WideFS n00b

[DairyCreamer]

Hi there,

I've been using FSUIPC for a while, but I just purchased a license for WideFS for the first time with the hopes of hooking my wireless laptop to my network and let it do the "lifting" for Squawkbox or FSInn, mostly just to declutter my cockpit of that while flying.

For my main computer, I'm running FSX on Vista Business x64 and it's hardwired to my router on a static IP. My laptop is a netbook running WinXP, on the wireless network also with a static IP. I've done my best to read the guides for both FSUIPC and WideFS. FSUIPC is installed for FS, and registry keys entered for both FSUIPC and WideFS. WideClient is installed on the laptop.

At this point, I'm honestly not sure what to do. I just want to be able to fire up FS on my main computer and run a VATSIM pilot client on the laptop. I've run them on the same computer for years... just trying to do something a little different now. How can I verify there's a connection between my two computers? Do I just install the pilot client on the laptop and run it? I trust this is just a network connecting issue, but I'm not that great at networking stuff... I just need some help. Thanks a bunch.

~Nate

[Pete Dowson]

I've done my best to read the guides for both FSUIPC and WideFS. FSUIPC is installed for FS, and registry keys entered for both FSUIPC and WideFS. WideClient is installed on the laptop.

There's pretty much nothing to read or do for WideFS -- you do need to read the first few paragraphs about configuring your network, where there's a RED note asking you to do so. That's important these days because different Microsoft operating systems have different default WorkGroup names, and this prevents broadcasting and thereby stopping WideFS's normally fully automatic operation. You either need to make sure the workgroup names are the same, or tell WideClient your Server name and protocol. And of course you have to stop your firewall, if any, blocking Wideclient from the client PC and FS from the FS PC.

At this point, I'm honestly not sure what to do.

What is actually wrong, then?

How can I verify there's a connection between my two computers?

Can each one's Windows Explorer see the other? Does WideClient say "connected" when FS is running with WideServer enabled?

Do I just install the pilot client on the laptop and run it? I trust this is just a network connecting issue

Well, you've not yet mentioned any "issue" as such, so I don't know what to say. Are you writing just in case you have a problem? I can't help with your future, you have to get there first.

And I can assure you that neither FSInn nor SquawkBox will work simply by running them on a WideFS client. As far as I know, on FSX neither of them use FSUIPC and therefore they don't use WideFS. Even if they did, that wouldn't be all. I'm pretty sure they both use SimConnect. You'll need help from those program's own documentation and support. That's not my area, I'm afraid. I don't (yet) use either of them -- i might do one day, but at present I've no idea what is involved.

Regards

Pete

[DairyCreamer]

Hmm... I guess I should have done my homework before dropping on a WideFS license. I guess I didn't quite realize what it was for.

The "problem," per se, isn't so much with anything directly with FSUIPC or WideFS... it's just my general lack of ability to network anything. I didn't intend to make it sound like there was a problem with the software at all, rather that I'm painfully aware of my user error. In fact, I don't see my laptop on my network from my main box. I probably shouldn't be asking here for assistance with that then, and I apologize.

Outside of my networking inability, would someone kindly share how they DO use WideFS? While apparently I won't be using it for what I thought I would, any input on that end would be appreciated. I'd hate to own a program I wont use.

~Nate

[Pete Dowson]

... would someone kindly share how they DO use WideFS? While apparently I won't be using it for what I thought I would, any input on that end would be appreciated.

WideFS is useful for running pretty much any external FS application on a Networked PC, providing that product interfaces to FS via FSUIPC. WideFS is really just a Networked expansion to the FSUIPC application interface.

On my cockpit I use 8 PCs, with WideFS. Six of these run various components of Project Magenta -- for instrumentation and autopilot. Then I have Radar Contact for ATC, "Its Your Plane" for my copilot, FSRealTime to keep the FS time aligned to real time, AIsmooth to help get the AI traffic orderly, SA_WXR for weather radar, and a number of other little utilities for assorted purposes. I also have 7" touchscreens inside the cockpit populated by WideClient's "ButtonScreen" facility, and moving map programs also via WideFS and GPSout facilities. I used to have Active Sky for weather via WideFS, but now I use ASA which, with FSX, uses SimConnect instead.

There are lots of other programs which will run networked. But really you should be thinking more about what you really need/want than "what can i use this for". ;-)

Regards

Pete

[DairyCreamer]

Well, my need/want was to have SquawkBox and/or FSInn on my laptop with FS running on my main rig. I didn't realize WideFS wasn't required for such an operation.

I don't have any of that extra equipment you mention (maybe one day)... so I guess I was mistaken in my purchase. Thanks for your work.

~Nate