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Software installation and connections

WD-20EFirmware: WD-20E mount build; AHC 1.1.0 interface reference

WD-20E uses the OnStepX control system, with support for OnStepX commands and compatible runtime configuration through the supplied firmware. This allows control from OnStep ASCOM, INDI and supported LX200 clients. For the underlying command system and configuration concepts, see the OnStep / OnStepX Wiki.

Generic OnStepX instructions describe many controller builds. Apply the ports, settings and firmware procedures in this WD-20E manual to your mount; availability of commands depends on the installed firmware. WarpAstron-specific EC HA Limit and AEB are explained in Chapter 06.

In this chapter

4.1 Choose a control method​

SetupConnection path
AHC aloneAHC → supplied controller cable → mount controller interface
Windows / N.I.N.A.N.I.N.A. → OnStep ASCOM driver → USB data cable → mount PC port; see 4.8.
StellarMate / KStars / EkosEquipment profile → WARPDRIVE driver → mount PC port or supported TCP connection.
Other INDI clientsWARPDRIVE or LX200 OnStep driver → mount PC port or supported TCP connection.
ASIAIROnStep mount profile → USB data cable → mount PC interface
Wireless clientCompatible OnStep/LX200 TCP client → AHC Wi-Fi → wired AHC-to-mount connection

AHC supplies WD-20E's advertised GPS and wireless functions. It must remain connected to the mount for its wireless bridge to relay mount commands. Joining its Wi-Fi network is not the same as opening a mount-control connection.

For StellarMate, connect the mount's PC port to the StellarMate computer by USB, create an equipment profile, and select WARPDRIVE as the mount. Start the profile, open the mount's INDI connection settings, select the detected serial device and verify the connection before movement. The StellarMate WARPDRIVE listing identifies its underlying driver as LX200 OnStep; see the detailed profile procedure in 4.2.

Begin with one wired connection and verify mount status before introducing additional applications or wireless control.

4.2 Install drivers and software​

Windows / ASCOM​

The USB serial driver, ASCOM Platform and OnStep telescope driver are three separate requirements. Install or confirm all three before configuring the imaging application.

  1. 1. CP2102 / CP210x VCPUSB serial driver → detected COM port
  2. 2. ASCOM PlatformCommon device interfaces and tools
  3. 3. OnStep ASCOM driverMount-specific connection and settings
  4. 4. Imaging applicationN.I.N.A. or another ASCOM client
  1. Obtain the supported packages from WarpAstron's software page. For the serial driver, use the Silicon Labs CP210x VCP package, which supports the CP2102 USB-to-serial interface. If a working compatible driver is already installed, confirm it rather than reinstalling it unnecessarily.
  2. With the mount secured and cables connected, power it from its separate DC supply. Connect PC to the computer with a USB data cable. In Device Manager > Ports (COM & LPT), identify Silicon Labs CP210x and record its COM number. Resolve any driver error or missing port before continuing.
  3. Install a compatible ASCOM Platform. This provides the interfaces and diagnostic tools; it does not replace the telescope driver.
  4. Install the supported OnStep Telescope ASCOM driver. Restart the application, or Windows if an installer requests it. A mount firmware update is a separate operation and is not needed just to install a PC driver.
  5. Open the driver configuration as described in 4.5, select the recorded COM port, and verify status before commanding movement. Install N.I.N.A. or your chosen imaging application after the required driver stack is ready.

INDI / StellarMate / KStars / Ekos​

Use an INDI distribution supported by your astronomy computer. WARPDRIVE is the WarpAstron mount selection; LX200 OnStep is an alternative compatible driver selection. These names refer to the INDI driver/profile, which communicates with the mount using its OnStep/LX200 command interface. Do not select two mount drivers for the same physical connection.

