Problems with laptop control of iDR32 / R72

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1

I’m trying to control an iDR32 rack and R72 surface with a Dell laptop.

I’m having limited success - the Editor software will work if I connect a short link to the rack in the control room, but if I then try to use the laptop in the hall via a Cat 6 patch panel the software won’t connect.

The cable run is 30 metres with two connections in it, and the laptop says the connection is good - I can even Ping the rack. This worked before, but it’s the first time I’ve tried it since installing firmware version 1.91, so I’m wondering if the firmware might be the problem.

Any help or suggestions would be much appreciated.

Doug.

2

Have you checked the network settings?

Does it go via a router or switch that could be set to DHCP?

Do you get a yellow warning triangle on the screen?

Do you get any odd error messages in the log file?

Been using V1.91 on both wired and wireless networks for the last couple of months with no problems when I remember to put in the correct settings of a fixed IP.

3

Thanks for the reply Mr B.

Yes, the network settings look okay, and the PC can ping the Mix Rack whatever the length of cable.

No router or switch - it’s a direct connection.

Yes, the yellow triangle appears.

Since I posted I’ve found out some more. If I connect the PC directly to the rack, Editor will work as long as the cable length is below 3 metres. Above that it fails to connect and the error messages in the log file claim the system is looking for an address that isn’t on the system - from memory, something like 192.168.213.1

I haven’t ruled out the possibility of the PC being faulty, so the next step is to try another computer.

I’d still welcome any comments though - why should the cable length be such an issue, especially over such a short run?

4

Submit a ticket to tech support is the best answer they will give you a prompt reply for sure.

5

Solved it!

The “mystery IP address” was the PC’s own wireless card. As soon as I disabled wireless access everything worked.

So my theory about the critical cable length is that a short cable could allow the ethernet to connect before the wireless did, whereas a longer cable allowed the wireless to connect first. Of course, since I had no wireless router in place the connection would fail.

All is fine now, but talk about a learning curve! [:smile: ]