Author Topic: LaCrosse Wireless Internet Gateway Model GW1000U ERF-100  (Read 139295 times)

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Offline 10ACTony

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Re: LaCrosse Wireless Internet Gateway Model GW1000U ERF-100
« Reply #400 on: August 16, 2014, 02:42:33 AM »

When the gateway is pointed at the XP system the LCD "Internet" icon was flashing or blinking. While connected to the WIN7 system it is a steady on.

I switched back to the XP system and the Special SDP=210 continued for over 4 hours and never did correct. I then switched back to WIN7 and had the 210 message about 20 times before the sensors updated and the =210 stopped.

I powered cycled the gateway & LCD while on XP and it had no effect. I keep thinking it's something simple or oblivious. :?
I don't want to load wireshark and dig in to the nuts & bolts to see what's different if I don't need to.
The blinking led means it's not connecting to the sky spy service.  Are you sure you reset to gateway to the correct in?
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Offline semoore

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Re: LaCrosse Wireless Internet Gateway Model GW1000U ERF-100
« Reply #401 on: August 16, 2014, 08:49:24 PM »
The blinking led means it's not connecting to the sky spy service.  Are you sure you reset to gateway to the correct in?

When the Gateway proxy is pointed to the XP machine, the red LED is on solid and the Green LED is flashing often at the same rate the "*=210" messages are appearing in SkySpy debug window. When looking at the Gateway webpage, the "last contact" timer seems to update when "Ping Received" appears in Debug window.

Everything appears to be the same between the XP (not working) and the WIN7 (working). I'll try restoring XP to a date before I first installed the previous version of SkySpy which I couldn't get to work either and then reinstalling SkySpy.

Offline KennKong

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Re: LaCrosse Wireless Internet Gateway Model GW1000U ERF-100
« Reply #402 on: August 17, 2014, 03:24:34 AM »
I've posted a rudimentary version of my configuration page in the configuration branch of my repository Weather-ERF-Gateway-1000U.

It requires the addition of some columns to the stations table, which can be done using the alterstations.sql script.  The weather.sql script has been updated to reflect the additions.

This is "banging the rocks together" quality work, so if anyone wants to offer any improvements, it would be welcome.

Since this function could be obtained from any db admin tool, I think this is a dead end.  I'm teaching myself as I go, so it hasn't been a total waste of time.

Offline skydvrz

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Re: LaCrosse Wireless Internet Gateway Model GW1000U ERF-100
« Reply #403 on: August 17, 2014, 11:09:56 AM »
When the gateway is pointed at the XP system the LCD "Internet" icon was flashing or blinking. While connected to the WIN7 system it is a steady on.

Why are you trying to run it on an XP box?

If the Internet icon continues to flash and you see Special packets for hours on end, then you need to look a the serial number you entered into your settings.  The behavior your describe is usually due to a bad serial number.  You can copy C:\ProgramData\SkySpyData\SkySpy.ini from the working machine to the non-working machine, if you want to duplicate the working settings on the Win7 box.

The non-working box will jabber for a while and then should sync up. 

If that doesn't help, then send me both of the INI files.

You do not have to stop the SkySpy service when you copy/overwrite the INI file.  It gets re-read each time a packet comes in from the gateway.

If you are running ssMonitor, then I recommend shutting it down before overwriting the INI file.  You can restart it afterwords.

You do not have to keep resetting/power-cycling the PWS hardware - in fact I recommend against it.  Whatever you do, don't reset your Gateway serial number!  Do not try to re-register the Gateway with SkySpy!  Step away from the Gateway button and keep your hands where I can see them. :-)

I haven't reset my PWS hardware in about 8 months.  (You are not working with the LaCrosse servers any more, so everything you know is wrong :-)

A Wireshark sniff probably wouldn't reveal much.  Your Gateway does not like the serial number or the Epoch (AKA memory map index) for historical data is not synching properly.  You'd need to capture hours of data to see the problem. 

Offline semoore

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Re: LaCrosse Wireless Internet Gateway Model GW1000U ERF-100
« Reply #404 on: August 17, 2014, 02:31:25 PM »
Why are you trying to run it on an XP box?
The XP box was a low power Acer R1600 thin-client that is used for solar data logging task and had been running  HeavyWeather along with WUHU for a years.
The Red Internet LED was not flashing, It was the Green RF LED that was blinking at various intervals.

