll watch this with interest. Was only last night I was thinking about how I'd set up a network between my obs and house (80m away)
glend
05-06-2018, 02:10 PM
Jon I run Teamviewer now from my house to the Obs in my backyard, no problem, easy to setup. However, a remote non-Net connected location is probably different, which is what I am asking about. Teamviewer needs the Net, even though you can specify local LAN exclusivity for your connection. Windows Remote might be ok in a private WiFi environment but I don't know much about it.
RickS
05-06-2018, 02:52 PM
You can set up an ad hoc WiFi network between two Windows computers, assuming that's what you have at both ends. The details vary depending on the O/S version. Perhaps Pringles can antennae for style points?
Cheers,
Rick.
multiweb
05-06-2018, 02:56 PM
Rick said he'll provide a cisco infrastructure this year for astrofest in exchange of cheese and crackers. Wine will get you a dedicated IP.
RickS
05-06-2018, 04:08 PM
We don't need no steenking Cisco gear, Marc :lol: One of our own boxes would do it. A fancy high gain cellular antenna and we could probably provide Internet as well. But then I'd feel obliged to read work emails so it ain't gonna happen ;)
glend
05-06-2018, 04:23 PM
Haha. Not sure I would be able to stand having PI ads pushed onto my devices. Both my laptops are Win8 so I will experiment with an Ad Hoc connection. Thanks.
The_bluester
05-06-2018, 05:18 PM
Provided it was within range and you can power it your home wifi router would probably work just fine, you should still have connectivity on your own network, just no internet connection.
I was not aware of Teamviewer needing a net connection to work even in local mode. Give me 5 and I will test that.
EDIT: Yanked the net connection from the router and fired up Teamviewer (Which I use to work on a headless machine in a rack at home) and it connected just fine within my own network, not sure if you need a connection to set it up initially though.
glend
05-06-2018, 06:42 PM
I will test it here Paul. Thanks
Sounds like you have what you need but I bought one of these to work with my portable setup and USB Stick PC
https://www.amazon.com/TP-Link-Wireless-Travel-Extender-TL-WR802N/dp/B00TQEX8BO/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1528460999&sr=8-3&keywords=tp+link+n300+wifi+nano+tra vel+router
DavidTrap
10-06-2018, 07:16 AM
Cheap router from Umart $25
DT
https://www.umart.com.au/TP-LINK-TL-WR841N-300Mbps-Wireless-N-Router--Atheros--2T2R--2-4GHz--802-11n-g-b--Built-in-4-port-Swi_22360G.html
glend
12-06-2018, 09:15 AM
Well i have tried testing my normal Team viewer connection (between the Obs laptop and the house system), with the router unplugged from the NBN - it does not work. From what I can determine the Team viewer app checks with the Team viewer server out on the Net to get the user data, and if the connection is not there you go nowhere. So Net access seems to be mandatory with Team viewer, even if your using exclusive local only.
The fallback might be Win Remote but I have never used that and don't know how to set that up over WiFi. I did find an Android Win Remote app that sounds interesting, as I have a tablet.
I will need some basic instructions on setting up a secure Ad Hoc WiFi network at Astrofest, i suppose using a travel router type device.
Camelopardalis
12-06-2018, 12:27 PM
Glen, I just use the built-in RDP functionality, doesn't require an internet connection. All you need is to enable it on the computer you want to access, and then use a client program (there are many, but mstsc is in all versions of Windows, I believe) to access it using its IP address and login credentials.
glend
12-06-2018, 02:10 PM
Thanks Dunk. I am running into problems with trying to get RDP Wrap to run on my WIN8.1 machine, seems it has been disabled by Windows recently.
I can get control via Chrome Remote Desktop on both machines but of course Net access is required (like with Teamviewer) in order for that to happen.
This maybe in the 'Too Hard" basket for my level of knowledge.
troypiggo
12-06-2018, 06:11 PM
You can definitely use TV on a LAN with no internet. I do it at home and do it at Astrofest every year. I’ll look next time if I remember and post settings.
Be careful using RDP. I recall Chris garbz posting here somewhere that RDP was causing weirdness with some of his Astro software.
Edit: RDP issue - http://www.iceinspace.com.au/forum/showthread.php?t=135489&highlight=RDP
Edit 2: googled “team viewer lan only” and the first hit shows how I did it from memory
Edit 3: When connecting via LAN, you use the IP address of the computer on your LAN you're trying to connect to, eg 192.168.0.5 as opposed to the partner ID when connecting via internet
Camelopardalis
12-06-2018, 08:33 PM
That’s interesting, and weird behaviour from RDP. I’ll try VNC again and see if my guiding improves :D
glend
12-06-2018, 10:03 PM
Thanks Tony, got Teamviewer working now without the Net. I had not switched over to a local IP address when I tried it before. Looks like that will be my Astrofest solution.
Now to consider wifi range requirements at Astrofest. Any advice on a travel router type product that can cover the site? I would guess there will be a fair number of AD HOC networks running.
Wavytone
12-06-2018, 10:16 PM
meh... enable a hotspot on an iPhone or iPad and you have a private network which PCs can use.
And it runs off a USB port which most cars have, and some battery setups, effectively indefinitely. While range will be limited, if you raise it up off the ground this will help significantly, and if you place it a foot or two above a nice metal surface (roof of a car will do nicely) the range is roughly doubled, 40 metres is possible.
If internet access is on, then you're sharing that too (if needed).
TeamViewer is one option - LogMeIn is another and its cross-platform though like TeamViewer it requires internet access to work.
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