  1. Connect the mount's PC port to a USB port on the StellarMate or INDI computer. Secure and power the mount separately.
  2. In StellarMate's equipment profile, or the KStars Ekos Profile Editor, add WARPDRIVE as the mount/telescope. If that entry is unavailable in the installed distribution, select LX200 OnStep. Add the camera and guider required for your setup, then save the profile.
  3. Start the profile and open the mount device in the INDI Control Panel. For serial connection, select the actual detected device and the firmware's baud rate. The standard reference PC connection uses 9600 baud; verify the supplied firmware instructions if it differs.
  4. For a supported network connection instead, keep AHC wired to the mount and enter its actual TCP address and port from 4.4. The mount-command port is distinct from the INDI server connection used by the client.
  5. Choose one source for observing time and location. Check the profile/client's update policy so an incorrect computer site does not overwrite valid mount or GPS information. After connecting, verify UTC, location, time zone, coordinates and tracking/Park state before a GoTo.
  6. Save the working driver configuration. Test a supervised movement and plate-solve/Sync before enabling a sequence.

The official WARPDRIVE and LX200 OnStep listings identify the drivers. Configure WD-20E-specific protection settings through AHC or a supported WarpAstron tool; a generic driver may not expose every vendor setting.

ASIAIR​

Connect the mount's PC port to an ASIAIR USB port. In ASIAIR's mount settings select the supported OnStep / OnStep Electronic profile and the detected serial device. The legacy WarpAstron connection instructions and local mount configuration use 9600 baud for the PC interface; use the rate supplied with your installed WD-20E firmware if it differs.

NOTE · ASIAIR profile selection — user feedback

Users have reported better results with OnStep Electronic than with other available OnStep selections in some ASIAIR versions. ASIAIR uses its own customized INDI driver build, so profile behavior may differ from upstream INDI / StellarMate. Treat this as a compatibility suggestion, not a guarantee: try OnStep Electronic when available, record the ASIAIR version and verify connection, status, guiding and a supervised meridian flip with your setup.

After connecting, verify time, location and reported position. Test the actual ASIAIR hardware/software combination before relying on unattended sequences. Do not accept a plainly incorrect plate solve or synchronization result.

4.3 Wired connections​

CAUTION · Similar connectors, different interfaces

The mount's USB-C-shaped controller/ST4 interface is not an ordinary powered computer USB input. Use computer USB only at PC and the supplied controller cable only at the designated controller interface. An incorrect connection can damage the electronics.

Computer USB​

  1. With the equipment stopped, connect a USB data cable between PC and the computer.
  2. Provide the mount's separate DC supply and start the mount.
  3. Confirm the computer detects the serial device. Note its assigned port; the port can change after a cable or USB socket change.
  4. Select that port in the mount driver. For the standard reference PC interface, start with 9600 baud unless the firmware instructions specify otherwise.
  5. Connect and read mount status and coordinates. Connection should succeed without a motion test.

A charge-only cable may power or enumerate other accessories but cannot provide the mount data connection. Do not assume USB from the computer replaces mount DC power.

AHC connection to the mount​

With mount power off, connect the supplied controller cable between the socket at the top of AHC and the WD-20E front-panel HC port. The top socket is above the screen; it is not the mount's PC port. Leave the joystick centered at startup and wait for the green mount-connection icon and live Dashboard data.

Advanced Hand Controller views. The mount cable connects at the top of the controller, above the screen; the socket is not visible in these front views. Connect its supplied cable to the mount's HC port.
Four front views of the Advanced Hand Controller showing Home, Dashboard, GoTo Catalog and Target Search screens

AHC connection to a PC​

For AHC-to-PC connection, use a fully wired (full-pin) USB-C to USB-C cable compliant with USB 3.2. Charge-only cables and USB 2.0-only C-to-C cables do not provide the required connection. If AHC is not detected, check this cable requirement before reinstalling software; see connection troubleshooting.

This requirement applies to the AHC-to-PC route. For direct mount computer control, use the mount's labeled PC interface. Do not connect computer USB to the mount's controller/ST4 interface.

Optional RJ12 / ST4 guiding​

If a guide camera or specialist tracker requires a standard RJ12 ST4 connection, obtain the additional WarpAstron-compatible Type-C-to-RJ12 ST4 converter intended for use with AHC and this mount. Contact WarpAstron support or support@warpastron.com for compatibility, purchase and connection instructions. This optional converter is not a generic USB adapter. Follow its labeled connections and supplied routing instructions; confirm the pinout before connecting a guide output. An ordinary USB-C-to-RJ12 cable or USB hub is not a substitute.

