Wifi client mode on CQ18T

[evellin44]

Hi,

It would be great if it was possible to configure the Wifi on CQ18T on client mode to connect it to an existing network like in ethernet mode 🙂

[Highflyer1953]

Why? What do you gain, that can’t be better served by Ethernet connection?

[evellin44]

I agree that Ethernet connection is better but in some case it is easier to access to a wifi network (For example in my home studio 🙂

[gabo]

I agree it would be nice. When my phone is connected to the wifi, I lose internet connection on my phone.

Would be nice to connect the CQ18 to my home wifi, then my phone could access CQ Mixpad and the internet and I wouldn’t have to switch wifi connections to do things.

I don’t have any conveniently located hard wired ethernet to plug the CQ into and become part of my home network. I did away with all my hardwired ethernet connections long ago and use wifi for everything. The only hardwired connection I have is on my internet router, which is in a different room behind the entertainment center.

[Simon]

+1 on this feature request. I was very disappointed to discover the CQ20B could not operate in a WiFi client mode (i.e. participating on an existing WiFi network) – especially because I’d explicitly checked with A&H support first before buying it, and they’d confirmed it WOULD work that way. There are many, many instances where I’d want the mixer to participate on an existing network at a performance venue.

[Headfirst7491]

+1 here at home in particular to configure the mixer I have to use internet on my phone/laptop and the router is not in an easy position. If I can have the mixer work in client mode I can set it up away from the table, have it connect to my home wifi and I can configure it from my laptop without having to connnect/disconnect every time.

[Mark]

Yes I use ethernet mode now and have a range extender so that it acts as an access point at an event, and in the studio it automatically connects to our router so that anything connected to the network can access the CQ and the internet at the same time.

[johnno]

+ 0.5 for a client mode.

Given limited development time having implemented AP mode first would’ve made sense.

However, it will be quite common for band members to want to use CQ4You at the same time has using venue Wifi to do things like download ad-hoc lyrics/charts etc for requests where they might not have cellular coverage. In this case having the mixer join an existing network makes sense as band members have access to the mixer and the Internet.

However a venue network may have client isolation, or a captive portal so these will be reasons why client mode would not always work, and a feature that only works sometimes is often not worth implementing.

Obviously I would not advocate having the mixer become a full router in AP mode using the ethernet as an uplink as an alternative way of giving everybody access to the mixer and the Internet over the same Wifi network, as that is moving so far away from the purpose of a mixer.

The only solution for different venues is a dedicated travel router, which is more faff to setup each time than people switching Wifi networks on their phones etc.

For use in a more controlled environment like a studio, or fixed venue such a mode does make sense, but CQs are very portable mixers.
Here wanting to connect a CQ to Wifi in their own premises can buy a $20 travel router with such a client mode (or bridge port of an extender), configuring it once then forgetting about it. Some can even be powered from the USB-A port if not used for anything else. That isn’t a faff as it is only done once.

I think if I was the PM at Allen & Heath, I’d put Wifi client mode really low on a feature list.

Before writing this I was a bit annoyed at the lack of this feature, but thinking it through it makes more sense for it not to be there.

To build a way to connect to captive portal Wifi from the mixer, filling in forms etc, detect if client isolation was present and explain that Wifi users are not allowed to talk *directly* to each other such that control of the mixer wouldn’t work after all, would be worse UX than not having the feature.

Wifi client mode with a big disclaimer message that it only really makes sense to use on private Wifi network which hasn’t been made to require filling in long forms and isolating clients from each other might be worth implementing.

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