By default Airconsole runs its own WIFI network and acts as an Access Point (AP). This is the Airconsole-XX SSID WIFI network users normally connect to when accessing Airconsole serial port.


Some users require Airconsole Serial port to be available via their existing WIFI networks rather than having to join the Airconsole-XX WIFI network.


Since version 1.02, Airconsole has had the ability to concurrently connect to such external WIFI networks via the AP Client feature. Airconsole Firmware 2.60 introduces a the "Station Mode" feature. The Station Mode feature is an alternative way to connect Airconsole to external WIFI networks which also disables the internal Airconsole Access point. It makes Airconsole act like a simple WIFI client or end station only.


The Station Mode and AP Client features operate quite differently. The below table summarises the differences.



 AP Client Mode Station Mode
Automatic Channel Hopping In AP Client mode the Airconsole Access Point is still running and set to a fixed WIFI Channel (i.e. channel 6). When user uses the AP Client feature, Airconsole will scan for available external networks to connect to on all channels. After selecting an external WIFI network connect to, Airconsole will move its AP channel that broadcasts the Airconsole-XX WIFI network to match the external WIFI network. However if the External WIFI network channel changes (for example when moving about a building) then Airconsole will NOT automatically change its WIFI channel to follow the external WIFI networks. This means that the AP Client interface will become disconnected from the external WIFI until the setup process is completed again and the Airconsole AP moves its channel to match again.

The advantage however of AP Client mode is that the Airconsole-XX WIFI network is always concurrently available even when the AP Client connection to external WIFI is disconnected.		 In Station mode the Airconsole disables its internal Access point. This means it is free to dynamically and automatically follow the WIFI channel that the selected external WIFI network operates on. This is useful where the Airconsole will be moving around in a building or comms room and change which external AP it connects to. 

The disadvantage is that the initial setup of Station mode requires the user to be connected by the LAN port, as (by default) the Station mode WIFI IP address is learnt via DHCP (static config is possible). Without being connected to the LAN it will be difficult to discover the IP address assignment of Airconsole on the external WIFI network.

External IP can be discovered via mDNS / Bonjour from another client on the same external WIFI - i.e. by launching the Get Console app on iPhone/iPad or the AirconsoleConnect.exe program on Windows.
Performance Because Airconsole-XX WIFI is operating on the same channel as the external WIFI network, performance is reduced as there is a direct overlap in the radio signals. As the Airconsole AP is disabled, there is higher throughput on the WIFI connection to the external AP, as there is less interference
Other Considerations The AP Client interface is a separate logically routed interface - it cannot be bridged to from the Airconsole-XX WIFI interface or the wired LAN port.
Operating in AP Client mode does allow user to authenticate via Radius / 802.1x		 Airconsole in station mode operates the WIFI interface as a separate routed interface from the wired Ethernet LAN port. This means the default 192.168.10.0 network is still available via the wired LAN port and if NAT is enabled it can route through to the external WIFI network by NAT'ting to the WIFI radio IP address assigned (by DHCP) 



How to Setup Station Mode


Station Mode requires Airconsole firmware 2.60 or later. Connect to the Airconsole via its physical Ethernet LAN port to avoid getting disconnected from the web interface during the setup process.




Enable Station Mode by disabling the Airconsole internal AP on the WIFI page. After this Airconsole will restart its networking interfaces, and the Wireless options page will change on the web interface. From here Scan and connect to external WIFI network.