Your comment about seeing this when other devices are connected or disconnected to the network rings a bell from when I first came across this issue. It could be a coincidence but I’m tempted to move the IP Module to it’s own VLAN to get it away from other devices.
That could be a good idea. I was thinking of putting it on the same VLAN as my security cameras anyway just for added security, but now that you mention it, having it on its own VLAN sounds like an even better idea - and would definitely help to narrow down the issue. I haven’t yet set HA up to use VLANs but I have seen a tutorial on the forum here which looks helpful.
When it first started happening, I suspected it was something to do with my Wifi router and/or its DHCP server - as I wasn’t using a static IP address on the IP module but had reserved an IP for it. I tried the following test before: I had a network switch with nothing else connected to it except the IP module and a laptop connected via ethernet. No issues connecting to the IP module. I would just continually ping the IP address of the module from the command prompt. Then, while it was still powered on, I unplugged it from that switch and plugged it back into my normal Wifi router switch and immediately I couldn’t ping it from a PC connected to that network. Power cycling it, I could talk to it for perhaps a few minutes, then it would disappear. This happened reliably. After that, I disabled the DHCP server, gave it a static IP, used an add-on on HA that provides a simple DHCP server; and since then it has dropped out less. But it’s still the case that if I don’t maintain telnet connection to it, it will disappear from the network within a minute or two.
I just setup the IP module on it’s own VLAN and although its very early stages, it’s looking promising. Already I have tried waiting longer than 5 minutes of no telnet connection to the IP module, and I can still connect to it after that time. So this confirms the behaviour I was experiencing with the IP module always locking up without a telnet connection for a few minutes on my main network was not normal. There definitely must be something it doesn’t like about my main network. I’ll see how it goes after more testing and report back if I still see issues.
It was also a good learning exercise on how to setup my VM and HA to use VLAN.
EDIT: It’s been a few days now and it’s been rock solid so far. No drop outs or disconnects from the IP module. It seems to have solved the problem.
EDIT: It’s now been a month, still rock solid.
When it was initially crashing it was more frequent when I was actually redoing my entire home network, that gave me the same suspicion as yourself. I have a feeling disconnecting the LOOM cable was just a coincidence and that a crash would have happened eventually.
My suspicion is that as I was unplugging and replugging devices (and randomly) certain devices on my network would send broadcast packets that the alarm board crashes on. This makes the most sense as there wouldn’t be anything targeted to its TCP/IP port but it will most likely still be processing broadcast packets. I have Kodi, Google and UniFi devices and other devices sending quite large broadcast packets that I could imagine triggering this state.
I wanted to use a VLAN, but for reasons of backup and ease of restore I run Home Assistant in VMWare Workstation. Even with several workaround (on the NIC and in VMWare) I couldn’t get VLAN tags to pass into Home Assistant.
In the end I’ve created another LAN in my UniFI setup on another range. This new range is routed by the router which only allows access to the IP of the alarm system on port 5002. This should do the trick.
@febalci - When I had the “block” firewall rule in and rebooted Home Assistant, it couldn’t access the alarm system and failed to work (as expected). After I added the allow rule for port 5002 your add-on retried the connection and recovered beautifully.
In case anyone wants to make their own serial loom for connection between the IP Module and the Alarm Panel for using remote upload/download of settings; here are some photos;
The important parts are making sure you have the crossover as shown; and also making sure you have the red wire on the correct side with respect to the key. Also notice that I had to file down the sides of the connector that go to the alarm panel because the header is a 14 way. See here:
This allows the smaller connector to fit without bending the unused pins. The key ensures it is centred. The alarm panel I have is the Crow Runner 8/16.
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hello friends!
please help me understand the control panel RUNNER 4/8. I
want to learn how to program it through the RUNNER application. But, I don’t have a D-LINK USB/RS232.
can I use ftdi232 instead?
where can I find the pinout of the PC-CONNECTION port VIA D-LINK?
Hi @dim21841 you can use an FTDI232 Serial interface to connect to the Runner alarm panel. I have done the same with talking to the IP Module, which uses the same serial interface. However, I wasn’t able to successfully use the Upload/Download software using the serial interface. There are different versions of this software and I can’t say for sure if the version I was using was correct. Are you just intending to use the upload/download software to change settings on your alarm panel?
thank you for your quick response. yes, this is the program I want to use. but I can’t find where TX is, and where RX is
If you look near the top of this thread, you’ll see I posted a photo of the IP Module serial connector - this is the same pinout as the Runner alarm panel. If you use that pinout, it should work. Again though, I wasn’t able to get it to work with my version of the Upload/Download software. Perhaps someone else can test to see if the serial connection works. I’m currently using the ethernet connection instead, using the IP module.
EDIT: but I know the pinout is correct, because I successfully reprogrammed the IP module using an FTDI USB to serial adapter
You use the 2x5 port, and I have only 2x7 on the board. At the point where you have connected the 4 GND together there is a short circuit on the power supply
On my runner alarm panel, it is also 2X7; the outer two pairs of pins on each side can be ignored (imagine putting a 2X5 connector centered in the middle of the 2X7 connector, and you would see two pairs of pins on either side). Those 4 Gnd pins should all measure 0 Ohms to ground with a multimeter on your runner panel, so only one connection to ground is necessary to the FTDI interface, I just marked on there all the pins that measured 0 Ohms to ground.
thanks. I’ll come to work now and try it
one more question. I downloaded the upload/download app from the official CROW website, but there is a password on the archive. I had to search elsewhere without a password. maybe I downloaded the wrong version? You don’t know the password to the archive from the official website?
The password is contained in the readme/user guide doc for the software which should be available too. Otherwise I can find it when I get home from work.
EDIT: I just realised you’re talking about the archive password not the Upload/Download password. I seem to remember also coming across an encrypted archive too. I can tell you what versions I have when I get home. Currently I’m using a version that is actually intended for the Elite-S, it’s detailed above in this thread somewhere. That is the only one with working ethernet connection; not sure about serial connection though. But that works with the Runner too.
thanks. I’ll try the ELITE version
it’s a pity, my panel, on which I was training, is out of order. this happened when I first closed the 4 GND pins, as in the photo. On Monday, I will have the opportunity to test your method on another panel. I’ll take my mistake into account
Hmm that’s strange, because currently I have a ribbon cable which connects between my IP module (the one I measured those pins to GND on) and my Runner panel, meaning those same 4 pins would be connected to GND. If you’re uncertain, I would recommend only connecting the RX and TX pins, and then just connect the FTDI ground to the alarm panel ground at one of the ground screw terminals, down near the output terminals.
Yes, thanks. I’ll take that into account in the future. and when you connect to the programming panel via a PC, do you need to activate the connection from the keyboard? I have experience connecting to the DSC PC-585 panel, there you need to activate the connection from the keyboard.
@dim21841 I don’t recall any option to activate the PC connection via the keypad. Considering the IP module is using this same serial connection and works without any activation I would think this isn’t necessary. I was never able to get the Upload/Download software working using the serial interface directly to the PC however, so clearly I was doing something wrong. I suspect it was on the PC side though, since the serial interface on the alarm panel works with the Upload/Download software via the IP module.
Thank you, I understand. today I will have the opportunity to test this option on another, working panel. have a nice day.