Network Speed/Com Listener Issue

[c7williams]

Went to do some testing on my display tonight after I hooked up some input devices and the inputs were being trigged as I could see from HU but not during the shows... Network was the issue. For some reason the network speed was 500k and set to enhanced on my regular network. I changed it and that's where my errors began. No matter what I do COM3 will not open in ComListener when its not set to enhanced. Sometimes I get an error opening com3 error 5 and other times it just sits there and freezes the show player. The only way I can get COM3 to open is to set it to enhanced. This exact same thing happens if I try to change another network from enhanced to regular. 

 

Any help would be greatly greatly greatly appreciated. 

 

@k6cccany ideas?

[TheDucks]

36 minutes ago, c7williams said:

Went to do some testing on my display tonight after I hooked up some input devices and the inputs were being trigged as I could see from HU but not during the shows... Network was the issue. For some reason the network speed was 500k and set to enhanced on my regular network. I changed it and that's where my errors began. No matter what I do COM3 will not open in ComListener when its not set to enhanced. Sometimes I get an error opening com3 error 5 and other times it just sits there and freezes the show player. The only way I can get COM3 to open is to set it to enhanced. This exact same thing happens if I try to change another network from enhanced to regular. 

 

Any help would be greatly greatly greatly appreciated. 

 

@k6cccany ideas?

Inputs can NOT be on an Enhanced Network. 

[c7williams]

3 minutes ago, TheDucks said:

Inputs can NOT be on an Enhanced Network. 

I know. That's why I'm trying to make my Regular network non enhanced. You read my post wrong lol

[c7williams]

Update -I dropped down to 5.5.16 and no issues. Went back up to 5.6.6 and same issue. Dropped back down again and no problems. 

 

Optimally I would like to be running my show computer on 5.6.6 but if I cant I cant. 

[TheDucks]

Sorry

Unplug both adapters. Fire up HU, any COM still in the list is NOT LOR (could be Modem or Serial port)

Plug in Regular: Note down the COM# that appears

Plug in AuxA: Note that Com#

Now make the network config match the com#

[k6ccc]

9 minutes ago, TheDucks said:

No matter what I do COM3 will not open in ComListener when its not set to enhanced.

Correct.  A non-enhanced network does not use the Comm Listener.

 

[k6ccc]

2 minutes ago, c7williams said:

Optimally I would like to be running my show computer on 5.6.6 but if I cant I cant. 

I am running 5.6.6 with these networks:

Com 3 - Regular Network - Inputs only - 57.6K normal)
Com 4 - Aux A Network - 115.4K enhanced)
Com 5 - Aux B Network - 500K enhanced)

 

[c7williams]

7 minutes ago, TheDucks said:

Sorry

Unplug both adapters. Fire up HU, any COM still in the list is NOT LOR (could be Modem or Serial port)

Plug in Regular: Note down the COM# that appears

Plug in AuxA: Note that Com#

Now make the network config match the com#

I have 8 networks. 1 Reg and 7 Aux (pixels enhanced). Everything does match. If I make any of the 8 networks enhanced they work. If I may any of them non enhanced it will not open that port and the show player will freeze and sometimes the listener will give a error 5 message. Again as said above I downgraded to 5.5.16 a few minutes ago and worked fine. Back up to 5.6.6 and boom issues. 

7 minutes ago, k6ccc said:

I am running 5.6.6 with these networks:

Com 3 - Regular Network - Inputs only - 57.6K normal)
Com 4 - Aux A Network - 115.4K enhanced)
Com 5 - Aux B Network - 500K enhanced)

 

Hmmmmm. Well I guess that eliminates the possibility that it’s a software issue. So so weird. 

[TheDucks]

I was thinking Widows update changed things around. Happened to me earlier this year. My networks were com10,com11,com12  (I used  a 2 port Serial dongle for work,and I have a built in modem on Com3)

All of a sudden, ALL USB reservations were forgotten. I had to redo everything to match the markings on my adapters.

💡 Is it possible that you accidentally hooked 2 controller from DIFFERENT networks, together (created an illegal loop)

[c7williams]

@TheDucks @k6ccc So after a few more hours this morning of testing I determined it was not a software issue after all. Even though it worked on an older version all I had to do was restart my PC and boom! But I've now run into another issue. Currently regular is set to 57k and non-enhanced while the rest of the networks are set to enhanced and 500k. The issue I am having now is that all the lights on the AC controllers (Reg network) are responding really slow. Once I start a sequence it takes 2-3 minutes for the AC lights to turn on. If I changes the network speed it makes a bit of a difference but not huge. The only thing that makes a difference is switching the Reg network back to enhanced. Then everything lights up instantly at the same time but of course the triggers don't work. 

 

I appreciate the help of both of you so far! Any suggestions? 

[TheDucks]

10 minutes ago, c7williams said:

@TheDucks @k6ccc So after a few more hours this morning of testing I determined it was not a software issue after all. Even though it worked on an older version all I had to do was restart my PC and boom! But I've now run into another issue. Currently regular is set to 57k and non-enhanced while the rest of the networks are set to enhanced and 500k. The issue I am having now is that all the lights on the AC controllers (Reg network) are responding really slow. Once I start a sequence it takes 2-3 minutes for the AC lights to turn on. If I changes the network speed it makes a bit of a difference but not huge. The only thing that makes a difference is switching the Reg network back to enhanced. Then everything lights up instantly at the same time but of course the triggers don't work. 

 

I appreciate the help of both of you so far! Any suggestions? 

