GEM Ethernet / Wiznet Issues

[pikapfw1]

Hello,

I've had a GEM and DashBox since June 2013. Each device is hardwired to my gigabit switch. I connect the GEM to the DashBox using a STS cable. Both devices have a static IP address.

For the past few months, I've been unable to connect to my GEM directly at it's IP address. I've checked my router to see if the IP changed, and also tried using wireshark to see if the GEM's IP has changed to a different subnet or something drastic like that. I've tried various resets of the GEM, as well as re-applying firmware.

The WizNet module my GEM uses for ethernet appears to have a goofy MAC address - goofy in the sense that if you google it, no vendor comes up as using that sequence. I'm wondering if this device somehow got damaged?

The only way I can currently reach the GEM configuration page is by going through the DashBox setup link. (<dashbox IP>:8001).

I'd like to figure this out and restore direct access to the GEM via its own static IP. That'd make things easier when firmware updates come out (which is how I discovered this in the first place)

Any ideas? I didn't see anything when I searched the forums.

Thanks!
Pete

[ben]

Pete,

What "Ethernet Module Version" is the Ethernet module showing? If it's showing "89.0", the firmware on the module has become corrupted.

[pikapfw1]

It was showing 4.31 in the GEM Network Utility, along with MAC address AD:04:F6:DD:55:A7. I have a record of what the original MAC address was, and it started with a "00". So something seems corrupt with the Wiznet adapter.

I downloaded and ran the Wiznet configuration utility (v3.0.2), and uploaded the 5.13 binary I see you referred someone else to in another post (https://www.brultech.com/community/view ... n&start=10). However, I probably shouldn't have done that, as now I cannot see the board at all in either the Wiznet utility or the GEM network utility.

Any ideas?

[ben]

It was showing 4.31 in the GEM Network Utility, along with MAC address AD:04:F6:DD:55:A7. I have a record of what the original MAC address was, and it started with a "00". So something seems corrupt with the Wiznet adapter.

I downloaded and ran the Wiznet configuration utility (v3.0.2), and uploaded the 5.13 binary I see you referred someone else to in another post (https://www.brultech.com/community/view ... n&start=10). However, I probably shouldn't have done that, as now I cannot see the board at all in either the Wiznet utility or the GEM network utility.

Any ideas?

Is this all being run on a Windows PC?

Was the module set to Static or DHCP?

The WizNET configuration utility has a direct IP search option. See if you can bring it up with that.

If it's static, try that IP.

If DHCP, check your routers DHCP list and try the IP listed (if it's on there).

[pikapfw1]

Yes, I'm using a PC running Windows 10.

Prior to updating the WizNET firmware (using the WizNET utility), the GEM was set to a static IP. Unfortunately, I cannot access the module at this point, regardless of which utility I use.

I've even connected the laptop directly to the GEM with an ethernet cable, set the IP manually on my laptop, and tried it that way as well. I ran wireshark to see if I could stumble upon the IP of the WizNET that way as well - in case it self-assigned a wild IP address. Still no luck.

I'd like to write it off as a corrupted module, but the fact that it seemed to accept a firmware update makes me think that it still might be recoverable.

-Pete

[ben]

Yes, I'm using a PC running Windows 10.

Prior to updating the WizNET firmware (using the WizNET utility), the GEM was set to a static IP. Unfortunately, I cannot access the module at this point, regardless of which utility I use.

I've even connected the laptop directly to the GEM with an ethernet cable, set the IP manually on my laptop, and tried it that way as well. I ran wireshark to see if I could stumble upon the IP of the WizNET that way as well - in case it self-assigned a wild IP address. Still no luck.

I'd like to write it off as a corrupted module, but the fact that it seemed to accept a firmware update makes me think that it still might be recoverable.

-Pete

Just to make sure as it wasn't mentioned, you tried the Direct IP search in the bottom left of the program?

[pikapfw1]

Yep, sorry I didnt mention that. But yes, I tried the direct IP search using the static IP I originally assigned. And I also checked my router's list of connected devices and couldn't find it there either - by any MAC address (looked for the original MAC of the WizNET card, the "goofy" one it self-assigned at some point along the way, and also if there were any new "unrecognized" MAC addresses on my router's list).

The lights blink on the ethernet connector, but it seems like nobody's home.

[ben]

Yep, sorry I didnt mention that. But yes, I tried the direct IP search using the static IP I originally assigned. And I also checked my router's list of connected devices and couldn't find it there either - by any MAC address (looked for the original MAC of the WizNET card, the "goofy" one it self-assigned at some point along the way, and also if there were any new "unrecognized" MAC addresses on my router's list).

The lights blink on the ethernet connector, but it seems like nobody's home.

Try putting the GEM into Recovery Mode in case it's doing anything to the module.

- Unplug the unit.
- Hold down the button.
- Plug back in and release, SYS LED should be solid red.

This will prevent the GEM from resetting the module/etc.

[pikapfw1]

Thanks. That helped, as now I can easily find the GEM ethernet adapter via either the WizNET utility or the GEM Network Utility.

The first picture shows what I find when I search for the adapter. It apparently changed its MAC address again, but it's still not the address which it originally came with.

If I change any settings using the WizNET utility and apply them, it looks like it's saving but these params don't change. I did this directly connected to the GEM, with the SYS light still red, and setting my windows 10 laptop to have a static IP of 192.168.11.25. I even tried re-uploading the 5.13 firmware, but that'd made no difference. I also waited a bit after trying to save new settings, rebooted the GEM, and it still doesn't change.

Additionally, I tried using the GEM utility to change the network settings. If I modify *any* parameter, and hit "save", I get the following error: Invalid Parameter Value (picture #2).

[pikapfw1]

Update:

Reverting the firmware to v4.31 allows me to change the IP settings. It even shows up in my router too. If I try to connect via the GEM utility, it gets pretty close to reading the GEM - but then throws an exception. Here's an example screenshot.