St. Judes (Abbot) Merlin@Home Remote monitoring

I'm wondering how many people are using the Merlin@Home Remote Monitor with the Broadband kit? I cannot use either the wired option or the cell option, so please don't tell me to go that route.

In the past week, I've been around in a couple of circles with their tech support, because, as seems to be the problem, the monitor, with the wireless transmitter, was "too far" from the wireless access point (both are TP-link units), leading to connectivity issues. I estimated they were about 35 feet apart, and the "too far" part blew me away. I have a NetGear router for my general WiFi, and I'm pretty sure I can get signal up to 75-100 feet away. I also routinely pick up WiFi signal from my neighbors (I'm out in the country, so my neighbors aren't very close). One of the St. Judes Tech Support people told me she had heard 30 feet was the maximum for their system.

This is rediculous. I don't sleep in the same room as the wireless access point, and I had to do some juggling to get it close enough to make it work (at least, intermittedly, but perhaps not reliably). The Tech Support people are pretty nice and somewhat savvy on the product, but there is a LOT that can done to improve on what this. I do intend on sending a LONG email to them.

Anyway, enough venting. Has anybody else run into this issue? How many are using this configuration? What problems are you running into?

Nick

10 Comments

Merlin

by Tracey_E - 2017-03-15 11:35:39

I'm not sure what the difference is,but mine doesn't use my home wifi or phone. They programmed it, I plugged it in and haven't touched it since. Maybe that's cell? 

Merlin

by Cabg Patch - 2017-03-15 12:59:13

If you have one of the St. Jude's recalled defibrillators with defective lithium Ion batteries, (like Samsung Smart phones and hoverboards), I guess you can always send smoke signals if the magic of Merlin is gone.

Merlin (@TraceyE)

by nickp - 2017-03-17 12:06:19

Hi, Tracey -- there are 3 options for connectivity, and if it doesn't use Wifi or phone, then yes, it's probably cell. I have very bad cell coverage where I live, that is not an option for me. Thanks for responding.

Merlin (@CabgPatch)

by nickp - 2017-03-17 12:07:58

I sure hope you're joking on that. But then again, it would explain this smell of cooking steak that I've been getting lately.........

St. Judes (Abbot) Merlin@Home Remote monitoring

by thaddeusj15039 - 2017-05-09 14:32:40

Hi nickp-
If you can't keep the transmitter in the room where you sleep, you can put it in a room where you spend at least 2 hours/day. The transmitter will wake up silently between the hours of 2am and 4am to look for your implant (the exact hour and minute are dependent on when the transmitter did its first device check post-pairing). With the broadband adapter connected to the Merlin@home transmitter, the transmitter can pick up your implant within 6 feet as long the transmitter is level with your implant and facing where you sleep (don't keep the transmitter on the floor). If the transmitter can't find you between 2am and 4am, it will continue to look for you every 2 hours until it picks up your device. So if you put the transmitter in a room where you spend at least 2 consecutive hours, it will eventually find your implant for its daily reading. Hope that helps :)

Response to Thaddeus

by nickp - 2017-05-09 15:51:00

Thaddeus -- that's about the most useful information I've gotten on my issue! Thanks for that! Now, I just have to find a place that fits that criteria :)

May I ask, who are you who are so wise in the ways of Merlin?

:)

by thaddeusj15039 - 2017-05-09 17:08:29

Hi nickp,

I've been around the product for a long time ;) Happy to answer any of your Merlin@home questions!

Another annoying question

by nickp - 2017-05-10 17:49:56

Ok, I have a gagillion questions, and since you volunteered.......:)

I would like to connect Merlin@Home into a WiFi network without the provided intermediary hot spot. 

My cardiologist provided a SJM EX1150 monitor. They also provided a Broadband Kit, which consisted of a TP-link TL-WN721IN USB wireless network adapter and a TP-Link Wireless Access Point, which I attached by CAT5 to a router. Before setting things up, I plugged the wireless adapter into my laptop with the access point on, and it looks like the access point is broadcasting on an SSID of MAP043. There must be some magic in the network adapter, because I can't see this SSID on my laptop's built-in Adapter.

I would prefer the EX1150 connect directly into my existing WiFi network so I won't have to use the wireless access point. I suspect the EX1150 is firmwired to find MAP043 and connect there, but is thee any way to allow it to hook into another SSID? I'm just trying to make things a little simpler (plus, I've been told the TP-Link WAP can only link with devices which are within 30 feet, hence the issue above).

Thanks much!!!

Re: Another annoying question

by thaddeusj15039 - 2017-05-10 19:30:07

Forgive me if I use terms incorrectly- this isn't my area of expertise. The Merlin@home transmitter and broadband kit are specially configured to work together. The router is configured so it will not broadcast an SSID. There is not a way to get around using the TP-Link broadband kit your doctor provided because the Merlin@home transmitter won't talk through any other set-up. Additionally, the USB adapter and WAP you were given are "married" to each other so if you try to use a different WAP with the USB adapter, it will not work (and vice versa).
 

It's true that the WAP range is ~30 feet. I know that's inconvenient for you since your sleeping area is >30 feet from the WAP, but maybe there's a spot you can keep the transmitter so it can pick you up later in the day (office, den, living room, etc.).

Hope this helped!

Re: Another annoying question

by nickp - 2017-05-11 17:26:35

No worries -- you've been incredibly helpful!!

Your answer is consistemt with what SJM told me :(. I guess I can see their reasons in that provides consistence between implementations, but frustrating for those of us with some technical prowess. Oh well -- such is life. I guess I should be happy that I'm still here to complain :)

Again, thanks so much Thaddeus.

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