# Preferred Android app with digitrax LNWI?



## vette-kid (May 2, 2020)

What is everybody using for Android app with the LNWI? I just got mine hooked up and have Engine Driver running. It's fine for running trains but doesn't allow CV configuration that I can find anyway. Is there an app that let's you program CVs?

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## J.Albert1949 (Feb 3, 2018)

Is Engine Driver a "generic" app?
By that, I mean is it proprietary to Digitrax, or is it designed to work with other hardware controllers, as well?

I see that "LNWI" stands for "LocoNet wifi interface".
And I'll assume that you're using it with an Android phone or tablet, _is this correct?_

I'm thinking...
Why don't you give the Roco z21 app a try with it?
I believe that it supports LocoNet, and it has a programming "page", as well.

I'm NOT SURE if this will work, but again, this is *FREE SOFTWARE,* it will cost you nothing to try it, and it shouldn't disturb anything on the tablet (or layout) if it doesn't work.

HOW TO GET IT:
Go to google play, and enter "roco z21" into the search box.
You should see TWO apps:

one with a red engine on a blue background (this is the older app)
one with "Z21" in white on a charcoal background (this is the newer app).
I would suggest you download and install BOTH of them.
Try each -- I actually prefer the older one.
This is a personal choice, so try them both.

I've used mine only with the Roco z21 hardware -- so I believe that there will be some "setting up" to do first if it's to work with other hardware.

You'll have to go through the device settings to connect to your wifi.
I think there's also a setting to choose LocoNet (instead of "XpressNet", or something like that).

Once you get it connected, there will be a bunch of pre-installed locos that you don't need. These can be ignored now, and deleted later. For now, you need to create a "new" loco, and get it set up.

I'd be really interested to _see if you can get the z21 app going with the Digitrax control hardware..._


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## vette-kid (May 2, 2020)

That app did not seem to work with it

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## vette-kid (May 2, 2020)

I do not see an option to select loconet or any other net. I set the Z21 IP to that of my device and it said connected but will not control anything

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## MichaelE (Mar 7, 2018)

Likely different protocols.


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## Steve Rothstein (Jan 1, 2021)

I use Engine Driver on an android tablet as a spare throttle for my trolleys, but I use JMRI Decoder Pro on my Windows laptop for programming. It connects through the USB port on my Zephyr (DCS-52 - earlier ones did not include the USB).


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## vette-kid (May 2, 2020)

MichaelE said:


> Likely different protocols.


Most certainly, but it was worth a shot. 

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## vette-kid (May 2, 2020)

Steve Rothstein said:


> I use Engine Driver on an android tablet as a spare throttle for my trolleys, but I use JMRI Decoder Pro on my Windows laptop for programming. It connects through the USB port on my Zephyr (DCS-52 - earlier ones did not include the USB).


I guess the market for model train stuff just isn't big enough to drive innovation? Seems like app control and programming is a no brainer. I built a LC-DCC, the app is actually pretty solid and does CV programming well. The lack of physical throttle is what drove me to find another solution. I would love to be able to program through the phone and use it as an extra throttle but have main control through a physical throttle. Guess I'm asking too much. 

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## J.Albert1949 (Feb 3, 2018)

I looked around on my z21 app, and the programming page specifically says, _"LocoNet"._

Vette, if you still have the z21 app available, I'd like to suggest _"a test":_
1. You will need a locomotive that when placed on the track shows some signs of life (such as lights on, or basic sounds)
2. Get your hardware running (digitrax wifi), put the engine on. Actually, a voltmeter might work as a substitute, something with which you can measure voltage across the track
3. Get the z21 software running -- you said it could connect to the digitrax wifi (even though you got nowhere after that before)
4. Now, select the page to run an engine. It can be ANY engine, even one of the demo engines. This doesn't matter.
5. Up towards the top of the control, there ought to be a "STOP" button. On my z21 setup, pressing this cuts off power to the track. It can be set otherwise, so you have to check the "app settings", I think.
6. OK, now for "the test". Press the STOP button. Does the engine suddenly "go dark" or "go quiet"? Does this shut off the power?
7. When you press the STOP button, it changes to "GO". If you now press GO, does the power return to the track?

*WHY* I'm asking you to do this:
Even if you couldn't get an engine running before, if you discover that the stop button shuts off power to the track, that would be an indication that the z21 software IS "communicating" with the digitrax wifi via LocoNet.

It may be as Michael said -- protocols aren't "synching".
But it would seem to me that "LocoNet is LocoNet", even across different devices...


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## vette-kid (May 2, 2020)

I do not see Loconet anywhere. These are the screens I get under "programming "


















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## J.Albert1949 (Feb 3, 2018)

Here's a quick-n-dirty snap of what I see when I summon up the program screen on my tablet running the (old) z21 app version 2.6.9:








As you can see, there is a "LocoNet" section in there on mine, that obviously doesn't appear on your phone -- that's what you're using, is this correct?

I tried running the z21 app on my ancient Samsung "Galaxy player" handheld (looks like "a phone" but there's no phone), and the pages I got using that were... _the same as yours._

The version of the z21 app running on the phone is 2.6.9 -- same as on the tablet.

Not sure why the phone-sized version won't show "LocoNet" when the tablet-sized version of the same software WILL show it.

However -- it's possible that even though it "doesn't show up", the protocols being sent by the z21 app on the phone are the same as those sent from the tablet.

_So..._
Even though you didn't actually SEE "LocoNet", did you continue with the experiment I suggested in reply 9 above ...??

It's possible this will be _"for naught"._
But won't know if it's not tried.
I don't have "the hardware in question" (digitrax) so I can't try it myself...


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