Got a Blue SCSI, V2 with wifi up and running. I can get on internet if I plug in the USB connector to the Pico but not if I just use the SCSI power bus or even if I plug in a Berg connector to the HD power supply connector. I would prefer to not run a USB cable into the computer from the outside. Should't I be getting enough power from the Berg connector to fully power the Pico?
Not enough power for Blue SCSI Wifi
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What computer is being used? In particular, the Mac Plus does not supply terminator power by default (you can enable it by adding a diode).
I did check the voltage on the hard drive plug and got good on both 5v and 12v. Also checked at the soldered pins from it on the Blue SCSI. I also engaged the jumper pin for the 5V bypass to the termination to see if that changed anything but it did not.
Not really sure how the power gets from the Berg connector to the Pico but that seems to be the glitch. Directly plugging a 5v usb to the Pico does the trick But not the Berg connector going into the Blue SCSI itself. I did not assemble the unit myself but bought it assembled. Nothing else is affected but the WiFi. All else works as expected but there appears to be not enough power for the WiFi to be active.
Do you have the PWR_ON jumper on (for the berg)? Sans bad PSU I've not seen a BlueSCSI unable to be powered via termpower on a compact mac.
Yes. Jumper is on and I also tried jumping the pass thru just to see if it mattered. Not exactly sure of the purpose of that but it did not affect it.
In all other aspects the BlueSCSI is working fine. I believe my problem may be wifi signal strength. With the 5v usb plugged into the actual Pico I get a pretty strong useable connection. Just using either term power or berg connector power to the BlueSCSI, the signal is not strong enough to connect. I can see the available networks using the wifi control panel but can only establish a working connection if fthe usb is plugged in.
I am also not sure if I have all the software installed properly. I assumed I did since I was able to see networks but I am starting to question if open transport fully installed. My question here though is why the wifi radio appears to get more power with the usb and not with the berg. I believe that is why I am seeing an inconsistency in connecting to wifi.
I plan to close up the Mac and bring into the house where a much stronger signal is available.
Appreciate the feedback. My 4th and newest BlueSCSI. I just had to try the wifi out. What a cool device!!!!!
In all other aspects the BlueSCSI is working fine. I believe my problem may be wifi signal strength. With the 5v usb plugged into the actual Pico I get a pretty strong useable connection. Just using either term power or berg connector power to the BlueSCSI, the signal is not strong enough to connect. I can see the available networks using the wifi control panel but can only establish a working connection if fthe usb is plugged in.
I am also not sure if I have all the software installed properly. I assumed I did since I was able to see networks but I am starting to question if open transport fully installed. My question here though is why the wifi radio appears to get more power with the usb and not with the berg. I believe that is why I am seeing an inconsistency in connecting to wifi.
I plan to close up the Mac and bring into the house where a much stronger signal is available.
Appreciate the feedback. My 4th and newest BlueSCSI. I just had to try the wifi out. What a cool device!!!!!
My educated guess as to what's going on is that the USB cable is acting like a makeshift antenna. The built-in antenna on the Pico isn't great, and the SE/30 has metallized paint on the inside of the case for electromagnetic interference reasons (aka FCC compliance). That's a recipe for poor WiFi signal strength. Since your USB cable presumably exits the case it's probably able to boost the signal enough to make it work.
That is an interesting thought.
Ok, a little update. I did reinstall Open Transport just for good measure. I also unplugged an old airport expresss I use in the basement (yes, another one of those Old Mac caves!!) as an extender for plugging in ethernet. Now when I try to connect to the wifi I am having a lot more success. I do need the Berg connector plugged in though for enough juice. I am going to button it up, take into a much better signal area and put it to the true test.
Things are still a bit buggy and while I have both user name and password in the ini file, it does not automatically log in. I have to select the network from the wifi control panel. Maybe that is how it is supposed to work.
Bottom line, I think it is signal strength and the concept of the usb cable helping may be true. Or maybe just a little more power.
thanks all for the hints.
Ok, a little update. I did reinstall Open Transport just for good measure. I also unplugged an old airport expresss I use in the basement (yes, another one of those Old Mac caves!!) as an extender for plugging in ethernet. Now when I try to connect to the wifi I am having a lot more success. I do need the Berg connector plugged in though for enough juice. I am going to button it up, take into a much better signal area and put it to the true test.
Things are still a bit buggy and while I have both user name and password in the ini file, it does not automatically log in. I have to select the network from the wifi control panel. Maybe that is how it is supposed to work.
Bottom line, I think it is signal strength and the concept of the usb cable helping may be true. Or maybe just a little more power.
thanks all for the hints.
I used a Pico in my SE/30 but it's wifi performance was poor. The EFI case shielding and the metal chassis attenuates the signal too much.
For a while, I used a cheap Vonets WiFi Extender in repeater mode placed close to the machine to relay the signal. But that was a kludge and I ended up installing a proper PDS NIC in the machine
For a while, I used a cheap Vonets WiFi Extender in repeater mode placed close to the machine to relay the signal. But that was a kludge and I ended up installing a proper PDS NIC in the machine
All working as advertised. Got the Mac up into the house closer to the router and it all worked like clockwork. The case does have a dramatic effect but with a stronger signal, all is good.
I was chasing my tail a little not realising how weak my wifi is in the basement.
Thanks to all for the advice and tips.
I was chasing my tail a little not realising how weak my wifi is in the basement.
Thanks to all for the advice and tips.
I have an SE/30 and when I first tested my BlueSCSI v2 I thought I would need the Berg connector because the text file log on the SD card reported slightly under the target voltage. I bought a Berg connector and then discovered the exact same voltage was reported, so I don't bother connecting it.
I use mine with the rear expansion slot cover missing (my machine came like that) and I find it connects just fine with the BlueSCSI in the drive bay. While testing, with a view to getting a 3D printed shelf to expose the SD slot at the back of the case, I discovered that the reception was much worse in that orientation so instead I bought a 50cm SD card ribbon extender and I have that hanging out of the slot hole for access.
I use mine with the rear expansion slot cover missing (my machine came like that) and I find it connects just fine with the BlueSCSI in the drive bay. While testing, with a view to getting a 3D printed shelf to expose the SD slot at the back of the case, I discovered that the reception was much worse in that orientation so instead I bought a 50cm SD card ribbon extender and I have that hanging out of the slot hole for access.
And you're not experiencing any data corruption problems with the extension cable?
No. The dummy SD part of it was a bit tight in the board's SD socket, but it's fine. I had a lot of corruption issues with certain bad SD cards though - before I bought the extension. I put that down to them being very low spec though, old small capacity ones I had in a drawer (2GB, 4GB). It's been fine with a newer 32GB one.
Some of this could be the SD driver I suppose. I recall during the development of the SD tool for Nintendo GameCube at times certain cards proved unreliable and it took a lot of development before it was fully robust.
The bad cards operated very slowly indeed in BlueSCSI, as in taking several minutes to even boot MacOS. The 32GB one can boot System 6 in 7 seconds from the chime, and System 7.1 takes mid twenty seconds IIRC.
Some of this could be the SD driver I suppose. I recall during the development of the SD tool for Nintendo GameCube at times certain cards proved unreliable and it took a lot of development before it was fully robust.
The bad cards operated very slowly indeed in BlueSCSI, as in taking several minutes to even boot MacOS. The 32GB one can boot System 6 in 7 seconds from the chime, and System 7.1 takes mid twenty seconds IIRC.
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