I took the easy way out, not having the time to learn what was wrong, I upgraded the Acer to WIN7 32. SkySpy works fine now. :grin:

Unfortunately I didn't save the .ini file before installing WIN7.

Thanks for your help skydvrz.

Offline skydvrz

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Re: LaCrosse Wireless Internet Gateway Model GW1000U ERF-100
« Reply #405 on: August 17, 2014, 02:42:59 PM »
I was talking about the Internet indicator on the wall-mount LCD console.  This should stay lit up continuously if SkySpy is working properly.  The indicator on the Gateway will light up in various ways to indicate the overall health of your PWS.  SkySpy has little to no effect on that.

T/H sensor position will affect the light color on your Gateway, if it is out of range, RF-wise.

I had to reposition my outside T/H sensor and Rain Gauge so that everything would fly in formation at my house.  My rain gauge now sits on a fence post in my pasture and the T/H sensor is under an arbor on the side of my garage.  My Gateway is mounted in an forced-air-cooled box in my attic, co-located with some other network gear. 

Offline keckec

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Re: LaCrosse Wireless Internet Gateway Model GW1000U ERF-100
« Reply #406 on: August 17, 2014, 03:32:59 PM »
This is "banging the rocks together" quality work, so if anyone wants to offer any improvements, it would be welcome.

The only thing I might add to the database is the gateway firmware version number. I suspect this is encoded in some of the packets, although I haven't looked for it. There could be differences in communication for different firmware versions, which could make it important to know. I made a separate table for this, which includes the model number, so as to possibly support similar models as well.

My firmware version is 1.21.00, compiled on 7/4/08 (from the GW's web page). I'm curious what version others have.
« Last Edit: August 17, 2014, 04:39:53 PM by keckec »

Offline KennKong

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Re: LaCrosse Wireless Internet Gateway Model GW1000U ERF-100
« Reply #407 on: August 17, 2014, 05:08:22 PM »
My firmware version is 1.21.00, compiled on 7/4/08 (from the GW's web page). I'm curious what version others have.
Ditto.
Speaking from my vast lack of experience, I doubt the gateway firmware will have much to do with it.  It's pretty much a commodity device that relays what it receives on the RF to the TCP/IP.  Most of the logic must reside in the weather station.  For example, you have to push a button on the weather station to reset the connection to the gateway (i.e. the weather station recognizes the existence of the gateway, not the other way round.)
« Last Edit: August 17, 2014, 05:17:44 PM by KennKong »

Offline dwoolridge

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2 Problems...
« Reply #408 on: September 01, 2014, 10:03:09 AM »
I'm really excited to get SkySpy working with my new C84612 weather station, but have run into two separate problems...

1)  I can't get the Gateway talking to the SkySpy service.  Here are the steps I'm following:
  A)  I did a factory reset on the Gateway just to be sure I'm starting from scratch
  B)  I got the gateway working and reporting data to LacrosseAlerts.com (I can see it updating on the website just fine)
  C)  With the SkySpy service running (but with the SkySpy monitor not opened yet...)
      i)  Run Gateway Advanced Setup
         a)   Change the "www.proxyserver.de" to match the PC-IP
         b)  Change the port to 8000
         c)  Check the "Use" box
         d)  Leave the "Use DHCP" box checked
         e)   Changed the "Gateway" and "DNS IP" to my router's IP (192.168.0.1)
NOTE:  I didn't change the IP or Netmask addresses (see attached screen-shot)
         f)  Click Set
         g) Click Reboot

After the reboot, the Green RF light flashes continuously for several seconds then stops.  "Internet" on the weather display turns off at this point.

2) On one of my early runs of SkyMonitor, I accidentally un-checked "Use Embedded MySQL" and clicked OK.  Now, even after uninstalling and re-installing SkySpy, it continues to try to access the MySQL database.  Any action in the Monitor tries to access the database.  This makes it so I can't get into SkySpy and correct the setting.  Any ideas on how I can fix this?

Windows 7, 64-bit OS.


Thanks,

Doug Woolridge

Offline dwoolridge

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Problem #2 solved...
« Reply #409 on: September 01, 2014, 10:16:07 AM »
I just found a way to solve problem #2 (described in the previous post). 