For normal computer imaging, prefer pulse guiding over the USB ASCOM/INDI mount connection. The guide camera sends images to the guiding computer by USB, and the guiding software sends corrections through the mount driver; a separate RJ12 guide cable is normally unnecessary. Reserve ST4 for equipment that requires it, such as a compatible dedicated solar-tracking device. Do not run independent ST4 and pulse-guiding controllers simultaneously. See 5.7 Guiding.

4.4 Wireless connections​

The AHC 1.1.0 reference provides a TCP command bridge at port 9999, with AP and STA Wi-Fi modes. Wireless availability can depend on the supplied regional configuration.

AHC Wi-Fi settings reference

Wi-Fi settings in the AHC reference interface. Read the actual Mode, Address and TCP Port on your controller.

AP: connect directly to the controller​

  1. Keep AHC wired to the mount. Open Settings > Wi-Fi, enable Wi-Fi and select AP.
  2. Read or set the AP name and password in AP Settings, then press Save & Apply.
  3. Join that network from the control device.
  4. In a client that supports OnStep/LX200 over TCP, enter the controller's address and TCP port.
  5. Read mount status before issuing a command.

Reference defaults are SSID WARPDRIVE, password onstep-shc, address 192.168.0.1, TCP port 9999. Use the values currently shown by your controller if they have been changed. A device may warn that the AP has no internet; this does not by itself indicate a failed mount connection.

STA: join an existing network​

  1. Open Settings > Wi-Fi, enable Wi-Fi and select STA.
  2. Open Network Settings, scan or enter the network name, and enter its password. Use a supported 2.4 GHz network.
  3. Press Save & Apply and wait for STA Ready.
  4. Read the assigned IP address from the AHC Wi-Fi page.
  5. Put the client on the same reachable local network, then use that address and port 9999.

DHCP can assign a different address later. Check the display after reconnection. Network isolation or a firewall can prevent TCP control even when Wi-Fi association succeeds.

AHC wireless indicatorMeaning
GrayService is off, initializing, connecting or unavailable.
Light blueService is ready.
GreenA command client is connected.

Bluetooth​

AHC uses BLE Nordic UART Service, not an assumed classic Bluetooth serial port. The client must explicitly support BLE and the Nordic UART Service; support for classic Bluetooth / SPP alone is insufficient. Pairing with the operating system does not establish software compatibility. In Settings > Bluetooth, enable the service, set the supported device name and optional six-digit passkey, then use Save & Restart. Reconnect the client after the controller restarts.

AHC BLE settings reference
NOTE · Network changes interrupt control

Changing Wi-Fi mode, address settings or BLE configuration can disconnect clients. Stop the relevant operation first, apply the settings, reconnect, and read the mount's current state before resuming.

4.5 Add the mount to control software​

Open the OnStep ASCOM configuration panel​

This follows the ASCOM configuration procedure in the WarpAstron reference manual. Menu wording can vary with the ASCOM Platform and driver version.

  1. Stop movement and close other clients that directly hold the mount's serial port.
  2. Open ASCOM Diagnostics from Windows. Select Choose Device, set the device type to Telescope, and click Choose.
  3. In the ASCOM Telescope Chooser, select OnStep Telescope (shown as OnStep in some versions), then click Properties. This opens the OnStep driver's setup/configuration panel.
  4. For direct USB, select the mount's actual COM port and the supported baud rate. For AHC Wi-Fi, use the driver's supported network connection option and the actual IP address / TCP port. Keep these routes distinct.
  5. Inspect time/location update options before connecting. Read each option's direction: sending PC information to the mount and reading mount information into the client have different effects. Apply the chosen source consistently; see N.I.N.A. synchronization.
  6. Save with OK, return to the device test/application, and connect. If the setup panel provides a connection/status check, verify the returned mount information there as well.
  7. Confirm operating mode, hemisphere, UTC, site, pointing coordinates and tracking/Park state. Only then perform a short low-speed movement in a clear direction and confirm that STOP works.

