Wireless connection

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Hi TurboFroggy- Thank you for sharing the pictures of the wifi bridge to the blink. However I would recommend you blur out your Blink Device ID. That is the key to their protocol and anyone can spoof your blink.

This is a poor maneuver on their part. Just wanted to keep the forum members safe :).
 
I added the following range extender in my garage and it solved all my connection problems immediately. It's a bit tricky to set up, but it only took me a few minutes to connect it through my router (linksys).

ERB9250 11N 300MB 11N Range Extender Removable Antenna 1 10/100
by EnGenius


Purchased on Amazon for less than $50.

I thought this might help. Maybe a lot easier than hard wiring your blink to your router.
 
I saw this in my Blink log when I tried connecting over wifi again this morning:

Code:
Apr 17 17:47:55 evse2 user.notice core.out: Signal level=50/100
Apr 17 17:47:55 evse2 user.notice core.out: Bit Rates:54 Mb/s
Apr 17 17:47:55 evse2 user.notice core.out: Encryption key:on
Apr 17 17:47:55 evse2 user.notice core.out: Frequency:2.462 GHz (Channel 11)
Apr 17 17:47:55 evse2 user.notice core.out: Mode:Master
Apr 17 17:47:55 evse2 user.notice core.out: Protocol:IEEE 802.11bg
Apr 17 17:47:55 evse2 user.notice core.out: ESSID:"AccessPoint"
I ran the scan a couple of times and the other time, my AP came up as a signal level of 53/100. This is probably the wireless issue we are all experiencing as my wifi access point is about 5 feet away from my Blink, but through the wall.

I have a spare wifi antenna that I'll try hooking up to the Blink, but I think that maybe the metal in the Blink is seriously affecting signal strength.
 
msyuc said:
I added the following range extender in my garage and it solved all my connection problems immediately. It's a bit tricky to set up, but it only took me a few minutes to connect it through my router (linksys).

ERB9250 11N 300MB 11N Range Extender Removable Antenna 1 10/100
by EnGenius


Purchased on Amazon for less than $50.

I thought this might help. Maybe a lot easier than hard wiring your blink to your router.

How much "vampire draw" does a wireless range extender take? :?: :?:
 
TurboFroggy said:
Here is pictures of the WNCE2001 installed on my Blink. Also in case no one has ever seen an entirely green test screen, I will also include that (got that exactly 1 minute from switching from the built-in wireless to the LAN connection through the WNCE2001, on the first try.)

I use one of these with my Sunny Portal, which only has wired Ethernet. The only thing I caution is they don't have a lot of range....maybe 25' at most when you are talking about through the walls separating garage from home.
 
mwalsh said:
TurboFroggy said:
Here is pictures of the WNCE2001 installed on my Blink. Also in case no one has ever seen an entirely green test screen, I will also include that (got that exactly 1 minute from switching from the built-in wireless to the LAN connection through the WNCE2001, on the first try.)

I use one of these with my Sunny Portal, which only has wired Ethernet. The only thing I caution is they don't have a lot of range....maybe 25' at most when you are talking about through the walls separating garage from home.

Another option is the Netgear Range Extender WN2000RPT. It will extend your wireless and has 4 ethernet ports to hardwire a connection. I use it for a DirecTV box, networked TV, and PS3 I have in an area I could not hard wire.
http://kb.netgear.com/app/products/model/a_id/13017
 
Does the Blink display its wireless MAC address in any of its screens - I have my router configured so only known devices are permitted to connect, so will need to have that info.
 
BnBinSD said:
Does the Blink display its wireless MAC address in any of its screens - I have my router configured so only known devices are permitted to connect, so will need to have that info.
You can get your Blink wifi MAC address from your BlinkNetwork.com page, under "My Chargers," "Manage," then click the plus (+) next to "Specifications."
 
mwalsh said:
TurboFroggy said:
Here is pictures of the WNCE2001 installed on my Blink. Also in case no one has ever seen an entirely green test screen, I will also include that (got that exactly 1 minute from switching from the built-in wireless to the LAN connection through the WNCE2001, on the first try.)

