System did not respond error (M1XEP)

[notta]

Hey guys. About year and half ago I purchased an M1 Gold with the M1XEP. I installed the ElkRP2 software and setup the M1XEP without issue. I now had a working M1 with no devices attached. I got busy with life and work and didn't do much with it since then. Recently I purchased the Insteon ISY and some Insteon devices. I setup a basic dimmer and motion sensor to turn on and off the dimmer between sunset and sunrise. Unfortunately it wasn't working when I used the sunset and sunrise variables. In the insteon log I have ELK-ERR errors when performing Get Topology.
 
Anyway, this lead me to fire up my old machine that I installed the ELKRP2 software on and see if it was functioning correctly. When I click on connect to M1XEP I receive an error "System did not respond. Connection may have been terminated." When I click on the M1XEP setup button and choose "Find" it finds the unit no problem (even though I just did it again and it now can't find it.) I can connect to the M1XEP through my web browser, but it does seem painfully slow. I don't remember how quick it was when I setup the until a year ago either. I have rebooted the unit many times and my RP access code (default) hasn't changed or my serial number. I would really like to get back into working with the Elk and Insteon so if anyone has any advice I would really appreciate some help troubleshooting this issue. Thanks.

 

[notta]

Ok, I've done a little more troubleshooting. If I ping -t the M1XEP the connection is timing out 50% of the time. I have swapped the ethernet cable out but same result. When I receive the "System did not repsond" dialog box I have the option to retry or cancel. If I keep clicking on retry I eventually get a dialog box "Different Firmware Version - Warning! The firmware version in the control supports the Elk/Ness wireless receiver BUT the ElkRP database for this account supports the GE (Caddx) receiver. And there is a ton more to it. The prompt asks if I want to update the firmware "Do you want to continue?" It seems to me that my M1XEP is bad. Do you guys agree? What is the warranty on these modules? I purchased the M1XEP from the Home Security Store about year and half ago. I would love to know what you guys think. Thanks.

 

[drvnbysound]

Are you certain that you don't have an IP address conflict on your network?

 

[notta]

Well there have been some updates. I called the homesecuritystore where I purchased it and he recommended replacing the RS232 cable. I replaced the cable when I got home from work but still received the same result. I then found out my second floor switch was the cause of the pings dropping out. When I bypassed the switch the pings were constant, but again this did not resolve the issue. Same message "System did not respond."
 

Are you certain that you don't have an IP address conflict on your network?

 
Yea I was thinking that myself so I used the jumper on the M1XEP to set it back to DHCP. Still I'm receiving the same error though. The only thing I can think of is that I changed the RP Access Code when I set it up. I don't see how that's possible though since when I started fooling with the M1 yesterday for the first time I launched the software and the code was already in there. The thing is the first time I did launch it I get an error that said there was a conflict with the database and I told it to fix it. Is there a chance that caused a problem? At this stage I'm at a loss. I posted on the Elk boards but no one responded.
 
Does anyone know what error you receive if your access code is wrong?

 

[Del91574]

Take the network out of the equation. Plug the machine straight into the XEP with a crossover (unless your machine automatically does this) and set both to be in the same subnet and fixed.

 

[foxtail22]

I don't know if you did a Jumper 2 reset on the M1EXP but if you did and can connect using DHCP but get the "system not responding" or "failed to connect" message when you try to move the M1EXP from the DHCP assigned IP to your fixed IP, try using a different fixed IP value. I fought this issue for a couple of days until I discovered that moving it to a different fixed IP than I had been using before the Jumper 2 reset, cured the problem.  I had done all the usual things with the router including releasing the IP, deleting the device out of the router device list, and rebooting the router and none of that helped.
 
I am not sure why the M1EXP fails to reconnect to the fixed IP that I had been using all along but either something in the router or in the M1 would not recognize the reconnection as the same M1EXP that I had been using all along.  Whatever was going on, assigning a new fixed IP address cured the issue.  When you do this, remember to change your port forwarding settings in the router to map to the new fixed IP that you have assigned to the M1EXP and also change the settings in your ISY if you are using one.  I am running 2.x firmware in my M1EXP.  My router is a Linksys AC1600.