Wireless gateway problems

Hi all,
I've just added a wireless gateway, 2 gang plug adapter, and a wireless remote to my existing wired network, and I'm seeing a few strange things communicating to the devices using Toolkit. Is anyone able to offer some advice?

Vital stats;
Toolkit v1.10.4
Wired network Power - 726mA used of 1000mA supply
Impedence 2034 ohms.
Units - 43 (w/o wireless gateway)
1 Burden required (PCI has burden active)


And here's what I do;

1. Open my wired network (254).
2. Scan Network, it finds the wireless gateway.
3. Right-click the GATEWLSN, re-address to 253.
4. If I double-click it, it starts "Loading Unit Data from Network", then fails with an error "Readon: Could not get programming parameters".
5. I can still "Make a New Network", wihich seems to work okay, even though when "Transferring programming to Database", it fails at 19%, with "Transfer of programming information failed for unit type GATEWSLN at address 253.

If I try and repeat this process, sometimes it can find the gateway on network 253, sometimes it can't. The stats on my wired network show an impedence of 0 ohms after finding the wireless gateway. The wireless gateway is daisy-chained between a CNI and a PCI, and I've switched patch leads just in case.

Any clues?

Thanks,
Mark.

 

Correct.

Firmware 4.6.00

 

On the odd occassion I have also noticed in the C-Gate console window the following messages when doing network scans:

and

I can't reliably reproduce these errors, but if I unplug the wireless gateway I cannot reproduce them at all.

Bit more progress. I managed to scan the wireless network, and it found the gateway and the plug adapter. I managed to talk to enough to change the group address of the plug adapter to 1 (although I should probably select a group that does not exist on the wired side). Now I can scan the wireless network and find both devices. Sort of.

I can open the gateway off the network (on the wireless side) but I can't save it (ie, change Part Name). Still can't open the gateway on the wired side. The plug adapter shows up as a Group 1 device, but the line is in red, and the part name reads "Error - Failed to scan unit".

Gateway status (wireless side) stats include (if it means anything):

• Total Packets Received = 250
• Total Number of transmit attempts = 278
• Total number of collisions detected in TAP = 61
• Total number of transmissions dropped = 45
• Total number of successful transmissions = 172

All other numbers are zero.

Firmware on the wireless side is 1.10.0

 

And a little more information.

I closed down Toolkit and C-Gate, and fired up the C-Bus Diagnostic tool. Gave me a few messages about using a PCI with a firmware greater than 4, and some other strange things.

Removed the wireless gateway from the network, and run Identify All Units. It goes through all units, receiving back a response from each one, then pops up a dialog listing all the types. As expected.

Plugged the wireless gateway back in, run Identify All Units, and get this:

 

Definitely burden. I cut out all the upstairs keypads from the loop (lucky wife's downstairs at the moment ) and plugged the gateway in, and it all works perfectly.

At the moment (everything connected except for gateway), devices voltages range from 25.5V to 27.7V. When I plug in the gateway, voltages drop to between 18V and 22V.

Is this a case for another burden, or another power supply?

 

That would make sense. But I figured out what was confusing me. Toolkit is telling me that I have 1000mA current supply on my network with 726mA consumption.

But looking closer at it, I have 3xL5508D1A dimmers, each providing 200mA. But it looks like my 2xL5512RVFP relay units are being detected as L5512RVF. So toolkit is overstating my supply by 400mA.

Adding up all my devices manually gives me 726mA, so that means I'm actually doing pretty well with enough devices to draw 726mA, but only enough 600mA of supply. I assume it's only working well at the moment is because not all the sensors and keypads would be drawing their rated 18mA all the time..

 

Yep, updated in the DB, and calculations are fine now. I just thought it worth mentioning that when Toolkit discovered my network, it picked up these two devices incorrectly.