P2 connection problem via switch.

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logandc99

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So after getting my three P2 controllers up and running a few weeks ago, a couple of nights ago I thought I would do some testing with lights and hooked them up to my laptop via my 8 port ethernet switch. But what happened was that two connected and one didn't. So I changed the cat5e cable.... 5 times!.. with no joy. Also tried the cables that worked with the other controllers.
So next I hooked the troublesome P2 directly to the laptop and low and behold I get a connection and can fiddle around with the P2's setting. However, when going back to the switch... no joy. The lights of the port on the switch where this P2 is connected just flash and never go solid. I have tried two different switches with the same results.
Any bright ideas as to why this could be happening?
 
Hmmm, whilst silence can be golden, it can also be disturbing. Obviously not an issue encountered before ( I agree it's very weird that the controller can talk directly to the PC but not via network switch) . Hopefully Ed from J1sys will get back to me with a suggestion/solution as without this controller, half my roof will be dark.
My best guess is that the RJ45 socket on the P2 is faulty and whilst replacing the RJ45 socket on the board is probably a solution, my soldering skills ( and eyes [emoji15]) just aren't that good.
 
I had a similar problem with a P2 where I could talk to it via direct connection but not via a switch. Rebooted the switch and all came good.
Jon
 
JPB said:
I had a similar problem with a P2 where I could talk to it via direct connection but not via a switch. Rebooted the switch and all came good.
Jon
Click to expand...

That's interesting and thanks for the suggestion.
I have restarted the switches several times and have tried two different switches but the problem remains and with only one of the three P2s. The other two P2s work fine no matter what slot on the switches I plug them into.
 
It almost seems like the switches have blacklisted the P2 based on its MAC address. I have no idea if that's even possible.

Have you tried changing the IP address of the problem P2 (via the direct connection) then trying on the switch again?
 
Yes I did try that but unfortunately they still didn't like each other. I had the address 192.168.1.154 and tried 192.168.1.130 but no joy. ( my other two p2s are 192.168.1.150 and 152 which work ok. ) I used the app Fing on my phone to see if I had anything else on the network or in the vicinity using those ip addresses but there was nothing
 
Things I would be checking:

- Are the P2's configured with different IP addresses?
- Do you know if you're using straight-through or crossover cables? I don't know if P2's support crossover detection or not. You would probably need to use a crossover between the Laptop and P2 (direct connection), but straight-through cables for Laptop > Switch > P2 connections.
- Connect one at a time to your laptop (without the switch), and ping it's IP address. After doing this, enter 'arp -a' in the command prompt and compare the MAC address (physical address) with the others.

My thoughts are that *maybe* there could be an IP conflict or even a MAC conflict depending on how the MAC addresses are set on their ethernet ports. I've only got a P2 which I'm yet to fire up, so I'm only speculating here.
 
Thanks, I will give that a check over the weekend. They do have different ip addresses. I am using what I presume are straight through (store bought )Cat5e cables. Two of the P2s function fine with these cables both direct to the PC and via the switch. However I will compare their Mac addresses as you suggest. Perhaps I'll try changing the p2s IP address again also.
 
Have you tried using 2 P2's on the same switch but with different combinations. Like the problem P2 and one other.
Then the 2 good P2's... etc etc.


Also, Not sure if you posted it, but what type of switch is it. I also assume you are using unicast VS multicast ?


What I am wondering is if the backplane of your switch can handle the traffic load it is getting.


Also double check all your channel configs... I found 2 of my P2's not responding due to overlapped channels and not an IP address issue.


-Blu
 
I have tried combinations of the P2s connected as you suggest. Even by itself , the one offending P2 won't communicate so I don't think it's a switch load issue. ( the switch can handle multiple other controllers at once but not this one P2 by itself or with others). I hadn't considered a channel overlap situation because it won't even connect with only the one P2 hooked up and no other controllers connected. When I connect any other controller alone or in combination, the lights of the switch ports immediately glow solid but for this one P2, the lights never go solid and just blink. The lights on the RJ45 socket of the P2 also don't light. They only light when connected direct to the laptop.
I have setup LSP to use multicast at this stage as that seems to work for all my other controllers.
My switches are a TP-link TL-SG1008D gigabit 8 port switch and a Surecom EP-EP808X
8 port 100/10m mini switch.
 
After trying out a few more suggestions made by helpful people in chat, the P2 still remains unusable. Out of desperation I re flashed the firmware ( v2.7 as I can find v2.9) but still no go.
Anyone know if Ed is around from J1sys? I haven't has a reply to my email. Getting nervous now as Dec is gettin closer and I really need this P2 to start working.
 
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