Iridium GO! error in Mail/Web app

[jr_spyder]

I just did a passage from Marion, MA to Bermuda and had trouble with my Iridium GO! the entire way. I tested it all several times weeks before departure and it all worked fine. All traffic on the GO is managed by two different iOS apps, and by Predict Wind Offshore software on my PC. On the passage the GO app worked fine and I was able to send texts and make phone calls. I could also easily download grib files through Predict Wind (brilliant really). What didn't work was the "Mail and Web" app so I couldn't send/receive email, post to Facebook, go online (don't do this anyway), or use its other features. Not tragic, but irritating, especially since I had promised people I would post news daily from our voyage (the Marion Bermuda Race).

Here's the problem: The Mail and Web app loads and opens fine. When I try to use any feature that then requires it to attach to the Iridium box (e.g.: send an email) an error comes up saying "The GO! is not available." I know this is not true because the other app, the Iridium GO! app, works fine, and my PC can attach to the box and make an internet connection flawlessly.

We have several iOS devices on board of different types/vintages all with these apps loaded, and all behave the same way. The M&W app fails. I've tried every setting I can find, and even found the IP address of the GO box and made a direct connection to it on my PC and checked all setting there. No joy.

No internet search for this error has found me any help.

So I'm stumped and expect if I call support at Iridium I might be in for a long support call at expensive rates here in Bermuda, so I thought I'd check with everyone here for help first, and leave behind a solution for others that face this problem.

Any ideas?

Thanks,

JR

[lsoltero]

Things to check.

1. firmware for Iridium GO! you should be running 1.4.1. Use the key pad on the GO display to access the info screen. you will find the serial number on the second page.

2. make sure you have not changed the password on the GO. my suggestion is that you do a factory default on the GO to make sure you are running with all default settings.

3 make sure you are running the latest of IMW. There was a new release of the software done about 2 weeks ago.

4. under settings -> connection make sure you have "Iridium GO! for mobile devices".

5. did you register for an account at iridium.com? https://www.iridium.com/iridiummailampwebregistration

make sure you have entered your valid myiridium.net address under settings.

Can't think of anything else that might prevent you from using the app.

Good luck.

[jr_spyder]

Thanks. All these suggestions are good and had already checked them all except doing a reset. Did that, slightly painful, and no joy.

That said I changed my password back to the default in the GO app and then the MW app worked. I was able to send an email. Simple, but stupid, and I'm quite sure this wasn't the case in the past.

Thanks for the tips.

JR

[lsoltero]

ah...yes... when you change the Device password with the GO! app you then need to enter that password in IMW or it can't access the GO... these are really two independent apps that do not speak to each other. So there is no way for IMW to know what the new password is.

So... in IMW you go to settings->connection->modify configuration
and enter the new password there.

Then you should be all set.

The screen layout is kind of messed up in the current version but its obvious where the password should be entered...

BUT.. really there is no need to change the password for the device the iridium recommended procedure is to leave these values set to the default settings.

[jr_spyder]

This is definitely a confusing "feature" and could be so much better. First it's odd that the MW app has no notion of a user to login at all, unlike the GO app. So it must have some dependency on the other settings, but obviously I couldn't sort it out, and I was without the service because of it. Moreover it seems silly to have two apps for different features. They should all be in one place protected by a login. Duh.

Finally I'd like to see a PC application with a good interface to use all the services on the GO without needing an iOS device at all.

Thanks again for your help.

JR

[lsoltero]

what you are missing here is some history. The IMW app has been around since 2011 when it was used for the Iridium AxcessPoint (since discontinued). The iridium GO! was released in 2014. Also the IMW supports many devices including the GO, AxcessPoint, RedPort Optimizer, Aurora, Sat Trans Docking stations. So... it is not device specific application like the GO! app and every hardware device is a different and therefor the interface to the device more generic.

For a PC version of the app you should check out
XGate Satellite Phone Email| Iridium 9555, Inmarsat, Globalstar via XGate | GMN

Take care.

--luis

[jr_spyder]

Thanks Luis,

Good info but I would offer this constructive feedback to Iridium:

- make it one app for the GO. Having two might be easier for iridium, but having one is easier for the consumer, and that should be the focus.
- display correct error messages. "The GO! Is not available" is an incorrect and time wasting error message. If it had said "login name or password is incorrect" I may have found the problem while at sea and been able to post to my blog that people were expecting.
- the password setting on the IMW app is terribly obscure and very different than GO! App. Fix this, or better yet, have one app.
- put error messages in the user doc for troubleshooting
- explain login credentials in the user doc. It's not there. Why is the no login name, but there is a password? Very unconventional.

Overall I'm impressed by the GO! And I'm glad I have it. But the apps need overhauling up to a better standard.

JR

[lsoltero]

i don't work for or represent iridium in any way... you might forward these comments directly to them.

take care.

--luis

[jr_spyder]

Oh I didn't think you did. But it's an open forum and I'm just sharing my thoughts and hopefully helpful tips for others when they search on Iridium in the future. You and this discussion have been very helpful.

Fair winds,

JR

[tgrimmett]

I can confirm that it was a password issue for me as well. The Iridium mail and web app appears to use the default 'guest' login to the Iridium Go! If you change that login's password, the app won't connect. I tried entering the password in the configuration section, but it still didn't connect, staying on the status of 'Connecting to 192.168.0.1, Port 80'. When I changed the password on the Go! to 'guest' and retried the app, it connected right away and opened an internet call, sent and received mail, and closed out the call as expected. BTW, does anyone care about this stuff anymore, or is everyone on Starlink...man, I hope not!