Wifi Dongle for the Uniden SDS-200?

[rbritton1201]

Does anybody know for sure if the dongle for the Uniden BCD536HP will work with the Uniden SDS-200, in order to provide wireless Wifi access through the SDS-200's front face LAN connection? I know the dongle is intended for the BCD-536HP, but I theorize that a dongle is a dongle, and that the one for the BCD-536HP may work with the SDS-200 too.

I don't want to have to run a LAN cable to the SDS-200 because I would have to run the cable between the upstairs and the basement, through the framing, etc..., and using a BCD-536HP dongle would make things a lot easier if I could put the SDS-200 online using the extra BCD-536HP dongle I have. I could just plug it into the LAN connection on the SDS-200, and try it out, but don't want to screw up either of the scanners in doing so.

The dongle works flawlessly with my Proscan Software, and I'm able to receive BCD-536HP transmissions on my cell phone. But, I'm not sure whether having two of the same dongles operating at the same time would somehow interfere with the two scanners operating simultaneously, each of which I would have broadcasting different favorites lists off of separate antennas.

 

[GlobalNorth]

The 536 uses a standard USB port for WiFi. The SDS200 uses a RJ-11 style connector for signal output and a micro USB for programming.

Unless you have access to some unusual adapters, there is no interconnectivity.

 

[iMONITOR]

No it will not work. There is no menu option (firmware) in the SDS series to support it and allow for settings. That may have been a possible future option intended for the front USB A port on the front of the SDS200. You'd also have an issue trying to link to two Bluetooth devices at the same time.

 

[Ubbe]

SDS200 - Putting the SDS200 on wifi? | RadioReference.com Forums

/Ubbe

 

[rbritton1201]

Thanks for the reminder, and I did recall asking the question several weeks ago, but in a different section of the forum. I was hoping maybe there might be somebody in a different section of the forum that might have some different ideas or experiences with respect to using the LAN port by asking the question here, in this section of the forum that deals directly with streaming.

Using a Wifi bridge is an option, and I appreciate those recommendations very much, but the ones on Amazon.com aren't rated very highly, and they are expensive compared to my simply running a hardwired Ethernet connection cord.

I am curious whether the extra Uniden dongle I have might act as a Wifi bridge if I could adapt it to the LAN connection from USB? I'm afraid that my own knowledge of whether this would work is lacking.

SDS200 - Putting the SDS200 on wifi? | RadioReference.com Forums
/Ubbe

 

[Ubbe]

I don't know how much your time is worth, but they costs something like $20 from Amazon and probably $10 from China. I have several of those and have worked without any problems in different applications for at least 10 years.



/Ubbe

 

[rbritton1201]

I've checked Amazon's price, and the cost is more like $40 to $50 for one of the Ethernet bridge devices. Prices from China are really no better through Aliexpress (China), for example. Plus, with so many ships stranded in the ports in LA, when might I receive my purchase if it's coming from China?

Based on the reviews, the blue model above isn't really considered a good performer, and the other one offered by Amazon is being used by another member of the forum successfully, and it's $45. I already have the RJ45 cord, so it's not really a matter of the value of my time, or even the cost, but rather more a matter whether to spend money for a new dongle when I already have a dongle that may work, if adapted, or whether to just go ahead and run a hardwired RJ45 Ethernet cable.

I guess nobody really knows whether my idea of using the adapter to adapt the USB connection on the BCD536HP dongle to RJ45 will work. So, I guess I'll just have to try it first before making a hardwired connection to the router with RJ45 cable. Technically, I always prefer a hardwired connection with respect to performance anyway, but it will be more work.

If I could count on either dongle working as well as my BCD536HP dongle does, whether it turns out to be the extra one I already have, or one off of Amazon, then sinking $45 into a new dongle wouldn't be a concern financially. But, if using an RJ45 adapter will work, then why sink $45 into another dongle?

 

[Benkasey]

Here are a few alternatives:

1) Use a travel type router. These devices will receive a Wi-Fi signal and retransmit it over Ethernet. They can do the reverse too.

https://flexgate.me/best-travel-routers/

For example, GL.iNet GL-AR150 Mini Travel Router and GL.iNet GL-AR750S-Ext Gigabit Travel AC Router

2) Ethernet over power. I use this to get an Ethernet signal from one room to the other over house wiring. It works well enough with older house wiring and cross circuits.

https://www.bestbuy.com/site/netgear-powerline-ac1200-gigabit-ethernet-adapter-2-pack-white/4002029.p?skuId=4002029

 

[Ubbe]

Based on the reviews, the blue model above isn't really considered a good performer

They have produced and sold that particular blue dongle for more than 10 years that must be telling something of its quality. It's probably not giving you the fastest speed for HD video signals but are good enough for audio and never needs to be reset due to bugs or something that makes it stop working. It's just chugging along. Something that cannot be said about the 536 dongle that I need to periodically restart.

I guess nobody really knows whether my idea of using the adapter to adapt the USB connection on the BCD536HP dongle to RJ45 will work.

