I’ve been having an issue with my Vera3 for a few weeks now, where it’s running fine, except it won’t connect to the LAN (schedules and triggers still turning on lights etc).
Tried all the usual IP/DHCP stuff (thx to @Richard & @Brentiem for their suggestions)
Finally bit the bullet & did a factory reset. The WLAN comes up & I can authenticate, but don’t get an IP address, the WAN port isn’t trying to pick up an address from DHCP & it isn’t on the default address.
So I’m pretty certain that the networking hardware is kaput.
Now the rub… In Oz we can’t get a plus, nor an edge and I’m not going to spend well over the odds for a replacement 3 when they aren’t even in production any more.
So while it’s a great balance between simplicity and tinker-ability (mainly thanks to the app developers who frequent this forum), I’m going to have to change platform.
I’m thinking OpenHAB at the moment, but I’ll check out what else supports the MySensors devices.
[quote=“Weeves, post:1, topic:191706”]I’ve been having an issue with my Vera3 for a few weeks now, where it’s running fine, except it won’t connect to the LAN (schedules and triggers still turning on lights etc).
Tried all the usual IP/DHCP stuff (thx to @Richard & @Brentiem for their suggestions)
Finally bit the bullet & did a factory reset. The WLAN comes up & I can authenticate, but don’t get an IP address, the WAN port isn’t trying to pick up an address from DHCP & it isn’t on the default address.
So I’m pretty certain that the networking hardware is kaput.
Now the rub… In Oz we can’t get a plus, nor an edge and I’m not going to spend well over the odds for a replacement 3 when they aren’t even in production any more.
So while it’s a great balance between simplicity and tinker-ability (mainly thanks to the app developers who frequent this forum), I’m going to have to change platform.
I’m thinking OpenHAB at the moment, but I’ll check out what else supports the MySensors devices.
So sadly, farewell (& thanks for the fish!)[/quote]
@akbooer - Doesn’t openluup require a functioning Vera?
@awesomo - after the factory reset I tried getting in (through the WLAN) both with and without a WAN connection so no router involved. Plus it’s been working for years on the same router. The box has correctly factory reset (default SSID/password), but DHCP isn’t running on it.
Any suggestions welcome, but I’m pretty sure it’s a dead parrot.
Yes, indeed it does. My apologies, I misread your original requirements…
My point was simply going to be that your can have as much CPU speed and memory as you like, yet still retain much of the tinker-ability and apps that you like, whilst only needing a minimal Vera for Zwave (I have three VeraLites which function in this mode and typically go for several weeks, if not a month, without reloading.)
I had focused on your MySensors needs, and, without a Vera, openLuup runs the Arduino plugin to an ethernet gateway (or serial with some extra work) perfectly. It is the only controller that I use for my own MySensors devices. In fact, I have it all running on an Arduino Yun board - the Arduino processor itself runs the gateway and the Atheros processor on the board runs OpenWRT and openLuup, along with other Vera plugins like Netatmo and DataYours providing a local database (running as a Data Storage Provider for AltUI.)
I’m slowly moving away from Zwave devices as I gather more proficiency with MySensors, so if the Veras all crater in the end it’s not a total disaster.
@akbooer. It is indeed tempting to get a replacement Vera, and only use it to run PLEG and as a dongle for openluup: minimum transition effort certainly, but I guess I’m also suffering “continent envy”, a lite would cost me AUD200 for an out of production device, and still no certainty for ongoing availability should that fail.
Don’t get me wrong - I’m not jumping because of any inherent unreliability, my Vera has done exceptionally well in an adverse environment (I’m in the tropics, so both hot & humid), but with no prospect of contemporary equipment being available in Oz, I can’t see me continuing the Vera route.
So while its not primarily a cost driven decision, I’ll be sinking that money into a z wave stick & spinning up a vm (or adding a Pi), and finding the next best thing to a Vera.
In regard to Mysensors, I’m building a nice little collection, but wouldn’t use them for in wall mains, so I need z wave.
