matapan Posted January 12, 2022 Posted January 12, 2022 After looking back at my experiences with Insteon, I am looking for a better approach to identifying problems with my installation. I don't have the expertise to examine the communications trace logs and was looking for an easier way to potentially identify, confirm and resolve problems. The idea of taking suspect devices, isolating them in a controlled environment, a test bed seems really appealing. Is this a reasonable approach? If it isn't I'd like to hear from you. If it's potentially a good idea, how can I isolate the home network from the test bed? Presumably, I would install a controller on the test bed along with the device being tested. Are there equivalents of network packet sniffers that can filter for specific communications that are associated with the undesirable behavior seen you could filter for? Just throwing around some ideas. It seems like there has to be a more structured, efficient, and easier way to troubleshoot problems when one runs across them.
lilyoyo1 Posted January 13, 2022 Posted January 13, 2022 (edited) 3 hours ago, matapan said: After looking back at my experiences with Insteon, I am looking for a better approach to identifying problems with my installation. I don't have the expertise to examine the communications trace logs and was looking for an easier way to potentially identify, confirm and resolve problems. The idea of taking suspect devices, isolating them in a controlled environment, a test bed seems really appealing. Is this a reasonable approach? If it isn't I'd like to hear from you. If it's potentially a good idea, how can I isolate the home network from the test bed? Presumably, I would install a controller on the test bed along with the device being tested. Are there equivalents of network packet sniffers that can filter for specific communications that are associated with the undesirable behavior seen you could filter for? Just throwing around some ideas. It seems like there has to be a more structured, efficient, and easier way to troubleshoot problems when one runs across them. There's really no way to isolate a network from your home when it comes to insteon. Since every device will pick up and repeat the signal, unless you have a rf shielded box, it's virtually impossible. You'd have to go off site to test. There are scopes that you can use to see line noise. Insteon used to have a diagnostic keypad. I'm not even sure where mine went. I found it easier to follow standard troubleshooting methodologies than to take the time to use that. The cost of a scope probably isn't worth it either. In some ways, that's simply confirming what you already know. The best steps to troubleshoot really depends on the issues you are having. Typically, it's not a device that you have to test as it's easy to determine if they work or no it. They'll either work or not work (turn on/off/dim. It's going to be an environmental issue. Isolating a device isn't going to fix that If you have problems with linking, manually linking to a plug-in module or another device to determine if that works will answer that. Environmental is more challenging but really comes down to isolating the circuit you're on and working back from there. What to do specifically comes down to what you're actually experiencing. Edited January 13, 2022 by lilyoyo1
Techman Posted January 13, 2022 Posted January 13, 2022 5 hours ago, matapan said: After looking back at my experiences with Insteon, I am looking for a better approach to identifying problems with my installation. I don't have the expertise to examine the communications trace logs and was looking for an easier way to potentially identify, confirm and resolve problems. The idea of taking suspect devices, isolating them in a controlled environment, a test bed seems really appealing. Is this a reasonable approach? If it isn't I'd like to hear from you. If it's potentially a good idea, how can I isolate the home network from the test bed? Presumably, I would install a controller on the test bed along with the device being tested. Are there equivalents of network packet sniffers that can filter for specific communications that are associated with the undesirable behavior seen you could filter for? Just throwing around some ideas. It seems like there has to be a more structured, efficient, and easier way to troubleshoot problems when one runs across them. Take a look at the UDI Wiki https://wiki.universal-devices.com/index.php?title=Main_Page#Troubleshooting_2
MrBill Posted January 13, 2022 Posted January 13, 2022 The best testing method in my opinion is to use a test cord, to wire up the device. (The switches red wire should be capped with an additional wago or standard wirenut). Once the switch is wired to the cord use a plugstrip to connect it and the PLM to the same plug. As an additional noise filtering method you could plug that plugstrip into a FilterLinc before plugging into power, although I usually don't. In fact since my ISY plugs in elsewhere, I don't actually need the plugstrip, I just use the other half of the duplex outlet to plug in whatever I'm testing to the same outlet as the PLM. (pic shamelessly stolen from a @Teken post) 3
Recommended Posts