Hotspot not working
Q: Hotspot not working — OLED/display not responding, hotspot stuck initializing, red status light problems, Wi-Fi network not appearing, problems continuing after changing/reflashing SD card.
A: Please download the log and send it over for analysis. For the original Pi-Star (MW0MWZ): open the live log page at http://yourIP/admin/live_modem_log.php; the log file can be downloaded via the link at the bottom of the page, or directly from http://yourIP/admin/download_modem_log.php
Q: How do I access the Pi-Star hotspot once it is connected via microUSB-to-ethernet?
A: Once the microUSB-to-ethernet adapter's lights are on, open http://pi-star in a browser to configure. Reference: Pi-Star Local Area Network Access Address List:
1. Normal LAN mode (connected to home router via Wi-Fi/Ethernet):
Recommended hostnames: http://pi-star (Windows/Android/Linux), http://pi-star.local (macOS/iOS/Linux/Windows 10/11)
Full configuration page: http://pi-star.local/admin/configure.php
Backup: Find the device IP in the router's DHCP client list and access http://192.168.x.x
2. AP Hotspot mode (no preconfigured Wi-Fi): Pi-Star creates a hotspot named "Pi-Star-Setup" (password: raspberry) with static IP 192.168.50.1 — URL: http://192.168.50.1
3. Default login: username pi-star, password raspberry.
4. Troubleshooting: If pi-star.local cannot be opened, use the router-assigned IP. Multiple Pi-Star devices must be distinguished by IP, not hostname.
OLED Issues
Q1: Green light is on, red light flashes behind the case, but the computer shows no activity. The OLED display went out within hours. What is wrong?
A1: A flashing red light behind the case indicates the unit is working — configure Wi-Fi/callsign/Mode and check the Pi-Star panel, then download the live log. The OLED will not work unless you select the GPIO modem.
Q2: After unboxing the hotspot, the "pi-star" Wi-Fi network does not appear so I cannot log in to the device. Why?
A2: This device is designed to connect directly to a computer, and the "pi-star" Wi-Fi network does not appear regardless of Wi-Fi login state.
Q3: The OLED only shows the word "CLOSE" and nothing else. Updating did not help. What should I do?
A3: Open the "Configuration" page and download the log to identify where the problem is.
Q4: After updating I lost factory settings. What modem type should I select — OLED 3 or OLED 6? Configuring YSF gives no network activity.
A4: Use OLED 3. The modem is any GPIO-suffix option; the network only works after the modem is properly configured.
Q5: The hotspot takes 5+ unplugs to initialize and turn the screen on. With a 5V 2.4A supply and the supplied cable, a flashing green light means it works, but a solid (non-flashing) green light means it doesn't work. What is wrong?
A5: This is likely a power supply issue; try a different power supply.
Operating System
Q1: My OS SD card is corrupted. Where can I obtain another copy of the operating system image?
A1: Download the Pi-Star RPi image from
https://www.pistar.uk/downloads/Pi-Star_RPi_V4.1.5_21-Jun-2021.zip.
Q2: I have tried multiple times but cannot connect via Wi-Fi or ethernet: no IP is found. I once saw a strong 4-character Wi-Fi ID with M, L, G, but it disappeared. The switch shows activity.
A2: Watch the Raspberry Pi's green light — it should blink during normal boot. If the light does not blink, the TF card may be damaged. Open it with a computer card reader; if it cannot be opened, replace the card and rewrite using Raspberry Pi's official tool.
Q3: The hotspot shows a blank screen, the Pi-Star SSID does not appear, the reset button does nothing, and the unit appears dead. How can I fix it?
A3: Reformat the SD card and reflash the software.
Q4: After reflashing Pi-Star to a new SD card, the setup asks for settings I don't remember. Which GPIO values do I pick?
A4: All GPIO suffix options work.
Q5: In WPSD Project, the setup instructions mention the Radio/Modem Type "STM32-DVM/mmdvm_HS-Raspberry-PiHat (GPIO)" — but in the most recent WPSD Project that modem does not exist. What should be used?