An imaging application's telescope setup / settings / Properties button can open the same driver dialog. Installing the driver makes it available in the chooser; connecting it in Diagnostics does not automatically connect a separate application. Disconnect the diagnostic session before moving to your imaging software.

WARNING · First software motion test

Remain beside the equipment during the first test. A successful connection does not prove correct coordinates, direction, limit settings or clearance. Check Chapter 06 before a GoTo or automated sequence.

If coordinates or state do not update, disconnect that application and use connection troubleshooting. Do not repeatedly send GoTo to diagnose a communication problem.

4.6 Use multiple applications​

Plan the control path before opening multiple clients. For example, an imaging application can direct a shared ASCOM/INDI mount connection while guiding software sends guide corrections through the same supported driver/server.

Assign one source for site/time, one coordinator for GoTo and meridian flips, and one guiding controller. Verify your driver/server supports the intended sharing; two programs opening a physical COM port directly can conflict. If a hub is required, configure it to own the OnStep connection and connect the participating applications to that shared hub, rather than also opening the COM port independently.

CAUTION · Competing commands

AHC, a planetarium, N.I.N.A., ASIAIR and a guider can issue commands through different interfaces even when they do not share a COM port. Conflicting GoTo, Park, tracking-rate, time/location or flip commands can interrupt an observation or move the equipment along an unexpected route. Give motion ownership to one application during a sequence; keep the others read-only or disconnected. Local STOP remains available for an unsafe movement.

Wi-Fi and BLE command delay depends on signal strength, interference, distance and network stability. A delayed response is not proof that the command was rejected: inspect the actual mount state before repeating it. Prefer a verified wired route where reliable command timing matters. A wireless disconnect is not a stop command; see 4.7.

Before AEB Auto Tune, disconnect independent PC, guide-port and other control sources as specified in 6.5. The controller's guided workflow cannot guarantee exclusion of commands arriving at every independent hardware interface.

4.7 Disconnect and reconnect​

For normal disconnection, stop the imaging sequence and guiding, complete the desired Park or stopped state, then disconnect the application before unplugging its data cable.

If communication is lost:

  1. Inspect the mount directly and use local STOP if needed.
  2. Check power, cable retention and the correct network address.
  3. Close stale client connections and reconnect one controller.
  4. Read actual movement, tracking, Park and warning states before any new command.
  5. Check time, location and pointing if either controller restarted.
WARNING · Connection loss is not STOP

Tracking or slewing can continue after an application disconnects, Wi-Fi is lost or a display goes dark. Continued movement can trap hands or strike nearby equipment. Keep clear, use local STOP if needed, and verify the mount's actual state before handling the setup.

4.8 Configure and use N.I.N.A.​

N.I.N.A. (Nighttime Imaging 'N' Astronomy) provides a Windows imaging workflow using the OnStep ASCOM telescope driver. This section covers WD-20E connection, observing-data checks and a first imaging session. Menu labels may differ by N.I.N.A. release; use the official documentation for the installed version.

Connect the mount​

  1. Complete the three installations in 4.2: CP2102 / CP210x VCP, ASCOM Platform, and OnStep Telescope ASCOM. Install N.I.N.A. separately; installing N.I.N.A. alone does not install the OnStep driver.
  2. Secure the setup, connect the mount's PC port to the Windows computer, and power the mount separately. Configure the driver as described in 4.5.
  3. In N.I.N.A., create a profile for this equipment. Open Equipment > Telescope, refresh the device list if needed, and select the OnStep ASCOM telescope. Open its setup/settings button to confirm the COM port or supported network address, then connect. Do not select a simulator or an unrelated EQMOD driver.
  4. Check reported coordinates, tracking and Park state without starting movement. Resolve any synchronization prompt as described below. Unpark only when the equipment and planned route are ready; connection alone is not a reason to start tracking.

See N.I.N.A.'s equipment connection guide and Telescope controls.

Time and location synchronization​

Before connecting, check the Windows clock, date and time zone, then set the observing site in Options > General > Astrometry. Use the actual observing location rather than a saved home site; check hemisphere and longitude sign. See the N.I.N.A. General settings.

