iRule - Page 262

Dave,

If you used Fing to scan your network, you can set the IP address to one that was unused (one NOT in Fing, but in that range), and a netmask that matches your computer or Android or iOS device. Or, you can just tick the "Enable DHCP" button for starters. That will tell the iTach to get its IP address from the router.

SC

You need to know the assignable network addresses on your router, and assign your iTach one of those addresses. Many networks have addresses such as 192.168.0.xxx, or 192.168.1.xxx, or 192.168.2.xxx. Fing (also an iOS app) will show you the addresses of the router and other devices on the network, which will give you a clue. You can also look at the router setup, which should tell you the available addresses. And you can look your router up via google to find out its usual address (many have 192.168.0.1 as the router address) and what addresses are usually available.

169.254.x.x are what are known as Windows Auto Configure IP addresses. Home networks typically operate in the 192.168.x.x range. It looks like you may need to get your home network issues resolved before you can get iRule and the associated devices working.

If your home network is working, then run an ipconfig/all to get the IP address your computer is using. Most routers start their DHCP at x.x.x.100 and anything below that is usually safe for static IP addresses. Let's say your computer has an address of 192.168.1.104 - you could use 192.168.1.70 for your IP2IR device. You would also need to set your gateway to the IP address of your router. Assuming again the 192.168.1.104 for your PC, your router's IP is most likely 192.168.1.1.

I hope this helps - get your basics working first as at this point you are trying to fly your plane without wings.

Good luck!

Tried that, not working either.....
How do I do this? [ ipconfig/al]

And I still can't access my Global Cache GC-100-06

Also Fing is telling me that my Wireless routers gateway is 192.168.2.1 and the local address is 192.168.2.100. Am I correct in assuming that I can't use this gateway address for my iTach?

I am just about ready to throw all this **** in the trash.


Edited by JapanDave - 1/13/13 at 1:22am

To JapanDave:

Seems like your router is on the 192.168.2.xxx range.
So, I would do this:
1) Click on Enable DHCP
2) IP Address: 192.168.2.70
3) Gateway: 192.168.2.1
4) SSID: your SSID

To just test, first turn your router to OPEN and see if you can connect first. Once you get connected, you can then go back to your WF2IR (this time you will use 192.168.2.70) and setup the security.

Also, I will also go into your router (192.168.2.1) and verify you don't enable MAC address filtering, as that will prevent you from adding "unauthorized MAC device" to it.

Good luck.

First problem,
If I enable DHCP, I can't assign the IP address or gateway?????

Thanks for the reply. It would be A. I had no choice or I'm missing something.

I was working on my iPhone handset saved it and then opened a new handset for my iPad.
When I went back to the iPhone the only option was to restore the snapshot from three hours earlier.
How do I load my last saved iPhone handset?
Like I said it seems I'm missing something obvious but it has happened at least twice and I'm guessing it is operator error.

ETA: In the fresh light of the morning I think I see what I did last night. I think when I tried to go back to the iPhone handset I selected a "new" handset thinking I would load the last save back in. I now believe I missed the two handset tabs down in the properties pane on the lower left. Do I have that right? Really frustrated losing all that work. I know I'm old school but I'd really like a reference document or at least a structured WIKI or something. The iRule support page seems like a big mishmash of unstructured data to me.
Edited by obie_fl - 1/13/13 at 7:08am

That is correct, the router will assign it for you.

I'm surprised this hasn't been mentioned (or maybe it has and I missed it). I don't assign static IPs on devices in my house, I use my router's static table to assign them. The devices still use DHCP but my router will ALWAYS assign the device the same address when it see's it's mac address requesting an IP.

One thing I think anyone who is serious about iRule needs is a "real" router. If you've got some $60 special it's likely not going to make you very happy.

I am personally partial to the Asus "Dark Knight" RT-N66U or RT-N66R as it's known as at best buy to prevent them from having price match (although it is identical) but there are tons of great offerings from Asus, EnGenius, Cisco and others.

