Problems getting new ISY-99 to recongnize first insteon item

[JanetWireless]

I am trying to set up the first few devices to confirm everything works. So no other automation in the house.

 

I have installed my PLM (directly connected to a wall receptacle) & ISY-99. Lights seem fine (ISY-99 power on, rest of lights on front off - sitting idle). I can get to the screen (java program screen and also browser). But I can't get it to add a device.

 

For simplicity I am focusing on getting a lamplinc to do the initial connection because I can move it around easily. Lamplinc does the flashing light and beep after I hold it 3 seconds. I have tried it in a couple of locations including a recepticle right next to the panel.

I currently have it plugged into the same circuit the PLM is on (and the isy & computer) though the PLM is the first receptacle after the panel and the lamplinc is down a hallway (thinking it would find it easier if it was on the same circuit).

 

I have tried the start linking button and I have tried the Link Management, Add Insteon Device choices using both Auto Discover and directly selecting the lamplinc (I choose 2457D2x, I have a smarthome Part # 2457D2). Nothing shows up in the Network-my lighting page.

 

Possible issues - the circuit I am using is a ARCI breaker. Does that make a difference? The wiring is ungrounded. Does that make a difference? Is there something else I am missing?

 

I was directed to this forum and did some reading here. With the lamplink plugged into a different circuit, I pushed the PLM set button 4 times and the lamplinc starts blinking red. So they are finding each other. But somehow I can't get it to show on the network.

[LeeG]

When Start Linking is clicked does a popup appear with a Finish button at the bottom of the popup?

 

What ISY firmware is running? Help | About will show that.

[Michel Kohanim]

Hello JanetWireless,

 

After following LeeG's suggestion/question, and if you are still having problems, please do not hesitate to contact our tech support team so that we can help you.

 

With kind regards,

Michel

[JanetWireless]

Here is some additional information:

Addresses already checked by two people.

The PLM is on the same circuit (and receptacle but other socket) as the computer and on a AFCI. We took the PLM off the surge protector and it is straight in the receptacle but there is a fair amount of computer equipment in the other socket of that same receptacle. I saw on the other site there maybe a need to reduce noise on the line. We don't have another receptacle close by to put the plm in but might tomorrow, for certain the day after (slowly getting new wiring up).

We don't have the choice of putting the plm and lamplinc in the same recepticle (unless the plm is plugged into the lamplinc) until we get some more wiring up (would have to move all the computer setup to another room to do this), but should be able to do this soon. We can test the long extension cord idea to another circuit the computer is not on.

 

No access points or other dual-band devices yet. We do have a inline relay linc and to switch lincs almost online but no duals yet other than the lamplinc.

 

Start linking - ok, this has changed. Used to be it sat for a long time with not changes/additions. Then it sometimes would not come up and sometimes came up but quickly disappeared. Latest reboot - it now does not come up.

 

Firmware - I am not seeing that in help about. What I see is: My lighting, Product, My URL, and Internet Access (disabled).

[JanetWireless]

I checked the user guide it refers to Firmware v2.8.16, that is the end of the my lighting string.

We did install the driver for the plm, I don't think the computer ever showed it recognized the device, but we did that several days ago and neither of us remember if it did or not. We did try a reset of the plm today as part of trying to figure out what we were missing.

[JanetWireless]

Michel, we didn't see anything in the firewall that indicated any problems.

We will call support tomorrow. Thanks.

[LeeG]

No Insteon device should be plugged into a surge suppression device. They can reduce the Insteon powerline signal to the point of not being useable.

 

The PLM and LampLinc can be piggy backed temporarily for test purposes. Stacking devices is not recommended for long periods as they may overheat.

 

No PLM driver is necessary as the PLM is connected to the ISY, not the computer. The computer never sees the PLM.

 

When entering Start Linking a popup must appear. If it does not, and the Start Linking is not left over from a previous attempt, the firewall/AV is blocking ISY communication with the Admin Console. Avast and Kaspersky are two common AV packages known to block the ISY. This popup has a Finish button. Clicking the Finish button is the only way Start Linking should be completed. It sounds like Start Linking was not completed with the Finish button. It may be necessary to reboot the ISY again to get out of linking mode established with the Start Linking.

 

As a temporary diagnostic technique the PLM and LampLinc can be plugged into an extension cord and the extension cord plugged into a circuit away from the computer equipment. A FilterLinc should be used between the computer and related equipment and the outlet that is powering the equipment. Otherwise the Insteon signals can be attenuated or overriden by noise.

[JanetWireless]

Did diagnosing with universal devices. Turns out the PLM is bad, not something uncommon.

[ScottAvery]

I am having the same problem. New install, plugged in one lamp linc on the other side of the room. a filterlinc to the computer (bottom outlet). ISY into PLM. both on.

 

I can access the ISY on only one of my machines, a vista box. My win7 will not load the application in either mozilla or IE, with Javase 7.

 

On the vista machine I see the isy and can get into the control panel. when i click the find devices icon the PLM light flashes but i dont get a screen with finish. i tried closing the browser and restarting and on that run the browser closed when I clicked find device icon.

