Internet on your tablet while connected to Stratux

Stratux makes its own Wi-Fi network, and that network has no internet by default. To share internet, use AP+Client mode with Internet Passthrough. Your tablet must stay joined to the Stratux network. It can be flaky, so change one setting at a time.

The three Wi-Fi modes

Choose the mode under WiFi Mode in the Wi-Fi settings on the web interface.

Mode What it does Trade-off
AccessPoint (default) Stratux makes its own network. No internet.
AP+Client Stratux keeps its own network and also joins another network, such as a phone hotspot. Most flexible, but can be flaky.
WiFi-Direct The tablet keeps its mobile data while connected to Stratux. Doesn't auto-connect, so it adds a pre-flight step. It needs the WiFi-Direct Pin.

Internet through AP+Client

In AP+Client mode the Stratux access point is always running. The client side only adds an uplink. Your EFB must stay connected to the Stratux network, not the hotspot.

  1. Turn on your phone's hotspot.
  2. In the Stratux web interface, set WiFi Mode to AP+Client.
  3. Add a WiFi Client Network and enter the hotspot's WiFi Client SSID and WiFi Client Passphrase. You can save more than one.
  4. Switch on Internet Passthrough if you want tablets on the Stratux network to share the uplink.
  5. Tap Submit WiFi and wait for the services to restart. You may need to rejoin the Stratux network.

Reports of problems include the Stratux network disappearing after it joins a phone hotspot, and the unit becoming unreachable in a reset loop. iPhone hotspots can also drop when cellular service is poor. If a unit stops responding, reboot it a few times. If that doesn't help, reflash the card and restore your backed-up stratux.conf.

To reduce the risk, change the AP settings and Internet Passthrough separately, with a restart between.

Cellular drops on an iPhone or iPad

iOS can keep using a Wi-Fi network that has no internet. With Internet Passthrough on, Stratux also advertises itself as the gateway. If your cellular data stops, turn Internet Passthrough off, or turn Wi-Fi off on the device when you don't need Stratux. Whether some 2.0 betas send a gateway even with passthrough off is unconfirmed.

What about Bluetooth?

Stratux v2 can send FLARM/NMEA data over Bluetooth LE (the BleOutputs setting). It does not send GDL90, so ForeFlight® and other apps that need GDL90 still need Wi-Fi. Bluetooth supplements Wi-Fi and doesn't replace it.

Changing the Wi-Fi name, password and channel

  • WiFi SSID: the network name. Some pilots use the tail number so it's easy to spot in the list.
  • WiFi Passphrase: the password, used when Wi-Fi security is switched on. A fresh default has no password.
  • WiFi Channel: a 2.4 GHz channel from 1 to 11 (default 1). Try another one at a busy airport. The channel setting appears in AccessPoint mode.

Always make these changes in the web interface. Stratux regenerates its Wi-Fi configuration files whenever settings are applied, so hand edits are overwritten. Stratux doesn't use hostapd, so hostapd advice doesn't apply.

If you're locked out: there's no Wi-Fi-only reset. Back up stratux.conf, reflash, and restore it. Editing stratux.conf or the Wi-Fi files by hand doesn't fix it.

Need help?

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