Rookie Mistakes

[TT NC]

Would love to get some thoughts on how best to fix my huge rookie mistakes. Built a house about two years ago, installed a ISY-994i and about 30-40 Insteon devices.  Had irrigation, garage door, landscape lighting, ELK system, and general lighting working perfectly.  This forum was great for picking up programming tips along the way.  Plan to do ISY and Insteon on next house that I am building.

 

But here is where my mistakes began when selling current house:  

 

1.  Left ISY for new owner and when she had her new internet connection working, I told her I would get things going again.  She had AT&T out and they plugged in the ISY to a line to the Router through an OnQ panel.

2.  Back of ISY showed internet connection (green and blinking green light on back of ISY), but kept getting the communications error lights on the front of ISY.

3.  Went through the various steps on the Wiki for the communication error message (reset router, reset ISY, etc.), but finally did a factory reset, because I couldn't figure out why it was still not working.

4.  After factory reset, it still wouldn't work, so I tested the internet connection (which I should have done to begin with), and figured out that a bad ethernet connection was the root cause of all of this.

5.  Installer came out and got a good ethernet connection, Admin Console is back up and running, finds ISY, new homeowner puts in new login credentials, and I start linking devices.

6.  However, this time setting up the system is not going nearly as well as original set up.  Some (but not all) Insteon switches and devices are coming up when doing the linking, some come up but then have a failure while adding, and some devices are exhibiting strange behavior.

 

Here is what I would love to do and wanted to see if this is possible or what the best approach may be:

 

1. I have a backup on my Admin. Console on my computer that I would love to restore to the ISY, and I would love for things to go back to the way they were (i.e., for the ISY and devices to be programmed back to the way they were).

2. I can bring my computer over to the old house and try to connect, but the owner has different login credentials now after the factory reset.

3. Would it be possible to change her login credentials to the same as mine, then plug in my computer to her ethernet, login using my credentials, do a restore, and then change the credentials to her credentials?  Is this wishful thinking, and do I instead need to try to reset all of the devices, and start from scratch.  If the latter, how can I pull up my old programming?  When I try to go in and see my programming, it says the ISY is not found (because I'm not on the same network, of course).  So is there a way of pulling the programming that I did without having an ISY connected?

 

This is driving me crazy, and would appreciate any thoughts on this!

 

 

 

 

 

[stusviews]

Chances are something is plugged in/connected that's interfering with Insteon communication.

[larryllix]

Welcome to the forum.

 

I don't know what the backup file would have to do with the login credentials. A UDI person would have to confirm this to be absolutely sure.

 

Log in to her ISY and use restore of the file from a memory key or other way to port the file to her LAN. This means a visit to her location, at least once. If you are responsible to maintain this for some time you may want to port forward her router to get remote access to her ISY for a maintenance period time.

[TT NC]

Thanks for the posts.  I'm having a hard time finding the backup needed for the restore. How do you find the backup file?  In other words, where are those stored?

[Teken]

Thanks for the posts.  I'm having a hard time finding the backup needed for the restore. How do you find the backup file?  In other words, where are those stored?

 

The back up file you're speaking about is the one you made on your computer system. You will simply go on site and connect to their network. Once connected and her Admin Console is launched you will restore from the back up file you created on your computer laptop.

[TT NC]

Thanks again for the comments.  When you do the Restore ISY, does it take you to where the backup is stored?  What is the file type or what is the naming convention for an ISY backup file?  Wasn't sure how to find it on the hard drive.

[Brian H]

It will take you to the default location it stores the files.

The backup files file name.

ISY-Backup.Firmware Version_Date and Time.zip

[Teken]

Thanks again for the comments.  When you do the Restore ISY, does it take you to where the backup is stored?  What is the file type or what is the naming convention for an ISY backup file?  Wasn't sure how to find it on the hard drive.

 

Normally if a location was specified on the computer when a task was done it will recall that destination. I believe the file is named ISY-Backup.what ever firmware version your using.zip

 

ie. ISY-Backup.v4.4.6_Mon 2016.03..11.21.24 PM.zip

[TT NC]

Got it.  Thanks so much!  I located the file on my prior computer.  Was able to get everything loaded up using my login credentials, and then was able to change them to the buyer's login credentials.