Unfortunately, I think they will need to be redone. I have never tried, but it might work. I have tried to change some devices to be different types, and the device either didn’t work, or disappeared on its own.
Okay, admitting that I’m probably delving deeper than I should, considering the fact I have exceedingly little Linux experience…
I’m at this point:[i]
From SSH…
- Login to the VERA using SSH (version 2) to get a command line
… user: root
… password:
6a) Copy the files inside the ‘vera-binaries’ directory to the ‘/overlay/sbin/ directory’ using SCP
6b) ‘chmod’ the altsteon file to 755 (to make it executable) - WinSCP can also do this using right-click Properties on the file.[/i]
I’ve used PuTTY to login to the “back end” of my Vera 2, but I’ve never used WinSCP, which is what I’ll need to use, since I’m using a Windows PC. Could you possibly explain how to do this with WinSCP on sort of an “idiot” level? I.E. Presume I can download WinSCP, but figure that I know nothing beyond that. Then what do I do?
Thank you!!!
Okay, so disregard most of my last post. I downloaded WinSCP and it was a lot more obvious than I thought it would be. I’ve got the files uploaded, and I’m restarting Vera to see if it all works! Yeah!!
Okay, I can add things fine, but Vera keeps getting stuck at “Starting Lua Engine”
Solutions anyone???
I’m trying to install Alsteon on my Vera3, but I’m running into issues… It tells me it can’t find my PLM.
root@MiOS_30008941:/overlay/sbin# /overlay/sbin/altsteon -p /dev/ttyUSB0
Debug Level : 0
[INFO ] [4/3/2014 - 14:18:16] - --| Starting altsteon!
[INFO ] [4/3/2014 - 14:18:16] - Running on non-apple Hardware
[ERROR] [4/3/2014 - 14:18:26] - PLM didn’t respond!
[INFO ] [4/3/2014 - 14:18:26] - Modem info :
[INFO ] [4/3/2014 - 14:18:26] - cflag = 00000CBE
[INFO ] [4/3/2014 - 14:18:26] - oflag = 00000000
[INFO ] [4/3/2014 - 14:18:26] - iflag = 00000804
[INFO ] [4/3/2014 - 14:18:26] - lflag = 00000000
[ERROR] [4/3/2014 - 14:18:26] - Failed to initialize PLM.
I am indeed running on it on USB0. As a test, I enabled Insteon support and that works perfectly. I can control my insteon gear without issues. But, when I remove it from Vera and try alsteon - no luck. Any ideas?
Nevermind… I think Alsteon was running twice and I didnt realize it. Works now!
Better question: I understand that Alsteon adds two-way communication to Vera, but does that mean that it adds instant status updates or is polling still required?
It does both. As long as the device is properly linked to the plm, it should receive updates as they happen. It will also poll the devices which I believe defaults to 10 minutes.
- Garrett
Hmm ok. I wasn’t able to find docs on linking devices so I took a guess and when all devices worked I assumed I did well 
but definitely not getting instant status. What steps should I be following to link devices?
[quote=“boojew, post:47, topic:171423”]Hmm ok. I wasn’t able to find docs on linking devices so I took a guess and when all devices worked I assumed I did well but definitely not getting instant status. What steps should I be following to link devices?[/quote]Linking instructions are in the file altsteon_instructions.txt which is included in the download.
If you are running the development version, there is a section on Experimental linking that I added. You can also link a new device from the Vera GUI. You don’t have to worry about linking a device that is already linked, it won’t harm anything.
Ok- so sounds like I’m doing it correctly. I am able to to manage the device, but when I change the status on the device (a dimmer) I don’t see any status in the web UI. Could there be something esle I’m missing?
Run the altsteon_cli and then change the switch…that will show if the daemon is getting the notification.
It could be that the messages from the PLM can reach the switch, but the responses from the switch cannot reach the PLM. How close are they? Are they on the same circuit? Same phase?