I found the C:\ProgramData\SkySpyData\SkySpy.ini file and manually changed the "DBEmbedded" value from 0 to 1.  The monitor no longer tries to connect to database with every menu pick.

--Doug

Offline skydvrz

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Re: Problem #2 solved...
« Reply #410 on: September 10, 2014, 02:46:18 PM »
I just found a way to solve problem #2 (described in the previous post). 

I found the C:\ProgramData\SkySpyData\SkySpy.ini file and manually changed the "DBEmbedded" value from 0 to 1.  The monitor no longer tries to connect to database with every menu pick.

Sorry for not getting back to you!  I have been extremely busy of late.

I will fix that in the next release. 

Offline dwoolridge

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Re: LaCrosse Wireless Internet Gateway Model GW1000U ERF-100
« Reply #411 on: September 10, 2014, 03:40:57 PM »
Thanks for the reply!  More urgent for me would be figuring out question #1 described in my post (3 posts up).

I've tried everything and can't get SkySpy talking to the C84612 weather station.


Thanks,

--Doug

Offline skydvrz

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Re: 2 Problems...
« Reply #412 on: September 11, 2014, 11:20:27 AM »
Doug,


1)  I can't get the Gateway talking to the SkySpy service.  Here are the steps I'm following:
  A)  I did a factory reset on the Gateway just to be sure I'm starting from scratch

Don't do factory resets.  That will mess things up.

Quote
  B)  I got the gateway working and reporting data to LacrosseAlerts.com (I can see it updating on the website just fine)

Did you copy your LaCrosse serial number found on their web site?  It changes each time you re-register your Gateway with LaCrosse.

The number on the LaCrosse web site MUST match the one you use in SkySpy.  Otherwise your C84612 "Internet" indicator will go out, the clock will start to drift and your Gateway will send a constant stream of junk to SkySpy.  You enter the serial number into SkySpy using Monitor.

Quote
  C)  With the SkySpy service running (but with the SkySpy monitor not opened yet...)
      i)  Run Gateway Advanced Setup
         a)   Change the "www.proxyserver.de" to match the PC-IP
         b)  Change the port to 8000
         c)  Check the "Use" box
         d)  Leave the "Use DHCP" box checked
         e)   Changed the "Gateway" and "DNS IP" to my router's IP (192.168.0.1)
NOTE:  I didn't change the IP or Netmask addresses (see attached screen-shot)

A netmask of 255.255.255.0 is correct for a 192.168.x.x subnet

Quote
         f)  Click Set
         g) Click Reboot

Your other settings seem normal. 

Are you absolutely sure you got your workstation IP correct?  If you are using DHCP to assign the address of your workstation PC, then it may not be the IP address you think it is, or it may change over time.  Consider using a static IP for your workstation.

Are you sure the Gateway has a unique IP address on your LAN?  If you assign a static IP address to a device on your LAN that matches the GW, then bad things will happen.

Quote
After the reboot, the Green RF light flashes continuously for several seconds then stops.  "Internet" on the weather display turns off at this point.

This is normal, but you should see sensor reading update in SkySpy Monitor and/or Wunderground in 5 minutes or so.  The GW sends new sensor readings every 4-5 minutes.

It may take up to 15-60 minutes for things to stabilize on the C84612 display. 

It is not necessary to run Monitor all the time.  SkySpy Service has all the smarts.

Offline skydvrz

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Re: LaCrosse Wireless Internet Gateway Model GW1000U ERF-100
« Reply #413 on: October 07, 2014, 10:57:12 AM »
All:

I have shut down public access to my server that some of you have been using to store your weather samples.  I have posted warnings months ago that this day would come, so I hope it is not a big surprise to anyone.

Please use your own server or switch to Embedded MySQL mode. 

Offline 370Dancer

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Re: LaCrosse Wireless Internet Gateway Model GW1000U ERF-100
« Reply #414 on: October 15, 2014, 02:42:47 PM »
Hello,
New to the forum, but a long time user of Lacrosse ERF-100 to TX-60U setups for monitoring pool and spa temps.
I discovered this thread this morning, and read the entire thing. Fabulous info, and progress in providing an alternate way to monitor weather data!
So, my million dollar question is whether SkySpy would have any applicability to a simple source such as the TX60-U, which is 2 temps and humidity only.
I won't be near a station setup to test this for another few days, but I am excited that I might be able to use WUnderground instead of the clunky Weather Direct site, and the spotty Lacrosse pay site.