@Brientim. Sad tale starts here: http://forum.micasaverde.com/index.php/topic,36681.15.html
But in short it’s been mostly off the network for a few weeks, but pops up occasionally for an hour or so. It just isn’t sending a DHCPREQ, and when it was up I confirmed it was set to DHCP client. At that point I fixed its IP address and turned the wireless and DHCP server on, giving it a subset of the LAN addresses to manage. Tried to connect through WLAN and can authenticate, but don’t get an ip addressed assigned. Used a fixed ip on the laptop wireless interface, but can’t get to the Vera management page (or ssh in). Throughout, the Vera has been operating the zwave devices & running schedules, PLEG is doing its thing, but no network dependant stuff works (Vera alerts, Harmony hub & Mysensors).
At this point disconnected it from the network, pulled the USB Stick & did a factory reset. That’s where this thread begins! All looks good (default SSID & password), but still no Ethernet (LAN, WAN OR WLAN).
Interestingly I plugged the USB stick back in & it has restored itself from backup (no human intervention), but still no Ethernet. I suspect that I’ll catch it in an “up” state irregularly, but I’m pretty certain its cactus.
$200 is a pretty good price compared to what I can get here, but price isn’t the main driver. The Vera 3 is out of prod, and it would feel like I’m well and truly at the back of the wave (no pun intended). A Pi 3 and aeotech stick is more attractive, even given the learning curve to change platform.
I appreciate the PITA it has been… And buying a new one is not feasible as it is only old technology now as MCV has neglected AU/NZ since the Edge.
So, you change the network configuration to manual to do the above or SSH’d.
Note: if Vera is set to manual ip it will switch to the second MAC address, therefore if there was a reservation on your router this will be a conflict. Hence screw up routing tables and cause problems both external via WAN and LAN. Hence the network scan should identify this.
If Vera do not find a DHCP, it will inject this into the WAN port and can also cause havoc. This can be disabled.
The way to test this is:
Reboot you router.
Reset network to default. Reboot Vera
Log on to GetVera and see if the Vera comes online.
Change Vera network to manual,
Set to DHCP
Change setting exposed and ensure firewall is set to off.
Reboot
Log on to GetVera and see if the Vera comes online.
I also feel the pain of this and have lost Vera several times recently for no apparent reason. Well actually one device was the reason, it is an original Aeon Labs (aeotech) z-wave device that were release in AU before they became the smart switch which the current firmware screws up. This left unabated eventually renders z-wave routing and commands extremely slow. There is an easy fix remove that device and add again.
I already have a Pi3 and a z-wave.me stick on my desk. I have fired it up with both OpenHab and Vera. However, this is fully functional and it is just some additional items that I have left to the Vera to maintain.
I do not have the time to commit to switching fully over due to work and travel.
My wife and kids were really put out when I was away for 3 days and Vera failed to be nice. They had to revert to old fashioned stuff, turning on/off things and for the kids, that was new experience😉. Eventually a command would work but the youngest (3) would just keep pushing the switch multiple times when the response was slow which results in change the switch type on an Aeotech smart switch from momentary to toggle and hence, it doesn’t work no more.
The current hybrid system of Vera and OpenHab is a very good integration point as is openLuup as compared to Vera as a standalone system.
But the family aren’t happy with this but she loves Homewave. So, I have provided a compromise and multiple configurations are running currently for the family to determine the route ahead. Not just me.
There is
Vera/OpenHab/Homewave
HomeSeer Pro with native Homeseer controls
Homeseer/Vera3/Homewave.
I also had a look at HomeGenie and Indigo but there were compromises that I wasn’t going to accept.
Whatever the outcome, I am not about to jump on the slag off Vera or MCV, like your previous statement, they have been good but it has potentially come to the point for reasons that AU aren’t supported to find the alternative. I came in from previously Control4, Homeseer and then Vera, so I have never been tired to a solution but found one that meet the function requirement at that time and as things changes, the requirement are revisited and that is where we are at now.
The second MAC is news to me, as is the aeotech issue. I don’t think that that would have thrown me too far off track, but I’ll start fault finding from scratch bearing that in mind. Flushing ARP tables isn’t something I had considered might be helpful.
I’ll also crack it open, and check for any crud - it has been very hot here of late.
Thanks for the help/ advice, I’ll let you know how I go.
It is an OpenWRT configuration change and not Vera that result jumping between the two assigned MAC addresses, thus when you reset the Vera to default, and assigned the reserved IP it would have been against the one listed on the unit (or the default WAN MAC address); however, change the configuration result in Vera swapping them and thus, a problem can be encountered.
http://Vera_Ip/cgi-bin/webif/info.sh (E.g http://192.168.1.5/cgi-bin/webif/info.sh) (log in as root as you would for SSH just more human readable) > Network > Interfaces.
