I’ve been able to talk to everything I need to with my Nexiq 1. It all depends on what software you’re using and what type of cable connections you have but they all will work with a Nexiq. With the right software and an OBDII cable, I can even communicate to automotive. I used the OBDII cable yesterday to talk to a Hino.
There are a lot of other types of datalinks you can use and they will all work fine. Nexiq has sort of become the standard that all the software will work with plus you can get some add ons to make it better. The Nexiq 1 didn’t originally come with a cable lock and the USB cable could break the connector on the motherboard if it was hit, bent etc from normal usage. I think they all come with the cable lock now which prevents the connector from being damaged. Mine also has a rubber protective boot that keeps it from getting damaged while being bumped and banged around from normal use.
There are a few vehicles that the Nexiq just won’t talk to. Things like Mitsubishi (GM city delivery trucks etc) require a propriety datalink and there are a few others like that also. Espar heaters comes to mind. You need special hardware to communicate with them and it’s never inexpensive.
I just went to the Nexiq site and downloaded the Nexiq 2 wifi manual to see what it says. There are 2 options for wifi. peer to peer where the Nexiq is connected directly to the laptop which means a second wifi card is required for the laptop if you want to stay connected to the companies network or you can allow the Nexiq 2 to connect to the companies wifi network and your laptop connects to the Nexiq through that network.
I find network communication to be sketchy at times. The position of the router in our shop gives poor wifi outside the shop so if you’re out of wifi range, you need to switch to a peer to peer connection. Personally, just go with the bluetooth version if you really need to do a wireless connection. 99.999% of the time, I connect through a USB cable because it connects quicker and the connection speed is much faster. If you ever need to do reprogramming, cable connection is highly recommended.
Wifi may have a much longer range but bluetooth will normally have around a 20-30 foot range. If your laptop is 20-30 feet away from the vehicle you are connected to, that’s a lot of walking to go back and forth from the truck to the laptop. A simple USB cable works much better.
I also noticed that the Nexiq 2 uses a different USB cable than what the Nexiq 1 uses. I guess the simplest way to describe it is the Nexiq 1 uses a USB printer cable end and the Nexiq 2 uses a digital camera end. I can’t remember the technical names from each end but they’re all easy to find cables if you need them in different lengths.
In short,
You can still find used Nexiqs 1 for a very good price. Keep in mind that the plugs for the Nexiq 2 are expensive compared to version 1. Actually it is pretty common that whoever has a Nexiq 1, buys a set of chinese cables for around 70$, http://www.obd2diy.fr/wholesale/full-set-cables-for-nexiq-125032-usb-link-2734.html Thats the only thing that I would buy from china, just the set of cables. Only one plug of a Nexiq 2 costs more than the whole chinese set of cables for a version 1. I personally did it and they work perfectly. I have both versions of Nexiq. You would be able to scan the same equipment with both. Nexiq 2 is 5 times faster than Nexiq 1.
Nexiq USB Link 1:
http://www.obd2diy.fr/wholesale/nexiq-125032-usb-link-truck-diagnostic-tool-bluetooth-version.html
Nexiq USB Link 2:
http://www.obd2diy.fr/wholesale/nexiq-2-usb-link-software-diesel-truck-with-bluetooth.html
Hope my feedback helps to decide.
Original:Should I have a Nexiq USB Link 1 or Nexiq USB Link 2?
