WL 5.7 upload to ISP - problem

[Michael252]

I just recently started to upload my data to a server using the supplied web template in Weatherlink. WL creates the images and htm file correctly, it seems, and actually uploads to my ISP server correctly a few times. But it always stalls on one of the images after 3 or 4 uploads (uploading every 5 minutes). And it's never the same image twice. Of course it locks up WL also. The only way to kill it is to stop the process in Windows, then restart WL. Then it uploads perfectly for 3-6 times then dies again. I've been uploading to APRS for almost a year with no problems (except with the APRS server).

Any ideas? I'm stumped.

[Mark / Ohio]

Welcome to the forum Michael!  

Try setting the "Internet Connection Settings" to "Use Passive Mode" if you have not and try that.  Another thought might be to make sure your firewall if you have one is set to allow WeatherLink through or disable the firewall temporarily to see if WeatherLink continues to lock up.

[Michael252]

Hello Mark,

Thanks for the ideas (and the welcome). But I've tried almost every combination I can think of. No firewall running and I've tried both passive mode on and off. I get the same results under both configurations. The thing that puzzles me is that, no matter the combination, it works for a while, then stops. It seems that if it were configured wrong, it wouldn't work at all. But it does, for 3-5 uploads. Then it freezes again.

[talbert1952]

Have you checked the Weatherlink log?

[Michael252]

Hi Tom,

I checked the log and it shows no indication of a problem. The uploads just stop. My guess as to the reason it doesn't enter any errors is that I have to kill WL before the log entry. Like I said, just a guess. Sample of the log below. I chopped the APRS to save space in the example. The  uploads on the "5s" are APRS, on the "3s" and "8s" are to my ISP website:

03/01/07  6:20p (Heath) Upload of Data Upload Profile(s) 2  completed OK.
03/01/07  6:20p (Heath) Successfully uploaded APRS.
03/01/07  6:20p (Heath) APRS string: "CW5575>APRS,TCPIP*:@020020z3250.97N/09629.10W_325
03/01/07  6:20p Downloaded Heath ok.
03/01/07  6:15p (Heath) Upload of Data Upload Profile(s) 2  completed OK.
03/01/07  6:15p (Heath) Successfully uploaded APRS.
03/01/07  6:15p (Heath) APRS string: "CW5575>APRS,TCPIP*:@020015z3250.97N/09629.10W_31
03/01/07  6:15p (Heath) No new data to download.
03/01/07  6:08p Downloaded Heath ok.
03/01/07  6:05p (Heath) Upload of Data Upload Profile(s) 2  completed OK.
03/01/07  6:05p (Heath) Successfully uploaded APRS.
03/01/07  6:05p (Heath) APRS string: "CW5575>APRS,TCPIP*:@020005z3250.97N/09629.10
03/01/07  6:05p (Heath) No new data to download.
03/01/07  6:03p (Heath) Upload of Data Upload Profile(s) 1  completed OK.
03/01/07  6:03p Downloaded Heath ok.
03/01/07  6:00p (Heath) Upload of Data Upload Profile(s) 2  completed OK.
03/01/07  6:00p (Heath) Successfully uploaded APRS.
03/01/07  6:00p (Heath) APRS string: "CW5575>APRS,TCPIP*:@020000z3250.97N/09629.10W
03/01/07  6:00p (Heath) No new data to download.
03/01/07  5:58p (Heath) Upload of Data Upload Profile(s) 1  completed OK.
03/01/07  5:58p Downloaded Heath ok.
03/01/07  5:55p (Heath) Upload of Data Upload Profile(s) 2  completed OK.
03/01/07  5:55p (Heath) Successfully uploaded APRS.
03/01/07  5:55p (Heath) APRS string: "CW5575>APRS,TCPIP*:@012355z3250.97N/09629.10W
03/01/07  5:55p (Heath) No new data to download.
03/01/07  5:53p (Heath) Upload of Data Upload Profile(s) 1  completed OK.
03/01/07  5:53p Downloaded Heath ok.

Notice at 6:08 it downloads from the Envoy but doesn't upload to the server anymore. (A restart of Weatherlink resumes APRS, but I turned off the web upload afterward.)

On a side note, why are there 2 uploads for each APRS cycle? Where is the other one going?

[talbert1952]

The fact that Weatherlink is locking up indicates it might be a driver, os or install problem. Are you using USB Weatherlink?

[Michael252]

Yes, I am using USB with an Envoy. If it were a driver or USB problem, it seems to me it wouldn't work at all. The ONLY time it locks up is on the upload to the web. If you check my APRS (CW5575), you'll see it's very consistent. I even went so far as to contact tech support of my web server to verify there were no limits or caps on uploads. They said 115k every 5 minutes is acceptable.

I've reinstalled Weatherlink twice. But I won't argue that it could be an OS problem. (I am NOT a fan of microsoft)

Now that it was brought up, can Davis sell me a Mac version of weatherlink without having to buy another datalogger?

[edit] Never mind about the Mac WL. I just read that it won't work on an Intel Mac. Is that really true?

[dalecoy]

Yes, I am using USB with an Envoy. If it were a driver or USB problem, it seems to me it wouldn't work at all. The ONLY time it locks up is on the upload to the web. If you check my APRS (CW5575), you'll see it's very consistent. I even went so far as to contact tech support of my web server to verify there were no limits or caps on uploads. They said 115k every 5 minutes is acceptable.

Speculation:  perhaps there is a limit on number of connections, or some other limit?

Diagnostic - try reducing the upload frequency to (perhaps) once every 20 minutes for your web site.  At least it's something to try.  Not that it would be a permanent solution, but...

[Michael252]

Actually, it's been running correctly for about 12 hours now. No changes in setup, nothing but turning profile 1 back on (profile 1 to website, profile 2 to APRS). Would that indicate a possible windows related problem?

[dalecoy]

Actually, it's been running correctly for about 12 hours now. No changes in setup, nothing but turning profile 1 back on (profile 1 to website, profile 2 to APRS). Would that indicate a possible windows related problem?

No - it would just indicate that the problem isn't directly related to Weatherlink.  

Since your APRS uploads have continued to be essential trouble-free, a windows problem wouldn't be likely.

I'm guessing that this was actually a problem with your web hosting provider - and that they would of course say that they have made no changes...

[Michael252]

- and that they would of course say that they have made no changes...

That would most likely be true. I've never had a problem that one source didn't say "it's a hardware issue" and the hardware guy says "it's a software problem."