Just installed Envisalink 3 and Plugin - Questions

[dbarnes]

Works

Hi Spud -
Thanks for the quick response and thanks again for the plugin! Best $40 I've spent in a long time.

I don't know what to tell you but this morning everything is working correctly. As a programmer, I don't believe in magic so I can't explain anything different. Maybe some sort of DSC auto-refresh -- don't know.

Looks good and works from HS3 when I select 'Arm Stay'.




Thanks again and cheers!
Dale.

[spud]

First off - thanks for EnvisaLink DSC Plugin -- awesome. I've been dinking around trying to get my HS DSC plugin up again and decided to try something new.

Anyway after the install, the Zones all work but I can't arm from HS PRO3 which is likely caused by the 'Unknown' User Access. I found this thread and I think I already have DSC Users set up in HS as recommended.

Again - this is a great plugin and if anyone has any suggestions to try, I'd appreciate it.

Thanks!
Dale.

How do you try to arm from HS3?
Can you post the logs you get when you try to arm?

[dbarnes]

EnvisaLink User Access still shows as 'Unknown'

First off - thanks for EnvisaLink DSC Plugin -- awesome. I've been dinking around trying to get my HS DSC plugin up again and decided to try something new.

Anyway after the install, the Zones all work but I can't arm from HS PRO3 which is likely caused by the 'Unknown' User Access. I found this thread and I think I already have DSC Users set up in HS as recommended.

Current Device view:




Here's the EnvisaLink Config page:




HS3DSC is a defined User in the DSC Panel:




Again - this is a great plugin and if anyone has any suggestions to try, I'd appreciate it.

Thanks!
Dale.

[claude]

I ask my DHCP server to serve static addresses to devices such as the EVL-3.

The main benefit as I see it, not applicable to the EVL-3 but to several other devices in my local network, is that DHCP will also serve DNS addresses when requested to; it will serve those DNS addresses passed on by my Internet supplier's router. Those DNS addresses can change over time, but all clients on my network will always get the current ones.

[VictorR]

I created the account on Eyez-on.com as suggested for getting software updates. Guess what....

Now I can change the IP address of the Envisalink 3!!!! the last octet can now be changed. I was on firmware version 01.07.88 now I'm updated to 1.11.140 and have the ability to change the last octet.

Excellent! That's exactly what I needed. Thanks!

[VictorR]

Hi all,

I'd like to start by saying thanks to Spud for the replies to all my newbie questions. Thanks Spud! It's really appreciated.

As for the questions on why I would want to configure a static IP address instead of using the Make Network Settings Static checkbox.... Here is my long-winded answer:

I have a relatively extensive home network as I am a communications engineer by trade for close to 30 years now.

For people that do not understand networking, DHCP is a great choice because it does all the work for you, temporarily.

For those of us that are, well lets be honest.... Geeks, we want control over our networks, and having devices in the DHCP pool that live there permanently is not a proper use of DHCP.

DHCP is used to:
a. Get you up temporarily so configuration can be done, or
b. used for devices that tend to change IP addresses, or networks often; such as laptops, phones, tablets, etc...

In a hardwired network (which is where the Envisalink lives), things need to be static, predictable, and organized.

I realize that this is not a huge issue, its mostly an organizational issue. Having hardwired devices permanently living out of a DHCP pool, is not what DHCP was created, or intended for.

Anyway, that's my 2 cents worth on the subject. so far I like the Envisalink. installation was straight-forward as promised, and worked as soon as I installed the HS3 plugin. It just left me with some questions, that obviously just got answered.

I really appreciate the assistance, I'm gonna go write some events for it now.

Thanks again!

Maybe we should see "sticky" on how to check what it is AND how to update it

[S-F]

your firmware seems quite old, mine is 01.09.114, and I'm not sure if it is the latest.

I just checked and mine is 01.11.135. Don't know how one would update it.

[S-F]

Is it important to make it static? Reasons for and against?

So your router doesn't change the ip address and screw up the connection to HS.

3. don't you see the "Make the network settings static" checkbox like in the screenshot in this thread: http://board.homeseer.com/showthread.php?t=174277

Is it important to make it static? Reasons for and against?

[spud]

1. the "Arm Zero Entry Delay" action arms the system in "Armed Stay" mode with a zero entry delay

2 and 5, if you don't have any DSC user ids tied to HS users, this device status will always be "Unknown"
If you have some, it should show something like "Armed by spud", "Disarmed by spud", etc...

Note: in case you don't have any HS users mapped to DSC users, I could probably show the DSC user id instead, "Armed by DSC User #2". I will add that on my TODO list.

3. don't you see the "Make the network settings static" checkbox like in the screenshot in this thread: http://board.homeseer.com/showthread.php?t=174277

4. Firmwares are supposed to be automatically installed but you have to create an eyezon account (that you can disable after that)
http://forum.eyez-on.com/FORUM/viewtopic.php?f=6&t=1854

your firmware seems quite old, mine is 01.09.114, and I'm not sure if it is the latest.

[mikedr]

With respect to arm zero entry delay -- and I'm not sure if this a "stay" arm (i.e., no motions) or an "away" arm, although I think it's the former -- generally what this means is that as soon as a door opens, say, the alarm sounds. Normally you have X seconds to disarm everything.

[VictorR]

Hi, I just purchased and installed the EnvisaLink 3 with HS3 on Windows.

Installation went well, all seems to be working as expected, zones are activating etc as I open & close doors, etc...

Here are my questions in regards to the attached screenshot:

1. What exactly is "Arm Zero Entry Delay" Does it mean:
Armed Stay with Zero Entry Delay, or
Armed Away with Zero Entry Delay, or
does it add Zero Entry Delay to a previously set 'Armed Stay' command ?

I'm scared to try it. Don't want to set off the alarm if I'm inside and its arms as away when the motion sensor sees me.

2. Why does the 'User Access' device have a '? Unknown' as the status? The password to the Envisalink 3 is set properly, and the zones show correct status as things change, therefore the access seems to work properly? Is there something wrong it's trying to tell me? There's no errors in the log and I've got logging set to 'Error'.

Other Questions not related to the screenshot:

3. Is there a way to set a static IP address in the Envisalink 3 without re-configuring my DHCP server to server only the IP address I want it to have?

4. My Envisalink 3 has Firmware Version: 01.07.88. Is there a later version? Didn't see anything in the support section of the Eyezon website related to software, or upgrades. I'm wondering if an upgrade will solve the IP addressing issue.

5. I'm not exactly sure of the benefit of having the alarm users tied to the HomeSeer users? Whats the benefit? Is there any additional functionality supplied by doing that?

Thanks in advance for the assistance,

Victor