WiFi link direct to a smart phone ?

Thread Starter

Externet

Joined Nov 29, 2005
2,201
Good day.

Done it before, to a printer. Worked fine.
Now, equipment with WiFi capability in a barn at the middle of nowhere-to-the-left, needs to connect to an in-barn smart phone and nothing else to monitor performance.
The 'genius' at customer service of the equipment wants me to install internet, modem and router for that wifi link to work, and does not understand the word 'direct' . Seems everybody assumes everyone has wifi access; which :mad: me off.
Can any magician here suggest how to link the equipment to an application on the smart phone ? Just like I once did to a printer ? The equipment has WiFi. The smart phone has WiFi. How to make them talk to each other ?

----> https://www.stralendgroen.nl/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/Manual-Growatt-ShineWifi-X.pdf
 

Thread Starter

Externet

Joined Nov 29, 2005
2,201
Thanks. I will need a new brain transplant to acomplish that task.

Looking at my phone, found the selection 'hotspot and tethering", mobile hotspot; USB tethering; bluetooth tethering; access point; mobile hotspot.
Are those different names for the same magic or I have to learn how to handle those ? Sorry, am the flag bearer of compfuser idiots. :rolleyes:
 

Ya’akov

Joined Jan 27, 2019
9,070
Make your phone a mobile hotspot and connect to it.

Bob
I am not sure if that would put the connected device on a reachable network for the phone. I have never tried to use it that way but I can see how they might design the WiFi AP portion to be isolated to protect the phone.

Ideally, you would create an ad hoc network. Normally, WiFi connected devices are capable of this. They will create their own network as an AP and allow connections.

What is the device?
 

eetech00

Joined Jun 8, 2013
3,859
Good day.

Done it before, to a printer. Worked fine.
Now, equipment with WiFi capability in a barn at the middle of nowhere-to-the-left, needs to connect to an in-barn smart phone and nothing else to monitor performance.
The 'genius' at customer service of the equipment wants me to install internet, modem and router for that wifi link to work, and does not understand the word 'direct' . Seems everybody assumes everyone has wifi access; which :mad: me off.
Can any magician here suggest how to link the equipment to an application on the smart phone ? Just like I once did to a printer ? The equipment has WiFi. The smart phone has WiFi. How to make them talk to each other ?

----> https://www.stralendgroen.nl/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/Manual-Growatt-ShineWifi-X.pdf
So...you want to setup a WIFI peer-to-peer network.

First assign both devices the same WIFI netmask and unique IP addresses within the network range.
Device 1 192.168.1.10 255.255.255.0
Device 2 192.168.1.20 255.255.255.0
 

Thread Starter

Externet

Joined Nov 29, 2005
2,201
Yes. that dongle plugs to the USB port and wirelessly on WiFi sends the stored and actual data. There is a link also on post #1.
 

BobTPH

Joined Jun 5, 2013
8,813
The link in the OP is for a USB WiFi adpater for the unit. You connect it to the internet then register the unit. This says to me that it is commuicating with a cloud server. You then use a phone app to access the data. My mobile hotspot suggestion should work. All it needs is a connection to the internet. You do not connect the device directly to a phone or anything else. just any internet connection.

Now, that might not satisfy the TS since he said he wants it to connect to the phone only. My guess is that he is SOL if that is what he wants. The device is not set up to do that.

Edited to add: My solar inverter connects to the cloud via a GSM modem and the data is accessible anywhere through a phone app.

Bob
 

Ya’akov

Joined Jan 27, 2019
9,070
Sadly, I have to concur with @BobTPH. It appears that the datalogger talks to their server, as does the app. If there is a facility to connect directly they aren't showing it.
 

Thread Starter

Externet

Joined Nov 29, 2005
2,201
Thank you.
Remember am clumsy ignorant with networking. :rolleyes:
My 'smart' phone has internet access.
The inverter is in a location with no router
The inverter has the USB dongle for WiFi plugged-in
The smart phone has WiFi

If connecting to the cloud server is a must, I have to settle with the requierements, then my ignorance asks :
My smart Android phone can reach the cloud server by phone service provider and the dongle WiFi from its guts.
Is that a 'peer-to-peer' ; or an 'access point'; or a 'mobile hotspot'; or a 'what' without internet provider and modem and router in a barn away from the world ?
These different names or types of connections that am not familiar with confuse me too much.
 

eetech00

Joined Jun 8, 2013
3,859
Thank you.
Remember am clumsy ignorant with networking. :rolleyes:
My 'smart' phone has internet access.
The inverter is in a location with no router
The inverter has the USB dongle for WiFi plugged-in
The smart phone has WiFi

If connecting to the cloud server is a must, I have to settle with the requierements, then my ignorance asks :
My smart Android phone can reach the cloud server by phone service provider and the dongle WiFi from its guts.
Is that a 'peer-to-peer' ; or an 'access point'; or a 'mobile hotspot'; or a 'what' without internet provider and modem and router in a barn away from the world ?
These different names or types of connections that am not familiar with confuse me too much.
That is a peer-to-peer, Or AKA" point-to-point" WiFi connection.

There should be a way to put the dongle in "discovery mode" so it can be seen by the phones' WiFi setup app.
Sometime the dongle will have an app you will need to install on the phone.
 
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