Bug 8053 - Homeplug Not Connecting
: Homeplug Not Connecting
Status: REOPENED
Product: SB 2/3
Classification: Unclassified
Component: Hardware
: unspecified
: PC Ubuntu Linux
: -- normal (vote)
: Future
Assigned To: Unassigned bug - please assign me!
:
Depends on:
Blocks:
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Reported: 2008-05-04 12:49 UTC by Chris Staab
Modified: 2009-10-30 15:57 UTC (History)
4 users (show)

See Also:
Category: ---


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Description Chris Staab 2008-05-04 12:49:22 UTC
At the router: ZyXel PLA401 Homeplug
Living Room: ZyXel PLA470 Homeplug switch
Bedroom: ZyXel PLA401 Homeplug.

The Squeezebox in the living room connects to the PLA470 without any problems.

The Squeezebox in the bedroom cannot connect. The server and the Squeezebox are using static IP addresses. I've also tried connecting via DHCP but it times out (reports that it cannot find DHCP server). I cannot connect to SqueezeNetwork either.

** Note: I can connect to the internet using a laptop in the bedroom with the Powerline adapter (wireless turned off on the laptop).

I'm getting by with wireless for the time being now that a firmware fix in the Squeezebox nightlies appears to have fixed the WPA2 issue I was having with my Actiontec router.
Comment 1 James Richardson 2008-05-05 10:00:33 UTC
Ross, please get one of these HomePlugs for testing
Comment 2 Ross Levine 2008-05-05 16:53:18 UTC
Chris could you try switching the home plugs? Or perhaps the squeezeboxes. It might be useful diagnostic info to help understand the problem. 

I'm not in a huge hurry to get some home plugs, as I doubt they're the problem. I can't recall any bugs we've had with other brand home plug adapters. 

Fantastic bug report by the way, thank you. 
Comment 3 Chris Staab 2008-05-05 18:51:48 UTC
I swapped the 2 PLA401 units (which I've done before) and suddenly the bedroom Squeezebox was able to connect.  I'm cautiously optimistic that the network gods took pity on me as I cursed the occasional WiFi dropouts over the past few weeks.

I'll continue to monitor the status and update the bug report if anything pops back up.
Comment 4 Ross Levine 2008-05-05 18:53:58 UTC
The networking gods can be cruel at times, we'll hang in there with you. :)

Could it be the specific homeplug adapter?
Comment 5 Chris Staab 2008-05-05 19:05:30 UTC
It could be the adapter.  I received one adapter DOA when I first picked these up, so I'm not overly confident in the ZyXel products.  If it weren't for the laptop being able to connect initially I would have written off the adapter from the get-go.

Comment 6 Chris Owens 2008-06-04 16:26:11 UTC
How's it going, Chris?  Still working for you?
Comment 7 Chris Staab 2008-06-04 18:47:30 UTC
It's been working problem-free since I got it working.
Comment 8 Ross Levine 2008-06-04 18:56:08 UTC
Anyone that sees this please feel free to re-open, I'm going to close this bug for now. Thank you Chris for following up. 
Comment 9 Anoop Mehta 2008-12-01 13:15:49 UTC
I have a customer who is seeing this same issue. 

He changed plugs and nothing changes. 

RN ticket # 081127-000768
Comment 10 Ross Levine 2008-12-02 12:08:35 UTC
Anoop could you please elaborate? Do the plugs work for a computer? 
Comment 11 Anoop Mehta 2008-12-02 12:10:42 UTC
Yes the homeplugs work for a computer. But not for the Duet. 
Comment 12 Ross Levine 2008-12-02 12:44:15 UTC
Is your customer also using Zyxel home plugs? Please include all network details. 
Comment 13 Anoop Mehta 2008-12-02 12:46:04 UTC
ZyXEL PLA-401
Powerline Homeplug, 

Not sure exactly what router he is using. 

Ill ask and update the bug. 
Comment 14 Anoop Mehta 2008-12-04 14:41:28 UTC
Powerplug = Zyxel PLA-401

 

Router= Netgear DG834GT 

    FIRMWARE VERSION  V1.03.87 (CU3.04)
Comment 15 Greg Hilton 2008-12-05 06:23:40 UTC
hi there,

I got a new firmware from Zyxel, but I still have the issues.

The new firmware is 3_0_5 firmware which you can download from the ftp site ftp://ftp.zyxel.co.uk/PLA-401/software/

2 laptops and an XBox 360 work with the Zyxel, but not the Squeezebox.

The Squeezebox works on the same network wirelessly.

Please let me know if you need any more details.

regards,

Greg
Comment 16 Ross Levine 2008-12-05 11:18:41 UTC
(In reply to comment #15)
> The Squeezebox works on the same network wirelessly.

