Config/Setup

[N7UVZ]

Well I got a set of seperation cables for my 706MkII and tried to do the set-up per the Manual.   

I have tried to connect to the units with two laptops, one running XP/SP3 and the other with WIN 7.  Connecting the
units with cat 5 cables to a Netgear Switch, I can see the activity lights happily blinking away on the switch, but do not connect to of either one them using MicroBit setup manager.

When I start microbit manager I get an error message saying "device disconnected"  this is with both laptops.

I then tried to use the USB cable, disconnected the Ethernet cable, unpluged the power, hooked up the USB cable and turned the unit back on.  NOTHING HAPPENED!  The unit I connected up (the remote unit) only had the PWR light blinking slowly.

Anyone have an idea what is going on? 

One other thing that I am wondering about is that is seems that at the remote site the manual seems to think that you will always have a hardwire connection to the internet via Cat 5 cable.  As most places are getting away from hardwire, how are you to connect up the remote unit??  Do I have to buy another Wireless Card? Can I run the remote through my, hopefully working, Laptop?

I hope some one can give me some ideas on getting this working, as right now I am not happy!

Thanks,

Chuck
N7UVZ
Carson city, NV

[dj0qn]

Hi Chuck,

I sent you my checklist to help you get started.

To answer your question on a WiFi card; you will find an add-on card as an accessory for the RRC:
http://www.remoterig.com/wp/?page_id=1529

Note that it can only be used within an environment where a web page is not used to log on to a
network, like in hotels and other hotspots. You would need a WiFi bridge in that situation. For home
use, the Microbit internal card works just fine.

73,
Mitch DJ0QN / K7DX

[N7UVZ]

Mitch:

Thank you for the check list!  My trouble right now is that I cannot even get logged into either unit!  When Microbit Setup Manager runs it shows "Device Disconnected" and will not do anything.  The router has activity lights blinking but nothing happens.

If I plug in the  USB cable I get nothing also.  What should I see on my laptop screen when the USB Cable is in use? Should I see a connect with Setup Manager?

I have a wireless card for use here at home, I see that the system will not be of any use to me at all when on vacation as it will not allow me to connect with out a cat5 connection.  As most Hotel/vacation spots/hotspots no longer use hard-wire this makes the units usless to me.  Even here at home I cannot hook up as I have NO cat5 connection for the remote unit and control head to check it out.  Can I hook the remote box up though my laptop to login? 

Any one have any ideas as to how to use the system from a remote location with out using cat5???  None of my friends use cat5 hook ups at there house so even that is out    Everything is wireless but how to connect when EVERYONE has some kind of login procedure is the question.  If it is YOUR house/vacation spot, then of coure that is no trouble, you can use cat5 for the radio remote and not worry.

Thanks,

Chuck
N7UVZ

[dj0qn]

Take it easy, Chuck, we will get you up and running.

Basically, your first step is to use the Microbit Setup Manager to change the units to DHCP.
There are two ways that you can do this:

1) Plug the USB and ethernet cables into the RRC, then it should should the RRC connected on the first screen.
    Then go to the "setup" tab and click on "get from device". Then click on the DHCP box and then "save to
    device". After rebooting, click on the "net info/find" tab and on the "browse device" button to configure.

2) Without using a USB cable (only over ethernet), go to the  "net info/find" tab and click on the "find devices"
     button. The mark the RRC you want to configure and then click on the "config" button. Click the DHCP box
     and then save. After rebooting, click on the "net info/find" tab and on the "browse device" button to configure.

Like I wrote before, you just need portable WiFi bridge to use in hotels. There has been a lot of discussion on this
subject in this forum if you were to use the search function (something like "hotel" as the search word). There are
a number of products on the market and I use an old Netgear WNCE2001 that I bought for about $35 years ago.

Let me know if you have any further questions.

73,
Mitch DJ0QN / K7DX

[N7UVZ]

Mitch:

Ok, here we go again, You said to do the following:

[N7UVZ]

Mitch:

Sorry for the last post just got fumble fingered!!

You want me to hook up with either a USB cable or through the Ethernet port. 

I HAVE TRIED BOTH OF THEM AND NOTHING HAPPENS!  When I run the set up manager using either one all I ever get is "Device disconnected"!

This makes it impossible to fix ANYTHING!

I would like to find a way to log in to either of the Remote/lLocal units to do something, but nothing seems to work.

I have Activity lights on the Netgear Switch from the Remote unit, the Local unit and from the laptop (either one) but no luck.

One laptop is running WIN 7 and the other is WIN XP both give the same thing when trying to connect with Setup Manager.

