Author Topic: Problems with EtherDongle  (Read 8143 times)

Offline jem5136

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Problems with EtherDongle
« on: September 10, 2015, »
Hello everyone,

I am trying to set up my EtherDongle but I'm not having much luck. I'm not sure where I've went wrong. I've looked through quite a few forums already and haven't found much that has helped.

First of all, I try to program the pic (this is where my first problem is). I'm using a PicKit 2 and PicKit 2 v2.61. I plug the PicKit into the dongle and I check the connection. When I do so, I get an error stating "PICkit 2 VPP voltage level error. Check target & retry operation." I have tried plugging the dongle in with its own power supply and tried without having any power to the board at all, I get the same message here.

My second problem comes when I try to use the EtherDongle. The Dongle has been in storage for a few years, this is why I wanted to try updating the pics, however I still try to use the dongle without programing the pics. Here is what I've done:
1- Plug my computer into my modem(works as wifi router as well, I'm not sure if that makes a difference.)
2- Plug my dongle into the modem
3- Power the dongle
4- Plug my hub into the dongle, power the hub
5- Plug my Smart Strings into the hub
I get nothing out of this set up, I've tried getting something through LOR, Vixen 2.1, xLights, and through the Smart String Setup utility. What am I doing wrong? Why can I not get the PicKit to program the pics?

Any help would be much appreciated.
2011 Plans:
   - Second year for dimmable animation
   - 184 Channels of Blinky Flashy :D
   - 8 RGB Flood Lights
It's gonna be fun!! :D

Offline Jeffl

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Re: Problems with EtherDongle
« Reply #1 on: September 10, 2015, »
Pickit3 is required to program the pic.  The manual is located here.

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Offline jem5136

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Re: Problems with EtherDongle
« Reply #2 on: September 10, 2015, »
I don't know how I missed that considering the number of times I looked through the wiki lol I'll get a PicKit 3 and try again. Also, do you think using my modem (from xFinity) will work or should I consider getting a network switch?
2011 Plans:
   - Second year for dimmable animation
   - 184 Channels of Blinky Flashy :D
   - 8 RGB Flood Lights
It's gonna be fun!! :D

Offline tbone321

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Re: Problems with EtherDongle
« Reply #3 on: September 11, 2015, »
I would use a network switch.  You don't want to flood your home network with multicast packets.
If at first you don't succeed,
your not cut out for sky diving

Offline jnealand

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Re: Problems with EtherDongle
« Reply #4 on: September 11, 2015, »
You should add your location info so that it shows on your posts.  There might be someone close by that can help you.

Jim Nealand
Kennesaw, GA

Offline jem5136

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Re: Problems with EtherDongle
« Reply #5 on: September 11, 2015, »
I will get it on there, I thought I had that info already in my profile. Anyway, I'm in Roanoke, IN, not far from ft Wayne, IN

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G900A using Tapatalk

2011 Plans:
   - Second year for dimmable animation
   - 184 Channels of Blinky Flashy :D
   - 8 RGB Flood Lights
It's gonna be fun!! :D

Offline jem5136

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Re: Problems with EtherDongle
« Reply #6 on: September 26, 2015, »
Alright, I got my PicKit 3 in today and I've been trying to figure out how to use it. I plugged it into the USB, opened the program, and checked the connection. So far so good. Once I try to import the .hex file, I get a device error and I'm not sure what I'm doing wrong. I've tried to click "Blank Check" before I try importing the .hex, and I get "No device detected." What am I doing wrong?
2011 Plans:
   - Second year for dimmable animation
   - 184 Channels of Blinky Flashy :D
   - 8 RGB Flood Lights
It's gonna be fun!! :D

Offline tbone321

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Re: Problems with EtherDongle
« Reply #7 on: September 26, 2015, »
The Pickit 3 does not see anything connected to it.  What you are seeing in the device box is the pickit 3 itself.  You need to go into device family and select the PIC32MX795F512L Pic.  The Pickit 3 does not auto detect like the Pickit 2 does.  The voltage is also wrong.  It should be 3.3V,  not 5V.  Also, make sure that you are using the correct HEX file. 
If at first you don't succeed,
your not cut out for sky diving

Offline jem5136

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Re: Problems with EtherDongle
« Reply #8 on: September 27, 2015, »
I went in and changed the device to PIC32 (There wasn't a PIC32MX795F512L option, so that could be the problem?), and changed the voltage to 3.3 and I'm getting the same problem I had before.

When I select PIC32 from the Device Family, I get a message saying "No device detected. Ensure proper capacitance on VDDCORE/VCAP pin". Not sure what that means. And when I go to Tools>Check Communication, I'm right where I started.
2011 Plans:
   - Second year for dimmable animation
   - 184 Channels of Blinky Flashy :D
   - 8 RGB Flood Lights
It's gonna be fun!! :D

Offline jnealand

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Re: Problems with EtherDongle
« Reply #9 on: September 27, 2015, »
I use the IPE programmer that is included with the MPLAB X software suite.  It has all the pics available in it.  I could never get the old pickit 3 programmer to work with the etd.
Jim Nealand
Kennesaw, GA

Offline jnealand

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Re: Problems with EtherDongle
« Reply #10 on: September 27, 2015, »
The programmer is IPE not IDE so do not get confused and do not use MPLAB although you must install it in order to get the IPE program.
Jim Nealand
Kennesaw, GA

Offline tbone321

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Re: Problems with EtherDongle
« Reply #11 on: September 27, 2015, »
Do you have the ETD powered up?  If not, you need to check the box for the Pickit to supply power to the PIC.  As Jim suggested, IPE works much better than the poorly developed programmer software.  Unlike the Pickit 2, the Pickit 3 is a bit of a PITA to get working properly and there is a bit of a learning curve to get a handle on it.
If at first you don't succeed,
your not cut out for sky diving

Offline jem5136

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Re: Problems with EtherDongle
« Reply #12 on: October 01, 2015, »
Ok, I'm not seeing what IPE software you guy are talking about. I've tried using the PicKit 3 program, it hasn't worked for me. I tried using MPLAB, but it's IDE and  will not work, is there something I'm missing on which software I need to use?
2011 Plans:
   - Second year for dimmable animation
   - 184 Channels of Blinky Flashy :D
   - 8 RGB Flood Lights
It's gonna be fun!! :D

Offline Jeffl

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Re: Problems with EtherDongle
« Reply #13 on: October 01, 2015, »
Should be here is you are using Windows.

Start -> All Programs -> Microchip -> MPLAB X IDE -> MPLAB X IPE

Offline bisquit476

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Re: Problems with EtherDongle
« Reply #14 on: October 01, 2015, »
"There wasn't a PIC32MX795F512L"

It should be the very last one in the list IIRC