New, please bear with me… Just bought Vera 3… got it working with 1 light fine, finally, 6 hours later…
Now I have an Insteon Garage door sensor/switch physically installed. Based on the Verde web page - I have enabled Insteon, then attempted to pair with my devices without success. These instructions differ greatly between those in this thread.
So… Do I have to purchase a PLM to use Insteon with my Vera 3? I thought it would do Insteon out-of-the-box. Nowhere did I catch an asterisk that it required a hardware add. Even the on-screen instructions don’t state this.
On-Screen it appears to have drivers, but this thread starts with driver download and install. Wondering if these instructions are either outdated or for older devices.
I’ve found the MCV online help and documentation to be both lacking and incomplete. Looking for an easy straight-forward answer to help guide me in connecting my Insteon device to my network. Been quite a frustrating day thus far. Seriously considering packing all the ZWave stuff back up and returning it for Insteon through-and-through. Or abandoning HA altogether. I’m a techie and good with household wiring. But this project thus far has been quite the frustrating beast.
Thanks,
PittCaleb
[quote=“PittCaleb, post:51, topic:171423”]New, please bear with me… Just bought Vera 3… got it working with 1 light fine, finally, 6 hours later…
Now I have an Insteon Garage door sensor/switch physically installed. Based on the Verde web page - I have enabled Insteon, then attempted to pair with my devices without success. These instructions differ greatly between those in this thread.
So… Do I have to purchase a PLM to use Insteon with my Vera 3? I thought it would do Insteon out-of-the-box. Nowhere did I catch an asterisk that it required a hardware add. Even the on-screen instructions don’t state this.
On-Screen it appears to have drivers, but this thread starts with driver download and install. Wondering if these instructions are either outdated or for older devices.
I’ve found the MCV online help and documentation to be both lacking and incomplete. Looking for an easy straight-forward answer to help guide me in connecting my Insteon device to my network. Been quite a frustrating day thus far. Seriously considering packing all the ZWave stuff back up and returning it for Insteon through-and-through. Or abandoning HA altogether. I’m a techie and good with household wiring. But this project thus far has been quite the frustrating beast.
Thanks,
PittCaleb[/quote]
You DO need an Insteon Modem plugged into your Vera to work. My setup is a Veralite and an Insteon 2413U modem and everything works great. I do not have Alsteon installed thus far and everything works great with a hardwired dimmer, #2477D, a plug-in module #2457D2, and 8W Insteon LED bulb and the mini 4 scene remote. I installed everything into vera with no issues for testing for my customers so I could explain how everything works together. I now control Z-Wave, Insteon and X-10 devices all over my home and office with no problem at all.
Hope that helps PittCaleb, you def need the insteon modem though to use Insteon on the Vera. Like I said I am using a 2413U. Here is a link to getting started with Insteon on Vera, http://wiki.micasaverde.com/index.php/Insteon_Intro.
Thank you so much for the response. Nowhere in any of the doc I see with my Vera does it state you need this PLM. I see it at SmartHome though. Just says go in, turn it on, and you’re golden.
6 hours today, got 1 light working. I already had a “mixed” system with some insteon and some zwave. Monday, all the ZWave gets packed and it being returned. Will start over with Insteon controller.
I am so disappointed in the documentation for this stuff. Open, yes, professional, no. And it’s not like I can run to Home Depot and get myself a PLM to continue working even if I wanted to drop another $80. Easier and cheaper to just go Insteon top to bottom. There are 2 modules I need for my set-up which are Insteon-only anyway.
I debated on this purchase for 3 months, going back and forth. Had I known the day I would have today getting the controller just up and running, I would have never gone this route. And at that, it’s still not functioning. The Internet can’t see my router, but I can use it locally; but because of that, there’s a lot I can’t do because I’m not “logged in.”
Thanks for your help again. I am sure those who take the time to get it working are satisfied. But I don’t have weeks to tinker with this. It should just “work” out of the box. And it doesn’t. And this is AFTER a 45 min tech support call today too.
