How to get Squeezeplay working without a wi-fi connection.

[Imagewerx]

Yes it works and plays like this,but shows that wlan0 is active at the IP address......192.168.0.50. Doesn't it have to be talking to another network to have an IP address as I understand it? Before if it wasn't given a network to talk to,it would show wlan0 as inactive and no IP address.

Edit....this was with the router switched off.

[castalla]

Okay - are you confirming that the Joggler plays with ROUTER OFF?

[castalla]

A typical way to assign an ip address on a device is to use the router's DHCP server - this dishes out addresses. Editing the interfaces file means the device doesn't ask the router for an address. It just uses the static address.

Evidently, without a router and using the default DHCP interface setting was preventing the Joggler seeing the usbdrive.

When you switch the router on, then you'll still be able to use putty on 192.168.0.50 to access the Joggler.

[Imagewerx]

Okay - are you confirming that the Joggler plays with ROUTER OFF?

Yes it does.

[Imagewerx]

A typical way to assign an ip address on a device is to use the router's DHCP server - this dishes out addresses. Editing the interfaces file means the device doesn't ask the router for an address. It just uses the static address.

Evidently, without a router and using the default DHCP interface setting was preventing the Joggler seeing the usbdrive.

When you switch the router on, then you'll still be able to use putty on 192.168.0.50 to access the Joggler.

Ok I understand all this bit now,but the ultimate aim with all this is to able to completely remove the wi-fi module from the Joggler.Will this cause it top get it knickers in a twist again if it doesn't pick it up at all?

[castalla]

I'm not sure.

I think you'd just switch it to a static ethernet address in the interfaces file. But that means the only way to access it by putty would be by ethernet.


# The Loopback Adapter
auto lo
iface lo inet loopback

# The LAN network interface
iface eth0 inet static
address 192.168.0.51
netmask 255.255.255.0
gateway 192.168.0.1


Again - no guarantees that'll work!

Any reason you want to remove the wifi adapter?

[Imagewerx]

I'm not sure.
Any reason you want to remove the wifi adapter?

Because it's being used in my car and sets the alarm off I leave it on standby.If I stop for just a couple of minutes,I don't want to wait for it to boot up again every time,just hit play and go.

Once it's up and running how I need it to work,it'll stay in the car and shouldn't need to be accessed at all.If it does need to be plugged into ethernet,it's easy enough to take it out again.

[castalla]

The only snag I can see would be that you can't update your usb drive music unless you do a rescan in LMS.

There's a setting somewhere in LMS to schedule a rescan automatically every 24 hrs - but that probably depends on the Joggler keeping a clock running (?)

[Imagewerx]

Well that didn't work.

It automatically rescans if it's got a different USB drive in than it had before a reboot,so no problem there.I am running low on patience with this now,is there really not another music player I can install that will be 100% plug and play?

[castalla]

I guess the only way to test the no wifi is to remove the module.

The only other way to get a system might be to install the PnP image - I think this may have a music player in it. I know nothing about it really. No idea if you'd get flirc working with it.

[castalla]

Well that didn't work.

It automatically rescans if it's got a different USB drive in than it had before a reboot,so no problem there

Interesting - didn't know that.

[Imagewerx]

I guess the only way to test the no wifi is to remove the module.

The only other way to get a system might be to install the PnP image - I think this may have a music player in it. I know nothing about it really.

I have tried unplugging it and doesn't let me get into 'My Music' folder or anything past it,so no change from before the fun started.

[Imagewerx]

Well that didn't work.

It automatically rescans if it's got a different USB drive in than it had before a reboot,so no problem there

Interesting - didn't know that.

I'm not sure if this is because that particular flash drive has already been used in this device,and it retrieves the information about it which is stored somewhere locally.

[castalla]

I guess the only way to test the no wifi is to remove the module.

The only other way to get a system might be to install the PnP image - I think this may have a music player in it. I know nothing about it really.

I have tried unplugging it and doesn't let me get into 'My Music' folder or anything past it,so no change from before the fun started.

Is that before the changes to interfaces?

[castalla]

You could try this:

in /etc

there's a file called rc.local

edit this and put

ifconfig wlan0 down

before the exit 0 line

This should switch off the wifi - but I'm not sure if this will solve your alarm issue

Again, the only way to get back in will be ethernet if it doesn't work

ps: wouldn't be easier to just get bluetooth working in your car and use your phone?!!!

[Imagewerx]

I guess the only way to test the no wifi is to remove the module.

The only other way to get a system might be to install the PnP image - I think this may have a music player in it. I know nothing about it really.

I have tried unplugging it and doesn't let me get into 'My Music' folder or anything past it,so no change from before the fun started.

Is that before the changes to interfaces?

After the changes.

[castalla]

Well - seems that wifi needs to be 'active' - I think the down command doesn't actually switch off wifi power - so you'll probably still get alarm problems.

I've asked for help on how to create a virtual wifi adapter - will have to wait if I get any answers.

[Imagewerx]

You could try this:

in /etc

there's a file called rc.local

edit this and put

ifconfig wlan0 down

before the exit 0 line

This should switch off the wifi - but I'm not sure if this will solve your alarm issue

Again, the only way to get back in will be ethernet if it doesn't work

ps: wouldn't be easier to just get bluetooth working in your car and use your phone?!!!

I seem to remember reading that this only works for a single off/on cycle and needs to be repeated every time I switch off?

Bluetooth is out of the question here.My system is only capable of taking an optical input as it is as this is the way I designed it,and I don't want to do it any other way.Any dedicated car head units with optical outputs are over £1000 and I really can't justify this sort of money on a car radio and Bluetooth just doesn't have the sound quality that an optical based system has.I want a unit with it's own decent sized screen and as the Squeezebox Touch has a smaller screen than most mobile phones and is biblically over priced,the Joggler is the only other option I know about.

[castalla]

You must have a very quiet car or incredible hearing!

If the command is in rc.local it should run on every reboot automatically (in theory)

[Imagewerx]

You must have a very quiet car or incredible hearing!

No I don't and no I don't,but that's not the point here.The point here is I've set myself a target and don't see any reason why something as simple as this can't be easily achieved?

If the command is in rc.local it should run on every reboot automatically (in theory)

Not tried this yet,but will have a go tonight.

If this can't be done in the software,I can always move the wlan module from the internal USB and plug it into the external one (I know it works like this as I've tried it) and interrupt power to it when the car is locked and the alarm is armed.The Joggler is switched on and off using latching relays from the central locking pulses,but is over ridden by pushing a switch before I get out for when I do short stops and don't want to wait for it to reboot again afterwards.The advantage to keeping the Joggler powered up of course is that it remembers where it was and doesn't go back to the very start every time it reboots.