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NAD C-388 w/BluOS2i WiFi Connectivity

I have a NAD C-388 w/BluOS2i (and HDM-2) MDC cards. It has worked very well for several years.
Later, I purchased a Node2i. They are both in my 2-ch music listening/concert watching system. Typically use PC, tablet, or Note phone to control the C-388 using BluOS app to stream AmazonPrimeMusicHD.

Between C-388 and Node2i, I prefer to use the C-388 because it is more direct connection, since the Node2i is connected to Coax1 input of the C-388. However, the C-388 seems to drop the WiFi connection after 5-10 minutes of play. My solution has been to switch to the Node2i - which has always been rock-solid connection.

Investigating this issue, I've found that the Node2i is always connected on 5GHz (never fails), while the C-388 is always connected on 2.5GHz. Home network is all Asus mesh, with AC3100 (master) and three AC1900 (nodes) spread throughout the house and to cover an acre of property (for IEM noise-blocking + tunes while mowing).

Question is about the C-388 WiFi being 'stuck' in 2.5GHz. Seems I need to move it to the more robust 5GHz.

Anyone know if this is possible and how to do that? Is it a C-388 setting or BluOS2i setting? 
128x128mwatsme
mwatsme's avatar
mwatsme OP
183 posts
 
Didn’t help, but accessing the back of the unit (manual firmware update), was reminded of the WiFi dongle method used for the BluOS2i. Previously, I had dug-out the extension cord that came with the BluOS2i MDC card to improve WiFi reception.
So I was thinking maybe the dongle could be upgraded.
Does anyone know if a standard WiFi dongle can be used?

The USB-WiFi dongle that came with BluOS2i is a Unex DNUA-93F.
https://www.unex.com.tw/products/wi-fi/usb-wifi/802-11n/80211n-usb/detail/dnua-93f
An 802.11 b/g/n, and as I suspected 2.4GHz only.

I’ve ordered a TP-Link Archer T3U Plus and see if it works with BluOS2i MDC card (AmazonPrime Free-Returns if it doesn’t).
mwatsme's avatar
mwatsme OP
183 posts
 
As the TP-Link Archer T3U arrived, I was investigating how the NAD C388 was connecting to the Asus mesh router system, again this is made-up of AC3100 (master) and three AC1900 (nodes) spread throughout the house.

What I found while digging into the ’weeds’ of QOS and which device is connected to which mesh node, and watching the traffic analyzer for activity on the C388, which I had just fired-up using BluOS (from my laptop)... C388 began playing like it always does - then abruptly lost connection. Just before that happened, C388 was showing full 2.4GHz signal strength connected to a mesh node just a floor below (although it is a concrete slab and on the other side of a Bedford stone wall).

Just then, the notorious yellow exclamation point showed-up in the Asus control screen. I know what this means... there is a router firmware update available. Asus releases frequent updates, and I’ve had this issue before (several times), when there is a router update ’pending’, the C388 gets glitchy. So approved the Asus router update, which took all of 5 minutes, and now everything is good!

Something about pending router updates the C388 doesn’t like. I had also locked the C388 to the garage mesh node (via Asus router control), that can be good (if you don’t want it floating around amongst mesh nodes) and it could be bad (if the node it’s locked to goes down or gets over-used by other devices). Removed the lock on that, let it roam if it wants. Also enabled automatic scheduled updates on the Asus mesh - see if that helps avoid these issues in the future.

So, ultimately the answer was check if there are pending updates for the wireless router and approve them.
mwatsme's avatar
mwatsme OP
183 posts
 
BTW, replacing the supplied Unex DNUA-93F (WiFi dongle that comes with BluOS2i MDC card) with  TP-Link Archer T3U Plus does not work.

I think it has to do with a feature of the Unex DNUA-93F called "Off-load capability".

Has anyone successfully replaced the WiFi dongle that comes with NAD BluOS2i MDC card?
cnoyes72
1 posts
 
I had issues with the bluos2i module dropping off the network at random intervals (sometimes even while streaming).  That wifi dongle that comes with the MDC module is complete garbage.  I ended up using a wifi ethernet bridge and using the wired ethernet port on the MDC module.  Has been stable ever since.
parkzhi
2 posts
 
Hi, actually I have same issue now, since I recently bought NAD C388 with MDC Bluos 2i but unfortunately the usb wifi adapter was broken now and I was trying to see if I can replace with a new one. I read through your conversation and did some investigation as well. I noticed the original usb wifi is drive support with win7 and Linux (ath9k_htc), would that be possible that usb wifi adapter is like free drive and linux supported. Since I would guess Bluos is based on Linux. I also bought a TP link usb wifi adapter but that needs me to install driver, so I can not use TP link ones at all. 
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