As a side note for those interested, Lacrosse has changed something, or Weather Direct can't handle their newer sensors, thus forcing you into a Lacrosse online monitor subscription.  I tried to connect a new TX70-U with water sensor, and the registration process on Weather Direct threw an error of device not recognized PEId=7, or something like that.  TX60s still work.

Offline skydvrz

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Re: LaCrosse Wireless Internet Gateway Model GW1000U ERF-100
« Reply #415 on: October 15, 2014, 07:22:22 PM »
I discovered this thread this morning, and read the entire thing.

You are a vary patient person.  That is a lot of reading :-)

Quote
So, my million dollar question is whether SkySpy would have any applicability to a simple source such as the TX60-U, which is 2 temps and humidity only.

Probably not, since you didn't mention a Gateway module. Don't forget that SkySpy and the other software mentioned here works off of the Gateway chit-chat, not the sensors or the display.  That sensor->display comms are all radio-frequency transmissions.

SkySpy pretends to be the Lacrosse server, using your home LAN/Internet connection.  It does not listen directly to the sensors RF comm.

Quote
I won't be near a station setup to test this for another few days, but I am excited that I might be able to use WUnderground instead of the clunky Weather Direct site, and the spotty Lacrosse pay site.

I am not sure if you could send water temps to Wunderground.  WU will toss any data that has a big difference between your station and other nearby stations.  I ran across that during SkySpy development - you will receive a nastygram email from them telling you your weather station is screwed up and they start blanking your graphs and tabular data.  If your spa is running at 104F and the outside temp is 60F, guess what is going to happen :-)

Offline 370Dancer

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Re: LaCrosse Wireless Internet Gateway Model GW1000U ERF-100
« Reply #416 on: October 15, 2014, 08:45:54 PM »
 Thx.  I understand about the gateway.  The TX60 uses the same ERF to post to Weatherdirect.  I will just give it a shot when i get back to florida, and post initial results.  Weatherdirect and Lacrosse appear to be moving in different dierctions, or Lacrosse has just changed their business model.  I am mainly looking for online remote monitoring outside of my local network.


Offline skydvrz

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Re: LaCrosse Wireless Internet Gateway Model GW1000U ERF-100
« Reply #417 on: October 15, 2014, 08:51:44 PM »
If the ERF module is the same as the one I am using then you might get it to work.

You could try using the built-in webserver page in SkySpy.  Just point your browser at the SkySpy machine's IP and you can look at your sensor readings in tabular form.  SkySpy shows a hokey looking web page - mostly for debugging or the weather obsessed.  :grin:

Offline flamand

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Re: LaCrosse Wireless Internet Gateway Model GW1000U ERF-100
« Reply #418 on: November 05, 2014, 07:21:04 PM »
skydvrz: Is the version you posted on July 25 the most current? And is it now recommended over 1.1.0.72? Thanks!

Offline skydvrz

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Re: LaCrosse Wireless Internet Gateway Model GW1000U ERF-100
« Reply #419 on: November 05, 2014, 08:56:03 PM »
The most recent installer was built on 24 July, 2014

The latest SkySpy Server reports v1.2.0.86 to Wunderground - click the "About this PWS" link up near where your WU Station ID appears on their web page when you get SkySpy up and running.

SkySpy Monitor is up to v1.1.0.177

They are two separate programs, BTW.

You can find the latest installer here, containing both the Server and Monitor:

https://www.dropbox.com/sh/g06wjf0ed36nh4u/AADdx6liYZRuBnR2p2rueXC_a?dl=0

Yes, please use the most recent version.

Select Embedded mode since I have shut down my public database server.  Embedded mode does not need a full-blown MySQL database server as did previous versions.  It creates a single-session mini-DB on your hard drive.

Offline skydvrz

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Re: LaCrosse Wireless Internet Gateway Model GW1000U ERF-100
« Reply #420 on: November 05, 2014, 09:10:06 PM »
skydvrz: Is the version you posted on July 25 the most current? And is it now recommended over 1.1.0.72? Thanks!