A5: According to https://manual.wpsd.radio/collect_hardware/, the modem/hotspot manufacturers known to work well with WPSD include:
ZUMSpot GPIO and USB MMDVM Boards and MMDVM-Pi Repeater Boards
DVMega (Netherlands; not the UK) Boards & Hotspots / Devices
LoneStar GPIO and USB MMDVM Boards (N5BOC)
BridgeCom Systems SkyBridge Hotspots
BI7JTA MMDVM Boards
Repeater Builder STM32-DVM Boards
All of the above are supported; the underlying layer is the same.
Q6: How to select the correct modem
A6: Most hotspots currently use MMDVM_HS_Hat. Duplex modems use the MMDVM_HS_Dual_Hat GPIO modem (originally designed by DF2ET and DB9MAT).
To confirm your modem model, run the following command via SSH for detection: sudo wpsd-detectmodem
Sample output: MMDVM_HS detected. Port: /dev/ttyAMA0 (GPIO), Baud rate: 115200, Protocol: V1 Modem Info: MMDVM_HS_Dual_Hat-v1.6.1 20231115_WPSD 14.7456MHz dual ADF7021 FW by CA6JAU, G4KLX, W0CHP. GitID #7e16099
Check the field after "Modem Info". In this example, select MMDVM_HS_Dual_Hat GPIO on the configuration page.
Q7: The SVC red light blinks fast; I can access the device by IP and change reflectors via WPSD, but my radio cannot connect. All radio settings match a working Zumspot on a different frequency. It worked before, then had issues, then worked, now has issues again.
A7: Use the Pi-Star RPi image from https://www.pistar.uk/downloads/ — it is more stable.
Q7: After switching to the recommended Pi-Star image, the hotspot still cannot "hear" my radio. Dashboard shows all green; even PARROT test fails.
A7: Test the unit standalone using mmdvmcal at https://kh7ms.net/mmdvm/. If it appears deaf in YSF (J) mode, try replacing the antenna with a known-working one and switch to analog mode to test for sound. If both antenna swap and tests still fail, the device is faulty and a replacement should be sent.
Q8: After starting the device, I get a message that the modem selection has been updated and must be re-selected. I enter each GPIO selection and apply changes, but the modem selection is not being saved.
A8: Perform a Pi-Star factory reset from the Web UI — connect to Pi-Star Wi-Fi (password raspberry) or LAN, open http://pi-star.local or http://192.168.50.1, click Configuration, log in with pi-star/raspberry, scroll to the bottom and click "Factory Reset", then wait ~2 minutes for the reboot.
Q8: After the factory reset, Pi-Star still does not work. WPSD works fine.
A8: WPSD is a valid alternative, or reinstall Pi-Star.
Q9: The device is stuck on the initializing screen. When trying to write the .img file with Raspberry Pi Imager v2.0.10 on Windows 11, I get "Access denied error while writing file to disk." After writing in Administrator mode, the SD card shows solid green and blinking blue LEDs, but the display shows nothing.
A9: The Raspberry Pi board's green light is not blinking, which means the system was not written successfully. Try a different card.
How to determine if the HAT is damaged
Q1: The hotspot will not connect to D-Star; I get "Unable to read the firmware version after six attempts". I tried reflashing to Pi-Star 1.5.1 and WPSD. In WPSD I selected "generic MMDVM modem."
A1: Yes — use the generic modem. Then check the SVC light on the hotspot board: if it slow-flashes, the Raspberry Pi is the issue; if the SVC light does not light up at all, the hotspot board itself is the issue.
Q2: The device suddenly will not start after being moved. The power light is solid green, the SVC red light flashes, and I have reflashed two brand-new TF cards with no change. With the HAT removed, the Pi Zero board shows no lights at all.
A2: Check the TF card contents on a computer. If the card is blank, reflash with the Pi-Star system. If the card has content but the unit still doesn't boot, the RPI Zero 2W board is dead.