Choose the authoritative source before accepting any synchronization prompt:

Source you have verifiedIntended directionWhat to check
Imaging PC / N.I.N.A.PC/client → mountCorrect Windows clock and N.I.N.A. site before allowing the driver/client to write them to the mount.
AHC / valid GPS information already applied to the mountMount → client, where offeredRead the verified mount site into N.I.N.A.; avoid overwriting it with an old PC profile. Verify time separately.

Read the prompt's source and destination rather than choosing a button by habit. A location-sync prompt is not proof that the mount's clock has also been updated. Date/time transfer depends on the driver's supported settings and selected policy. Inspect those options and verify the resulting UTC on AHC. A GPS fix also does not prove the correct time-zone setting; see 5.2 Location and time.

CAUTION · Verify the result before motion

After synchronization, compare site coordinates and time between N.I.N.A., the driver and AHC. Confirm the mount's UTC and time zone. Incorrect data can change target altitude, meridian timing and the planned GoTo/Park route. Stop if the displays disagree; do not use a GoTo or widen limits to compensate.

Site/time synchronization establishes observing data. A plate-solve Sync establishes the mount's relationship to the solved sky position; these are separate tasks.

Plate solving and guiding​

  1. Configure the imaging camera and a supported plate solver in Options > Plate Solving. Install the solver and any required catalog, set its executable path, and verify focal length / pixel scale. See the plate-solver settings.
  2. Complete physical Home and polar alignment. Keep the telescope route clear before commanding any reference movement.
  3. Capture and solve an image. Check that the solution is plausible, then send Sync to the mount using the plate-solving workflow. Slew and Center also commands motion; use it only for a target whose complete route is clear. Before its first GoTo after power-on, verify site/time and enable Tracking. A solved image without Sync does not initialize mount pointing. See N.I.N.A. plate solving.
  4. For guiding, configure PHD2 with the OnStep ASCOM mount connection and connect N.I.N.A. to PHD2. Check that the driver or shared hub supports the chosen multi-application route. Calibrate and test guiding as described in 5.7.
  5. Use a short supervised sequence to verify image download, solving, centering, guiding and a normal stop before extending the session.

Meridian flips​

Open Options > Imaging > Auto Meridian Flip to set the behavior. In the Advanced Sequencer, add the Meridian Flip trigger to the relevant imaging container; options alone do not add that trigger. For a legacy sequence, enable the target's automatic-flip option. See N.I.N.A. automated flips and sequencer triggers.

SettingPurpose
Minutes after MeridianEarliest requested flip time after transit.
Max. Minutes after MeridianLatest end of the exposure-dependent flip window.
Pause before meridianStops imaging/tracking before transit when the setup requires a pause.
Use Telescope Side of PierUse verified driver pier-side reporting for flip decisions.
Recenter after flipPlate-solve and restore framing after the flip.
Scope Settle timeAllow movement/vibration to settle before the next operation.

For the setting definitions, see N.I.N.A. Imaging options. Configure settling and recentering only after the camera and solver work reliably.

Coordinate the whole flip window, including an exposure already in progress, with 6.3 Meridian limits and 6.4 EC HA Limit. Sidereal hour angle advances about 1° in 4 minutes; convert units carefully, but do not treat this as a fixed safe delay. The safe window depends on telescope/camera clearance, cables, firmware behavior and the encoder boundary. N.I.N.A. can request a flip after an exposure completes inside its configured window; if that request is late or never arrives, the mount's West-limit response is independent of the camera exposure.

WARNING · Supervise the first flip

Schedule N.I.N.A.'s imaging flip before the mount's West boundary; prevent another application from issuing a competing flip request. The mount's own enabled automatic flip can still occur at West as a fallback, including during an unfinished exposure. Remain beside the setup during the first complete flip and confirm pier-side change, target recentering, tracking and guiding recovery. If a limit stops the mount, stop the sequence and diagnose the timing/coordinates/clearance before continuing; do not simply widen the limit.

At session end, stop the sequence and guiding, confirm correct time/site and the plate-solve/Sync result, and use 5.9 Park. After Park completes, disconnect the software as described in 4.7.