Direct connection Issues with FPP - HinksPixPro

[CityMuseum]

Howdy everyone. Setting up a HinksPixPro to run via FPP on a Rasberry Pi4 and having connection issues.
With the settings in the attached photos, I was able to get an ethernet connection between the FPP and HinksPix, although I was unable to send any sequences over.
I then set the HinksPix up using a direct ethernet connection to a router and then my pc. This worked and allowed me to properly set up my controller to run sequences from xlights. Now I have reset the settings to what is shown in the photos.... and nothing happens. No ETH connection. I previously tried to hook the FPP into the router with the Hinks, but the IP address kept switching between 192.168.8.1 and 192.168.0.50 and was unable to be discoverable by Xlights or added manually.
any suggestions would be more than appreciated.

 

[MikeKrebs]

Map your network. You have two "networks" (subnets) 8.x and 0.x. Then figure out how you want to route from one network to another. Report what you have mapped out and someone can help

If you are using wired connections, there is is little advantage to set up a separate show network. Get a switch with enough ports and plug everything into the switch and use DHCP to get the connection info.

 

[Godfree2000]

The 192.168.8.1 is the default IP when it can't see the wired network ( wifi hotpsot I think it's called )
Set that up maybe under the wlan heading

 

[CityMuseum]

Map your network. You have two "networks" (subnets) 8.x and 0.x. Then figure out how you want to route from one network to another. Report what you have mapped out and someone can help

If you are using wired connections, there is is little advantage to set up a separate show network. Get a switch with enough ports and plug everything into the switch and use DHCP to get the connection info.

I have a Netgear N450 with 4 ethernet ports. Is this sufficent? When I had the Hinks and the Pi plugged into it at the same time is when I had the bouncing IP issues.

 

[CityMuseum]

Quick Update. Shutdown FPP and Hinks when I left work yesterday, came back in turned it all on and the ETH works. Can send packets with no loss when Ping'n. Currently not able to get fseq files to play. They play, but no reaction from my lights

 

[MikeKrebs]

Do you have outputs configured in FPP? Post screenshot.

 

[CityMuseum]

Here's my outputs, my current network config, hinks config, and proxy setting.

 

[merryoncherry]

It appears to me that you have 192.168.010.001 set as the IP for the Hinks but also for the FPP network interface. These should be on the same subnet (as controlled by the mask) but not be the exact same, or it will try to send to itself. Maybe change the IP on the eth0 of FPP to 192.168.10.2 and see if that does anything.

 

[CityMuseum]

I am still unable to get a test sequence to play, but with this setup below, I have regained the ETH0 icon on the FPP page and it says IP 192.168.10.1. My Tether IP next to it is 192.168.1
I have the Rasberry Pi hooked up to a second monitor and can see that its saying "My IP is 192.168.10.1"

Current settings
FPP Under Network Interface:
IP: 192.168.10.2
NM: 255.255.255.0
G: 192.168.1

Hinks:
IP: 192.168.10.1
NM: 255.255.255.0
G: 192.168.8.1

What's confusing me is a couple sources seem to contradict each other when it comes how to setup the network. At roughly 8min 30second in on this video (
View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uVQeUyvWDhg
) he says that the IP under the network tab on FPP is for the IP of the Hinks, and at 9min 50seconds he says to put the same IP in as the gateway.

 

[Juddge]

Your mask is too small for the up range your trying to use
And normally the gateway needs to be the same subnet as the ip
Try 255.0.0.0 as the sub net
Or 255.255.0.0

 

[Skymaster]

Your mask is too small for the up range your trying to use
And normally the gateway needs to be the same subnet as the ip
Try 255.0.0.0 as the sub net
Or 255.255.0.0

Current settings
FPP Under Network Interface:
IP: 192.168.10.2
NM: 255.255.255.0
G: 192.168.1

Hinks:
IP: 192.168.10.1
NM: 255.255.255.0
G: 192.168.8.1

The subnet mask for the above IP addresses is perfectly fine. 192.168.10.x is the network as defined by the mask, which both IP addresses belong to.

The gateway, however - is incorrect. It should be on the same subnet as the other IPs - 192.168.10.x --> ONLY if this is not a segregated show network.
Now, because tethering is being used (why?) it's hard to understand the architecture.

For me to get my head around it - here's a diagram of what I _think_ it looks like:\



What IP address does the router have?
Is the laptop connecting to this router? Or to the tether on FPP? Avoid the latter if possible and wire the laptop to the router (or connect via wifi).
That way everything is on 192.168.10.x network

THEN - once that's done -
FPP and Hinks Gateway should be set to the router's IP address - 192.168.10.xxx which will allow those devices to have internet access.

