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Frequently Asked Questions > Airconsole - Get Console Integration

How is Airconsole discovered by Get Console / SerialBot?


Airconsole has 2 ways to be discovered by Apps such as (iOS) Get Console and (Android) SerialBot.

For WIFI/Wired connectivity Airconsole announces its services via multicast DNS via both its Wireless and Wired ports (like Apple Bonjour). This protocol advertises the serial port service and the IP address to communicate for both data and control channel. Secondly if the mDNS service fails Airconsole will be detected and connected to the Get Console/SerialBot app via its default IP address. Either method is used transparently to the user to make the Airconsole's serial port available to Get Console / SerialBot terminal app as if it was a directly connected cable.

For Bluetooth operation on iOS and OSX, Airconsole uses Bluetooth 4 Low Energy announcement of its custom serial port profile. This is generally detected immediately Get Console starts so long as Bluetooth is enabled on the iOS device. On OSX, the AirconsoleOSX driver must be loaded to hear the bluetooth announcement.

For Bluetooth operation on Android and Windows 7/8, Airconsole uses Bluetooth 2.1EDR and announces the Serial Port Profile (SPP). Windows has built in support for SPP. Android has mixed support - however using our SerialBot app, so long as Bluetooth is enabled on the Android device the discovery is automatic.


Can I change the IP settings used by the Airconsole WIFI and wired Ethernet network?


Yes. Airconsole's TCP/IP stack is fully configurable. By Default Airconsole operates as a DHCP server, however a user can configure Static IP addressing, or make the Airconsole a DHCP client rather than server via the embedded website.


Can I still share my Get Console terminal screen with Private Server or Get Console's Public server?


Get Console has a sharing feature that allows for remote web users to access the iPad / iPhone terminal screen. This feature is still available while concurrently connecting to the Airconsole adaptor for serial access. The screen sharing feature uses the iPhone / iPads internet connection which maybe via WIFI or 3G/4G. When connecing to Airconsole via Bluetooth, either WIFI or 3G/4G can be used for cloud connectivity. When connecting to Airconsole via WIFI,  however the screen sharing transport will use the iPad or iPhone's 3G/4G data connection to the Internet rather than the WIFI.

For iPad's/ iPod Touch with WIFI only, we recommend connecting to Airconsole via Bluetooth (Default).


Why would I buy Airconsole instead of the Redpark L2-RJ45V cable?


Get Console works with both Airconsole and the Redpark C2-RJ45V cable and each address slightly different use cases. Individual requirements may dictate which is the best solution for them. 
 
Airconsole offers and presents both ethernet and serial connectivity to iOS devices running the Get Console app or Android Devices running SerialBot. It offers the flexibility of operating wirelessly (WIFI and/or Bluetooth) to the iPad/iPhone/Android. 
 
The Redpark L2 or C2-RJ45V cable offers the simplicity of just plugging in a serial cable to their iPad, and is possibly more suitable for users with iPad's without 3G data if they require concurrent Internet connections while working on serial ports.  
 
Get Console can also operate with both a Redpark cable and Airconsole serial port at the same time allowing for 2 physical serial connections into Get Console at once. 


Can I access the Airconsole WIFI network at the same time as having connectivity to the Internet?


As per the above screen sharing question, the iPhone / iPad WIFI interface can only be connected to a single WIFI network at a time, so if concurrent Internet access is needed, we recommend connecting to Airconsole via Bluetooth rather than WIFI. While Bluetooth does not offer as fast transmission as WIFI for serial data, it is usually more than sufficient for terminal access.


If RapidSSH can use Airconsole, why would I pay $4 more for the Get Console App?


Get Console is our long standing, mature terminal application that supports the Redpark L2 and C2-RJ45V serial cable as well as the new Airconsole adaptor for serial port support. 
 
RapidSSH, while based on the same code was never designed and will not support the Redpark cables, and also incorporates some more experimental SSH features not present in Get Console. The price difference between the apps is minimal, however if a user would never require physical serial connectivity, then RapidSSH is $4 cheaper and will work with Airconsole. 


Can I connect more than 1 usb-serial cable to Airconsole via an external USB hub to make a 4 port \"Terminal Server\"


Not at launch. We will be releasing a "Terminal Server" edition of Airconsole later in the year. This will be available via firmware update for existing Airconsole users, although this update may have some minor cost associated with it.


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