GEM - Recovery from No Communication

[mattm55]

Hello guys,

The other day I noticed my Dashbox wasn't getting data from the GEM (no packets received).

Upon investigating I could not connect to the GEM through the older WiFi address nor the setup page. I even had an old ETH-1 Serial to Ethernet I hooked up and tried the Dashbox method to COM2.

1. Tried rebooting numerous times. Even with PB in and power on. Battery is out.
2. Changed PS 5v DC just in case
3. It says it connects to GEM but it doesn't let me read the GEM SN so I think thats not really a connectiion?
4. No network SSID like Greeneye_XX to connect to
5. Sys light is steady red (toggles red to green on startup but then goes to red), COMM is steady red but Ive had the SYS light off, steady red, yellow to red, etc...
6. Comm light is now out
7. Wifi module does blink like activity but no SSID to connect to.

Is there any way to reset Wifi module or un-brick the GEM with some method I haven't found in the forums? The GEM has updated f/w from the original.

Any help would be appreciated. Thanks, Matt

[ben]

Hello guys,

The other day I noticed my Dashbox wasn't getting data from the GEM (no packets received).

Upon investigating I could not connect to the GEM through the older WiFi address nor the setup page. I even had an old ETH-1 Serial to Ethernet I hooked up and tried the Dashbox method to COM2.

1. Tried rebooting numerous times. Even with PB in and power on. Battery is out.
2. Changed PS 5v DC just in case
3. It says it connects to GEM but it doesn't let me read the GEM SN so I think thats not really a connectiion?
4. No network SSID like Greeneye_XX to connect to
5. Sys light is steady red (toggles red to green on startup but then goes to red), COMM is steady red but Ive had the SYS light off, steady red, yellow to red, etc...
6. Comm light is now out
7. Wifi module does blink like activity but no SSID to connect to.

Is there any way to reset Wifi module or un-brick the GEM with some method I haven't found in the forums? The GEM has updated f/w from the original.

Any help would be appreciated. Thanks, Matt

Can you check the 5VDC supply versus the notice at https://www.brultech.com/contact?

If the Sys LED is steady red it sounds like memory may be corrupted and that's usually due to a failing supply. You can't test it with a multimeter, it has to be tested under load.

If it's the supply it should come back to life with a new one, if it doesn't you'll have to put it into Recovery Mode and load the latest COM F/W (available at https://www.brultech.com/software under the GEM section).

[mattm55]

Hi Ben,

Yes, I swapped the 5v ps with a brand new wart. That might have been the initial cause.

How can I put it in recovery mode to load fw? I tried many resets but can't establish any life of communication.

Recovery is pull battery, pull power, push/hold button and repower? Hopefully its a different process than that. Network Utility fails thru DBox, serial to comm, no wifi....


Also, right now the GEM has a green (SYS) and yellow COMM. Both steady on

Thanks

[ben]

Hi Ben,

Yes, I swapped the 5v ps with a brand new wart. That might have been the initial cause.

How can I put it in recovery mode to load fw? I tried many resets but can't establish any life of communication.

Recovery is pull battery, pull power, push/hold button and repower? Hopefully its a different process than that. Network Utility fails thru DBox, serial to comm, no wifi....

Also, right now the GEM has a green (SYS) and yellow COMM. Both steady on

Thanks

You got it right, should be solid red once in Recovery Mode.

When in Recovery the GEM is in an endless loop looking for F/W. You won't be able to send it any commands thru the Network Utility. If you can't access WiFi and you have a serial cable connected you should be able to load it via serial (if thru the DashBox use either 8001/8002 RS232 #1/#2 respectively).

Is this a WiFi/Ethernet or WiFi-only? If it's WiFi-only you'll want to load this F/W here so you can reset the module, the 5.XX series is all to do with RF config: http://brultech.com/software/files/down ... FiOnly.fmw

[mattm55]

Ok Ben.

I'll give it a try. This is an early Gem with WiFi but does have a ethernet jack too. I also have xBee.

Is that f/w the one for the early WiFi/ethernet modules? I didn't think that ethernet port was active and always used WiFi.
Matt

[ben]

Ok Ben.

I'll give it a try. This is an early Gem with WiFi but does have a ethernet jack too. I also have xBee.

Is that f/w the one for the early WiFi/ethernet modules? I didn't think that ethernet port was active and always used WiFi.
Matt

If it has an Ethernet jack then use the latest 5.XX F/W. The WiFi-only was a black GEM board with the WiFi module on-board (not sitting next to the unit).

There should be a button beside the WiFi/Ethernet module. If you hold it down for 8 seconds it should reset the module to AP mode.

[mattm55]

Thanks Ben.

Making progress and now updated f/w and can get in through DB.
A+ for your help.

Please let me (us) know when any new products arrive. I'll be first on the list to order (as always).
Matt M

[mattm55]

OK. Looks like I'm making progress but now one last piece is I'm not getting to the GEM Setup page using my IP:8000. It just hangs and won't enter the page to finish setup.

Screenshot 2022-06-09 091611.jpg (53.61 KiB) Viewed 861 times

Any tips or ticks?
Thanks, Matt

[mattm55]

Woops, I thought I was OK. I'm getting a system error now. I have yet to cycle w/o battery, Any clue to what that error is?

Screenshot 2022-06-09 095554.jpg (57.86 KiB) Viewed 860 times

OK. Got it to enter setup mode after unplugging bith PS and replugging in. I think I'm good now.
Thanks Ben

[ben]

Woops, I thought I was OK. I'm getting a system error now. I have yet to cycle w/o battery, Any clue to what that error is?

Screenshot 2022-06-09 095554.jpg


OK. Got it to enter setup mode after unplugging bith PS and replugging in. I think I'm good now.
Thanks Ben

It looks like it's likely the missing battery error.