Quite frustrated… And this was my birthday present to myself…
PittCaleb
PittCaleb, the garage door module does not support Vera natively. You’ll need the alsteon plugin module. I’m assuming its garage hawk.
I ended going 100% zwave as I didn’t want the hassle of setting up alsteon.
PS - If you don’t want frustration with DIY HA…be prepared to spend 5x with a professional installed system.
Yeah sorry to hear that, thats frustrating for sure. If there is anything we can do let us know, we are an insteon zwave and x-10 dealer but as we just signed up with insteon a week or so ago don’t have much more than a couple modules, switches and 4 packs up for sale yet, have a whole case of devices waiting for the listings to be created lol but it takes time. I started with X-10 about 18 years ago, switched to Insteon almost 10 years ago and now use Z-wave and everything together as I am a professional retailer since 2008.
Anyways, wish you luck! These forums are excellent, yes I know the documentation isn’t there but the guys on the forums certainly are.
Greetings from another annoying Newbie,
I have a Vera3 running UI6 coupled with a 2413U and Insteon IOLinc and the instructions for installing Altsteon are a bit different than published. Once I get this working, I will cheerfully pull my notes and create a fresh post for installing Altsteon with a UI6 Vera3. It appears that you can do everything from Vera and do not have to use SSH (maybe thats where I am wrong). In the mean time, I can’t seem to get it working!
When I create the PLM, it shows up on the dashboard, but I have no indication at all that Altsteon is running or that there is any communication between the Vera3 and 2413U. If I execute the recommended startup Luup in the Test Luup Window, it says “Message Failed”. I have tried running with /ttyUSB0 and /ttyUSB1 with no change in behavior.
UI6 provides a serial port configuration button and the only serial device it sees is ftdi_sio which I think is related to the WiFi not the USB to the 2413U.
When I create the IOLinc device per the recommended instructions, I get a single device (the instructions said that I would get three: a dummy, an input and an output device). Hitting “Poll Now” on that device returns nothing.
I am clearly doing something basic wrong and I suspect that I am not yet really communicating with the 2413U and Altsteon is not even running. Can someone out there help a newbie get started with some suggestions?
Many Thanks!
Mep
I do not use UI6, but how do you upload/start the daemon?
You must use the daemon to talk to the PLM over USB.
You can’t use the native serial port configuration.
I’m running Altsteon on UI6. The same instructions from UI5 apply, you’ll need to make changes from the Advanced page.
I was looking into a PLM to add to Vera as I found some of my old X10 stuff. Found this one on Amazon. Anybody know if this one will work with Altsteon? And if so, would the Zigbee part also be supported by Altsteon? I realize I will need a USB to serial adapter to connect it.
[quote=“BOFH, post:59, topic:171423”]I was looking into a PLM to add to Vera as I found some of my old X10 stuff. Found this one on Amazon. Anybody know if this one will work with Altsteon? And if so, would the Zigbee part also be supported by Altsteon? I realize I will need a USB to serial adapter to connect it.
I can’t comment if it will work with Alsteon or not but upon some research of the unit it was designed for use by developers so it doesn’t come with any software. Smarthome.com has more info, [url=http://www.smarthome.com/32479/Smartenit-5010N-ZBPLM-ZigBee-INSTEON-X10-Interface/p.aspx]http://www.smarthome.com/32479/Smartenit-5010N-ZBPLM-ZigBee-INSTEON-X10-Interface/p.aspx[/url] that you may be able to use and I would also check out Smartenit, heres a link to their page as well, [url=http://smartenit.com/product/zbpcm/]http://smartenit.com/product/zbpcm/[/url]
Now, according to the Smarthome site, the unit supports the following Zigbee protocols, ZigBee PRO, JenNet and 6LoWPAN (defaults to ZigBee Pro) which is important because there are practically dozens of incompatible zigbee protocols out there so I would make sure you knew which devices before trying to use this controller with them. I am not an expert on Zigbee yet, just trying to help where I can.
Hope that helps, I am interested in what kind of responses you get re this unit and its use with Alsteon so will be reading this thread as well. Good luck!