Accessing Dashboard using Windows 10

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G4GCL
Posts: 20
Joined: Wed Aug 29, 2018 4:10 pm

Accessing Dashboard using Windows 10

Post by G4GCL »

Hi
I know similar questions have been asked before but after looking at them I realised that I couldn't find any that specifically mentioned a Windows 10 problem.
The background - I have a homebrew hotspot using a Pi Zero W and a simplex MMDVM HAT. There is a Nextion attached and it has worked perfectly for over 3 years. In fact it still functions perfectly but the problem is logging into the dashboard. I did change my ISP over a year ago to Sky and have the ER115 router. Both my main PC and laptop did run Windows 7 until about a month ago when I had hardware problems with the main PC and in the end, after repairs, I had to 'upgrade' to Windows 10 Pro 64Bit. Using Windows 7 there has never been any problems in accessing the dashboard. After the change to Windows 10 on the main PC I could still access it fine but after a few days there was no response. Since I was using the default Edge browser, which I understand is derived from Chrome, and I wasn't too familiar with it, I installed Firefox which I had used with Windows 7. It made no difference at all. I tried logging in via pi-star.local, pi-star/ and the ip address with no success. If I restart the router then I can log in fine, for a while, perhaps an hour or so. It is also not possible to log in from Safari, on an iPad or Firefox on an old Android Tablet unless the router has been recently rebooted.

I am perfectly willing to believe that it is a router problem but the question that keeps cropping up in my mind is why does the Windows 7 laptop work when nothing else does? On the laptop I have 4 browsers and every one of them can log into the dashboard using any of the 3 methods I mentioned at any time and it never fails. What is the difference between Windows 7 and Windows 10 in these circumstances?
I did read that Windows 10 dropped support for SMBv1 since build 1709, could that be the difference between 7 & 10 in my situation?

So that's my problem. I have a hotspot that works perfectly but I can only log into the dashboard using Windows 7 and not Windows 10.

73,
John
LB8EI
Posts: 8
Joined: Sun Nov 07, 2021 4:38 pm

Re: Accessing Dashboard using Windows 10

Post by LB8EI »

You have ruled out that it is an issue with the web server on the hotspot. And since your old laptop is able to connect to the hotspot, then there is something with the network routing from your new win10 pc.

1) ping the hotspot from both computers. Start a CMD command window and write "PING <ip-adress-of-your-hotspot>"
It will look something like this: (192.168.1.112 is the ip of my hotspot)
2021-11-13 18_05_49-Clipboard.png
2021-11-13 18_05_49-Clipboard.png (14.92 KiB) Viewed 5835 times
if you get an answer on your laptop, and not on your win10 computer, then the network connection on your win10 computer is wonky.

2) in the CMD window, write "ipconfig" and you'll get an answer like this:
2021-11-13 18_09_27-Window.png
2021-11-13 18_09_27-Window.png (15.04 KiB) Viewed 5835 times
Take noe of the SUBNET MASK, and check if it is the same on both computers. Check that the IP ADRESS of both computers and your hotspot only changes in the segments that is marked with Zeroes in the subnet mask. I.E. if your network mask is 255.255.255.0 then the ip adress of each of your other gear should only vary in the last of the four numbers.

3) if everything until now looks OK. Try disabling the windows 10 firewall.

4) If that doesn't do the trick, there is some tools in windows 10 that does "Network troubleshooting" . You'll find it by clicking the start button and start writing "network troubleshooting" and it will search the menu for the right tool. Sometimes this can fix your settings.
G4GCL
Posts: 20
Joined: Wed Aug 29, 2018 4:10 pm

Re: Accessing Dashboard using Windows 10

Post by G4GCL »

Hi Roy

Thank you for your reply. Apologies for missing out important information but, by the time I had described the problem, I forgot that I hadn't covered everything :oops:

One of the first things I tried a few days ago was to ping the hotspot which it does with no problem. I just tried ipconfig and the Subnet mask is the same on both 255.255.255.0. I have tried switching off all security that I can find in Windows 10 and it makes no difference. I have run the Network Troubleshooting and of course there is no problem found because it appears to Windows that everything is accessible it's just that the hotspot doesn't respond to the browser but does to low level things like being pinged. The hotspot is seen on the router and I have even declared it as a device that is allowed access unconditionally. If I reboot the router now the Windows 10 PC will be able to access it using any of the commands but by the end of the evening, or perhaps tomorrow morning, only the laptop will still have access.

Thank you again for your response Roy and apologies for only telling half a story.

73,
John
G4GCL
Posts: 20
Joined: Wed Aug 29, 2018 4:10 pm

Re: Accessing Dashboard using Windows 10

Post by G4GCL »

Hi

Thanks very much for your thoughts on the problem. I really don't understand why you are so adamant that it has nothing to do with the operating system. If I attempt to connect via the same router using Windows 7 & 10 to the same device and 1 works and the other doesn't then logically it points to a difference between the only two things which change ie. the operating system. Nothing else has changed in the setup.
As far as the router is concerned there is a possibility that I could add what would effectively be an access point but the main router has to stay.
The Pi-Star software is the very latest version, and has been regularly updated until the last week or so using the same setup but with both computers running Windows 7 so that shouldn't be the cause.
I realise I'm repeating myself but it comes down to the fact that with Windows 7 it works and with Windows 10 it doesn't, or only does for an hour or so.

73,
john
dh3ybe
Posts: 84
Joined: Sun Aug 26, 2018 9:02 pm
Location: Germany

Re: Accessing Dashboard using Windows 10

Post by dh3ybe »

Hello,

maybe the windwos 10 internal firewall disturbs your connect?

BR
Kai
dh3ybe
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