Problems with Com port and 2413U

[gduren]

Hi Mark, saw the other thread on here related to issues with the 2413U and com ports, but in the interest of not hijacking that user's troubleshooting discussion, created my own thread.

I have a similar problem in that the interface is not communicating. It too was working fine for several months then all of a sudden I started getting com port errors (access denied). I tried changing to other com ports (by changing port in device manager, then in insteon plug-in, then restarting computer and homeseer) but it doesn't seem to work. It seems my issue is different than the other issue because I'm actually getting a log that says access to the com port is denied. There are only two com ports on my computer listed as being used (in device manager). Com 5 which I have the 2413U setup to use and com 6 which I have a Z troller attached to.

I've tried reading about com port access being denied and have tried a few things, but nothing is working. So thought I'd ping you in case you (or another user) has run into this before. I'm also getting an error during startup that com 6 (z troller) has access denied too, although the the zwave interface works despite this. So it almost seems like could be some setting on my computer that started restricting access to the com ports or something. Maybe a windows update? I'm on Windows 10 btw.

At a loss on what to try next so any insights anyone can offer would be appreciated. Thx!

[mnsandler]

typically restarting the computer should release the lock on the com port. this may be a win10 issue.

1. do you have the latest ftdi drivers? update if you can and retest

2. try adding the following to the [config] section of the insteon.ini, restart the computer and retest

PortType=USB

[ericksar]

2413U Broke

I also have the same problem. My system has been running reliably for a long time. Recently Homeseer is a disaster. I get it working and with a re-boot cannot get it started again. I have striped it back to a simple system just to get reliability again.
Intel i7, Windows 10 Pro, HS3Pro latest version. Latest driver 2.12.18.

I added the line shown above. I have tried all com ports, 3, 5, 7 and calling it USB in the insteon.ini file. Changed the port in the device manager also.

This really should be automatic. Any suggestions?


WARNING: Please check the Interface and enter the Interface Port information
on the Config page and restart HS.

What and where is the Config page? on insteon? insteon.ini? config file? etc. Clarity please.

[mnsandler]

I also have the same problem. My system has been running reliably for a long time. Recently Homeseer is a disaster. I get it working and with a re-boot cannot get it started again. I have striped it back to a simple system just to get reliability again.
Intel i7, Windows 10 Pro, HS3Pro latest version. Latest driver 2.12.18.

I added the line shown above. I have tried all com ports, 3, 5, 7 and calling it USB in the insteon.ini file. Changed the port in the device manager also.

This really should be automatic. Any suggestions?


WARNING: Please check the Interface and enter the Interface Port information
on the Config page and restart HS.

What and where is the Config page? on insteon? insteon.ini? config file? etc. Clarity please.

you need to confirm in the windows device manager what's the correct com port when you connect the usb cable for the plm. if nothing is created then there is a ftdi driver issue.

[gduren]

I tried both of the things you suggested Mark and no change. The driver did update to a slightly newer version, but still got the same result after several restarts of both Homeseer and the computer.

I added PortType=USB, but I already had InterfaceType=USB in there. I tried with both, then I tried removing InterfaceType=USB and only leaving PortType=USB. No change.

Any other ideas?

[mnsandler]

have you determined which com port is created when connecting the plm to a usb port? what port number?

[gduren]

Yeah, Port 5, but I have been changing that in device manager using the advanced settings. I'm now on Port 1 (and have had the insteon plug-in setup for the correct port before and after I switched).

I did find something new though. When I factory reset the PLM, it connects. Then when I try to reset and reprogram it says it does not reset properly, so I tried to swap/replace interface (since I still have some links to a previous PLM in some of my switches), and it starts to go through the process, but loses connection to the PLM during this process and then won't connect again unless I factory reset the PLM.

Attached is the log that shows the swap interface attempt (I tried twice). It loses connection at about the 10:14:51 mark. Looks like it may have reconnected at 10:16:23.

Anything in this log that indicates what might be going on?

[zwolfpack]

This might help to view/cleanup your COM port assignments.

On the desktop, right-click This PC, then select Properties, then Advanced System settings, then Environmental Variables.
Click New in either the user or system section.
Enter Name: devmgr_show_nonpresent_devices and value: 1.
OK to close all the dialogs.
Then in the device manager, on the View menu, select show hidden devices.
Now all the devices that have been assigned in the past, but no longer installed, are shown grayed out. You can remove these by right clicking on one and selecting Uninstall. This way, the COM port number is freed up to be reused the next time you plug in a device.
You only have to set up the variable once. You do need to select show hidden devices each time you start the dev manager.

[mnsandler]

Yeah, Port 5, but I have been changing that in device manager using the advanced settings. I'm now on Port 1 (and have had the insteon plug-in setup for the correct port before and after I switched).

I did find something new though. When I factory reset the PLM, it connects. Then when I try to reset and reprogram it says it does not reset properly, so I tried to swap/replace interface (since I still have some links to a previous PLM in some of my switches), and it starts to go through the process, but loses connection to the PLM during this process and then won't connect again unless I factory reset the PLM.

Attached is the log that shows the swap interface attempt (I tried twice). It loses connection at about the 10:14:51 mark. Looks like it may have reconnected at 10:16:23.

Anything in this log that indicates what might be going on?

the log device 1B 3A DF is flooding the network. disconnect this device. it also might be a device with an address very close to this address.

[gduren]

Thx for the tips guys. I followed both recommendations and now everything seems to be working. I think the main issue was the bad switch flooding the network. After air-gapping that switch I was able to make it through reprogramming the interface and it stayed connected.

I also tried zwolfpack's suggestion and didn't see any shadow COM ports showing up.

So hopefully this fix sticks and I don't lose connection with the interface again.

Thx a ton!!!

[mnsandler]

Glad you got it working. thanks for reporting back.

[ericksar]

I just received new 2413u and plugged it in.....and it works.

It is frustrating when things are broken, is it hardware, software, drivers, cables, signal interference. This is like the old days when no one had a handle on the solution, everybody pointing fingers at each other.

I think today software is the entity responsible for determining what systems are go or no go. Software should clearly say, in plain English, what hardware part is bad and do tests to confirm that.

The present system is crazy for the average computer user.

my two cents.

[mnsandler]

I just received new 2413u and plugged it in.....and it works.

It is frustrating when things are broken, is it hardware, software, drivers, cables, signal interference. This is like the old days when no one had a handle on the solution, everybody pointing fingers at each other.

I think today software is the entity responsible for determining what systems are go or no go. Software should clearly say, in plain English, what hardware part is bad and do tests to confirm that.

The present system is crazy for the average computer user.

my two cents.

Glad its working again. Without feedback from the hardware its impossible to know what's the problem. The PLM doesn't provide any info about its usb connection or its connection to the circuit. We just have to diagnose these things in a logical order looking at the simplest issues first.