Fing will tell you the address of everything on the network without having to do an ipconfig on any of the computers.
Edited by Steve Goff - 1/13/13 at 8:45am

I do the same by reserving addresses on the devices that I want. The router permanently assigns just those addresses and dynamically assigns the others.

Tivo is. And can replace a cable box here anyway. Someone told me the Cisco Uverse box was, althouth that's technically IPTV not "cable".

Is it possible to create one button that will execute multiple commands AND launch an app on my Android.

I have a button created that does multiple things like power on receiver, set the input, volume, etc. It works fine. I also have an App action that launches SqueezeCommander on my Nexus. When I try and drag the App on top of the button, the only thing that gets executed is the App (starts SqueezeComander).

Is there another way of doing this?

That is indeed the preferred way, and I did do that with my RT-66U... although RT-66U does not sort those by "device name" (only MAC), so it is going to be hard to figure out what is what.

Fing will tell you the name of the devices on your network and their MAC addresses. My router firmware also knows the names of most devices, though it didn't know the name of my preamp/processor.

Hi,

I did this and it connected, but I entered the password.
But, I unplugged the iTach and moved it near my TV, reset the iTach and did the same thing as before, but now I can't get a connection??? The wireless router is only 10ft away.
I also have redone these steps over and over, still keeps on losing the connection.

Also, can someone tell me when assigning the IP ,in which box below do I enter the routers IP and which box do I enter the Static IP

It worked once , so I know that it can work again.

I am giving up on the iTach.

But I now need someone to help me set up the GC-100-6.

This is how I have it hooked up right now.

Provider's cable/dsl jack > Provider modem/router > 3 cables; one to wireless router( blue port), one to desktop PC (black port), one to GC-100-6 (Black port)

I cannot access the GC-100-6's home page through the browser, what am I doing wrong?

Dave,

The iTach process can be confusing for those not familiar with IP and wireless setup. The basic process is:
1. Connect to iTach via Wi-Fi (ad-hoc mode)
2. Configure iTach via built-in web page: Tell iTach your SSID, password, and set DHCP (or compatible static IP address and gateway)
3. Save configuration. iTach will then reboot and will only be reachable by devices ON the network (i.e. it won't be reachable ad-hoc anymore)
4. Use Fing or iHelp to find iTach, then load config page again, and give iTach a static IP if so desired.

When you moved the iTach to the new location, did you have the slow flashing LED? At what IP address did you try to connect to it?

The GC-100 isn't going to be fun, either. It's really not a consumer-friendly device - even less-so than the iTach. Knowing the trouble you're having with the iTach, it doesn't honestly bode well for the GC-100. I'm going to tell you, but I think we should go over some IP basics, because I think that's probably where you're getting most tripped up.

Looking back at some of what you've posted, here's a few facts I gather:
192.168.2.1 is the IP address of your router. That is also your "gateway" in network terms (not in iRule terms).
192.168.2.100 was a local IP, presumably on the iOS or Android device on which you were running Fing.
If you run ipconfig on your PC, it should also show a number which is 192.168.2.X, as should anything else on your network.
Eventually, the GC-100, and the iTach will also have addresses that are 192.168.2.X. You could make the iTach 192.168.2.150 and the GC-100 192.168.2.160.

I still think we should focus on the iTach first. Let me know the answer to my questions above, and we'll see if we can get it going.

Back to the GC-100...
The easiest way to deal with the GC-100 is to create an isolated network with a crossover cable or a switch. If you don't have a switch, you may be able to do with everything connected to the network as-is, so we can try that. The GC-100 defaults to 192.168.1.70, but you're going to have to get your computer ON that subnet first. Your computer is likely at 192.168.2.x.

So, go into Windows' network control panel, and set your computer this way:
IP address to 192.168.1.69 or 71 or something besides .70.
subnet mask 255.255.255.0

Shouldn't need to do anything else. Once you do that, and apply, you should be able to reach the GC-100 in your browser at 192.168.1.70. There, you can give it a static IP that will work with your network, i.e. some address NOT in the list of addresses you got in Fing.

Some people assign static addresses in the devices themselves, and some people use the router to assign IP addresses based on MAC addresses. There is nothing wrong or bad with either approach.

