Etherdongle working but no light output in LSP ****Solved****

[peteandvanessa]

Folks,

I'm trying to get my Etherdongle working.

Running it on i7, 8G RAM, Windows 7 Professional,LSP 2.0

I have two Active Hubs and the smart string controllers (14 on first hub, and one on 2nd hub) connected to the active hubs.

When running the tests using the LSP sequencer via two USB dongles, all works well.

So I built the Etherdongle, flashed Pixelnet (etherdongle Firmware) powered it up and plugged it into a Wireless Access Point.

The green ethernet light comes on and the yellow activity light flashes occasionally and the power LED is green, so all is well so far.

I followed the set up guide that Mickpat posted to the forum and made sure I follwoed his guide to set the Etherdongle up in LSP.

The connection from my Laptop is as follows:

PC - > Wireless connection - > Etherdongle
Etherdongle connected to my Wireless router via Ethernet (on the Magjack port)
Other ethernet port on the Ethernet Dongle connected via Cat5 -> Pixel Net input on 1st hub
Second hub connected to 1st hub with ethernet Cat5 cable via Pixelnet out on 1st hub to pixelnet input on second hub

Pixelnet Jumpers on 1st hub set to 1 and 1 (Pixelnet, not DMX)
Pixelnet Jumpers on 2nd hub set to 2 and 2 (Pixelnet, not DMX)

All outputs are set in LSP correctly for all 16 LED flexstrips

Then if I play the sequence in LSP, the yellow activity light flashes rapidly on the etherdongle and my wireless access point as the data is sent wirelessly from my Laptop, so communications from the PC to the Etherdongle seems to be working fine.

Just no output from the lights from the Hubs (green LED on the Hubs are working). Tried swapping cables etc, but nothing fixes the problem.

I think I must be missing something simple here.

Any ideas what I should try, I'm wondering if the Wireless Access Point isn't broacasting the data, but the yellow activity lights flash rapidly on the etherdongle and Access point when playing the sequence in LSP.
 

[taybrynn]

I'd start by taking the wireless part out of the equation just to simplfy you test conditions and reduce the variables at play.

Also (temporarily) disable any firewall on windows or the wireless, if applicable.

In LSP, under Options -> Configure Outputs ... what do you have there and how are they configured?

[peteandvanessa]

I'd start by taking the wireless part out of the equation just to simplfy you test conditions and reduce the variables at play.

Also (temporarily) disable any firewall on windows or the wireless, if applicable.

In LSP, under Options -> Configure Outputs ... what do you have there and how are they configured?

I wondered about the firewall, but since I got the yellow activity lights on the Wireless Access Point and Etherdongle flashing, I thought the data was getting through. The problem seems to be from the Etherdongle to Hubs connections (trie swapping cables, no dice)

I'm going to try and connect via a cat5 cable tonight to see if that helps to remove the Wireless variable

Under LSP-> Configure Outputs there is a single E1.31 Output set up like this:

       Act               Universe    Start      Size    Destination
01    checked       1               1           512     Wireless
02    checked       2               513        512     Wireless
etc
These have been set up to my max channel count for LSP which is 8192

[tbone321]

The data light signals that any data is getting to the port, not just the needed data.  People need to remember the EtherDongle is operating in the multicast address space and many wireless routers filter multicast inputs out on the wireless side.  The first step in teting should always be a direct connection with a crossover cable.  The next step should be a wired connection to one of the ports on the routers built in switch with both the PC and the EtherDongle directly wired in.  If both of these are functional then the final step wuld be to use the wireless system.  Doing it this way first proves that the dongle is working and then check for compatability with your network equipment.

[chrisatpsu]

start and stop the sequencer. if the data light flashes accordingly, you ARE receiving data to the etherdongle...  rule that out first.

[peteandvanessa]

I want to check something with folks here:

On the Etherdongle, there's two firmware files on the Wiki:

1. PixelNet Firmware 2 (which is what I have flashed the Etherdongle with currently)
2. DMX firmware

Should I have flashed the Etherdongle with DMX Firmware or PixelNet Firmware 2?

(I'm not using any DMX channels at all from the Hub, just hanging Smart String Controllers with LED FlexStrips)

[tbone321]

The DMX firmware causes the dongle to output in DMX and is used for people that are just using DMX devices.  The PixelNet formware that you loaded is the correct firmware for the equipment that you are using. 

[urthegman]

Also you DID click the output button on the toolbar in LSP???

[peteandvanessa]

start and stop the sequencer. if the data light flashes accordingly, you ARE receiving data to the etherdongle...  rule that out first.

That's correct, when I output from the LSP sequencer, the data light flashes accordingly, when the sequencer is playing the effects in the sequence the data light flashes even faster. If I then stop the playback of the sequence, the data light stops flashing.

[peteandvanessa]

The data light signals that any data is getting to the port, not just the needed data.  People need to remember the EtherDongle is operating in the multicast address space and many wireless routers filter multicast inputs out on the wireless side.  The first step in teting should always be a direct connection with a crossover cable.  The next step should be a wired connection to one of the ports on the routers built in switch with both the PC and the EtherDongle directly wired in.  If both of these are functional then the final step wuld be to use the wireless system.  Doing it this way first proves that the dongle is working and then check for compatability with your network equipment.

Thanks for the info, I'll try what you suggest tonight and post back here on how it goes.
As reguards to a cross over cable, mines a new Laptop and I believe the newer Laptops don't require a cross over cable (I think)

[peteandvanessa]

Also you DID click the output button on the toolbar in LSP???

Yes I did.

I'm coming to the conclusion that the data LED's on the Wireless Access Point and also on the etherdongle are flashing, but as Tbone321 points out, that "data light signals that any data is getting to the port, not just the needed data"

I'm running WRT Tomato firmware on a Linksys Wireless Access Point, and I think Multicast is turned off by default in the settings. I'll also try that tonight to see if it's blocked.

[chrisatpsu]

if the eD ethernet port is responding (flashing the yellow light, at different speeds where the sequencer is running as opposed to when it is off, you are getting the data to the etherdongle.

what do you have connected to the first hub?
how many sscs?
have they been flashed?
start address programmed? 
are you using the same cable to the hub, that you used with the usb dongle?
is the power led on the active hub lit?
(common mistake) is everything plugged in?

[peteandvanessa]

if the eD ethernet port is responding (flashing the yellow light, at different speeds where the sequencer is running as opposed to when it is off, you are getting the data to the etherdongle.

what do you have connected to the first hub?
I have test LED flexstring plugged into the first hub

how many sscs?
In total I have 14 test strings that will be connected to the Hub (the channel count doesn't exceed 4096 channels)
 
have they been flashed?
Yes, confirmed as working with two USB dongles already tested
 
start address programmed?
Yes, starting addresses aleady programmed and tested via two USB dongles
 
are you using the same cable to the hub, that you used with the usb dongle?
Cable is the same yes, cable from ether dongle is a regular Cat5 cable out of the non-MagJack to the Smart string input on the Hub

is the power led on the active hub lit?
Yes, green LED is lit on the Hub

(common mistake) is everything plugged in?
Yes, everything is plugged in
I still think it might be the Wirless access point blocking the multicast from the PC and then passing it to the etherdongle then onto the hub

[chrisatpsu]

if you think it's the wireless, then plug them both into a lan port on the router...   

or at least plug the eD directly into your computer if it's fairly new  (and yes, an i7 IS fairly new  lol)

[chrisatpsu]

which hex file did you use to flash the eD with?