DCS WiFi Interface Unit - Home WiFi Network Mode, no WPS available on home network

The instructions that come with the WIU should tell you how to connect to your Wifi if you don't have WPS.  Barry can add more but this question has come up before.

I'm talking the full instruction sheet, not the easy setup guide that's also provided.

Rootbeerrail, you will need to use the Apple Airport Utility to access the WPS feature You will need to got to "Add WPS Printer" i forget where in the app it is. It is in the utility and it does work. I have mine connected to the apple router and it workds great.

Try this...

For Routers that Require Manual Setup (no WPS feature) 

1. Attach the antenna to the WIU 

2. Set the “MTH/HOME” selector switch to MTH. 

3. Plug the WIU into an AC wall outlet 

4. Wait 1 minute for the WIU to initialize. When ready, the PWR and Wi-Fi LEDs will be lit. 

5. Using A PC with Wi-Fi, navigate to see the available wireless networks and connect to the MTH_DCS-XXXX. The network name is printed on the bottom of your module. 

6. When prompted, enter the network key mthdcswifi all lower case. The network key is also printed on the bottom of your module 

7. Open your web browser and enter the IP address 192.168.143.1 in the url address line. This is usually the top text box in your browser. This will open LuCI, the MTH DCS web interface. 

8. Enter the password mthdcs and hit enter. Do not change the username from root.WI-FI DCS USER’S GUIDE 7 

9. Select the “Station Mode” tab along the top of the screen. Then, select “Wireless” from within that tab. Wireless is the only option under Station Mode. 

10. In the ESSID field, enter the network name (SSID) you want to connect the module to. This is probably the same network you connect your phone or other devices to. 

11. If your network is secured (requires a password) then select the encryption type from the drop down menu. If you don’t know your encryption type, try the last choice which is mixed mode. If that doesn’t work, you will need to obtain your specific encryption type from your router. 

12. Enter your home network password in the “Key” field. This is also known as your network key. 

13. Click the “Save and Apply” button in the lower right part of the screen. 

14. Remove power from the WIU and close your browser. 

15. Set the “MTH/HOME” selector switch to “HOME”. 

16. Connect the WIU to your TIU with a USB cable (included*) 

17. Apply track power through the TIU 

18. Plug the WIU into an AC wall outlet 

19. Wait 1 minute for the WIU to initialize. When ready, the PWR, Wi-Fi, and TIU LEDs will be lit.

The WIU will now automatically connect to your home network each time it is powered up.

I found the 'Add WPS Printer' in the 'Base Station' menu-bar option of the Airport Utility on the Mac. Connected without any issue once the option was selected. The app found an engine and let me run it about until it hit a dead spot on the track while crawling, which was enough for my test. I'll comment on some of the 'stylistic' choices in the app design once a thread gets running, but initial feel is that it is a VAST improvement over the hand-held, for no reason other than avoiding that scroll wheel.

I'll happily go thru the steps for the manual add if anyone else has a problem to see how well they work. I've got some older base stations floating around that I can always use...

Thanks for the help!

Thanks for the detailed instructions Barry.

Thanks Barry.  One question, isn't this in the instructions with the unit?

Gary,

One question, isn't this in the instructions with the unit?

The WIU comes with a Quick Start Guide. The complete manual should be up on the web page for the WIU any day now. The excerpt I posted is from a draft of the document.

Since the procedure documentation wasn't available at the time of the 3rd editions publication, I refer to the web page document in the book. I knew there was a procedure, however, I didn't have a definitive statement of what it was.

Interesting. Thanks for the info