webctrl error

[roneil]

when i try to communicate to the module question mark appear on the status column. And when i try to download the program to the contols after the LGR25 it fails saying that comm time out. wen i Increase my communication timeout settings still i have the same problem.
on my network i got lgr25-aar-se6104-se6104-zn141...25 zn141
-aar-se6104-se6104-zn141...25 zn141
-aar-se6104-se6104-zn141...25 zn141
-aar-se6104-se6104-zn141...25 zn141
and i have also added bt485 at the begining and at the end of segment

could anyone help me out or just let me know what could be the problem

[hotrod53]

You have a communications error, not a WebCtrl error. The ? marks are telling you that you aren't talking to the module, can you get a MODSTAT on the LGR25? If you can't get a modstat, you can't do anything as far as downloading. Can you connect via BACNet Local Access to the other modules? Did you check your CFG, CONNECTIONS, page to see if the connection says connected or stopped?

What is the status number indicator say on the LGR25, is there a number showing or does it look like a zero chasing around in a circle. The zero chasing indicates that the module has been downloaded and is running, if it is something other than that such as an 8, look at the screen print on the module and it will tell you what the module is doing.

There are times especially on initial download of a large network that you need to increase the comm timeout, something like 12000 or 15000. Typically the stock 4000 or maybe even 6000 is good. Keep in mind that you can't change the comm timeout unless the connection is stopped, make sure that it's running when you're trying to communuicate.

I need more info... did this module work before and now it doesn't? Where/what are you connected to and how are you trying to connect? What version of WebCtrl are you using 2x, 3.0 or 4.1?

Good luck with the AARs, they suck, we had them on a job and we finally pulled them out! When they do work they really slow down your communications response. This has been a year since, maybe they updated their drivers to fix it...at least I hope!

[roneil]

m8 when i download program to lgr25 it works, but when i try to download the program to AAR it works but sometime it says comm time out. after that when i download to second AAR it give error. Iam using WebCTRL 4.1. I hav also increased the comms timeout. When i connect LGR25 to each floor than im able to download the program. And when i again connect all the aar back to the segment m able to communicate but the question mark appears for a while and then it starts communicating but after a while it again shows question mark. From my point of view i think AAR is playing up. What do you think.

Thnks.

[hotrod53]

Sounds like low comm voltage. If I read your post correctly one segment is AAR-SE6104-SE6104-ZN141-and then (25) ZN141s. You need REP485s. Here is what ALC says:

REP485 overview and specifications
The REP485 is a repeater that boosts communication signals over lengthy runs of wire. It has two bidirectional, optically isolated ports that can communicate at speeds from 1200 bps to 156 kbps. You can use the REP485 on any ALC legacy or BACnet communications using EIA-485, like ARC156 and MS/TP networks.

Place a REP485 after every 31 control modules, after 2000 feet, or at each branch of a star or hybrid network. Each repeater begins a new network segment. You can wire a maximum of four REP485s in series. See Sample network configurations using REP485's below. Refer to the Technical Handbook for more sample wiring configurations and wiring restrictions.


On your ARC156 network you may need to put these at the beginning or in the middle of your segment with a BT485 on each side of it (or what we call SpongeBobs...LOL) You're close to the 31 module limit on each segment. This is assuming that I'm reading your description correctly. Low comm voltage will cause this every time. Check your modstat on the LGR and on the AARs and see if you see tons on module reconfigures, that usually indicated comm problems.

[roneil]

i have lgr25 connected to 4 sets of AAR-SE6104-SE6104-ZN141-and then (25) ZN141s. And i have placed BT485 at the beginning and at the end. One BT485 is placed at lgr25 and the other at aar's and at the last ZN141+. What else can i try.

[jeffk91467]

You first need to determine if there is a arcnet network problem. Get a modstat on the LGR. Check the reconfigs. If you see any reconfigs you know there is an issue with the arcnet. Then you can start troubleshooting the arcnet.
If there are no reconfigs, you know the backbone is good.
Then get a modstat on the AAR and check for reconfigs on the downstream side of the AAR. If there are any, you know that network segment has a problem.
We use AAR's all the time. They work fine and actually make installs easier since you can segment the network.
When they were first released a few years ago, there was a problem with a batch of them, but that was resolved pretty quickly by ALC.

[roneil]

i got modstat results for lgr25 and aar. can u let me know wat is the problem nw.

