Alexa commands work, but then 'XXXX is not responding'

Posted on
Sun Jul 01, 2018 3:13 pm
sarahcat offline
Posts: 144
Joined: Apr 16, 2011

Re: Alexa commands work, but then 'XXXX is not responding'

Creating a timer to restart the plugin every 3 hours has pretty much solved my problem. Very rarely do I get the dreaded double bong sound when trying to voice-control a light.


Is it possible to create a timer to restart the Indgo server?

Posted on
Mon Jul 02, 2018 9:45 am
jay (support) offline
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Joined: Mar 19, 2008
Location: Austin, Texas

Re: Alexa commands work, but then 'XXXX is not responding'

It's possible, but I'm extremely suspicious that a restart of the server is, in fact, what's solving the issue. Plugins manage their own network connections, completely independent of the Indigo Server, and therefore restarting the server (which shuts down the plugin then restarts it) has no real effect on network connections the plugin maintains.

Rather, it's likely that the elapsed time between the time the plugin shuts down and gets restarted is a factor. When you restart a plugin, it happens very quickly. When you restart the Indigo Server, there is a much longer delay after the shutdown that the start occurs. This would seem to indicate that there is some transient network issue at work here - either from the macOS network stack, the Python network libraries, or something else.

One way to prove my theory would be to shut the plugin down the next time you get the error, waiting a couple of minutes, starting it back (and again waiting for a bit since it takes a while for the discovery to propagate) and seeing if that works consistently. Unfortunately, I'm not seeing the error so I can't do the test myself.

Jay (Indigo Support)
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Posted on
Sun Jul 08, 2018 9:46 am
khall51 offline
Posts: 3
Joined: Jul 08, 2018

Re: Alexa commands work, but then 'XXXX is not responding'

I am having similar issues, usually a couple of times per week. Everything will work fine and then I get "xxx device is not responding". It does it to all devices I have connected. When I open indigo after the problem happens, I always find that discovery is turned off even thought I have it set to stay on continuously. The only fix is to reload the plug in and then ask alexa to rediscover devices. Event log shows no sign of what is triggering the issue.

I have a basic wifi network, 1 bridge set up with 18 devices, 2 echos in the house. Problem started when we went to version 3. V2 was very reliable so I am not sure what changed.

Here is the error code from the log when my request fails.

Alexa-Hue Bridge Error Unable to process Alexa request on 'Alexa' : Alexa key 34898745 is not a valid hash key for 'Breakfast Lights'

The log entries for the other devices I try are all the same as this one but with a different key number.

My skill level is very basic and I don't know how to code or program but I can follow directions pretty well. Any recommendations for trouble shooting?

Thanks.

Ken

Posted on
Sun Jul 08, 2018 3:54 pm
autolog offline
Posts: 3988
Joined: Sep 10, 2013
Location: West Sussex, UK [GMT aka UTC]

Re: Alexa commands work, but then 'XXXX is not responding'

khall51 wrote:
I am having similar issues, usually a couple of times per week. Everything will work fine and then I get "xxx device is not responding". It does it to all devices I have connected. When I open indigo after the problem happens, I always find that discovery is turned off even thought I have it set to stay on continuously. The only fix is to reload the plug in and then ask alexa to rediscover devices. Event log shows no sign of what is triggering the issue.

I have a basic wifi network, 1 bridge set up with 18 devices, 2 echos in the house. Problem started when we went to version 3. V2 was very reliable so I am not sure what changed.

Here is the error code from the log when my request fails.

Alexa-Hue Bridge Error Unable to process Alexa request on 'Alexa' : Alexa key 34898745 is not a valid hash key for 'Breakfast Lights'

The log entries for the other devices I try are all the same as this one but with a different key number.

My skill level is very basic and I don't know how to code or program but I can follow directions pretty well. Any recommendations for trouble shooting?

Thanks.

Ken

The hash key looks like a device id to me which was used in the previous version.

I suggest that you use the iOS Alexa App (or Alexa via the web) to delete the Alexa devices defined in Indigo and then do a re-discovery. This should correct the hash keys. :)

Posted on
Sun Jul 08, 2018 3:57 pm
autolog offline
Posts: 3988
Joined: Sep 10, 2013
Location: West Sussex, UK [GMT aka UTC]

Re: Alexa commands work, but then 'XXXX is not responding'

Also did you follow the instructions here: Migration from Version 2.

Specifically the section which says:
... Now the next important part, use the Alexa Desktop (not iOS App) to forget all devices and then do a discovery which is best done by asking Alexa to 'Discover Devices'. ...

Posted on
Tue Jul 10, 2018 4:32 am
khall51 offline
Posts: 3
Joined: Jul 08, 2018

Re: Alexa commands work, but then 'XXXX is not responding'

Yes sir, I did the migration. I did the forget all devices using my android phone. I don't have a desktop. Was android okay?

Posted on
Tue Jul 10, 2018 6:23 am
autolog offline
Posts: 3988
Joined: Sep 10, 2013
Location: West Sussex, UK [GMT aka UTC]

Re: Alexa commands work, but then 'XXXX is not responding'

khall51 wrote:
Yes sir, I did the migration. I did the forget all devices using my android phone. I don't have a desktop. Was android okay?

The fact that the hash key is being returned as what looks like a device id implies to me that the devices hasn't been successfully forgotten and then rediscovered. You don't necessarily need a desktop, you can log onto Alexa vis the Alexa website at alexa.amazon.com.

If you select and Edit... your Indigo Alexa-Hue Bridge, and then do an Edit Device Settings... - you can then click on the pull-down in the Allocated Alexa Names section and select a device. This will show you the Alexa-Hue Bridge it belongs to, the related Indigo device and the hash key which should be a long hex character string. If it isn't, then it won't work. The Alexa device needs to be successfully forgotten and re-discovered in order for the new style hash key to be allocated.

Hope this helps. :)

Posted on
Tue Jul 10, 2018 7:51 pm
khall51 offline
Posts: 3
Joined: Jul 08, 2018

Re: Alexa commands work, but then 'XXXX is not responding'

I will take a look. If I can't figure it out I will remove and forget all devices and start from scratch. Thanks!

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