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Power Line Repeating Is Not Working

Power Line Repeating Is Not Working

If SmartServer power line repeating does not work, or cannot communicate with power line devices, then follow the steps below.

  1. If the SmartServer Configuration page LON tab shows "The lon1 device has failed a CENELEC protocol query. Device likely needs to be reset to restore communication" then you need to use SmartServer 3.65 or 4.1 (Beta) and higher, and update the U70 software.

  2. For power line repeating networks, update the SmartServer and U70 software even if do not see the CENELEC error. 

  3. If you experience problems with the U60 or U70, then add a USB 2.0 ferrite clamp onto the USB cable to reduce LON channel noise. See https://www.usbfirewire.com/parts/rr-fh0-500b.html.

  4.  Once you enable repeating static/dynamic, you cannot revert to non-repeating. Doing so requires that you perform a database reset using the System Configuration page that deletes all of your settings and devices. Once repeating is enabled, you can change between static and dynamic. 

    You typically will enable dynamic repeating to cause the SmartServer to set up repeating chains based on power line communication. In most cases, you will use dynamic repeating so that the SmartServer periodically checks the network and sets up the best repeating path based on current channel impairments.

  5. After you change the power line communications setting in the SmartServer LON Configuration page and press the Power Line Communications Update button, you need to reboot the SmartServer.

    1. Devices appear red in the CMS – if you are using repeating (static or dynamic), then you can use the DCI console commands to see the devices' current state and repeater chains. If the CMS Devices widget shows red devices, but the dcxshowdevices shows that devices are up, then use the CMS Devices widget to test the device. This test will determine whether communication is truly down.

    2. Check the SmartServer Configuration Page LON Tab to see if the U70 is working.

      1. If U70 is not working you many need to upgrade the U70 software (and SmartServer software), and add a filter. See CENELEC note above for upgrading U70 software, and U60 and U70 USB 2.0 Ferrite Bead filter note. for filter details.

        1. Even there is no issue with the U70, you may want to add these enhancements to prevent future issues.

    3. Using NodeUtil – when power line repeating is enabled, NodeUtil can only be used to communicate edge devices, which can be reached directly by the SmartServer. NodeUtil cannot be used to communicate to edge devices that require a repeater since there is no way to specify a repeater path with NodeUtil.

    4. Using LonScanner – LonScanner can only see traffic locally; therefore, you will only see traffic that the SmartServer can hear. LonScanner sees packets that go to devices that the SmartServer can communicate directly to (1 hop). For devices that require repeaters (2 or more hops), in most cases, LonScanner will not show the packets in between repeaters and the destination device.