Network

[Jeff Messer]

Running into an issue where channels will come on and stay's on till they are played again in the sequence. I guess its call hanging up. I have 26 LOR 16 channel box's in the network. Running the HU I don't see box 9 or 10 but they do control the lights. I noticed when the problem happen it causes several channel over the network to come on. My network is around 800 feet long and I have three rj45 couplers in it. The couplers are new and protected. At box 12 I have a LOR repeater installed and it feeds 3 at the shed and 11 in a single storage box.

 

My plan is to change out the two that I don't see with new cards in the morning. See if I still have issues and then divide the network till I find the problem. Is there a faster way to find this issue?

 

Jeff

[George Simmons]

Sounds like it could be a comm cable.  I've had those same symptoms and that's what it was.

 

I'd suggest starting with the cable leading into the first controller that malfunctions, and working your way back from there.

 

 

[Jeff Messer]

George thanks for the reply. It pops on all over the place and not just one or two locations. It may paly two songs and not do it. Very strange...

[-klb-]

I agree it sounds like you should focus on cables and connectors around the transition from no issues to some issues. Also move your data cables further from noise sources like power if possible.

[Jeff Messer]

Thanks KLB.. Long day tomorrow in the rain!!

[dgrant]

Last year, I remember reading here about people having issues with couplers too. When they got rid of them, things started working normally.

[Jeff Messer]

Changing the two boxes I cant see with the HU and then couplers got to go next. Pouring down rain now but I did make it out to shut the power down on the system. There needs to be a way to test this network once it has been installed beside the HU. 95% of the cables are new except the ones underground.

[BillyT]

Just because a cable is new, that doesn't mean it will work reliably

[Orville]

Just because a cable is new, that doesn't mean it will work reliably

Absolutely true.  I bought a brand new cable, and right out of the package it was defective.  Thank the Gods for Cat5 testers!

[Jeff Messer]

Understand. All tested before installing them except the ones underground. Heading out in the rain to remove the two that does not talk to the HU and install new cards in those first. Then moving one controller closer to the network and remove the rj45 connectors. Long day and night as time is running out.. LOL

 

Thanks again for all the replies and comments.

 

Jeff

[Jeff Messer]

Just by passed the two controllers number 9 and 10. Installed new cards but will test before installing them back into the network.  I am drying out everything and checking before applying power. Found one waterproof box not so water proof. LOL

[Jeff Messer]

For some reason a LOR box was hiding several boxes when I hooked it up. Replaced it and all boxes reported back on the HU. Has several issues with channels popping on and started at the end by passing boxes till I got the main cables that plugs in the 485 at the computer. This cable was a cat 5 cable but wiring was not your standard wiring for cat 5. Both ends matched but I installed a new cable and all my issues are gone. I had small issues every year and now I think its been this cable the whole time as each year it got worst.

 

Jeff

[Jeff Messer]

Ok another network issue has popped up. Today I had several light burning on the yard. Reset LOR on the machine and it cleared. Later on it came back., The show ran flawless for several weeks and all of sudden popping channels on all over the network again. Show is running now but not like I want it to. I have tested with HU and see all 26 boxes and the E1.31 network looks fine. Looks like a long day tomorrow trying to find a network issue again. There has to be a easier way to locate the issue. I have one network for LOR and this makes it a little harder. My network is less than 1000 feet of cable.

 

Jeff

[PMC]

something to consider, check the placement of your electric power cords going to the LOR boxes and make sure they are far away from the network cables and not running along with each other

 

and you might have a high RF issue from a near-by Radio station. if you have some ferrite use that on your network cables start with the cable that feeds the 1st controller and work from there, I had this same issue where things went smooth for a few days then problems with false/mis-fire triggers, lights staying on so moving my electric lines + ferrite cured all my ills in the network, and I haven't had a problem like this since I did those 2 things, and its been a few years

[Jeff Messer]

I broke the network two sections last night and see that its on the side closest to the house. I have a 100 foot network cable and will start bypassing controllers and network cables if it quits raining. Fell sure its a cable or a 485 chip causing the issue. I will update the topic once I find it.

[Jeff Messer]

Update. Just scanned the network and one controller did not show up. Scanned the network again and it showed up. Its on the side of the yard where I my first test was leading me to. Let it dry up some and I will find and remove this issue.

 

Jeff

[Jeff Messer]

Looks like a bad connection may have caused the issue on the network. I left the HU running and pushed in on the rj45 and light burned solid red. Ran HU again and lost all boxes after this one. CorrosionX applied and now I see all 26 boxes. Ran show and no issues. I know rj45 are fast but wish I had screw on connections when problems like this happen. I have tested it off and on all day and still see all boxes so hope that was the issue. We will see tonight.

[wt1924]

Hello! I have been keeping up with this thread  because I have had similar issue as described here...."where channels will come and stay on til they are played again in the sequence." I only have 7 controllers and they all show up every time. This issue is not on every song and seems to show up at the same time of the song when it happens. Is this similar to Jeff Messer's problem or different? What exactly was the problem and the solution? #1 Bad Cat5 wire or connection in controller? #2 Cat5 too close to power cords? Thanks!

[-klb-]

If it is consistent, it is more likely a channel configuration issue I'm that sequence. Run the LOR verifier and look for duplicate channel assignments.

[Jeff Messer]

wt1924, Here is what I know about the cable issues.  Keep power well away from your network cables as much as possible. I used corrosion spray on my connections after I started having trouble. Most the time a bad cat5 cable or the rj45 will not make a good connection. Check the rj45 connection on the board and make sure the pins are about the same angle. Quick dry contact cleaner and CorrisonX spray are the only two I have use and it works well. They may be many others on the market but this is what I had.

 

Does you problem happen all the time? If it gets real bad shut the show down (I run a lot of time in the day looking for trouble) and run the HU and see if you have all of them.

 

My first attempt this morning with HU I did not see box 5 on my network. The second attempt it showed up so this gave me a starting point. I have 26 boxes on one network and this will not happen next year. LOL

 

I knew it was not a channel config issue when my beam lights up and does not go off till the end and the singing faces lips lite up on a song they are not programmed in. Its a pain in the rear to find and don't be shocked if its your first cable from the dongle.

 

Jeff