Need to setup a Vonets VAP11G?

I’m talking about the later version of the famous blue Vonets WiFi adaptor that has a web-based configuration, not the early version which needs to be set up using some weird software on an XP box…

You could probably use Iris. We don’t all have that, and it didn’t exist when I started this project. Plus, pointy-clicky is a more RISC OS-like UI, right? ;-)

If that’s the case, you might be interested in a little thing I’ve been on-and-off working on.
Linked below is a PRERELEASE version. Consider it ALPHA quality.

http://heyrick.ddns.net/files/vonets_pre001.zip (30.36KiB)

Note that this software is not currently suitable for setting up a factory fresh Vonets, as it doesn’t (yet) cater for things like setting up the local hotspot or the choice of static/DHCP.

However, if you have a device already configured, my software will report it’s status, pop an iconbar on the icon to reflect signal strength, and also allow you to set up the access points that the Vonets knows about (you can scan for them, choose one, set up the password, and configure the Vonets to use it).

More to follow, in time.

Note: WEP is not, and will not ever be, supported.

Need to setup a Vonets VAP11G?

Rick, it also works with my Vonets VAR11N_300 :-)

Thanks for making this available and happy to test versions as they come along.

@ Rick

Seriously well done! :)

You could probably use Iris. We don’t all have that, and it didn’t exist when I started this project. Plus, pointy-clicky is a more RISC OS-like UI, right? ;-)

Right, and Iris is particularly slow on low-spec devices like the ARMBook, so your idea works really well IMHO.

Downloading for testing now, I do have a VONET, but not sure if it’s the VAP11G, it’s somewhere in my lab… (I wish I knew where lol)

Turns out I have a VONET 11N 300 like Doug, and it works fine here too.

I did few tests however, after it worked fine the first time:

1) If I load too quickly the app (while the AP is fully booted, but it’s still connecting to my test WiFi) and open the status window. It either doesn’t seems to update the status from “Connecting” to “Connected” and is I close the window and try to re-open it again it starts to go a little funky and doesn’t open the window anymore.
This is partially expected, because the AP becomes invisible when connected, however the “getting confused” is not expected.

2) When I add a gateway IP (to the initial static configuration required by my VONET for the initial configuration), it takes time for it to find the VONET because it’s seems to be scanning all the IPs in that local subnet, however, if I do not set a default gateway it finds the ACP immediately (like lightning fast)

Special positive notes:

a) Thanks for the long password field, someone does use very very long passwords (even on Tests WiFi), so very much appreciated that I can have a way to check for correctness before trying to connect.

b) Very easy to use, I appreciate that

Special Requests:

• Could it be possible to have a vertical scrollbar for the WiFi scanning window? Some of us lives in cities where there are tons of Wifi around, more than like 15!
• It would be nice to have an option from the app to open the admin GUI on a browser (just for the extra bits like upgrading the AP firmware etc.)
• I know I am pedantic on the matter (so apologies for this), but will it be Open Sourced in the end?

Thanks a lot Rick, another killer tool! :)

P.S. Highly recommended with the ARMBook.

Tried it with a VAP11N (the tiny one) and is is hugely better than using a browser.

Many thanks, Rick, and I await future developments. ;-)

Thanks. Nice to know it also works on the VAP11N.

Peek the templates to see what I have in mind.

I find the Vonets VAR11N-300 tricky to set up. I have just spent several hours trying to get it to work without success from where I am at the moment, `down under`. I have been able to use it back in the UK. I am trying to get it to work on an ARMbook both via Pine tools and without. I eventually got into the Vonets web page: I couldn`t find the `scan hotspots` button and then found that it was configured as a router, not a bridge, despite having never changed the initial bridge setting. Maybe the techies can get it to work reliably, but I couldn`t recommend this device to anyone else.
I have used a NetGear WiFi adaptor which plugs into an ethernet socket on the computer and works reliably, but I didn`t bring it with me.
So, it`s over to Linux on the ARMbook for the rest of my time in Sydney.

I should add that I couldn`t see a Vonets webpage where I could alter the router setting or any other settings, although I have seen all these pages before, of course.

you should be able to set it up using linux then it should work on Risc OS

despite having never changed the initial bridge setting

Strange. My VAP11G was set up by default as a gateway (WiFi to Ethernet), not as a WiFi repeater. It would have to have an established connection for that to work.

I should add that I couldn`t see a Vonets webpage

If you have DCHP set up, plug the computer into the Vonets and then try to access http://vonets.cfg and that may work.

