Cannot Connect to Modem

I have been using X10 for years; I installed Indigo when I got my Mac, but continued to run just X10 on a CM15A. I decided to expand with some Insteon devices, so I got a 2413U. I downloaded the drivers and all worked well while controlling X10 only. I installed my first Insteon device and paired it flawlessly. Then I started building trigger actions and deleting all the preconfigured devices that come with Indigo and then things stopped working and reinstalling hasn't helped.

As I have tried to troubleshoot, things have just gotten worse. At times, when I tried to perform different actions, I would have PowerLinc messages displayed such as "saving database" that would stay forever without changing. or "disconnecting server..." Signals were not being sent and the program would freeze until it gave up trying to complete an action. I have checked the firewall. I have deleted p-list files. I have rebooted.

This is all running on a MacMini, OS 10.6.4. I have Indigo client and server versions 4.1.10. I have selected Interface PowerLinc Modem 2412U/etc. and serial port usbserial-A6008aza. I have the 2413U plugged in away from the computer (in the same place as when it was working) and I have switched to an alternate USB; the USB is directly connected to the MacMini and I have even swapped USB ports with no success. I autostart the server, but not the client application

The current state of affairs is that the connection to the server never occurs. Sometimes when I start the program everything seems fine. The "Server Connection Status" box pops up briefly and disappears and the main window of the program opens, but the PowerLinc Modem appears in RED. If I try to turn on an X10 device, I get a teal blip move to the middle of the PowerLinc Modem status line and stops. Nothing happens with the device. Each time you resend the request, another teal blip adds to the party, but nothing happens. If you go to the Interface menu option, you see that the CONNECT is not active. If you click on connect, you get a message above the PowerLinc Modem activity bar that says "Disconnectng interfaces…" and if you go back into Interface, the Connect button is still active. At this point everything becomes sluggish. It takes about 15 seconds of wheel spinning to access any menu options and each time the Console posts a new entry of the message: "syncScriptMenu() caught exception: ServerCommunicationError -- timeout waiting for server response." I cannot open the Event log in this state.

If I choose the menu option to Stop Server, nothing happens right away, but eventually (5 minutes) an Indigo message box appears that says "Failed to stop Indigo Server -- Make sure you are running the client under the same user account in which the server was started." I only have one Administrator privileged user account. Clearing that message reveals the Server Connection Status window is still displaying that it is "Establishing connection with the Indigo Server…" I have since explicitly added Read Write permissions for the Admin User name for the Indigo server.

At this point, if you try to Restart the computer using the Apple|Restart command, you get a message that logging out of Indigo was unsuccessful and to quit the program and try again. But, by now, it is impossible to get Indigo to become the active menu bar. Also, choosing quit from the program icon on the bottom menu bar does nothing. I can get into the program if I FORCE QUIT the Indigo Server from the Activity Monitor. BTW, when I am able to access the main program and I delete some of the preconfigured devices, there is never a save to the database.

Either the 2413U modem is bad or i need to remove everything and start over. It would be nice if there were a sticky posting with instructions on how to wipe all traces and start over.
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[matt (support)]

Welcome. Thanks for all the details on your post -- that helps quite a bit for our troubleshooting.

It is possible for malfunctioning USB hardware (the 2413 in this case) to lockup Indigo or your Mac.

Performing a clean install of Indigo isn't likely to help, so let's do some troubleshooting first.

What happens if you unplug the USB cable totally from your Mac, reboot your Mac, then launch Indigo? Does it start up correctly? If so, then at that point try plugging it back in and choosing the Interface->Connect menu item.

If choosing Connect causes a lock up, then unplug the USB cable. Does it unfreeze?

If it is consistently freezing when it is plugged in and not freezing when it isn't, then try a different electrical outlet (on a different circuit). Because we are troubleshooting, use an extension cord if needed.

OK, restored to the 2413U. It opens fine with the modem unplugged. Connect yields a quick reply that no modem is connected and does not hang the program. Reconnecting the USB 2413U and hitting CONNECT does not actually connect, the modem stays RED and the message above the progress bar changes to "Disconnecting interfaces...". The program doesn't hang and you can try to reCONNECT at will without delay. But, if you leave to another program, it takes 15 seconds of spinning wheel before the program is actually accessible. Once it is accessible, you can Connect and Connect (without actually connecting) and nothing changes on the progress bar, nor is there any change in the message that says "Disconnecting interfaces..."

[matt (support)]

Copy/paste the contents of the Event Log into a forum post after you try the connect menu item.

Part of the odd behavior is that the Events Log does not open from the GO menu. I have copied the last entries from the Library.


2010-07-11 20:47:59 Application Starting Indigo Server version 4.1.10
2010-07-11 20:47:59 Application Loading attachments
2010-07-11 20:47:59 Application Indigo Cocoa client authenticated
2010-07-11 20:48:02 Error failed to establish connection with main interface
2010-07-11 20:48:08 Error failed to establish connection with main interface

The corresponding entries from Console are:
7/11/10 8:48:02 PM IndigoServer[274] failed to establish connection with main interface
7/11/10 8:48:08 PM IndigoServer[274] failed to establish connection with main interface
7/11/10 8:52:34 PM Indigo 4[254] syncScriptMenu() caught exception: ServerCommunicationError -- timeout waiting for server response

[matt (support)]

I think your PowerLinc is malfunctioning and you should get a warranty replacement.