@Brientim, thanks, but that’s not it. Just finished a from-fresh round of fault finding, and to cut a long story short, I cant get the Ethernet ports (LAN or wan) to communicate. Throughout the LAN LED has remained off, and it seems that the WAN LED is actually an indicator of Vera’s connection to the Internet rather than the state of port marked wan. I’m pretty certain that the Ethernet hardware is dead.
The long story (scribbled as I went) follows. I did have a “senior moment” where I was connecting to both the LAN and WLAN at the same time, but otherwise I think I’ve exhausted everything else. Big ask, but if you could sanity check I’d appreciate it.
Unplug everything from Vera except power
Reset the Vera networking (long press on reset button)
Remove power. Wait 5 mins, Reapply power.
after a few minutes
- power on steady
- wifi on steady
- wan flashing fast
- zwave on steady
LAN off
Connect known good Ethernet cable between LAN port 1 and laptop
wan stops flashing
wifi flashes intermittently (looks like traffic)
laptop gets no IP address from Vera (fallback local address 169.254.137.101)
LAN light off
Connect to Vera SSID
laptop gets 192.168.81.232
Disconnect Ethernet cable
Ping 192.168.81.1
good
Browse 192.168.81.1
net/wifi shows automatically configure
(why not serving DHCP to LAN port?)
On laptop disable wireless
Plug Ethernet cable into port LAN 2 of Vera
Ipconfig renew
Laptop gets no IP address
Disconnect Ethernet, enable wireless, browse to 192.168.81.1
Setup/Backup/Restore to factory defaults
Vera shuts downs down leave it to do its business!
10 min later…
Disable laptop wireless
Vera power steady, zwave steady wifi steady, wan off (all good)
Connect Ethernet cable LAN port 2
Wifi trafficking, wan slow flash for 30 sec then fast flash, then off. LAN Light off
Laptop doesn’t get address from Vera
Fix ip on laptop to 192.168.81.101, 24 bit mask with 192.168.81.1 as gateway
Cfm with ipconfig
Ping Vera on 192.168.81.1 - no response (bad news)
Enable laptop wireless, connect to Vera through WLAN (no joy - arp conflict? Doh moment)
No entries in arp table for 192.168.81.1 (all zeros -invalid)
Disconnect Ethernet cable connect to Vera by wireless, can browse Vera.
Setup/net & wifi/ manally configure
Wan to DHCP,
LAN DHCP server on, default range
Save/apply reboot
While that’s happening, change laptop eth back to DHCP client, but leave unplugged
Connect to Vera via WLAN
reboot main router & DHCP/dns servers (nice clean tables)
Connect Vera to LAN (it should pickup a reservation, or one from the guest range - depends which Mac I tied the reservation to!)
On desktop machine (laptop still WLAN to Vera & eth disconnected.) Check Gateway ARP table - Vera MAC not seen
Check Syslogs on DHCP server - no DHCPREQ from Vera Mac
Using laptop
set wan to static, LAN address (in LAN but never been used before) set mask set gateway set dns. Save & apply, reboot, wait
Vera lights same, solid power zwave traffic on wifi, no LAN light, wan slow blink then fast blink.
Using desktop
ping new Vera wan address, no response
Check gateway arp table, no Vera mac
Using laptop
go to Openwrt config http://vera_ip/cgi-bin/webif/info.sh ( should have looked here earlier!)
Nothing obviously weird in logs
Networking looks right (as previously configured through normal Vera
Do a network device scan on the wan network, nothing found (may not be implemented on Vera?)
Out of ideas
Synopsis: WLAN works as expected, Ethernet ports LAN & WAN not communicating, suspect it will intermittently work (seen it up a couple of times a week before factory reset),
Synopsis: WLAN works as expected, Ethernet ports LAN & WAN not communicating, suspect it will intermittently work (seen it up a couple of times a week before factory reset),
I think you may be right... Testing was quite thorougher. And, I do appreciate the senior moment, my wife say that to me all the time.
The only other factor not discussed to date which has came up before with similar intermitent network issues was the power supplier failing.
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