Webcontrol Ethernet - problems with VOnets.

[rossw]

Is there anything odd or perculiar with the Webcontrol PLC ethernet interface?

I have a need to run multiple WC boards where I cannot run cables. I purchased a number of VONETS VAP11G ethernet to wifi bridges. Despite the obvious limitation that they need configured with windows first (hack, spit), I configured one and connected it to a WC board. The WC with VONETS associates to the WAP (which is currently about 2 feet away), I see the WC do DHCP request, I see DHCP reply go back to WC. But WC continues every second trying to do DHCP request. WC doesn't respond to pings or browser.

I figured the VONETS device was not working properly. Got another out, configured it, it behaves identically.

I reconfigured the WC board to use a static IP. The WAP can see the WC MAC address as associated, but it will not ping and I can not browse to it.

If I run an ethernet cable from one of the 10/100 ports on the WAP directly to the WC board, it works perfectly.
If I connect a "real" computer to the VONETS, the computer works perfectly too.

Anyone else tried this, done this, or got any ideas?

Edit: I've just tried the VONETS on another, different WC board incase it was one dodgy board. Identical results.

 

[MobileMe]

Try a crossover cable.

 

[CAI_Support]

Soem spec on the Internet saying VONETS VAP11G is a fixed 100baseT device, WebControl is a fixed 10BaseT device. But some seller's saying the speed of VONETS VAP11G is 10/100. Could you please confirm the speed is okay?.

 

[az1324]

The VAP11G has the network cable built in so the crossover cable is not useful and I have tried one with a 10BaseT device with no issues.

 

[rossw]

I tried a crossover adaptor. No difference.
If the device were purely 100BaseT, surely I would not see the DHCP requests?
And when I configure it with a static IP, I wouldn't see the ARP requests going out?
The VAP11G works on other devices I've tried, so I can't blame it entirely. By the same token, the WC board works if plugged directly into the same WAP. It would seem to be some sort of compatability issue, but who's to blame? More importantly, how to overcome the problem?

 

[CAI_Support]

We will purchase a VAP11G to see if we can see what was wrong. If there is something we can do, we will work on it. If your VAP11G under support, please also let them know the problem, so that they can take a look from their side also. Thanks for reporting the problem.

 

[CAI_Support]

We have investigated this problem. WebControl is operating in half duplex fixed 10Base T speed. VAP11G is auto configured to support 10/100, full and half duplex. However, it somehow always at full duplex when talking to WebControl. WebControl's TCP stack only support half duplex, I think Microchip made such an arrangement because the microcontroller could not handle full duplex all the time. I am sorry to say that we can not modify our code to make it work. Hope VAP11G can fix its logic, so that its auto logic will check the duplex also, not the speed only.
Or they can provide a configuration software that will allow configure the duplex mode.

 

[rossw]

Support ticket in with VOnets. I hope they lift their game. So far I would NOT encourage anyone to get one of these things.
I appreciate your feedback. It prompted me to try something I'd considered but not done. I was going to dust off an old hub so I could monitor what was going on between the WC and the VOnets. I didn't get around to it - but after your findings I have. Simply putting a 4-port hub in, with only the WC and VOnets devices connected (ie, a waste of power and space), it works.
Lets see if they could be bothered to address the issue!

 

[CAI_Support]

We got a reply claimed from Vonets sales department, it says:
"

Thank you for your feedback to our wifi bridge.​

I have checked with our technical guy, I am sorry our VAP11G can't be configured by half-duplex.​

Best regards,​

Cindy​

"