I’ve had this up and running in a couple of days, then it seemed to run fine for a couple of weeks. Lately, the unit has been non-responsive. It gets a little hot. The WiFi doesn’t show up. I’m about to ditch this whole project and re-purpose the parts for other projects, especially the RTL-SDR.
It would have been nice to have the CHIP or PI connect to a WiFi access point as a client with IP address that I can connect to. The current scheme of Outernet being an access point makes network configuration a pain. I have to turn off DNS and routing via Outernet WiFi so that it doesn’t override my primary network connection.
I’m not keen on a custom RxOS that has to be flashed. I’d much rather stick with my existing Raspberry PI Debian or Ubuntu on a PC and just install the software packages needed to talk to the SDR to download the data and post-process it. That would be truer to the open source philosophy.
And why buy a CHIP when I can get a PI Zero for $5?
Don’t give up - - many of us “early adapters” have had problems, and we’ve worked them out. Outernet has such allot of potential. The corporate folks, @Syed and @Abhishek, will be glad to help you, as well many of us amateurs/professionals around the world. Ken
Hi Neal, don´t give up! I also was frustrated by the CHIP as it stopped proper working after one day. Then I switched to a PI and it runs since the least two weeks - and also in client-mode!! I think, later I`ll give another chance to to the CHIP or use it for other projects.
Good luck,
Wolfgang
Tossing the whole smash into the recycle bin, except the RTL-SDR. As long as these guys insist on the unreliable and unavailable CHiP and RxOS , forget it!
the CHIP WiFi issue is easily remedied with a $15 WiFi extender, if you don’t mind the Outernet being on a separate network. I set mine up as a standalone, public accessible system. It is not tied to my home network in any way. The extender gives it a range of about 100-200 ft, depending on direction. It’s been up for days or weeks at a time since the latest RxOS.
Planning to either:
A. hack the extender to put a SMA jack on it, and connect to a large outdoor collinear WiFi antenna.
B. hack the extender to run it on POE and put it in an outside NEMA enclosure using its own antennas.
They are working on the issues, and I am sure at some point when they have a working product they will work on porting the software to other platforms.
But if you do decide to throw away your stuff, post it here first, someone will take it off your hands.