There is a small possibility that the driver the PowerLinc uses (made by FTDI) has become corrupt, or your OS X install has become corrupt. Based on your description and the errors you are seeing, I don't believe that reinstalling Indigo will help. The hangs you are seeing are occurring at the driver level as Indigo tries to establish communication with the 2413.

It is either failing because the driver or some low level (kernel) OS X component is corrupt, or the 2413 is malfunctioning. The odds are most likely it is the latter. You can try re-downloading and installing the FTDI driver again to see if that helps. Also try repairing your hard drive file/folder permissions with Disk Utility.

And did you ever try a different power outlet / circuit for the 2413? Again, it isn't likely that power line noise would cause this type of failure but it probably worth trying before you get it replaced.

I have used many different outlets with a long extension cord. I have redownloaded the FTDI drivers and I have repaired permissions with the fix disk utility.

No change in behavior. If I boot with the modem installed, I get the message that it is trying to connect -- forever. If I boot without the modem and then connect later, I get the behavior described previously.

Guess I need a new modem unless you have any further thoughts. Funny, it worked briefly, then quit.

[matt (support)]

Yeah, short of reinstalling the OS, which I don't think is likely to help, I'm out of ideas on this one. I'm pretty sure a new one will get you up and running again.

Yeah, short of reinstalling the OS, which I don't think is likely to help, I'm out of ideas on this one. I'm pretty sure a new one will get you up and running again.

There might be a few things to try before reinstalling the OS?

Try logging in as a different user, and see if you still have the same issues...

And try reinstalling the last combo updater from Apple for your OS.... It has to the Combo updater, not the smaller normal updater... (ie Combo Updater for 10.6.4 [http://support.apple.com/kb/DL1048], or 10.5.8 [http://support.apple.com/downloads/Mac_OS_X_10_5_8_Combo_Update].

- Benjamin

I have used many different outlets with a long extension cord. I have redownloaded the FTDI drivers and I have repaired permissions with the fix disk utility.

No change in behavior. If I boot with the modem installed, I get the message that it is trying to connect -- forever. If I boot without the modem and then connect later, I get the behavior described previously.

Guess I need a new modem unless you have any further thoughts. Funny, it worked briefly, then quit.

I forgot to mention in my previous suggestion, sometimes if the driver exists, the Apple installer will take "shortcuts" and not rewrite every file. Completely uninstall the FTDI driver, reboot, reinstall the FTDI driver, and see if that makes a difference.

I had a massive issue with the Adobe Flash player package, that was due to corruption, and the only solution was uninstall / reinstall. Just reinstalling didn't do a thing...

- Ben

SOLVED

Thanks for the additional suggestions and all the help along the way, but I have solved the problem. It was not a 2413U or Indigo problem at all -- except to the extent that they were susceptible to the fault that I discovered.

I mentioned in my post that the X10 system was getting flakey and that was part of why I was looking to transition to Insteon devices. Turns out that my X10 RF transceiver locks up from time to time. When the X10 transceiver is locked up, there is no response when you press the button on the transceiver. Once it is locked up, it some how interferes with all communications -- even between the computer and modem. If I unplug the X10 transceiver and plug it back in, all is fine -- until it locks up again. I have ordered a new transceiver; the existing unit is many, many years old.

[matt (support)]

Ah, great info -- thanks for the followup.

I have heard of somewhat similar cases where excessive noise can cause PowerLinc communication problems (it gets so busy/confused trying to decode commands it fails to communicate to Indigo correctly), but none that had quite the same symptoms you described.

I'm experiencing this exact same problem. Over the last 13 days my brand new 2413U PowerLinc Modem has frozen (stops sending INSTEON commands with the interface status bar in Indigo 6b11 filling up with green, but still receives messages) 5 times. Each time, it freezes very shortly after having received a X10 "N1 dim by 5" or "N3 dim by 5" command from one of the 2 TM751 X10 modules I have in the house. Up until reading this thread, I figured the 2413U was defective (it may still be) because the only solution (which isn't reliable) seemed to be to unplug it from the wall for a few minutes before plugging it back in. If it happens again, I'll unplug the TM751 instead and see if that clears it up.

I've confirmed that the TM751 X10 module is the device causing the 2413U to lock up. Last night the 2413U stopped sending INSTEON messages altogether and would not respond to any commands from Indigo. While the 2413U was still plugged in and connected to Indigo, I unplugged the suspect TM751 X10 module. Within about 30 seconds, the 2413U sent out all queued INSTEON commands from Indigo and continued to work correctly without having to unplug it or restart Indigo (or the server). Unplugging the TM751 also seems to have cleared whatever condition it was in that was causing the interference (at least temporarily) and I was able to plug it back in without the 2413U locking up again. I'll replace the TM751. SmartLabs really should fix the 2413U so it doesn't freeze up from bad X10 modules, but at least it was a cheap TM751 and not the 2413U causing the trouble.

[jay (support)]

In all fairness, Smarthome can't do anything about other devices spewing junk onto the power line, particularly when it looks like it might be good data. Could they handle it better? Perhaps, but at some point a jabbering device is a bit like a denial of service attack on your network.