Troubleshooting Internet Connection on the Labpano Pilot camera

If you're having trouble establishing an Internet connection with the Labpano Pilot, here are the steps to follow.

The Labpano Pilot requires an Internet connection for real-time 360° capture. You can connect to a local WiFi network, or to a cellular hotspot using either WiFi or wired Ethernet. 

Tip: an Internet connection is not required for offline 360° recording, only for later upload to the Avatour cloud. Visit this article for instructions on offline recording with your Labpano camera.

Troubleshooting a Local WiFi Connection

Choosing a Network and Entering Password

The Pilot cameras run an Android system, with WiFi settings available in the Settings menu. From the Pilot main menu screen, choose the "Gear" icon for settings, then choose the "WiFi" option at the top of the list.

These settings are also available from the Avatour app itself, which will prompt you to enter WiFi information if none is available when you start the app.

Choose the network you prefer from the list of available WiFi networks, and enter the network password.

Tip: The small screen on the Pilot requires the use of a small numeric/text keyboard, which makes data entry difficult. A recommended method is to touch and hold each key to bring up the options associated with that key, and then slide your finger to your selection. An even easier method is to connect any USB keyboard to a USB-C hub or adapter (such as the one included with Pilot-based Avatour kits v2.1 and later). 

My password wasn't accepted!

Probably the difficult text entry led to a typo. Try it a couple more times. If it still fails to log in, try using the same WiFi and password on another device. If this works, and the Labpano camera still won't join, contact Avatour support.

My password was accepted (or there is no password) but my network requires further login on a web browser.

Many guest networks and some main corporate networks require an acceptance of terms, or other browser-based input, before granting access. The Pilot can accommodate this but it requires a bit of trickery.

[instructions]

Unfortunately, most Guest networks will "time-out" this login after a certain period of time, and you will need to repeat it each time you renew the connection. To avoid this hassle, you should probably consider locating a different WiFi network to use.

I want to use my corporate IoT network, but it won't connect.

Many corporate environments operate an "IoT" (Internet of Things) network specifically designed for networked devices like the Avatour camera. Often these networks are authorized to specific clients by MAC address.

Contact your IT department to try to obtain access to this network. You will most likely need to provide the MAC address on the camera. Find this in the Settings menu under About. Scroll down to find the "WiFi Address" listing which will be six hexadecimal codes separated by colons, like this:

28:ED:E0:01:A5:B2

Provide this address to your IT contacts when requesting access.

WiFi shows connected, but the Avatour app does not load (spinning circle)

Most likely there is a firewall restricting access to services that are required for Avatour operation. This will likely require interaction between Avatour support and your IT department to resolve.

To expedite the solution of this configuration issue, please follow the below steps:

  • Log on to the same WiFi network using a computer or mobile device
  • Visit our network troubleshooting tool at https://avatour.testrtc.com/
  • Enter your email and a short description of the issue
  • Click START. The test will take several minutes and will send results directly to our support team.
  • Contact Avatour support to open a ticket and share any further details.

Troubleshooting a Hotspot Connection

Many Avatour kits include a cellular hotspot, usually including our international cellular service. The specific hotspots included in different kits have varied over time; as a result the images here may not exactly match your hotspot. However the troubleshooting steps are similar across the majority of devices in use.

Step 1: Validate Cellular Connectivity

Check the screen on the hotspot. It should look something like the below:
IMG_9593_sm
A fully-functional hotspot will show the following:

  • One or more "bars" of cellular service
  • The name of the connected network
  • An indicator showing 1 device connected (if the Pilot camera is powered on)

If there are no "bars" of cellular service, you're most likely in an area that has no service whatsoever. Our international SIM cards typically can connect to at least two operators in over 200 countries around the world, but there are some areas where there is no service. Unfortunately we can't help with that. In such locations you will need to use local WiFi, or use offline recording as detailed in this article.

If you see service "bars" but no network name, this means there is service available, but the SIM in the device not authorized to connect. If you have this condition with an Avatour-sourced SIM, contact Avatour support.

If you have service "bars," and a network name, but you see an error message saying "Mobile Broadband Disconnected," this means there is something wrong with your hotspot settings - most likely the APN is set incorrectly. If you have this condition with an Avatour-sourced SIM, contact Avatour support.

If you have bars and a network name but 0 devices connected, then your Pilot isn't connected to the Hotspot - this condition is covered in the next section.

Step 2: Validate your Pilot Camera's connection to the hotspot