jeffpdavis1 Posted November 4, 2011 Posted November 4, 2011 I just received my ISY-99i and plugged both it (via power supply) and the 2413S into wall outlets. I connect both ethernet cables as described and I can get to the Admin Console just fine. The last step in the 2 page Quick Setup guide (Start Linking Your Insteon Devices) doesn't find any. Previous to the ISY install I had hooked up two devices and I'll try to be explicit here. LampLinc Dinner Dual-Band #2457D2 ToggleLinc Dinner 2466DW I thought I would start off simply and both devices work fine manually although I wish the ToggleLinc Dimmer would turn on the lights in the dim degree from which it was turned off. That seems stupid and short sighted, unless of course I'm the stupid one and did something wrong. I need help having the ISY find the devices. Once I get to the "Linking In Progress" screen, and go to each of the two devices above to press the set button (which they both respond appropriately with a blinking light) How long should I wait for something to show up in the main tab for the devices to show up so that it can "Add the devices found" in links. I've waited probably 5 minutes. Shouldn't there be some notification to me via the app that it found some devices? Are these devices not supported?. The ISY only has the far left power light on at the time. It sure seems to start up fine and the diagnostics finds the PLM ok. Help!
LeeG Posted November 4, 2011 Posted November 4, 2011 jeffpdavis1 The ISY will react essentially instantaneously (not quite but for all practical purposes). What devices are being used to couple the 120V phases? Sounds like the ISY PLM is not hearing the messages sent by the devices when the Set button is pressed. Move the LampLinc plug point to the same location as the ISY PLM. Then press the LampLinc Set button again. Be sure the PLM LED is blinking when Start Linking is initiated. Lee
LeeG Posted November 4, 2011 Posted November 4, 2011 jeffpdavis1 Did you click the Finish button? Lee
jeffpdavis1 Posted November 4, 2011 Author Posted November 4, 2011 jeffpdavis1 The ISY will react essentially instantaneously (not quite but for all practical purposes). What devices are being used to couple the 120V phases? Sounds like the ISY PLM is not hearing the messages sent by the devices when the Set button is pressed. Move the LampLinc plug point to the same location as the ISY PLM. Then press the LampLinc Set button again. Be sure the PLM LED is blinking when Start Linking is initiated. Lee The PLM is a dual band and the LampLinc is also a dual band. Shouldn't that bridge them or at least shouldn't that allow the PLM to talk to the lamplinc? I moved the lamplinc closer and the ISY is now linked. It was instantaneous but I didn't have to click Finish except to do the linking. Thanks. I'm a little leary though of moving it back to where it needs to be. I'll try it and see. Jeff
jeffpdavis1 Posted November 4, 2011 Author Posted November 4, 2011 No joy. I moved it back to the living room (one wall of separation, same level) but a big red exclamation point by the device. Is there something else to be done to refind it. It seems like the RF should be able to communicate to it. It's only about 30 feet away.
LeeG Posted November 4, 2011 Posted November 4, 2011 If it does not work in the new location it is an RF reception problem. Something in the wall, something in the location of the PLM versus the LampLinc. Once the device is successfully added to the ISY it can be moved without concern for any additional definition in the ISY.
LeeG Posted November 4, 2011 Posted November 4, 2011 jeffpdavis1 Put the PLM into test mode by pressing the Set button 4 times. Plug the LampLinc into the same circuit as the PLM. The LampLinc LED will blink (after a few seconds) Red if on the same circuit and Green if on the opposite phase. Would expect it to blink Red for this first test. Now move the LampLinc to its original location. Does the LampLinc LED blink (indicating it is receiving the RF signal from the PLM) and if so what color. The LampLinc can be moved around to different plug points to see how far it will receive the PLM signal. The PLM will stay in test mode for approx 4 minutes. Lee
jeffpdavis1 Posted November 4, 2011 Author Posted November 4, 2011 Thanks I'll do that right now. I've got 3 places I could put the PLM around the house where I've got a network switch. Right now I've got it in the great room in the same area where Tv(LCD), Media center computer, AV receiver, Dish box, Roku, Sonos are. The only RF I had there was a little receiver for the tiny keyboard for the computer in that room. I just unplugged it thinking that might be some interference and it may have made some difference. I hope that the PLM is not that RF sensitive to placement. Another place is in my office (same level 35 feet from the Lamplinc and one wall of separation) where the wifi router and AT&T microcell along with a couple other Sonos devices are. That's the place that didn't work at all until I moved the lamplinc into the office. The last place is in the basement where a couple of servers and the furnace are. I guess it doesn't matter to me where the PLM ends up but this has sort of soured me for how easy this is going to be, especially when more things in more places makes it that much more complex. Tell me it gets easier...
