Frequent "ZWave Dongle not responding" but ZWave working fine

[gduprey]

Howdy,

 

I just completed the migration of my houses ZWave devices from the MCV/Vera to ISY.  Already so much more stable than Vera was.

 

One odd thing is that about 2/3rd the time I start the admin console, under the ZWave menu, I see "ZWave dongle not responding".  But all my zwave devices are working fine.  I can click on my power meter and see updates on power usage, watch locks change, etc.  Sometimes I relaunch the admin console and all ZWave functions are available.

 

I'm suspicious that this might not be the ZWave dongle per-se, but how the admin console is "detecting" it.  Not sure if that is possible, but I have a number of Insteon devices that sometimes are reported by the admin console as not responding, but a query in the console and they are fine.  It almost feels like there is a timing aspect to things.

 

I'm running the admin console under Java 7 under Linux.  I already cannot do things like firmware upgrades like this (I can only use a windows computer to do them, even though it's java) which is partly what added timing to my thoughts (the firmware updates fail due to timing issues).

 

Any idea where to start diagnosing this?  I am doing ZWave backups and then ISY backups (when I can) just in case this is indication of a failing ZWave dongle, but again, it seems to be receiving and transmitting commands just fine.

 

Gerry

[bgrubb1]

Have u tried launching the admin console from the Windows machine with the same results ??

When I did the move from Vera to ISY, I never have seen the Dongle error message, but I had several devices (Mainly GE switched outlets) that would give me a device not responding message, but work fine

UDI confirmed they saw the same, but it was on the GE end, so Vera was masking the issue

replaced the outlets and all was good, although I frequently see one or more DEVICES not responding when I launch the admin console that still work

..Barry

 

[gduprey]

Re: Good point on Windows.  Just tried and it is also showing ZWave dongle not responding.

 

I don't think that the problem, such as it is, is related to Vera.  For a while, I ran the ISY as a ZWave secondary to the Vera, but when I switched over, I removed all ZWave devices, re-initialized the ISY ZWave dongle, re-installed latest ZWave firmware and re-associated all ZWave devices with ISY (I wanted as clean as I could).  I've just (obviously) been doing a lot more ISY ZWave activity in that process.

 

As a data-point, I use the exact same Linux computer in my condo (2nd home) that has the an ISY with ZWave dongle too and have never seen anything like this situation (no vera there and never was, not that I think there is any connection).

 

Question: The only ZWave option I have is to upgrade ZWave firmware.  If I do that, just to clear the situation, will I lose all my ZWave association/devices?

 

Gerry

[Michel Kohanim]

Hi Gerry,

 

If you can control your Z-Wave devices using ISY, then I suspect the problem is subscription: Admin Console depends on events coming from ISY to figure out whether or not Z-Wave menu should be enabled or disabled. I suspect that those events are either not arriving or they are being blocked by your firewall or other packet filters on your computer. What you might want to try is to use https instead of http since most firewall software are a little more lenient with https traffic.

 

With kind regards,

Michel

[gduprey]

Howdy,

 

100% sure it's not any firewall, packet filters, etc -- networks and tech is what I do for a living.  Plus it works sometimes and not other times, which would not suggest it being firewall (that either always or never would work, at least any linux/iptables firewall I've ever seen).

 

I did try to use https, but once the app loads from the ISY and I get a login prompt, any attempt gets a 

 

Socket Open Failed javax.net.ssl.SSLProtocolException: Server returned wrong cipher suite for session

 

While I doubt the https would help, that does seem odd.  But not something I'm too worried about right now.

 

But it does seem like something happens in the right order sometimes and not other times (which is why I suggested the timing possibility -- since that already affects firmware updates).

 

Gerry

[Michel Kohanim]

Hi Gerry,

 

Thank you. Can you please do the following the next time in happens?

1. Open Event Viewer, change Level to 3

2. Right mouse click on any of your non-battery operated Z-Wave devices | Query

 

Let me know what you see in the Event Viewer.