Change where the Regular adapter is plugged in.  Somehow the USB port is throttling to service the high speed ports.

BTW Are you using a POWERED USB Hub or plugging them direct into the PC  (Un-powered hubs are weak)

[c7williams]

35 minutes ago, TheDucks said:

Change where the Regular adapter is plugged in.  Somehow the USB port is throttling to service the high speed ports.

BTW Are you using a POWERED USB Hub or plugging them direct into the PC  (Un-powered hubs are weak)

Thank you!!! I changed regular adapter from my hub to my pc and lag was alot less. Changed speed to 500k and no lag at all. Triggers still work at that speed so it looks like i am in business now!!! Much apperiacted. 

This is the hub I have

https://www.amazon.com/Powered-USB-Hub-Individual-Switches/dp/B07JM9ZFFV?th=1

[k6ccc]

1 hour ago, c7williams said:

The only thing that makes a difference is switching the Reg network back to enhanced. Then everything lights up instantly at the same time but of course the triggers don't work. 

That's why I have a network just for the Input Pup  Everything else will work on Enhanced networking.

33 minutes ago, c7williams said:

Changed speed to 500k and no lag at all. Triggers still work at that speed

My first thought to that was that I did not know the InputPup would work at 500K (it won't according to the speed chart), but then realized you must be using inputs on AC controllers...

 

[c7williams]

16 minutes ago, k6ccc said:

That's why I have a network just for the Input Pup  Everything else will work on Enhanced networking.

My first thought to that was that I did not know the InputPup would work at 500K (it won't according to the speed chart), but then realized you must be using inputs on AC controllers...

 

Yes. Using inputs on AC controllers. A separate network for triggers is a great idea though. I may do that next year so I can run everything else enhanced. Ill just have 10 networks then! 🤣🤣🤣 LMAO

[TheDucks]

52 minutes ago, c7williams said:

Thank you!!! I changed regular adapter from my hub to my pc and lag was alot less. Changed speed to 500k and no lag at all. Triggers still work at that speed so it looks like i am in business now!!! Much apperiacted. 

This is the hub I have

https://www.amazon.com/Powered-USB-Hub-Individual-Switches/dp/B07JM9ZFFV?th=1

Is this plugged into a USB3 port? Otherwise, the USB port feeding this is a choke point

[c7williams]

2 minutes ago, TheDucks said:

Is this plugged into a USB3 port? Otherwise, the USB port feeding this is a choke point

Yes. It’s in a 3.0 port. 

[k6ccc]

3 minutes ago, c7williams said:

Yes. Using inputs on AC controllers. A separate network for triggers is a great idea though. I may do that next year so I can run everything else enhanced. Ill just have 10 networks then! 🤣🤣🤣 LMAO

Almost everything of mine is RGB (either dumb with CMB16D or smart on E1.31).  Until I added the singing faces, I only had one AC controller in my show and it was not located conveniently for using it for inputs, so using the inputPup (and a ServoDog before that - just for inputs).  Almost my entire show is sequenced in SuperStar and I started using intensity files years ago which required Enhanced networks.  Even my year round landscape lighting used Intensity files.  That's when I learned that you can't read inputs on an ELOR network.

Although some more stuff to learn, but E1.31 makes your networking easier...

 

 

[c7williams]

2 minutes ago, k6ccc said:

Almost everything of mine is RGB (either dumb with CMB16D or smart on E1.31).  Until I added the singing faces, I only had one AC controller in my show and it was not located conveniently for using it for inputs, so using the inputPup (and a ServoDog before that - just for inputs).  Almost my entire show is sequenced in SuperStar and I started using intensity files years ago which required Enhanced networks.  Even my year round landscape lighting used Intensity files.  That's when I learned that you can't read inputs on an ELOR network.

Although some more stuff to learn, but E1.31 makes your networking easier...

 

 

I’ve never dabbled in E1.31. Maybe next year. Lol. You have a video of you display? I’d love to see it. 

[c7williams]

Going to lose my mind! 
 

Issue is now back again. Changing the comm port from a powered hub to the laptop did not resolve the issue. 
 

Played with it for another 2-3 hours tonight and it literally makes ZERO sense. When playing from sequencer everything is perfect on Reg network weather the speed be 57 or 500 or anywhere in between or enhanced or not. But when playing from the show player we are back to our same issues. Extreme lag in the Regular Network. 
 

I have a spare CTB16 so I’m just gonna hook it up. Toss it on its own network and put the inputs on that controller. Make it 57k and non enhanced. Then my Reg network can be enhanced and hopefully my issues are all resolved! 
 

I’m still thinking it’s a software issue but who knows! I’ve never struggled with anything before as much as this. 

Just now, c7williams said:

Going to lose my mind! 
 

Issue is now back again. Changing the comm port from a powered hub to the laptop did not resolve the issue. 
 

Played with it for another 2-3 hours tonight and it literally makes ZERO sense. When playing from sequencer everything is perfect on Reg network weather the speed be 57 or 500 or anywhere in between or enhanced or not. But when playing from the show player we are back to our same issues. Extreme lag in the Regular Network. 
 

I have a spare CTB16 so I’m just gonna hook it up. Toss it on its own network and put the inputs on that controller. Make it 57k and non enhanced. Then my Reg network can be enhanced and hopefully my issues are all resolved! 
 

I’m still thinking it’s a software issue but who knows! I’ve never struggled with anything before as much as this. 

@k6ccc @TheDucks