LOR Controller not sending packets to E682

[ctmcpeak700]

Here's one I haven't seen yet.  I just got all of my controllers set up.  I had an issue with an old laptop.  Got that fixed.  Before I got my LOR controllers, I had a Sandevices E682 controller and was using it to check my timings for my arches.  It worked just fine.  Now I have my LOR controllers and they work just fine but somewhere in the mix, my E682 stopped working with LOR.  I can go to the webpage for my controller and run through the test patterns and everything works just fine but it shows no packets received or sent.

 

I've already contacted the LOR help desk.  Those guys are extremely helpful but they weren't able to come up with anything for this problem.  Next, I contacted Jim at Sandevices and so far he has no idea what's going on.

 

Anyone have any ideas?

[k6ccc]

You might want to add a screen capture of your LOR network setup (the DMX page) so we can make sure there is not a mis-match between that and the E682 page.  I was a little surprised with the IP address of your E682 however as that IP range is normally used when there is no DHCP server and no address has been specified.

[ctmcpeak700]

Here you go.

[k6ccc]

Do you have LDP6803 type pixels plugged into cluster 3 of the E682?  That is the only ports of the E682 that should be responding to universe 1 which is where you are sending from LOR.

 

Since there are no packets shown, I would wonder about the "usual" problems with this stuff:

> Control lights is checked (and stays checked).

> The correct universe and channels set for the channel configuration in Sequence Editor

> If you have LOR networks specified in your Network Preferences, is there a LOR USB adapter plugged in for each specified network?

[dougd]

What is the ip address of your computer?

[ctmcpeak700]

1.  At first, I was having problems getting the "Control Lights" box to stay checked.  But that problem resolved itself when I powered everything down, disconnected, reconnected, and powered it all back up.  But still the strips wouldn't work through LOR.  Again, they ran through the test patterns just fine.

 

2.  Everything is set to Universe 1 on the LOR control panel network preferences.

 

3.  Yes, I have the adapter plugged in and the LOR controllers control the regular LED's/incandescents as it should.

 

Are you scratching your head yet?  I am at a loss here. 

 

I just hooked everything up (mere minutes ago), and still nothing.  Before I got my LOR controllers & adapter, I was running through the sequences and watching my arches leap.  It was great.  But now, even without the LOR controllers connected, I can't get the E682 to work except for the test patterns.  That tells me that the laptop is able to communicate with the controller and that the light strips work.  So apparently the problem is with the LOR software itself or something that I have done/not done.  The cat-5e cable from my E682 connects directly to the pc, right?  It doesn't connect to the LOR controller or adapter.

[ctmcpeak700]

Not entirely sure I want to put my IP address on here.  No offense, but is that a good idea?

[k6ccc]

The one question I asked that you did not answer.  Confirm that you have LDP6803 type pixels plugged into cluster 3 of the E682?

[ctmcpeak700]

Oh, sorry.  Yes they are LPD 6803's and yes they are connected to 3-1 and 3-2 on the E682.

[k6ccc]

Not entirely sure I want to put my IP address on here.  No offense, but is that a good idea?

 

Not at all an issue since you presumably are running your PC and E682 on non-routable IP addresses that are inside your router or completely isolated from anything else.

 

And yes, the E682 connects via an ethernet connection either directly to the PC or via a switch, hub or router.

[ctmcpeak700]

The IP address of my pc is: 173.216.122.220

 

This is not a static IP address.  Should I be using a static address?

[dougd]

I would expect your computer to have an ip of something like 192.168.1.22 or something simular. I guess your computer is not going through a router. I think you need to be in the same ip range to send commands.

 

IE.. my ip address on computer is 192.168.1.25, All of my sandevice cards are ip numbers 192.168.1.51, 192.168.1.52, 192.168.1.53 and so on.

[k6ccc]

The IP address of my pc is: 173.216.122.220

 

This is not a static IP address.  Should I be using a static address?

 

With this address and the address of your E682, it's not going to talk well.  Running out for lunch.  More after we get back...

[ctmcpeak700]

Thanks guys!  I have to run over to Little Rock.  Should be back in about two hours.  But before I go, I just want to pose the question:  I'm running my internet through a wireless router.  Do I need to be using a static IP address?  The reason I ask is that the IP address for my Ethernet adapter changes each time I run the "ipconfig/all" command on my laptop.

 

Also, I found my IP address by going to whatsmyip.org.  I am assuming (we all know about that one) that this is giving me my correct IP address.

[k6ccc]

No.  Whatsmyip.org will give you the address of the WAN port on your router.  ipconfig /all will give you the address of your PC.  You don't normally need to run your computer static, but you do need to set the address for your E682 to the same subnet as the IP range that your router is assigning.  Going into the configuration for your router may help so you know for sure what your router is assigning.  For example, my router that this computer is going through is enabled for DHCP and assigns the following IP range:  192.168.201.101 - 192.168.201.129.  I have a number of devices that either have static addresses or DHCP reservations that are 192.168.201.nnn where nnn is NOT in the 101 - 129 range.

 

Your best bet would need to set the IP of your computer to something in the same IP range as the E682 and then connect to the E682 and change it to something in the subnet that your router assigns, then change your computer back to DHCP.  If you need help doing that, send me a PM with your phone number or I'll send you mine.  Much easier to walk someone through that on a phone call than back and forth messages.

 

BTW, this kind of stuff is part of my job so I do know it pretty darn well...

[dougd]

Bring up a command prompt and type ipconfig

 

That will tell you what the ip of your computer is.

[ctmcpeak700]

When I run the ipconfig, I get the same IP address on my Ethernet adapter, but on my wireless LAN adapter, my IP address is: "192.168.1.6 (Preferred)"

 

So should I change the address of the e682 to something in that range (for instance: 192.168.1.7)?

[k6ccc]

I just chatted with him on the phone and I suspect we got most of his issues resolved.  Part of the confusion was that he is using a WiFi connection for his internet and a direct wired connection between the PC and E682.  That part is fine, but without a DHCP server on that cable, the IP address for teh PC was not coming up with something that would talk to the E682.  The other factor that I had missed was that he had the Network Preferences in LOR set for Unicast (or "Specify" in LOR terms) and Multi-cast on the E682.

[dgrant]

If worse comes to worse, I can go out there to see his setup and possibly assist. I'm probably 1.5 hours away from his town.

[ctmcpeak700]

Yes, it's about 1.5 hours drive from VB.  Or I could just take photos and screenshots for you.  I appreciate all the help.