Any ideas why I cannot connect to them? 

Chuck
N7UVZ

[dj0qn]

Chuck,

Well, that is not exactly what I wrote.....

You need to connect the ethernet cable in either case. On the first scenario, the USB cable is also used,
but not on the second one.

The "device disconnected" will show only on the first scenario using a USB cable, never using only ethernet.
If it does not show as connected when you connect the USB cable, THEN you have a problem. In that case, it
is usually because someone plugged in the RRC prior to installing the drivers when installing Setup Manager. If
someone does this, they are usually screwed and need to deinstall everything, reboot and reinstall again BEFORE
plugging in the USB cable.

Otherwise, you can always use scenario 2 to set it up only using ethernet. Have you tried that method as described
in my last reply? Like I said, it will NOT indicate that the RRC is connected, just follow my instructions and don't make
any assumptions.

73,
Mitch DJ0QN / K7DX

[N7UVZ]

Mitch:

Well I got mad last night and removed all the programs off the laptop and did a hard reset on both units.  Then downloaded Mocrobit Setup Manager again BUT, put it in the ROOT directory of the laptop!!!

I then re-started eveything again!!

SUCCESS!!!  YEA!!!   

Now I will go ahead and do the set up per your check list and the Manual.  I did go back and make certain I had the jumpers set for a IC-706 just in case.

I have ordered a wireless bridge and will borrow one untill it gets here.  I have wi-fi here in the house so it will be a good check to see if it will work, before I go on a remote!  I may need to ask some questions on that set up but not right now.

Many thanks with this problem

Chuck
N7UVZ

[N7UVZ]

Well that was a FLOP!!!.

When I run "Microbit Setup Manager v1.31 by Microbit 2.0 AB 2009-2016"  the ONLY thing that works is using the "Net info/find Tab.  That shows the two units and I can get into them and can make changes to the Fields.

BUT

None of the other tabs work !  I cannot find out which FW/HW version nor use any other Tab.

What am I doing wrong that NONE of the Tabs work but the Net info one??

Is there anyone on the West Coast using these units that I can phone and talk to about getting these up and running???

Chuck

P.S. And of course the USB connection does absolutely nothing.

[dj0qn]

Please read my directions once again. When using the ethernet only method, then NONE of the
tabs on Setup Manager will work! You must use my directions to change to DHCP using Setup
Manager and then your browser to configure the rest.

Please try again and advise.

73,
Mitch DJ0QN / K7DX

[N7UVZ]

Ok, did the following:

1. Unplug power and CAT5 both control/radio units.
2. Connect CAT5 cable from Radio unit to Ethernet switch.
3. Connect CAT5 cable from Ethernet switch to laptop.
4. Connect USB cable from Radio unit to Laptop
5. Power up radio unit.
6. Run Microbit Setup Manager.
7. Select "Net info/find tab".
8. Select "Find Devices"
9. Select Radio unit and select "IP Settings".
10. Select "DHCP" and set to "YES".
11. Select "Submit"
12. Select "Save"
13. After Reboot timeout, turn off Radio Unit and exit Setup Manager.
14. Turn on Radio unit and start Setup manager.
15. Select "Net info/find Tab.
16. Select "Find Devices"
17. Program says" NO DEVICES FOUND"

At this point I have no idea where to go with this.

Any help would be appreciated.

Chuck
N7UVZ

[dj0qn]

Chuck,

Let's save some time by letting me install it for you. Send me a direct mail to dj0qn (at) darc.de
and we can arrange when I can call you and take over your computer using Teamviewer.

73,
Mitch DJ0QN / K7DX

[N7UVZ]

Mitch:

Just sent you a PM with number.

Chuck

[dj0qn]

Chuck,

To keep anyone who was following this in the loop:

It turns out that you had two problems:

1) The USB cable you were previously using was defective. The one you connected while we were on
    the phone works fine.

2) You have a modem that was supplied by Charter that apparently has a DHCP server enabled. We can not
    currently access this modem to either turn the modem's DHCP server off or to make port forwards. You
    have two ways to solve this problem: either get full access to the modem and we can turn the DHCP server
    off (to be able to use your Linksys router as needed), or else buy your own modem to replace it completely.

Note that even if you were to enable the RRC's for WiFi to get IP addresses from the Linksys router's DHCP server,
it still would not work. The reason is what is called "double-NAT" would prevent a port forward made on the Linksys
to be reachable from the outside, since the modem gave the Linksys an internal IP number.

You will contact me again directly when you know how you will proceed.

73,
Mitch DJ0QN / K7DX

[VK3ALB]

Nice work Mitch,

Thanks for the update.