I use one of these with my Sunny Portal, which only has wired Ethernet. The only thing I caution is they don't have a lot of range....maybe 25' at most when you are talking about through the walls separating garage from home.

My SunnyWebBox (thing that uploads to the Sunny Portal) is also hard wired but on the opposite side of the garage. I was contemplated putting a small switch there and then running a cable over to the Blink. However, the WNCE2001 worked so well the first time I didn't bother... :)
 
My Blink was installed today. The WiFi connected no problem at first try. The Blink is on the garage wall facing towards the inside of the house. The house is a long ranch style and it is 90 feet to the Router in the home office. I've placed a directional antenna up on top of a book shelf with the antenna pointing at the Blink. Signal strength is about 10 to 15%.

I'm wondering that if there is an internal WiFi cable, why not use an external antenna connected to that coax cable? Then use another corner reflector hi-gain antenna pointed towards my router.

I notice that the Blink unit has a "seal" on it placed there by the installer, evidently to keep busy fingers out of the unit. I'll fix that tomorrow and see what I can see then report back to the group.

So far, no luck in connecting to the Blink via the Intranet, using either the "http://10.233.1.100" address printed in the handbook or the actual address as the router established it, 192.168.0.107. I can go to my HP LaserJet printer using it's address and see the printer;s http configuration screen, no problem.

Ideas? Recommendations?

Regards,

Dave
 
If you have any problems with your wifi connection, consider entering the info by hand. My router also gave the Blink an address of 192.168.0.107. The network test would pass every third time or so and I had all sorts of problems charging, until I entered the proper address by hand: 192.168.1.107. No more problems since.
 
CWO4Mann said:
My Blink was installed today. The WiFi connected no problem at first try. The Blink is on the garage wall facing towards the inside of the house. The house is a long ranch style and it is 90 feet to the Router in the home office. I've placed a directional antenna up on top of a book shelf with the antenna pointing at the Blink. Signal strength is about 10 to 15%.

I'm wondering that if there is an internal WiFi cable, why not use an external antenna connected to that coax cable? Then use another corner reflector hi-gain antenna pointed towards my router.

I notice that the Blink unit has a "seal" on it placed there by the installer, evidently to keep busy fingers out of the unit. I'll fix that tomorrow and see what I can see then report back to the group.

So far, no luck in connecting to the Blink via the Intranet, using either the "http://10.233.1.100" address printed in the handbook or the actual address as the router established it, 192.168.0.107. I can go to my HP LaserJet printer using it's address and see the printer;s http configuration screen, no problem.

Ideas? Recommendations?

Regards,

Dave
The tag will fit through the hole if you want to take the cover off. You'll find the internal antenna is mounted to the internal frame of the Blink. I ended up using a Netgear WNCE2001 installed inside of my Blink, connected to the ethernet port.
 
DarkStar said:
CWO4Mann said:
My Blink was installed today. The WiFi connected no problem at first try. The Blink is on the garage wall facing towards the inside of the house. The house is a long ranch style and it is 90 feet to the Router in the home office. I've placed a directional antenna up on top of a book shelf with the antenna pointing at the Blink. Signal strength is about 10 to 15%.

I'm wondering that if there is an internal WiFi cable, why not use an external antenna connected to that coax cable? Then use another corner reflector hi-gain antenna pointed towards my router.

I notice that the Blink unit has a "seal" on it placed there by the installer, evidently to keep busy fingers out of the unit. I'll fix that tomorrow and see what I can see then report back to the group.

So far, no luck in connecting to the Blink via the Intranet, using either the "http://10.233.1.100" address printed in the handbook or the actual address as the router established it, 192.168.0.107. I can go to my HP LaserJet printer using it's address and see the printer;s http configuration screen, no problem.

Ideas? Recommendations?

Regards,

Dave
The tag will fit through the hole if you want to take the cover off. You'll find the internal antenna is mounted to the internal frame of the Blink. I ended up using a Netgear WNCE2001 installed inside of my Blink, connected to the ethernet port.


