Hi again --
An aside: I was getting too frustrated with v1.06 restarts in Router mode lately, particularly when the client was far from the 505 and stressed it with data requests, or when playing with Shareport. I had upgraded to 1.06 directly from the purchased 1.03, so yesterday I flashed with the last big major update: 1.04. That one is working out a lot better in Router mode. The 505 was up for 18 hours with 2 devices connected, so I think 1.04 is a keeper. As for Shareport, I'll drop it and stay with FTP between the iPad and my Android smartphone on trips -- connected via the 505.
Reason I mention FW's: which FW version is your sister using? Have you tried leaving it on in Router mode with a connected device to see how long it stays up? She doesn't need the stress of restarts in the hotel room without knowing how to deal with them...
I know what to expect from my 505 now, and how to react...
Using Apple or Android QRS Mobile app is very convenient and quick to create or refresh a new network. Go through that several times with her. She can use it both 1) from scratch, but also 2) when Speedtest insists that there are comm. issues in a white text message on the black area above Retry (see below).
I've found that QRS does NOT set up the hotel AP's DNS addresses in my 505 Router mode, however, so no internet. What I do then is enter dlinkrouter.local/ into Safari's URL address bar to access the Web Menu. In Setup | Internet Settings, I click on the Manual Internet Connection Setup button, and fill in the Primary and Secondary DNS boxes at the bottom, then Save page at the top. After the reboot and re-join, I have internet.
I use OpenDNS server settings 208.67.222.222 and 208.67.220.220
That's it for setting up from scratch.
Start Router mode from Scratch Summary:
Switch in Router position and cable connected
Pin-reset (hold for 10 sec's to be sure)
iPad Wifi Off, then turn on to rescan when LED Green
Join dlink-xxxx with default pswd
Run QRS Mobile
Join new network a few min's after reboot (it may take a min. to accept connections)
Enter dlinkrouter.local/ in Safari Address bar to access Web Menu
Login with Admin & (blank) pswd
Setup | Internet Settings | Manual Internet Connection Setup --> click
Add DNS addresses manually at the bottom: 208.67.222.222 & 208.67.220.220
Save at top of page (reboots)
Re-join new network
Run Speedtest to confirm internet access
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Ok, suppose it restarts and she loses the connection after awhile. The LED may or may not turn Green again. She can simply unplug and replug it in and wait for the green light after a minute. That's what I do, but I don't get the hotel's Gateway and DNS after reboot. As I said before, plug-n-play doesn't quite work for me 100%.
In this case and #2 above, she doesn't have to pin-reset at all. As long as she is joined with the iPad, running QRS again will resolve the issue and the DNS addresses previously entered into the Web Menu will still be there -- but probably no internet.
What I do next to force a hotel AP DHCP Request is Save the Web Menu DNS page again, despite the 505 warning that nothing has changed. After the reboot and back to Green and re-join, I have full internet.
This has become my SOP. I would suggest a To-Do List both from scratch and from a restart. Put them as a document in her iPad Notes app for easy reference.
You might consider setting up a bookmark in her Safari browser for dlinkrouter.local/ to make life easier.
Router mode Restart Summary:
Switch in Router position and cable connected
iPad Wifi Off, then turn on to rescan when LED Green
Join whichever 505 network is available: dlink-xxxx with default pswd or new network
Run QRS Mobile (optional, unless Web Menu cannot be accessed in Safari)
Join new network a few min's after reboot (it may take a min. to accept connections)
Open the Web Menu DNS page in Safari, but no need to add DNS addresses manually again
Save and reboot (Continue to warning message "No changes to this page")
Re-join new network
Run Speedtest to confirm internet access
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A possible QRS glitch: I was told once that my cable wasn't connected when I had just used it in a prior session. I invoked the equivalent pre-wizard using dlinkrouter.local/. It should popup automatically for her the first time (depending on her Safari cache), but if not, then the Web Menu's Setup | Internet Settings | Internet Connection Setup Wizard (click) will do nicely.
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Another idea, since Hotspot mode works so much more smoothly, is to consider its use if there is a public Wifi signal available in the hotel. The startup would be similar (pin-reset needed to change modes), and I've found that QRS also takes care of the DNS addresses. She could use her iPad to scan for Wifi after check-in and use the Hotspot mode in her room to make it much stronger.
Your tutorials would still apply, but no need for DNS entry. Just show her how to Scan for WAP's using QRS.
Sayonara
Author
Topic: Does the 505 retain it's settings? (Read 10345 times)