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Jerky  Movement  or  Disconnecting  from  WiFi

Your robot may have jerky movements or the WiFi may be disconnecting for one of two reasons.  Jerky movements are almost always caused by WiFi saturation (view wifi saturation below).  The first, being due to WiFi/Frequency saturation in your area.  The second can be caused by the power pin of the EZ-B becoming loose and requires adjusting.  It is also important to consider the computer might be dropping WiFi, not the robot.  Lastly, if this robot is a JD, consider checking the RGB Cable connections to ensure they are secure and refitted.  There is a FAQ on this page regarding the RGB cable for JD.

EZ-B Red LED Stays On
The highest cause of WiFi disconnects is when the EZ-B red LED stays on.  This is an error that an i2c device has lost connectivity or is not found.  This will happen if your project is configured to use to an i2c device that is not connected to the EZ-B (i.e. RGB Eyes, 4-in-1 Sensor, etc.) or the cable connecting to the i2c device is faulty or loose.  If the red LED stays lit and a disconnection occurs, this is exactly the issue.  Simply identify which devices are or should be connected to the i2c ports based on the project configuration.  More on the Red LED topic can be found here

Power Pin Adjustment
The power pin may require adjusting on the EZ-B and body of the robot.  This occasionally can occur after prolonged use or repeated insert/removal of the EZ-B.  While this is a very rare occurrence, a tutorial has been created to simplify the process.  You can identify if the power pin needs to be adjusted because the EZ-Robot reboots by making the startup chime sound rather than a disconnect sound.  The power pin adjustment tutorial can be viewed here.

WiFi Saturation
If your robot is making an unexpected disconnect sound during use, rather than a startup chime sound, then you may be suffering from WiFi interference.  WiFi networks use specific frequencies which have been defined for public consumer/home use.  Because there are only so many frequencies available, home devices share the same frequency.  These range from wireless speakers to microwave ovens.  This list of WLAN channels are legally allowed wireless local area network channels using IEEE 802.11 protocols, mostly sold under the trademark Wi-Fi.  The 802.11 workgroup currently documents use in five distinct frequency ranges: 2.4 GHz, 3.6 GHz, 4.9 GHz, 5 GHz, and 5.9 GHz bands.  If your EZ-Robot is suffering from disconnects or WiFi latency issues, consider disconnecting radio transmission appliances in your home.  Also, do not run a microwave oven while using the EZ-Robot, as these are common causes for WiFi interference.

Things To Consider

• When the connection to the robot drops, does it reboot or disconnect?  The difference is in the sound that is made.  A reboot will play the startup sound.  A disconnect will play a disconnect sound.  If a startup sound is heard, this is generally caused by overloading the communication channel or by a loose power pin.  If the power pin is secure, then consider the data channel.
• Have you tried different WiFi channels?  Perhaps the WiFi channel in question is saturated by other wifi devices. Log on to the EZ-B Web Server and change the WiFi channel.
• Are you using the latest ARC (formerly EZ-Builder)?  We are always making improvements to the software with new features and stability.