In my opinion, the worst part about iRule or network cameras, or a lot of other cool network hardware is the networking. The GC stuff could be, and should be much easier to get on the network. It can be challenging depending on your experience level, but it isn't impossible. Be patient, and you can get it.

SC

Sorry, let me clarify. I meant that none of the free or leased standard issue Cisco, Motorola, Pace, Scientific Atlanta, etc. cable boxes that everybody has. None of THOSE are IP-controllabe by third parties.

SC

You can use as many gateways in a system as are necessary to control the system. Many of us have a 6-12 "gateways" in our systems, some of which are simply network devices like receivers, media servers, or lighting/automation controllers, but some of which are multiple GC-100 or iTach devices in one or multiple rooms.

SC

There is no big advantage to doing it either way, and in fact there are pluses and minuses to both approaches.
I've been using iRule for probably close to three years now, and I've never had anything special. In fact, I moved some hardware around and right now, I'm just using the CenturyLink-provided Actiontec Q1000, and everything works just fine. That said, I agree with the overall sentiment. The network hardware isn't the place to skimp, and a better Wi-Fi router is going to be more reliable, faster, and more responsive.

SC

The router IP is your gateway. it is how the itach going to find the router.
The Static IP is the IP address (i.e. the address where the router going to find itach).

Since you already did this once, I would assume that the itach already got the IP. So, in your explorer, if you type 192.168.2.70, did you get anything?

I agree you should get the WF2IR setup first. If you cannot get that past, there might be some fundamental things going on, but since you already did that once, it should be "easier".

Also, if you don't mind, show us a few screenshot of your Router setup (the LAN and Wifi session). this could help us identify your problems better too.

Hi SC, I have learnt so much about IP's now, but still not quite there.

I did what you said above.

For the time being I have it is DHCP. I installed fing on my iPad and it is giving the iTach an IP of 192.168.2.107. But, when I try to add the IP through the iRule, it does not pick it up???? Why would that happen? Fing says it is there, so I am baffled. Could it be a router settings problem?


Screen shots of my router.














Edited by JapanDave - 1/14/13 at 2:06pm

For those doing lots of channel feedbacks, how could i apply those to more than one HTTP device?

IOW when i try to assign the channels only device in the Gateways tab of irule handset it shows "in use" why cant you assign one device to multiple gateways? The gateway shouldnt care how many are connecting right? There is no way im doing all that work over to get channels on every directv receiver thats rediculous!

What happens when you type that 107 IP address into the browser on your computer or one of the mobile devices?

SC

Reading this previous page reminds me as to why switches are so much nicer to use than routers .

I get this page below. Still can't get iRule to pick it up though???

OK, great... So we know your GC-100 is on the network! Excellent! Should be no further network configuration necessary for the GC-100. Now we can focus on iRule.

First, was this one of the ebay GC-100's, or did you get this one new? The reason I ask is I think others have had trouble with the auto-discovery beacon with the used GC-100's. If that's the case for you you can just tap "skip" when iRule auto-searches, and then enter the IP address manually, then assign a single device to one of your GC-100 IR outputs and see if you can control that device and/or see if the IR output LED blinks when you press a button that panel.

Give that a whirl and let us know how you make out.

SC

And for your itach device, since your router start assigning IP from 192.168.2.100 to 192.168.2.200, you need to assign something between 100 to 200 for your ITACH as well (but make sure not using same number). And then it should work. In that case, i will really try itach too as it seems to have less problem than GC device.

i agree with SC that you just skip the search process, as you already know what it is.

BTW, since you are doing DHCP, that IP might get changed from time to time. so, you need to either assign it static in the device (GC or itach) webpage, or "reserve" it in your router setup.

Hope that helps.

I bought my GC devices direct from the iRule web page. I also have already tried entering the IP manually in the iRule to see if it would work to no avail.
How do I know if the IR is being transmitted?
When I press the button on iRule , I get tow little red arrows down in the bottom left corner of the iPad flashing for about half a second. Is that what you are talking about?