It's good to hear you have a work around. The XBOX 360 works perfectly fine on the home plug?
Comment 17 Greg Hilton 2008-12-05 11:54:50 UTC
yes the 360 works fine as have 3 different laptops. It's not a wife friendly workaround as she wants the device in a different location that doesn't have a wifi signal!!

The logitech device is a Squeezebox, firmware v113, model number C-RH62

regards,

Greg
Comment 18 Greg Hilton 2008-12-17 02:05:14 UTC
Hi guys,

Do you have any thoughts on how I can get this working on the Homeplug network? Is there any diags I can run that will help you nail this one down?

I tried with two Panasonic HD-PLC powerplugs, and once again the Squeezebox couldn't get an IP address from the DHCP server.

When I put a static address in, it seemed to have a very volatile connection, I have the streaming newsfeed set up. That was streaming 50% off the words, then resetting, the remote was unresponsive and I had to power off and go back to wireless to get the Squeezebox to respond.

thanks,

Greg
Comment 19 Ross Levine 2008-12-17 11:26:26 UTC
Greg, I'm stumped. I'm extremely confused, I can't imagine how a 360 can stream on this connection and an SB3 cannot. Are you using the same powerline adapter, on the same power outlet in your home, when you compare the 360 and SB3? If not please try this and let us know. One last question, with static IPs I understand the text and menu doesn't work, but does it stream music?
Comment 20 Greg Hilton 2008-12-17 13:16:50 UTC
Hi there,

Unfortunately I don't have a TV near where the Homeplug power outlet is, so I cannot test the Xbox on the exact same power socket.

However what I did do was move the Squeezebox into the same room as the Xbox 360, and use the same power socket and cable, but unfortunately that didn't help. The Xbox can stream music fine from the same music source that the Squeezebox cannot even see :( 

I then took the Squeezebox back to it's "old" location.

I am sending this reply via a laptop plugged into the same socket, running SoftSqueeze and playing back a music track from my central source.

Is there anything like traceroute or any diag tools that I can run on the Squeezebox to try and work out what's going on?

With the Panasonic it was unusable, I couldn't even get to a menu in order to try and stream any music...

PS the email to bugs bounced....I entered this via the website, error below:

This is an automatically generated Delivery Status Notification

Delivery to the following recipient failed permanently:

     bugs@community.slimdevices.com

Technical details of permanent failure: 
Google tried to deliver your message, but it was rejected by the recipient domain. We recommend contacting the other email provider for further information about the cause of this error. The error that the other server returned was: 554 554 5.7.1 <bugs@community.slimdevices.com>: Relay access denied (state 14).


Comment 21 Greg Hilton 2008-12-28 05:48:51 UTC
Hi all,

Someone else has just appeared on the forums with exactly the same problem....

http://forums.slimdevices.com/showthread.php?p=376380#post376380

regards,

Greg
Comment 22 Greg Hilton 2009-01-01 10:31:19 UTC
evening guys,

Following some suggestions on the forum, I put an Ethernet switch in between the SB and the homeplug, and all worked fine.

However this isn't a practical long term solution, so I was hoping it somehow helped your diagnostics and can be fixed in a firmware update.

Also Chris at chris@w-world.co.uk has seen exactly the same issue...

regards,

Greg
Comment 23 Ross Levine 2009-10-02 16:43:33 UTC
Felix why does a switch between the Squeezebox and the Homeplug make this work?
Comment 24 Felix Mueller 2009-10-06 05:41:16 UTC
Ross: This normally point to an auto-negotiation issue between homeplug and SB. Could also be the ethernet cable.
Comment 25 Greg Hilton 2009-10-06 06:40:52 UTC
(In reply to comment #22)
> evening guys,
> Following some suggestions on the forum, I put an Ethernet switch in between
> the SB and the homeplug, and all worked fine.
> However this isn't a practical long term solution, so I was hoping it somehow
> helped your diagnostics and can be fixed in a firmware update.
> Also Chris at chris@w-world.co.uk has seen exactly the same issue...
> regards,
> Greg

(In reply to comment #24)
> Ross: This normally point to an auto-negotiation issue between homeplug and SB.
> Could also be the ethernet cable.

I've tried multiple ethernet cables
Comment 26 James Richardson 2009-10-23 12:23:48 UTC
Greg: can you please try Static Address with the Duet to see if this changes the behavior at all?

On your router, give the Receiver and Controller a static address.
Comment 27 Greg Hilton 2009-10-23 12:28:46 UTC
(In reply to comment #26)
> Greg: can you please try Static Address with the Duet to see if this changes
> the behavior at all?
> On your router, give the Receiver and Controller a static address.

Hi James,

I tried a static address previously, it made no difference. Note this is with a classic not a Duet.

regards,

Greg