 

[CityMuseum]

The subnet mask for the above IP addresses is perfectly fine. 192.168.10.x is the network as defined by the mask, which both IP addresses belong to.

The gateway, however - is incorrect. It should be on the same subnet as the other IPs - 192.168.10.x --> ONLY if this is not a segregated show network.
Now, because tethering is being used (why?) it's hard to understand the architecture.

For me to get my head around it - here's a diagram of what I _think_ it looks like:\

View attachment 26968

What IP address does the router have?
Is the laptop connecting to this router? Or to the tether on FPP? Avoid the latter if possible and wire the laptop to the router (or connect via wifi).
That way everything is on 192.168.10.x network

THEN - once that's done -
FPP and Hinks Gateway should be set to the router's IP address - 192.168.10.xxx which will allow those devices to have internet access.

Attached is what my setup looks like. The controller is going to be mounted in the center of a ferris wheel, so we need the FPP to be able to control the Hinks on it's own, preferably no router or other devices. We had a previous system with fpp and a hinks up there but it fell apart after 8 years, so I know it was possible in the past. You just walked up to the wheel, connect to the fpp wifi signal, then changed the sequences in the browser.

 

[Skymaster]

Ok so in that case you don't need you worry about any gateways at all.

192.168.10.1 on the Hinks, 192.168.10.2 on FPP is fine
Mask can be as you have to 255.255.255.0 for both.

In xLights, define your Hinks using this IP in the controller tab. Then in FPP you'll need to set up the appropriate channel output (using FPP connect to upload the UDP out is fine, or you can do it manually).

This will also map your universes etc across into FPP
The Hinks will need to be configured to receive the same universes and send it to the pixels.

The wifi connection of FPP would be used to start your playback as you need.

I'm not sure if the Hinks works with proxy mode, if so, you could set up the Hinks in the Proxy tab of FPP to allow you to access it from the tethered wifi, and if you then define the tether IP if FPP (192.168.8.1) as the proxy in xLights, you should be able to push configuration directly to the Hinks via FPP.

 

[CityMuseum]

Under the network tab on FPP my settings are
IP:192.168.10.2
NM: 255.255.255.0
No Gateway

HinksPixPro static IP settings
IP:192.168.10.1
NM: 255.255.255.255.0
No Gateway

Still unable to achieve an ETH connection. I was under the impression that under the network tab on FPP, that IP was the IP you are trying to reach?
That being said, I have previously configured the Hinks through Xlights. The Hinks was connected to a router, then to my PC. I was able to play sequences on the Hinks through Xlights and it seemed to be configured correctly. When I plugged my FPP into the same router, I was unable to get Xlights to recognize the FPP, and adding manually didn't work either. I have the FPP hdmi output on a separate monitor and could see its IP address was bouncing between the standard 192.168.8.1 and a 192.168.0.50 address when plugged into the router.

 

[Skymaster]

Ok so there are two conflicting issues here. Configuring the Hinks using a router connection, and then trying to run it with FPP totally independent without the router.
I would suggest forgetting about the router, seeing that when set up properly you should not need it to be able to both configure and run the show.

Your FPP will end up having two IP addresses, as it's ultimately connecting to two networks. One being the wifi tether and, and the other being the cabled network between the two devices.
You will be accessing FPP using the 8.1 address as this is the one facing your laptop.

If you're getting a 192.168.0.50 IP, this would imply that you have not set eth0 to the static IP and it is grabbing one from DHCP.

• Ensure that eth0 is set to static.
• Set the eth0 IP as above to 192.168.10.2
• Cable or directly to the Hinks.
• Make sure the pi is rebooted after making the changes.
• Once it reboots, you should see both connections and IPs in the top right corner of the FPP UI.
• Goto Status/Proxy configuration
• Add in the Hinks IP (192.168.10.1) here
• Save that page, then click the IP. The Hinks UI should show up.
• Then go to xLights on your laptop.
• On the controller tab, select the Hinks controller and set the IP to 192.168.10.1. Hit save
• Then deselect the controller (click on the blank space) and a Global FPP proxy option will appear
• Set this to 192.168.8.1
• Hit save again
• Reselect the Hinks and press the Open button, it should load.

Now you're set. You can use visualiser to make the prop connection changes and upload the outputs.
You can then do an FPP connect, ensure UDP Out is set to All, and hit upload. You don't need any sequences selected, this will still push the Channel Output configuration to FPP.
Then channel / display testing from FPP should work.

If All else fails, I'd suggest jumping into the zoom room because it sounds like there's something funny with the configuration that'll be much easier to debug over a screen share.

(Apologies if there are odd words in there, that's autocorrect on my mobile)