Modern routers have a WPS button to allow a brief insecure window when new devices can connect to them without knowing the password. This is becoming the normal way to set up a home network, at least here in the UK.
I know Blinkup provides the imp with both wifi credentials and imp account credentials, so WPS cannot replace it completely. But once I have blinked up an imp, so it is linked to my account, I would like to use WPS instead of blinkup to connect to other wifi networks while staying in my account.
Is there any chance of us being able to use WPS?
And, while on the topic of easier movement between networks, is there any chance of an imp remembering multiple wifi networks and selecting the strongest one? I have seen the forum discussion about switching between wifi networks, but I would expect my imp to be able to do that for me in the background, as all my other wifi devices do.
WPS is a security nightmare and it’s recommended to avoid it. Having said that though, it used to be popular for a while – and the imp does support it. The Electric Imp smartphone app supports both WPS-with-PIN and WPS-by-pushbutton (though of course the pushbutton in question is on the phone’s screen rather than on the imp).
DrJack, would you be content with a solution that allowed for pre-programmed ssid and passwords in the device code? That is what I do. I have code available but it is not 100% certified. I have had to put a dummy ssid and pwd as the first item in the table and I have also had trouble when my ISP loses service.
However, it has functioned nominally - allowing me to move my imp hardware between work and home, mom’s house, etc. and it automatically finds the wifi that is present.
Thanks @JHTNA, I have seen and admired that solution, and I do intend to try it. That was the forum discussion I was referring to.
But I just wanted to make the point that it seems wrong for every imp device to have to include that code, which feels like basic wifi device functionality.
I don’t have to do anything to my phone or my iPad when I move between my networks, they remember and switch automatically.
I am sure you would prefer the imp to do that stuff for you, I certainly would! Are we alone in feeling this need?
No, not alone but unlike an iPad, there’s no UI for it to tell you which networks it knows about and so on. Multiple wifi network support has been on our wishlist for a while, and once we’ve worked out how it can be done cleanly it’ll get added to impOS.