OK, I am going to solve the problem: I checked the Blink unit by using one of my Linux laptops with a WiFi sniffer application and the WiFi signal is only about 12% -- and varies depending upon if my cat is sitting on his perch a few feet away from the unit in direct line of sight (really!). I located the RG45 connector at the bottom of the unit, covered by a rubber weather cap, I am running a 100 foot Cat 5 cable from the unit down the wire raceway in the wall into the office and thence into one of the unused ports on the Router as I have a bunch of Cat 5 cable and connectors hanging around in the Ham Shack.

I connected to the Blink using the laptop and a pigtail Cat 5 cable and all is well there; nice HTML display too. The firmware is evidently an embedded Linux variant, BTW. (Let the hAk©!nG§ begin!).

Also, this weekend I'll experiment with finding the connector for the WiFi antenna (hopefully NOT a printed circuit one) and plug in a corner reflector with a 6 foot sma connector adaptor cable and see what that does in the WiFi mode.

BTW, corner reflectors, flat plate helicals and extension cables for WiFi are all over Newegg dot com which is where we buy stuff.

I've got some photos of the installation yesterday and will post them here Real Soon Now.

Regards,

Dave
 
Hi -

Can someone explain why I might need the wi-fi connection to my Blink 24/7? My Leaf is two weeks away (yeah!) so I haven't actually used it yet, although it has been installed and taunting my old car for about 6 weeks.

The reason I ask is because we currently power down our wi-fi network in the overnight hours to save electricity. If we schedule the charging through Blink rather than through Carwings, does Blink need a wi-fi connection to initiate charging?

Also, we are in the EV-Project -- Do they collect their data during the overnight hours?

Nancy
 
While all the do-it-yourself activities to get the blink to
connect properly are certainly heroic, and maybe fun, there is another,
much simpler way:
I complained to Blink about the poor WiFI connectivity, they send an electrician out
who plugged in a wired ethernet-over-powerline adapter (not that you would need
an electrician for that...) and now it works like a charm. No hassle, no cost, working blink.
 
How are you guys determining that the WiFi is not working? I thought mine was not working either by doing the network test option on the touch screen. It kept failing, so I called Blink who came out and their electrician installed a wired LAN connection. I retried the network test and it still fails! After three or four tries, it finally passes. This was similar to when I had only a WiFi connection. I tried my iPhone in the same location as the Blink to access the intranet connection to it and it accesses fine even though the network test option says fail. My conclusion, "Network Test" is suspect and in my case frequently gives a false "Fail" indication. Has anyone else noticed this anomaly?
 
gmuzhik said:
How are you guys determining that the WiFi is not working? I thought mine was not working either by doing the network test option on the touch screen. It kept failing, so I called Blink who came out and their electrician installed a wired LAN connection. I retried the network test and it still fails! After three or four tries, it finally passes. This was similar to when I had only a WiFi connection. I tried my iPhone in the same location as the Blink to access the intranet connection to it and it accesses fine even though the network test option says fail. My conclusion, "Network Test" is suspect and in my case frequently gives a false "Fail" indication. Has anyone else noticed this anomaly?

Looking at the status of my wifi on the Blink screen, it should be working. Unfortunately I was getting error messages when I tried to charge - the big orange screen. During the second visit to resolve the problem, the electrician installed a power line adapter so I have a wire to the Blink and to my router. That seems to fixed the problem. The electrician mentioned that my Blink has a wimpy antennae, so the signal is weak or maybe intermittent, hence the charging issue.

Now I am a happy camper, except for trying to extract something useful from the log of electricity usage and the strange bar graph.
 
MsHanson said:
Can someone explain why I might need the wi-fi connection to my Blink 24/7?
In a nutshell? Because you agreed to it when you had your Blink installed (as part of the EV Project). :D
MsHanson said:
If we schedule the charging through Blink rather than through Carwings, does Blink need a wi-fi connection to initiate charging?
No.
MsHanson said:
Do they collect their data during the overnight hours?
Yes, every 10-15 minutes the Blink reports its current status (charging, not charging, how many watts are being used, etc) back to their servers.
 
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