PLEASE HELP!!! Cant turn my Lights OFF

[snownh2o2]

Sorry, the first post got messed up. I deleted it and had to post it in 3 seperate pieces for some odd reason. PLEASE read on.

[snownh2o2]

I have the following problem. I set up a scene the turns the lights to 25% at sunset. We soon found out that if we had the lights at 100% before sunset that they would dim to 25% when the scene initiated. Our goal was really only to have any light below 25% raise to 25% and the lights above 25% to remain where they were. Below is a shortened (not all devices are included) version of the programs I wrote to accomidate this.

 

 

 

PRGM - EVENING (folder)

If

time is sunset

Then

allow programs in this folder to run

 

 

 

BREEZWAY (program)

If

status of 'BREEZWAY LT' is < 25%

Then

set 'BREEZWAY LT' 25%

 

LIVING RM (program)

If

status of 'LIVING RM LT' is < 25%

Then

set 'LIVING RM LT' 25%

[snownh2o2]

Then at midnight I have a program shut of the lights as follows

 

PRGM - EVENING OFF (program)

If

time is 12:11:00AM

Then

set scene 'My Lighting; Off

 

 

To further complicate this I have set up a program that brings all lights in my evening scene (actually a program) back to the scene brightness of 25% rather than OFF when the OFF button of a controller is pressed. To better clarify, the evening scene has the kitchen lights at 25%. I go in for a late night snack and tap the button which will turn the light to 100% in 4.5 seconds. When I am finished in the kitchen I tap the light OFF. Instead of turning off it returns to the scenes 25%. A second tap will turn it the rest of the way OFF. Here is an example of this programing:

 

 

EVENING LT RETURN (folder)

From sunset

To 12:10am (next day)

Then

Allow programs in this folder to run

 

 

BREEZWAY RTN (program)

If

control 'BREEZWAY LT' is switched ON

and

status of BREEZEWAY LT' is > 26%

Then

set 'BREEZWAY LT' 25%

 

LIVING RM RTN (program)

If

control 'LIVING RM LT' is switched ON

and

status of 'LIVING RM LT' is > 26%

Then

set 'LIVING RM LT' 25%

[snownh2o2]

The problem that I am now having is that I can't turn my lights off. The EVENING RTN folder worked great until I changed my PRGM - EVENING folder programs to check to see if the light was already above the 25% level. Doing this is what now keeps me from turning the lights off. The PRGM - EVENING folder is active from sunset until it is turned of by the PRGM - EVENING OFF program. For that reason when for example the 'Breezeway LT" is at 25% and then it is switched OFF, the BREEZEWAY program notices the light become < 25% and then turns it ON to the EVENING level of 25%.

 

What I really needed was more of a one shot check of the lights while activating the evening lights so that we did not dim any lights, we only raised the the associated evening lights that were not on.

 

If anyone has some suggestions of how to do this while maitaining my RETURN feature, I would greatly appreciate it, for it seems like a simple task that I am severly struggling to figure out.

 

Thanks in advance,

Matt

 

 

PS... How do I copy and past my code into this forum from the isy console, so I don't have to retype all of my programs into each message

[Michel Kohanim]

Hello snownh2o2,

 

First of all, I am so very glad you posted to our forum. We've been trying to get a hold of you via email and all was bounced.

 

I think the best thing to do would be to schedule a call with our tech support to go through this with you. Please call us at 818-631-0333 between 9:00 to 5:00 PDT. We usually get back to you within an hour. So, please make sure you call when you certain we can get a hold of you within an hour.

 

With kind regards,

Michel

[snownh2o2]

This question is directed at the 'network expert' Mike B, but anyones input would be appreciated.

 

I have the following problem. In my house I have 2 computers (laptop and desktop), both connected wirelessly and running Vista (32) with similar, if not identical network settings. The desktop connects wirelessly through a Belking wireless N+ router to the isy both locally and remotely with no known problems. The laptop however, does not. It will connect remotely, but not locally. When I ping the isy, it either fails 100% or fails 3 of the 4 tries (sucessful try is at random). If I go to 'My Network' and look of the 'My Lighting' icon it is not there, however all of the other icons seen on my desktop computer are visible. If I try to log on from an IE window, the page can not be located. If I connect the laptop with a network cable, it will then works locally.

 

Any suggestions??

