It took some research for me to solve this problem:

Most modern computer and phones try to be helpfull and keep you connected to the internet at all times including raspberry pi. they regally do a HTTP (non encrypted) request to an online check URLS. if they don't get a response (the look for a HTTP 200 or 204 or a message) they start scanning wifi and cell connections to try and find a live internet connection to switch to. This disrupts the current connection and its data flow which I am using to connect everything on my boat via signalK on my Pi 5. There are poor quality workarounds like popups saying "I am ok with this connection having no internet YES/NO" but these do not solve the ongoing problem.

The solution is to hack DNS and run a local HTTP server that gives the correct responses to the different URLs. This is exactly what the WRT fake internet plugin does.


🌐 WindowsURL: http://msftconnecttest.comResponse: Microsoft Connect TestAlternative: http://msftncsi.comResponse: Microsoft NCSI

🍎 macOS & iOSURL: http://apple.comResponse: <HTML><HEAD><TITLE>Success</TITLE></HEAD><BODY>Success</BODY></HTML>Alternative: http://apple.com

🤖 Android & ChromeOSURL: http://gstatic.comResponse: HTTP Status 204 (No Content)Alternative: http://google.com

🐧 Linux (Ubuntu / NetworkManager)URL: http://ubuntu.comResponse: NetworkManager status page Alternative: http://gnome.org

Thank you Tom. This is a great setup.

Gracias Tom

That is outstanding! What a superb achievement! You have obviously put significant effort in to this, AND achieved a very great deal for very little money! I look forward to the next instalment

I use a 512GB SDcard on a remote Gli-Net AP for my 3-2-1 backing up of my photos via Tailscale + SMBsync.

Others use Syncthing and sshfs/NFS but I like being old skool thou, and thanks for the awesome video dude.

just realized gl-inet routers have already installed OpenWRT as default. That's cool Thanks for the gadget hints links etc.

wired ethernet is annoying to set up, but no passwords, no annoying wifi "optimizations" and it just works.  I'm working on this for my boat.

I'm doing something similar, but In using a Teltonika TSW202 POE++ switch, RUTC50 and a Waveshare IoT raspberry pi cm4 as the brain. It supports RS485 and canbus natively which helps to integrate with nmea networks.

I'm using Orca Core for navigation though, I just got fed up of not being able to get decent charts for the Suffolk coastline.

Excellent. Didn't know about the fake internet plugin. That will be useful. I'd love to know how much power all this pulls going full blast. I've been trying to avoid wifi for sensors and insturments due to power budget anxiety.

Hi, great video thanks for posting. For the Raymarine autopilot, did you mean "Alfin" or did you really mean "Elfin"??

How are you doing the nema network to raspberry pi? that seems to be the expensive part.

Is this necessary to sail to the moon?😂