I believe the 536 dongle to be missing the ethernet interface hardware and are only a direct serial TX/RX to the chip in the 536 dongle. A417 wrote in the other thread that the adapter are just pin to pin with wires between with no active electronics. " you couldn't plug in USB-A at one end and expect ethernet out the other " It would require some advanced adaptor, probably to a total cost of more than that blue dongle.

/Ubbe

 

[rbritton1201]

My BCD536HP dongle has never given me any problems, and it stays connected quite reliably. I only have to reset it if there's a power outage, or some kind of surge that causes the computer to reboot, which very rarely occurs. I keep the computer powered through a UPS, so I rarely have any issues with respect to the computer receiving a surge. But, power outages do happen once in a great while, and then I have to reboot everything. That's why I do prefer a hard wired connection versus a Wifi connection.

I found that I had an Ethernet cable running down from the upstairs, where the router is located, to the office (radio room), which I had been using to connect a printer down in the office to the network. Today, I put the printer onto the wireless network instead, which freed up the Ethernet cable that was running to the printer so I could use it on the SDS-200. Of course, that made running the hard wired cable much easier than I thought it was going to be. I still have to turn off port forwarding on the router, and program the Proscan settings to make the SDS-200 accessible via my cell phone.

The most amount of time was getting the printer to cooperate when setting up Wifi. The printer has always given me trouble setting up the Wifi. I needed the printer functioning quickly for business reasons when I first purchased it, so I had quickly installed the Ethernet cable to get it hooked up asap, since the Wifi on the printer was so unreliable. Once the Wifi was set up on the lousy printer, and I could repurpose the Ethernet cable that had been connected to the printer, it probably took less than a minute to put the SDS-200 on the network.

But, things are coming together, and I didn't have to spend any money, or wait for delivery of a bridge, since I already had a shielded Ehternet cable in my stash. The time invested in repurposing the Ethernet cable was beneficial, since I was finally able to get the printer connected to Wifi. But, I'm keeping my fingers crossed that the printer will continue to work, since it has always acted up with respect to establishing a Wifi connection. If it gives me any problems, I might just have to invest in a bridge, or more likely, a decent printer that isn't afraid of Wifi.

They have produced and sold that particular blue dongle for more than 10 years that must be telling something of its quality. It's probably not giving you the fastest speed for HD video signals but are good enough for audio and never needs to be reset due to bugs or something that makes it stop working. It's just chugging along. Something that cannot be said about the 536 dongle that I need to periodically restart.I believe the 536 dongle to be missing the ethernet interface hardware and are only a direct serial TX/RX to the chip in the 536 ongle. A417 wrote in the other thread that the adapter are just pin to pin with wires between with no active electronics. " you couldn't plug in USB-A at one end and expect ethernet out the other " It would require some advanced adaptor, probably to a total cost of more than that blue dongle.

/Ubbe

 

[Ubbe]

Today, I put the printer onto the wireless network instead, which freed up the Ethernet cable that was running to the printer so I could use it on the SDS-200..... If it gives me any problems, I might just have to invest in a bridge, or more likely, a decent printer that isn't afraid of Wifi.

That's the best and easiest solution, to use the ethernet cable. Good thinking that you though of reconfigure the printer. What model are the printer? Often WiFi problems comes from bad use of channels from other WiFi routers. You have to set routers on the same channel that are within each others coverage, or separate them by 6 channel steps or they will interfere and create dropouts. Use the WiFi Analyzer app by Kevin Yuan to check occupied channels. Try and only use ch1-6-11 or 12 if that's allowed.

/Ubbe

 

[rbritton1201]

Hello /Ubbe,

There are two HP Model M148-158dw printers, one upstairs for personal use, and one downstairs in the office for business. Both setup fine on our computers, but the one downstairs has always been unreliable with respect to Wifi, and it's right below the Router, which is also upstairs. There isn't probably 15 feet distance between the router upstairs and the printer in question downstairs. When set up on Wifi, there's a full 5-bar signal on the offending printer, so it's not really a distance issue from the router or anything.

There are actually four printers on the network, three in the office, including the offending printer. All work fine except the offending printer. The other two in the office, an Epson and another different model HP printer, set up very easily, and work reliably through Wifi. They're easy to set up, but the HP M148-158dw printers are especially cumbersome to set up. The HP M148-158dw printers require you to connect a USB cord to a laptop in order to set them up, whereas the other two printers accomplish setup through Wifi, and their connections are reliable.

I'll check the channel issue to see what I find. Maybe that's the problem. Thanks!

That's the best and easiest solution, to use the ethernet cable. Good thinking that you though of reconfigure the printer. What model are the printer? Often WiFi problems comes from bad use of channels from other WiFi routers. You have to set routers on the same channel that are within each others coverage, or separate them by 6 channel steps or they will interfere and create dropouts. Use the WiFi Analyzer app by Kevin Yuan to check occupied channels. Try and only use ch1-6-11 or 12 if that's allowed.

/Ubbe

 

[Ubbe]

There are two HP Model M148-158dw printers

You're not alone in having WiFi issues with that printer. It seems to be very unreliable and probably suspect to be interfered easily. Perhaps you will be able to see some problem when looking at the WiFi channel plan for your location.

/Ubbe