 

edit: on repeated presses of the icon an error comes up: Discovering Nodes; retry!

[ScottAvery]

moved everything to different outlets. no change.

 

fixed the java issue on win7 by installing Java6 instead.

 

ran the update for ISY firmware. now the console flashes the discovering nodes error and closes immediately.

[Brian H]

Are you running any anti virus or firewall programs?

I use Zone Alarm and until I added the ISY99 to the Trusted Zone. I had problems.

I also had to do a few changes to Avast to make things go smooth.

[LeeG]

That symptom is the result of the ISY not able to push data to the Admin Console. If the Current State column is blank for all the devices the Start Linking can never work. Should never be invoked if Current State is blank for all devices.

 

Sometimes the Admin Console will come up with an all blank Current State column. The solution is to exit the Admin Console and invoke it again. If Current State always comes up blank Brain has covered some of the caused. That is an issue with router/AV.

[ScottAvery]

I added my ISY's local IP to explorer trusted sites and avast exclusions for web monitoring. Java is allowed in windows firewall.

 

Now when I go to the admin console the Discovering Nodes; Retry! comes up again, and a bar says linking, 0% ->100%, then starts again at 0%. I closed the browser and started again. same thing.

[ScottAvery]

I'm quickly losing patience with this. I've disable windows firewall altogether. rebooted everything a few times. factory reset PLM.

 

Console starts up without the error but still nothing works. If I start linking the PLM buzzes, blinks for a bit, then buzzes again. nothing changes at the console.

 

 

This is just as much fun as X10. I shoulda stuck with that. It was busted, too, but at 10% of the cost.

[ScottAvery]

&*!@%#$&*!^($#. I moved the devices to my main router rather than on a downstream switch. no difference. *()&!($

[Michel Kohanim]

Hello ScottAvery,

 

The problem is that ISY publishes events to your computer and perhaps your firewall is blocking it. Please do let us know what firewall software you have on your computer so that we can better help resolve all the issues.

 

If all else fails, we'd be delighted to login to your computer and see what's going on.

 

With kind regards,

Michel

[ScottAvery]

Avast virus scan. Windows firewall (win 7). I disabled the firewall. I will also turn off the virus scan.

 

On my last complete reset I noticed that I can do a system status check and PLM check before doing anything else, and I then see a connection to the PLM and the system status reports all okay. After I try the start linking action I can no longer check the PLM (no result) and a system check shows zeros across the board.

 

I have a FIOS/actiontec router also with an external firewall. I don't see why that would be a factor with an intranet connection. I don't have the password to it and I dont want to reset it if I dont have to.

[ScottAvery]

With Avast completely disabled I do get the link screen with FInish, so that is a positive step. Device still doesn't link though.

 

Am I supposed to link the PLM too? I just pushed the set button on the lamp link until it stated blinking. PLM was blinking too. no changes in console.

 

What settings will I need to change to reenable avast?

[ScottAvery]

I repeated the whole process and the lamp linked. I don't know what I did differently.

 

I will try more devices tomorrow. Any advice on how I can reenable firewall and AV would be appreciated.

[Michel Kohanim]

Hello ScottAvery,

 

First of all, I can totally empathize with you as I would've probably been more frustrated than you are right now.

 

AVAST has been quite notoirous in being too protective. Please do the following:

1. Go to Real Time Shields, Script Shields, Exclusions, (your ISY URL address)

2. On Web Shield, do the same

 

As far as not being able to link your device, if you have a LampLinc, please try plugging it very close to the PLM just to make sure we are not dealing with signal issues. So, the process is this:

1. Go to Link Management | Start Linking

2. Press and hold the set button on your LampLinc ... after about 3 seconds, it should beep and then automatically show up in the Admin Console

 

Please do let us know if this works.

 

Also, please note that our tech support team is available from 9:00 AM to 4:00 PM PST and via email on the weekends. So, if you are still experiencing problems, perhaps it would be best to schedule a call (Submit a ticket link below) and we'd be delighted to help figure out the root causes for all these issues.

 

With kind regards,

Michel

[ScottAvery]

Thanks again. I had entered the exclusion on the web shield but not the script shield. I'll try that again tomorrow.

[ScottAvery]

those avast exclusions were not sufficient. I still have to disable all shields to get through to it.

 

My exclusions on both script and web shield are

 

http://[iSY IP]/*

http://universal-devices.com/*

[Brian H]

The fix does work for Avast 6.0.1289. As you found if you let Avast go the the latest revision. What you did maybe needed.

[ScottAvery]

I clicked the box in web shield to check browser processes only, as I found you had suggested in another thread for a different issue. that fixed it. I am not sure that I should continue that way. I am going to remove the URL exclusions and see if it was just the port change that was the problem.

[Michel Kohanim]

Hello ScottAvery,

 

Would you please let me know if you were able to link some of your devices. I think you initially had two issues one of which was not being able to link devices.

 

With kind regards,

Michel