 

With kind regards,

Michel

[gduprey]

This is the query to a scene switch (plugin ZWave lamp switch).  This after starting the admin console and having the dongle not responding menu option.  If I stop and restart the admin app repeatedly, it seem about 1 out of 4 times I get the full ZWave menu and the rest I get the "not responding" thing.
 

Mon 02/22/2016 15:21:45 : [ZWAVE-TX ZW014_1] [010900130E022602]...
Mon 02/22/2016 15:21:45 : [ZWAVE-RX        ] ACK
Mon 02/22/2016 15:21:45 : [ZWAVE-RX        ] [0104011301E8]
Mon 02/22/2016 15:21:45 : [ZWAVE-TX        ] ACK
Mon 02/22/2016 15:21:45 : [ZWAVE-RX ZW014_1] [01090004000E0326]...
Mon 02/22/2016 15:21:45 : [ZWAVE-TX        ] ACK
Mon 02/22/2016 15:21:45 : [D2D EVENT   ] Event [ZW014_1] [ST] [0] uom=51 prec=0
Mon 02/22/2016 15:21:45 : [     ZW014_1]       ST   0 (uom=51 prec=0)
Mon 02/22/2016 15:21:45 : [ZWAVE-RX        ] [010500135900B0]
Mon 02/22/2016 15:21:45 : [ZWAVE-TX        ] ACK
Mon 02/22/2016 15:21:45 : [ZWAVE-RX ZW014_1] [010A0004000E0422]...
Mon 02/22/2016 15:21:45 : [ZWAVE-TX        ] ACK
Mon 02/22/2016 15:21:46 : [ZWAVE-RX ZW014_1] [01090004000E0326]...
Mon 02/22/2016 15:21:46 : [ZWAVE-TX        ] ACK

[Michel Kohanim]

Hi Gerry,

 

Thank you. So, it seems that both Z-Wave dongle and subscriptions work since a) you can query the Z-Wave (and get response) and you see the events in the event viewer.

 

With this said, can you tell me:

1. The UI Version

2. Your operating system

 

With kind regards,

Michel

[gduprey]

Howdy,

 

ISY & UI : 4.3.26

ZWave Version: 4.55

Bootloader Version 1.03

 

Java 1.7.0_55, Ubuntu Linux 15.10 x86_64 running 4.4 kernel

 

I still think it's something timing related.  Normally, my laptop is connected via WiFi.  When I ran a hardwired network wire and restarted the admin console 5 times, I got the ZWave menu 100% of the time.  On Wifi, 1 in 5 show the menu, 4 in 5 show the dongle not responding.

 

My WIFi is strong and clean - no errors, no drops and only about 8 feet between laptop and a AP with no walls and all network diagnostics come back clean -- though obviously with slightly lower Ping times, slightly higher latency and lower sustained bandwidth.   Testing shows my link sustains 95% of it's theoretical maximum bandwidth over a 20 minute test.  I'm connecting via 5Ghz N/AC connection.  In short, other than being slower than a gigibit connection, it's a clean and solid as a landline, but with Wifi related packet/response times.

 

Is there some time-dependent response in the admin console software for determining if the dongle is working or not?

 

Gerry

[Michel Kohanim]

Hi Gerry,

 

As you already know, the way Admin Console works is to subscribe to ISY and then all the events start pouring in. It could be that one of those events is either missed (UDQFull in your error log) or that the UI for some reason discards it. So, I would first look at the error log to see whether or not there are any UDQFulls. If not, then definitely UI related. I have already checked this on my laptop with Ubuntu 14.04, wireless, JDK 1.8 (just came out), and UI 4.4.3 and it works fine every time. If you do not see any UDQFulls in the error log, the first thing I recommend is upgrading your UI (only) to 4.4.3. If you still have the problem please let me know and I'll do more checking on my side.

 

With kind regards,

Michel