Is that you filling up my bug reporting system with error reports?  :grin:

Follow the instruction manual for Embedded mode.  That should fix it.

Offline flamand

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Re: LaCrosse Wireless Internet Gateway Model GW1000U ERF-100
« Reply #421 on: November 05, 2014, 09:26:21 PM »
skydvrz: Is the version you posted on July 25 the most current? And is it now recommended over 1.1.0.72? Thanks!

Is that you filling up my bug reporting system with error reports?  :grin:

Follow the instruction manual for Embedded mode.  That should fix it.

Oops. Yup that's me. Problems started today when mySQL told me to set a new password then wouldn't take any. I finally remembered to open the SkySpy .ini file and set the embed value to 1. Still can't figure out why it's not working in embedded mode though.

Offline flamand

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Re: LaCrosse Wireless Internet Gateway Model GW1000U ERF-100
« Reply #422 on: November 06, 2014, 01:09:07 AM »
Well, I started from scratch: uninstalled the old version, deleted the SkySpy folder in c:\Program Data and reinstalled the newer version. Before running it the first time, I used Gateway Advanced Setup to reset the gateway's ip to its actual ip and then verified it was reporting to the LaCrosse website (it was). Then I set the ip for the SkySpy pc and fired up SkySpy. I set using embedded mySQL and set the serial number to match the one on the Lacrosse website. Also I set the info for WU and for the mini website.

Unfortunately, no data is going through SkySpy, none is going to WU. I even tried disabling the firewall.

If I reset the gateway, the Lacrosse website starts showing updates.

If anyone can suggest what I'm missing, I'd sure appreciate it!


Offline flamand

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Re: LaCrosse Wireless Internet Gateway Model GW1000U ERF-100
« Reply #423 on: November 06, 2014, 11:47:15 PM »
Thanks for the reply!  More urgent for me would be figuring out question #1 described in my post (3 posts up).

I've tried everything and can't get SkySpy talking to the C84612 weather station.


Thanks,

--Doug

Did you ever get this solved? The same exact thing is happening to me now.

Looking at the DHCP client list for my router, the gateway always keeps its ip address no matter what the Advanced Gateway Setup uses. I suppose that's normal. What is odd that a random device "LaCrosse_Weather_Gateway" shows up, sometimes with its own ip address. When it does that the mac address is always different from the gateway by 1 character at the end. Other times it simply renames another device on the network. (The other device continues to function fine.)

Offline skydvrz

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Re: LaCrosse Wireless Internet Gateway Model GW1000U ERF-100
« Reply #424 on: November 07, 2014, 08:20:37 PM »
Looking at the DHCP client list for my router, the gateway always keeps its ip address no matter what the Advanced Gateway Setup uses. I suppose that's normal. What is odd that a random device "LaCrosse_Weather_Gateway" shows up, sometimes with its own ip address. When it does that the mac address is always different from the gateway by 1 character at the end. Other times it simply renames another device on the network. (The other device continues to function fine.)

Your Gateway is simply grabbing new IP addresses from your DHCP server (usually your firewall/router/WiFi Access Point).  It is OK for the Gateway address to shift around, as long as it can find your SkySpy PC on your LAN.  The Gateway initiates all network conversations and the SkySpy PC simply replies back to the sender's address.

The thing that could be messing you up is if your SkySpy PC has a DHCP-assigned address.  Is your current IP address for your SkySpy PC the same as the one you entered into your Gateway? 

Your PC's address may shift around when your "DHCP lease" expires, when you reset your router and for other reasons. Normally this is not a problem, but if another device on your LAN expects your PC to be at a certain address - and it is not - then bad things will happen.  The Gateway won't be able to find your PC and send it packets.

So, to cut down the crazyness factor, you may need to use a static IP address on your PC. 

Most routers allow you to set up a block of static IP addresses that the built in DHCP server will avoid.  Conversely, some routers allow you to set up the range of DHCP addresses; The remaining ones are for use with static assignments. 

You put things like printers, web servers, PCs and other network appliances in the router's static address range with fixed addresses.

I use static IP addresses for all of my computers here at my house.  I only use DHCP for smartphones and my Gateway module.

 

anything