08/11/2008 09:10:36 CM: 1

Device Instance: 0002401

0 PRGs loaded. 0 PRGs running.

Module status:
Firmware sections in flash memory
============================================
ME-LGR-vanilla - v2.12:050 Oct 02 2007

Reset counters:
25 Power failures
1 Brownouts
3 Commanded boots
0 System errors
0 Watchdog timeouts

System error message history: Type Specific
Warning message history:
Information message history:
Power restored after power failure. 08/09/08 09:34:54
Hardware clock indicates power failure. 08/09/08 09:26:38
Power restored after power failure. 08/09/08 09:00:11
Brownout protection activated. 08/09/08 09:00:11
Power restored after power failure. 08/05/08 15:10:06
Hardware clock indicates power failure. 07/07/08 17:03:55
Clock changed from 07/06/08 16:27:37 to 07/07/08 09:19:37
RESET: BACnet reinitialize warmstart 07/06/08 16:27:21
Module formatted. PRG database cleared. 07/06/08 16:26:59
POWERUP: Firmware update successful. 07/06/08 16:26:49

ARC156 reconfigurations during the last hour (cleared upon reset):
Total ....................... 230
Initiated by this node ...... 0

BACnet comm errors in the last 7 days (cleared by format): Incoming Outgoing
Network layer 08/05/08 15:10:09 0 3
ARC156 data link 08/09/08 09:34:54 0 134

Core board hardware:
Type=115, board=36, manufactured on 01/25/2008, S/N 2007C0162N
RAM: 16384 kBytes; FLASH: 8192 kBytes, type = 4
Base board hardware:
Type=115, board=37, manufactured on 01/25/2008, S/N L25810076N

Free heap space = 295636.

Database size = 12582626 , used = 266202, free = 12316424.

Raw physical switches = 01B00000 00000000

Network Information:
Ethernet MAC address = 00-E0-C9-00-E8-BA
Current IP Address = 192.168.168.1
Current Subnet Mask = 255.255.255.0
Current Gateway Addr = 192.168.168.254
Assigned IP Address = 0.0.0.0
Assigned Subnet Mask = 0.0.0.0
Assigned Gateway Addr = 0.0.0.0



08/11/2008 09:13:04 CM: 5

Device Instance: 002406

0 PRGs loaded. 0 PRGs running.

Module status:
Firmware sections validated in flash memory
============================================
Boot16-H - v2.00:003 Dec 17 2003
AAR DRIVER - v2.00:107 Dec 16 2004

Reset counters:
18 Power failures
0 Brownouts
4 Commanded warm boots
5 Commanded cold boots
1 System errors
0 Watchdog timeouts

System error message history: Type Specific
Warning message history:
Information message history:
Power restored after power failure. 08/09/08 09:34:57
Power restored after power failure. 08/05/08 15:21:00
Clock changed from 08/04/08 06:49:26 to 08/04/08 06:50:02
Clock changed from 08/04/08 06:44:31 to 08/04/08 06:45:02
Clock changed from 08/04/08 06:40:24 to 08/04/08 06:41:02
Power restored after power failure. 07/11/08 08:28:55
Power restored after power failure. 07/10/08 07:54:36
Power restored after power failure. 07/09/08 08:04:35
Power restored after power failure. 07/08/08 09:07:06
POWERUP: BACnet reinitialize warmstart 07/07/08 09:50:18

ARC156 reconfigurations during the last hour (cleared upon reset):
Total ....................... 223
Initiated by this node ...... 0

Core board hardware:
Type=121, board=74, manufactured on 01/28/2008, S/N 21A7C0619N
RAM: 1024 kBytes; FLASH: 1024 kBytes, type = 3
Base board hardware:
Type=121, board=49, manufactured on 01/28/2008, S/N AAR810220N

Largest free heap space = 131072.

Database size = 774562 , used = 52574, free = 721988.

Raw physical switches: 0x5300000

Secondary ARC156 diagnostics:
OverrunErrors=0
ParityErrors=0
FramingErrors=0
SlaveNotReady=4
BadLlc=0
BadSAP=0
BadServicePrimitive=0
NoPacketErrors=38
UpQueueErrors=0
DownQueueErrors=1931
RxCmdQueueErrors=0
PowerOnResets=2
ExcessiveNaks=0
Reconfigs=115
ReconfigsThisNode=2

[control$]

The LGR has a 2.12 driver and the aar has a 2.00 driver. Get them both up to the current 2.18 and you'll solve some of the comm issues.
Next i would disable network visible on any bacnet unbinded network points the system. This will remove a ton of network traffic. Then increase the cov's on any used values.
Lastly if you disable the color cashe you'll get a little more speed till you get the network solid.

[jeffk91467]

ME-LGR-vanilla - v2.12:050 Oct 02 2007


ARC156 reconfigurations during the last hour (cleared upon reset):
Total ....................... 230
Initiated by this node ...... 0
You have an issue with the backbone Arcnet network (wiring, noise, bad install, incorrect installation, etc.). If the network is installed/setup correctly you should have zero reconfigs.


Secondary ARC156 diagnostics:
Reconfigs=115
ReconfigsThisNode=2

To check for reconfigs on the downstream side of the AAR, you need to download memory to clear out the counters, then check the modstat.


You need to verify the network is installed per spec's.
If it is installed per spec's, then you need to troubleshoot the wiring/installation. Start by ohming out wire. If wire looks OK, then split network in half, check reconfigs. If still getting reconfigs, split network, check again until you find the section of network causing problems. Figure out the problem and then correct it.
I would ask for assistance from someone you work with who has experience troubleshooting networks. Maybe they can help you out. If not, this is the best way to learn, I think they call it On the Job Training.