 

Thanks,

Matt

[MikeB]

Sounds like your notebook does not have a good wireless connection to your router, but I'm assuming if that were the case the problem would be more obvious to you.

 

Can you ping your router reliably from the notebook's wireless connection?

 

Run a PING -T for a continuous ping instead of re-typing the command several time.

 

Is the ISY plugged directly into the Belkin?

 

General tips for wireless connection issues:

- update router firmware

- update wireless adapter driver

- ensure you are in good range

- change the wireless channel on your router (try 11)

[snownh2o2]

Network connection is at full strength running @ 54 Mbts. Now and at most times the laptop is within 15 ft of the router.

 

I can ping -t the router itself with no failed attempts. it averages about 5 pings with 1ms then one ping between 3ms and 100ms.

 

The ISY is plugged directly in the router and has been assigned a static address.

 

The router firmware is up to date

 

The laptops wireless card has the current drivers and I can not find a firmware update availible.

 

The routers channel was set to automatic but I now have changed it to 11 with no luck.

 

I 'think' that the settings on the laptop and desktop are 100% identical after doing a side by side comparison

 

I AM STUMPED! I am by no means a network expert, however I can normally hack through it an solve my network problems. This problem has me completely baffled.

[MikeB]

Does seem very strange. What happens if you ping another device on your network, besides the ISY or router?

[snownh2o2]

Mike,

 

I just sucessfully pinged all of the other devices on the network from my laptop.

 

I did notice something that seems a bit strange. When I log into my router, the dhcp client list shows the isy at a local address of 192.168.2.6 even though I assigned it a static address of 192.168.2.101. When I ping the 101 address, the request times out 90% of the time. However I tried to ping the listed dhcp address 192.168.2.6 and the destination host is unreachable.

 

On my desktop, the local address I use is the static assigned address of 192.168.2.101

 

I am not really sure whats going on here, is it something I could have messed up or this this one of those weird network quirks?

 

Thanks again for your time and efforts,

Matt

[MikeB]

The DHCP table is probably showing you the IP address it last assigned to the ISY, before you set the static address.

 

I'm sorry to say, but I can't think of a good reason for your issue. I'm sure that your problem running the Admin Console from your notebook's wifi connection is the same as your inability to ping reliaby from the same, but I can't imagine why you'd be able to ping the router and other network devices reliably but not the ISY. Especially when it pings fine from a hardwired connection.

 

If I were you I would probably try the following:

- move the ISY to a different port on your router

- set the ISY to a different static IP address

- change to a different router (probably Linksys)

[snownh2o2]

Mike,

 

Thanks for your contributions. Your suggestions to try are things I was planning to do this weekend. I'll let know no how they turn out. Hopefully positive, however if not I think I will just resolve that the laptop just is not a piece of my automation system (at least locally).

 

As a long time fan of Linksys (probably have 12 different models between work and home over the last 12 years), I just recently made the switch to Belkin. The last couple of Linksys routers were very troubled products for me. That, coupled with my want of a USB networked hard drive, Gigabit ethernet, and 802.11n made me choose the $79 Belkin over the much less graciously reviewed $199 Linksys. Besides the laptop issue, the Belking has been preforming excellent. As an unkown bonus, it is preconfigured to work with DynDNS!

 

Matt

[MikeB]

Please let us know how you make out!

[snownh2o2]

Mike,

 

This week I tried changing everything on my network with no sucess. Ports, IPs, .... No matter what I changed, I couldn't not see the ISY locally on my laptop.

 

When I setup the ISY, its original IP address was 192.168.2.6 as assigned by DHCP. I soon changed it to a static address for ease of setting remote acess. As I think I mentioned before, even though it was now on a static IP, the DHCP client list would still show the ...2.6 address also. Resets to both the router and ISY did not change this.

 

As I was just about to give up all together, I thought in one last ditch effort, I would waste sometime and fully restore my router. Well, I am not sure why, but that solved my problem! Now I can officially antagonize the old lady from anyroom in the house!

 

Thanks for effort you put into assisting me. It was greatly appreciated. I can now finally spend some time on some other HA ideas I have in the back of my head.

 

Thanks again,

Matt

[MikeB]

Wow, what a pain. Thanks for reporting back, I'm glad you got it resolved. First time I've seen that issue on a router.

 

Thanks