WL IP doesn't transmit to website? RESOLVED!

[m77]

no luck as such yet but the chap has been trying.

one point of interest was that he said a crosover cable shouldn't work as it doesn't give an ip address out??

[d_l]

The point of the crossover cable was to have first received an IP with a regular patch cable on the network and only THEN would the WLIP be removed from the network and connected directly to the computer.  If you tell him exactly that, it should make a difference in his understanding of what you were doing.

If he somehow thought you were using a crossover cable to connect to the network, then as he said, the WLIP wouldn't/couldn't have gotten an IP.

[m77]

Dave, he said that once you unplug the logger from the school network it will not store a dynamic ip.

[d_l]

Not even a a WLIP connected to a Vue console with batteries? 

A WLIP connected to an Envoy with batteries certainly retains its dynamic IP when disconnected from the network and then reconnected to a non-networked computer.

[m77]

Interesting. I assume ac power is as good as batteries for this test.

I am sure that I have tried the setup before but maybe my pc is blocking data when networked so I may re try the crossover to a non networked pc.

Do I simply pull the patch cable from the logger and insert the crossover? Can anyone try it please? Power on throughout obviously.

Thanks again chaps.

[d_l]

I just did an Envoy move again for the second time.  I have my WLIP-Envoy set to a static IP.  To be ABSOLUTELY sure about this, I set it to be dynamic and pulled the power before I allowed it to re-acquire a DHCP IP.  Only then did I make the move to a non-networked computer.

I use batteries because my WLIP-Envoy is in a separate room from my computer.  I wouldn't trust AC power if there aren't any batteries in the console to cover any possible jostlings of the AC connectors/plugs.

Simply unplug the patch cables and replace with a crossover between the non-networked computer and WLIP.

[m77]

tried it, no luck 

[d_l]

Can your computer at least "find" the WLIP?

[m77]

No not with the crossover cable. No results found when I search.

[d_l]

I don't understand how it could "find" the WLIP with WL when on the network, but then not "find" it when off the network and connected by a crossover, unless the Vue console was losing the IP while being reconnected with the crossover cable.  This means the Vue console doesn't operate the same as the Envoy (or a VP2 console).  It is strange that Davis would make this console operate differently than the other receivers.

[m77]

nothing about the school system is predictable so that may influence it - although i was not networked during this trial.

i would like to hear from someone with a Vue and WL ip who can trial this non-network connection using a crossover cable........

[m77]

How about some sort of ethernet double adapter to allow the logger to connect to the network to get an ip and also to connect to the pc?

Even a connector to convert ethernet socket to usb or serial to plug straight into the pc? Surely this may worK. Can anyone please try before I buy to try?

Thanks.

[m77]

this is either misleading, incorrect or a possible solution:

both web addresses seem to suggest that there is a usb cable available for the WL ip 06555?

http://www.vantagevue.com/products/related_products.asp?typeID=9&pnum=06555

http://www.davisnet.com/weather/products/wx_compat_products.asp?typeID=9&pnum=06555

could this connect the ip logger to a PC via a USB port?

any ideas?

[Bushman]

No, that is a std. min-usb/USB cable.  You can convert ethernet to usb but I'm not sure that it is inbound.

[dalecoy]

this is either misleading, incorrect or a possible solution:

both web addresses seem to suggest that there is a usb cable available for the WL ip 06555?

http://www.vantagevue.com/products/related_products.asp?typeID=9&pnum=06555

http://www.davisnet.com/weather/products/wx_compat_products.asp?typeID=9&pnum=06555

could this connect the ip logger to a PC via a USB port?

any ideas?

The information at those links is incorrect - therefore misleading.  Perhaps you will tell Davis that, at your next conversation with them. 

Your difficulties seem to be quite complex, and this forum isn't an easy way to diagnose a complex problem - particularly when there are large opportunities for misunderstanding and misinterpretation.  [For instance, when you say you "tried it", it's not always precisely clear what "it" is].  The results that d_l reports are different from what you see and what Davis asserts.  And for the most part, the questions/suggestions that I have made have been declared wrong.

Davis technical support is really very good and knowledgeable, and they do have access to engineering and software development and full details on their products.  It's sometimes slow to work with them - but in this case, I suspect it's your best bet.

[d_l]

And for the most part, the questions/suggestions that I have made have been declared wrong.

Dale, it is really hard to debug problems with something like the WLIP when you don't have one in your hands to experiment on.  So you are debugging with a big handicap there.  ... and neither of us are on Muppet's network so neither of us can test any ideas we might have concerning the network's configuration.

I hate to be a downer here, but I've sprung arcane technical questions about problems I've had on some of the Davis techs in phone calls and emails that they simply couldn't answer.  I've also told them about things they didn't think were possible.  I'm afraid Muppet's network is going to do to them what it has done to us -- baffle with its complexity.

[johnd]

AIUI this WLIP worked initially for internal data transfers across the LAN and did so until (probably?) some port settings were changed via the WLIP web interface (which is something I don't encourage because it can have unpredictable results). Now it no longer seems able to do even internal data transfers. Conceivably something has happened in the interim to the overall network configuration, but that seems unlikely so my best guess is that somehow the stored port or other network settings have become corrupted.

