Not trying to make excuses nor can I offer anything but my condolences to your troubles, but I can say that web-based graphing can be difficult. When data points are missing, it's not totally uncommon for graphs to go crazy and show top/bottom line numbers (eg; spike to the top/bottom).
So what you're seeing
could be just a display issue in the graphs stemming from the connection issues you (and others) are having... Perhaps.
Technology is hard. Leading-edge technology even more-so...
I was thinking the same thing (or similar, at least). I'd be interested in seeing a ping test (at least) to ensure that the problem is - in fact - on your end, for example. Given the symptoms, I'd guess the problem is one* of several possible broad categories:
- Their network isn't handing the traffic.
This can happen for many reasons - anything from the network hops in between being slow/down to their servers/infrastructure being too underpowered to handle the load. If this IS the problem, then I wouldn't expect them to be shipping out new head units as an attempted resolution. But that might just be a tactic to buy time while they fix their side of things (which can take time to do if scale wasn't built in to start). Not looking to disparage the company here (as I have nothing but respect for Neptune and look forward to owning an Apex of my very own soon); just running through scenarios and why they may/may not be the root cause.
- The head unit is using sub-par components.
This would surprise me given the quality of the company in the past. WiFi/network gear is relatively cheap these days (a factor I'm pretty sure that was involved in the choice to build it in rather than bolt it on in the new version), but there are, as always, still low-grade producers out there. If low-grade equipment were used, that could explain why some head units work, while others fail. At the same time; this is a high-quality company that clearly recognizes the need for quality in their products. I would find it hard to believe that they would cut corners in this way. Reputation is not proof, but it is a factor.
- The head unit is very busy doing things, which causes network interference.
Caveat: This area (hardware) is an area I have less experience in than software.
With the head unit doing everything awesome that it does, there is a lot packed in there. It's possible for network signals to get interfered with (even wired connections) if there is not enough space and/or shielding surrounding them. Obviously network stuff can exist in tight places (see: cell phones), but it's still important to ensure everything is shielded properly and such. It's possible that this is not the case in the head unit, perhaps? Again; counter to this is that Neptune is neither new to this issue (I'm sure they have teams of people better qualified to think about this stuff than I am) nor are they likely to produce a sub-par product.
* - The problem could, of course, be multi-facetted. Eg; everything above and/or more. These are hard problems to solve for sure as they require that pieces be totally isolated and tested - something that pieces usually aren't designed to do easily/quickly...
All of the above is practically of little use to you getting your issue resolved. Best of luck with your eureka moment!