I have written a little utility (uh, is it on Store or my website? I forget) which allows the scanning and setting up of known access points to be performed with RISC OS (as NetSurf doesn’t cut it and not everybody has Iris). It doesn’t do any of the more esoteric settings…yet. One day I’ll get around to it.

you should be able to set it up using linux then it should work on Risc OS

I tried on Linux and it didn`t show the Vonets webpages either!

@Rick
I know the Vonets webpage address, as I said, I had it working before going South of the equator.

If this is the same software as you gave the link for, mentioned earlier in this topic, I tried and found the link broken.

Anyway, I have it working again now as I post this.

I tried and found the link broken.

<looks up> Ah, it’s on the local server. That’s been off most of this week because of thunderstorms. It’s on right now in case you want to grab a copy for the future.

Anyway, I have it working again now as I post this.

That’s good to hear. What did you do to make the settings reappear so you could get the thing working again?

I don`t know why, on a subsequent attempt, I could get the Vonets webpages with both RISC OS and LINUX, but not before.

I have written a little utility (uh, is it on Store or my website? I forget) which allows the scanning and setting up of known access points to be performed with RISC OS (as NetSurf doesn’t cut it and not everybody has Iris). It doesn’t do any of the more esoteric settings…yet. One day I’ll get around to it.

Rick, did you ever get around to looking at it again? It was a promising and very useful app!

Hi All & Rick,
Is it possible for someone to repost this utility – the link at the top of the thread does not seem to work – I keep getting time out errors. Have had a look on the heyrick.eu site too and can’t find it
thank you in anticipation

Risk of thunderstorms this morning, so my home server is off.
I’ll drop it on the main site when I get home from work, and will post a link…

Risk of thunderstorms this morning, so my home server is off.

I trust you mean disconnected, not just off.

Some time ago, a nearby lightning strike blew out my ADSL modem ….
…. so I went to PC World to buy another one.

The sales person suggested which exchange/cabinet I was on and told me how many of my neighbours had already been in to buy one.

Thanks for quick reply – no problem – we often get thunderstorms here and the family watch me madly run around unplugging things. Also suffer from semi-regular blackouts and spikes (we are on the end of the supply cable in the country) so all critical systems have UPS bricks on them as well. Will check back tomorrow. Cheers

I was on and told me how many of my neighbours had already been in to buy one.

We had a lightning strike on our local substation a couple of years ago. Took out the supply, and our router. We know all the neighbours – one television 50 metres up the road and the Virgin street box copped it, but that was it. Nothing was disconnected or even off, just protected with anti-surge devices. All the anti-surge devices survived, too. Our router pretty certainly got zapped via the street box, but no-one else in the street even lost their routers.

I trust you mean disconnected

The primary Pi:
Turned off by switch on the surge protected power strip.
Turned off by switch on the power strip that that is plugged into.
Breakers for the bedroom sockets thrown.
(actually unplugging it isn’t really feasible due to location)

The older Pi:
Usually off unless it’s on (usually plugged into a battery).
It is tethered by way of Ethernet, but if the router is unplugged, there’s no connection to the outside world.

ADSL router:
Unplugged from mains
Unplugged from phone
UPS turned off ;)

Some time ago, a nearby lightning strike blew out my ADSL modem

https://heyrick.eu/blog/index.php?diary=20120905

Will check back tomorrow

https://heyrick.eu/blog/files/vonets_pre001.zip

Our router pretty certainly got zapped via the street box, but no-one else in the street even lost their routers.

Electricity takes the easiest path. That was probably your router, so it getting blown up saved everybody else.

What a hero. ;)

Lightning strikes don’t have to be direct; if they are nearby they can still do damage.

About 50 years ago I used to work for the service department of a high street electronics chain. One day a tuner/amplifier came in for repair with FM not working. When I looked inside, there were slight signs of burning inside the screened compartment of the tuner. There isn’t, of course, enough energy from the power supplies to cause that in a tuner – and anyway it was too generalised, not related to any specific component. It was a nearby lightning strike, picking up a huge spike on the aerial feeder, that did it.

Electricity takes the easiest path. That was probably your router, so it getting blown up saved everybody else.

Yup. We were the closest to the street box*. And the people whose telly copped it are the closest to the substation**. Why the path from the substation to the street box was so easy, who knows? But we know the strike was on the substation, just from the pattern of the burns on it, and likewise the very visible burns on the street box told us the main current arrived and departed by underground routes.

* Not any more. We’ve moved 200yds down the street, and our son now has the other house.

** but whether their damage came via the mains cables or their aerial, I’ve no idea. The aerial and its cable are still there and not visibly burnt (so if it was that way, it was induced volts not strike), but whether they’ve been connected in recent years I don’t know – most of the aerials here aren’t, I don’t think, pretty much everyone has cable TV or satellite dishes.

Thanks Rick – have grabbed it now – will give it a go soon.