Brian H Posted November 5, 2011 Posted November 5, 2011 All those nice electronic goodies you mentioned can effect power line communications and may need filters. They could be generating power line noise or absorbing signals. It could be noise is telling the Insteon modules to wait for a clear line to send a signal. The communications tests use both RF and power line signals.
jeffpdavis1 Posted November 5, 2011 Author Posted November 5, 2011 Brian H: Ok, I can accept that those things may produce a lot of noise. The three desktop computers, the two servers and the media center stuff all sit behind individual UPSes. If I were to get a filter or two, would/could the UPSes just plug directly into those and potentially solve a lot of my problems? Lee G and others: Yes, the Lamplinc does blink Red on the same circuit and when moved around the house it blinks Red or Green depending on its placement. But sometimes it's just solid green or solid red and I can change the solid red to solid green by pressing the up button on the side. That would seem to invalidate the "solidness" just by the fact that it can change by pushing the up button. Other times, it will start blinking Green, change to solid Red momentarily up to a few seconds, then blink Green again. Brian has said that during these tests it's communicating with both RF and line signals. I've looked at the 2413S PLM quick start guide and don't see any other diagnostic results other blinking red or green. What do these other results mean? Are they some combination of whether it's getting RF or line signals? Given all this info, does anyone have suggestions on more devices to get in order to test my house further before giving up. I was thinking of at least one filter and one other dual band device, maybe even an access point or two. Thanks. - Jeff
LeeG Posted November 5, 2011 Posted November 5, 2011 Depending on the location and load some or all of the UPSs can be plugged into the same FilterLinc. That isolates the UPS which itself is often a source of signal attenuation and any devices powered from the UPS. I suggest a pair of Access Points for phase coupling. They are pluggable so it is easy to find outlets on opposite phases and I think they have better range. The LampLinc LED changing color as the LampLinc is turned On and Off is normal. The color of the LED indicates whether the LampLinc is On or Off. This should be covered in the Quick Start guide and/or User Guide. As a general rule the more Insteon devices installed, particularly in the beginning of an installation the better things work. The devices are active repeaters so the signal quality often improves the more devices installed.
jeffpdavis1 Posted November 5, 2011 Author Posted November 5, 2011 LeeG: I think the problem is with the UPSes. I unplugged the one serving the media Center (a 1500VA upright). Immediately the problem I was having communicating with a switch disappeared. Plugged it back in and the problem returned. I've just ordered a couple of filterlincs and a couple of access points. I may only need one of the access points and can return it for another filterlinc. I'll know next week. Thanks for the suggestions. I've seen a lot of places where people use Insteon to turn on AV media devices. It seems like one has to choose between having the devices protected behind a UPS or controllable with an Insteon setup. So is it true that you can't have it both ways?
LeeG Posted November 5, 2011 Posted November 5, 2011 Some (not all) UPS devices have such good filtering capability they absorb the Insteon signals. It looks like noise to them and does not make it through the UPS to the outboard devices. If the AV equipment is controlled through IR that is one option. If looking to actually remove power from the AV equipment with an Insteon device outboard of the UPS that is likely a problem unless you put a Dual Band device outboard so that communication is through RF rather than the powerline through the UPS. You might consider holding on to the other Access Point. As your Insteon usage grows into RF only devices such as Motion Sensors, TriggerLincs and the newest RemoteLinc2 that looks somewhat like a KeypadLinc having the ability to position a Dual Band device within range of some of these devices may be useful.
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