New ISY99i install problems

[farm]

I installed the ISY99i and PLM as instructed.

 

I can access the ISY menus (Administrative Console) but when I try to do the Start Linking function, I get the following error: Discovering Nodes; Retry!

 

When I try to view PLM Info/Status under Diagnostics, nothing happens.

 

?????

[LeeG]

Make sure the cables between the PLM and the ISY device are in the correct connectors. The PLM cable is installed in Port A and be sure fully clicked into place on both ends. Might try clearing Java cache as well. Not sure that can be related to PLM connection but it is a common directive. What type PLM are you using?

 

EDIT: did the PLM LED start blinking when Start Linking was selected?

[farm]

I have the 2413S PLM

 

I've tried three different CAT5 cables, no change. After pressing Start Linking, there is no change in the lights on either the PLM or the ISY device.

 

The PLM has the green status light on, but it never blinks or anything.

 

Is there any setup required for the PLM when used with a ISY device, or is the PLM supposed to be plug and play?

 

thanks

[LeeG]

You are using an external power supply with the ISY?

 

What LEDs are illuminated on the ISY?

 

The PLM Info does not show Connected?

 

There is no setup to the PLM. Simply plug it in. The ISY Port A to the PLM, the ISY Network port to the router, and an external power supply to the ISY power jack since it is a 2413 PLM.

 

Nothing will work correctly until the PLM shows Connected.

[farm]

The ISY is using the external power supply it came with.

 

The only ISY light that's on is the Power light. The TX and RX turn on briefly when first plugged in, and the MEM light flashes a little then turns off.

 

Yes, its as if the PLM is not connected. I tried the factory reset of the PLM , no luck.

[Brian H]

If the PLM Info/Status is not showing anything. That is the problem.

You may want to give the RJ45 connectors a good looking at. Some have reported one or more of the pins in the jack was bent up and not connecting to the cable.

 

Start Linking should start the PLM LED flashing. Another indication the PLM and ISY99i are not communicating.

[LeeG]

I unplugged my 2412 PLM, removed the Port A cable, plugged in an external power supply and brought the ISY back up without a PLM. The Power LED and RX LED are On solid which is the expected result when there is a PLM problem. The Tools | Diagnostics | PLM Info popup shows PLM not connected.

 

Since you do not have the RX LED On and I think you said the PLM Info popup is not displaying I am thinking more along the lines of a Java issue (either Java level or cache not cleared) or Admin Console not at the ISY image level.

 

What platform are you on and did the Java cache clear without problems. Nothing using Java can be active or the cache will not be cleared. How are you invoking the Admin Console. If you just enter the IP address of the ISY into a browser window do you get the basic ISY panel. If so try invoking the Admin Console from that initial ISY panel. The select PLM Info.

[farm]

well....I've played with the connectors (one of the ISY connectors feels cheap and flakey) and also cleaned the cache then removed Java and reloaded Java, unplugged the devices, re-powered them.

 

Now I can get the solid red light if the PLM isn't connected and the green light on the PLM will flash (occasionally) when I Start Linking.

 

But thats it.... when I press PLM info/status under Diagnostics all i get is "Error Discovering Nodes! Retry"

 

I'm thinking this wasn't the best use of $300+ lol

[LeeG]

Sorry you are having such difficulties. My ISY has been rock solid. UDI has a great warrantee if it turns out something is defective. Was it purchased from UDI or some other source.

 

If you bring up the ISY and do a PLM Info without trying the Start Linking function does the popup display showing Connected or Not Connected.

 

Is the ISY PLM more than a few feet away from the PLM?

 

What operating system are you using?

[farm]

On initial power up of the ISY and PLM, if i do a PLM Info without doing the Start Linking function, the pop up display shows Connected. But then, after doing the Start Linking, I get the Error

 

The ISY PLM is just a couple feet from the PLM?

 

Im using Vista and FireFox

[Brian H]

Do you have any firewalls and what is it?

I had all kinds of problems with ZoneAlarm until the iSY99is IP address was added to the trusted zone.

[LeeG]

Okay, great. Once the PLM is put into the mode where it is listening for a device to identify itself (Start Linking) it may not be able to handle other functions.

 

Lets look at what is happening if we stay within the scope of Start Linking. The PLM LED should be blinking and a popup is displayed with instructions to press the Set button on an Insteon device, then click Finish. What happens when you do that.

 

I personally prefer to go the other way. Select New INSTEON Device, enter the device address, name and use Auto Discovery. Might try that approach as well.

[farm]

The farthest I can get with Start Linking is the pop up Error message, never did get the pop-up to press the Set button. Can't get past the error message, that part seems to be something in the code because the devices seem to finally be talking to each other after wiggling the ISY connector just right.

 

I also have to continually power off the ISY and repower it and also clean the cache to even get as far as the Error message, otherwise once I get into Administrative Console, I cant do much more.

 

I thinks it time to call it quits, seems like a very crude design overall, even if it did work, the interface looks absolutely ancient lol. The hardware seems to be low end as well. I'm really hoping for a more up to date and robust solution.

 

I appreciate your help!

[LeeG]

Sorry I was not able to resolve the problem. I think the problems start when the popup with instructions and the Finish button do not display. The ISY and the PLM are in linking mode which is interfering with other functions you are trying to exercise, ie PLM Info, which cannot be done while the ISY and the PLM are trying to detect Insteon devices that have their Set button pressed while in linking mode. It looks like various things are not working when I think it is limited to the fact that Linking mode is active with no visible sign (beyond PLM LED blinking) the Start Linking function was selected.

 

If you want to pick this up in the future I would start with a different browser, perhaps IE, and see if the popup comes up when selecting Start Linking.

 

EDIT: Now that we know it is Vista, is this a 64 bit system. I think I saw a post where both 32 and 64 bit Java has to be installed on a 64 bit machine. I thought it was in the context of Windows 7 64 bit but it may also apply to Vista

[Michel Kohanim]

Hello farm,

 

I do understand your disappointment but I have to make sure your comments are answered for other users:

1. The hardware is not low end ... the hardware uses top of the line 32 bit CPU and state of the art operating system not found anywhere else with support for SD Card file systems built in and optimized for network operations. I am not sure how you arrived at that conclusion

2. The interface is not ancient. The interface has been built for functional purposes of easily creating and managing scenes. The interface was not designed to be pretty. For that you have a choice of many third party interfaces

 

Now, if you are still interested in getting things to work, please do ensure that you have both 32 bit and 64 bit versions of Java installed (as LeeG suggested), clear your Java cache, reboot ISY, and retry.

 

If you are still having problems, we'll be delighted to login to your system and try and figure out what's causing all the issues. All you have to do is to contact our tech support team.

 

With kind regards,

Michel

[oberkc]

farm, regarding hardware, I would judge hardware on reliability. Notwithstanding your issues (still TBD), I suspect you will find a whole legion of users here who will attest to continued operations without failures.

 

As far as interface, I guess it is a taste thing. If function is all that is important, you will find it completely sufficient.