What I would want to know is the following:

If you _fully_ (ie including disconnecting console batteries) power down the console to which the WLIP is fitted and leave it off for at least 5-10 minutes, leaving the standard LAN patch cable connection providing access to the LAN in place during this time.

Then if you restore power and put the console back into Current Weather mode (and allow a couple of minutes grace to allow eg DHCP dialogues to complete):

1. If you fire up the Weatherlink software, go to the comms port dialogue, select TCP/IP as the comms type, select 'Local Device ID' as the TCP/IP connection type and press the Find button then does it report success or not. If it is successful what is the IP address reported?

2. If it is successful then fire up the Bulletin and simply see if it works.

3. If Bulletin does not work then try contacting the WLIP via a web browser (http://ip_address from [1]) and just see if you can get a response from the WLIP device. But if you do get a response then don't attempt to make any further changes to the port numbers etc.

[d_l]

AIUI this WLIP worked initially for internal data transfers across the LAN and did so until (probably?) some port settings were changed via the WLIP web interface (which is something I don't encourage because it can have unpredictable results). Now it no longer seems able to do even internal data transfers. Conceivably something has happened in the interim to the overall network configuration, but that seems unlikely so my best guess is that somehow the stored port or other network settings have become corrupted.

John, the WLIP only worked correctly and completely on Muppet's home network.  If you suspect an altered port setting, perhaps it would be best to return it to that environment for verification of proper configuration and port settings.

[dalecoy]

Dale, it is really hard to debug problems with something like the WLIP when you don't have one in your hands to experiment on.  So you are debugging with a big handicap there.  ...

Yes - I understand that, and I'm quite prepared for "grasping at straws" to be totally wrong. 

You have almost-identical hardware and software.  With respect and humor, please compare our success rates.   

and neither of us are on Muppet's network so neither of us can test any ideas we might have concerning the network's configuration.

I hate to be a downer here, but I've sprung arcane technical questions about problems I've had on some of the Davis techs in phone calls and emails that they simply couldn't answer.  I've also told them about things they didn't think were possible.  I'm afraid Muppet's network is going to do to them what it has done to us -- baffle with its complexity.

Perhaps.  In which case perhaps they will offer a refund or exchange.  Or perhaps they will find the problem, or diagnose failed hardware.

Their success rate can hardly be worse than mine.   

[m77]

John, the WLIP only worked correctly and completely on Muppet's home network.  If you suspect an altered port setting, perhaps it would be best to return it to that environment for verification of proper configuration and port settings.

the WLIP did originally update my software on the school's LAN. I can remember the day when sometimes it did update and connect and sometimes it didn't. The next day i never got a connection on the LAN. It has NEVER uploaded to the Wl website from school.

I then decided to take it home to test on my own network and it worked absolutely perfectly - uploading to the website and also across my home network. 

I will try the sequence of operations that you have sugested John, the power down, wait 15 mins etc..

If that fails then my only hope is to wait for blinking RM to open port 80.

Sorry to cause confusion and head scratching but I really do appreciate your efforts guys - especially, Dave, John and Dale. Thank you for being so patient with a novice and giving me your time. Hopefully we know a little more about WL ip. (more than Davis?!)

Here's to port 80 being opened before we break up for Christmas on Friday 18th December.......... 

[johnd]

...It has NEVER uploaded to the Wl website from school.

That's perfectly understandable, if frustrating, if RM's setup blocks port 80 at the firewall. And until that's changed, you won't be able to upload data to weatherlink.com.

But you should still be able successfully to access the WLIP from a PC across the school's LAN. If not then it's probable that there's some other problem (assuming that the WLIP can see a DHCP server, that it's on the same subnet etc - but these points are probably true if it did originally work across the LAN). If there is a separate problem then it will likely need troubleshooting independently.

[dalecoy]

...

I then decided to take it home to test on my own network and it worked absolutely perfectly - uploading to the website and also across my home network. 

Allow me to suggest a simplification in thinking -- Classical diagnosis says to cut the problem in half, and keep doing that until it's solved.

If it still will work perfectly on your own network, then no hardware has broken, and the software is set "correctly".  I'm suggesting that you RE-test this to be sure, because a lot of "fiddling" has been done.  If that re-test fails, then concentrate on why. 

Assuming that re-test works, the problem is clearly at the school end.  Start from "scratch" (John's method, plus reboot the computer you'll be using).  Run the diagnostic that Davis sent, and save the results.

A.  If the software communicates with the WLIP, and gets data, but the WLIP can't upload to Weatherlink.com, it's purely that problem.

B.  If the software can't communicate with the WLIP, then it's some other new symptom on the school LAN.

I think we all knew that - I'm just trying to put it in writing.  Feel free to say "Doh".

Dave's tests have been very useful and informative - but some of Dave's results are different from either your results with the same tests, and/or Davis' assertions.  Therefore, we all understandably get confused.  I'm suggesting "back to basics", and concentrate on what you see.

[m77]

I took the logger home for a second time a few days ago and again it work perfectly so no problem there.

I will do a full restart as john suggests and post the results, although I suspect I already know what the results will be!

[Weather Display]

sounds like a IP/port (firewall?) block on the school network that needs to be unblocked if you ask me

[Bushman]

Another thought:  does your school have Wifi?  You might be able to do a standalone and wifi into the net.