USB dongle on Z-Net (Pi3) - intermittent disconnection "Cannot connect"

[SgtBilko]

I have 2 x Z-Net that are remotely located. In order to communicate with my external WiFi APs the Z-Nets must have external antenna and therefore USB wifi dongles (I have different manufacture’s dongles on the each Z-Net)

Each Z-Net has Router DHCP assigned IP address. For troubleshooting purposes one Z-Net has a static IP address the other has DHCP assigned IP address.

I have disabled the on-board wifi by editing "/etc/modprobe.d/raspi-blacklist.conf”
as follows:

#wifi
blacklist brcmfmac
blacklist brcmutil

ifconfig reports only the USB Wifi dongle connection as wlan0

When initially connected everything works fine.

The problem I have is that both Z-Net intermittently report (at different times):

Z-netFront: Cannot connect to Z-Wave Ethernet at IP 192.168.33.26 port: 2001, Ex=A connection attempt failed because the connected party did not properly respond after a period of time, or established connection failed because connected host has failed to respond 192.168.33.26:2001

The offending Z-net is still connected to the wifi as I can SSH it and (for example) run ifconfig.

I can get the Z-net “reconnected” to Homeseer by reconnecting the Z-net as a client to the AP through the AP software (Ubiquity).

Any clues ?

[Eman]

I have 2 x Z-Net that are remotely located. In order to communicate with my external WiFi APs the Z-Nets must have external antenna and therefore USB wifi dongles (I have different manufacture’s dongles on the each Z-Net)

Each Z-Net has Router DHCP assigned IP address. For troubleshooting purposes one Z-Net has a static IP address the other has DHCP assigned IP address.

I have disabled the on-board wifi by editing "/etc/modprobe.d/raspi-blacklist.conf”
as follows:

#wifi
blacklist brcmfmac
blacklist brcmutil

ifconfig reports only the USB Wifi dongle connection as wlan0

When initially connected everything works fine.

The problem I have is that both Z-Net intermittently report (at different times):

Z-netFront: Cannot connect to Z-Wave Ethernet at IP 192.168.33.26 port: 2001, Ex=A connection attempt failed because the connected party did not properly respond after a period of time, or established connection failed because connected host has failed to respond 192.168.33.26:2001

The offending Z-net is still connected to the wifi as I can SSH it and (for example) run ifconfig.

I can get the Z-net “reconnected” to Homeseer by reconnecting the Z-net as a client to the AP through the AP software (Ubiquity).

Any clues ?

You don't need dongles connected to the ZNET. They are already z-wave active!

To easily achieve what you're trying to do is to use z-wave range extenders. If you still want to use both make sure they don't share devices. (Let one control some and the other the rest).


Eman.

[SgtBilko]

You don't need dongles connected to the ZNET. They are already z-wave active!

To easily achieve what you're trying to do is to use z-wave range extenders. If you still want to use both make sure they don't share devices. (Let one control some and the other the rest).


Eman.

Thank you Eman

I need to bridge a gap outside of about 40m. I have tried z-wave range extenders but they do not work. The gap needs to be bridged by wifi not z-wave ..... hence WiFi to Z-Nets providing z-wave signals to relays / switches / sensors

Whilst my AP is an outdoor type the Z-Nets are in waterproof boxes and the "onboard" wifi just does not have the signal strength for reliable operation (tried that solution too :-) ).

So I do need dongles with external WiFi antenna, which can be mounted externally on the waterproof boxes.

Thanks anyway

[cheeryfool]

I guess you have no scope for direct burial Cat6 or even a suspended cable?

[Eman]

Thank you Eman

I need to bridge a gap outside of about 40m. I have tried z-wave range extenders but they do not work. The gap needs to be bridged by wifi not z-wave ..... hence WiFi to Z-Nets providing z-wave signals to relays / switches / sensors

Whilst my AP is an outdoor type the Z-Nets are in waterproof boxes and the "onboard" wifi just does not have the signal strength for reliable operation (tried that solution too :-) ).

So I do need dongles with external WiFi antenna, which can be mounted externally on the waterproof boxes.

Thanks anyway

Ok
First i quote you on this "So I do need dongles with external WiFi antenna, which can be mounted externally on the waterproof boxes."

====>If you WiFi is bad! then bad things will happen to other connected things like (RF) z-wave

Now I get you. Suggestion 1. But also if I may ask what happens when you run a properly installed network cable? 2. Get rid of your APs because if they were to work well they best work best when bridged with a cable. (Or please consider using a powerful router like these bad boys here: https://www.asus.com/us/Networking/RT-AC88U/ and to secure your network read more about them here: https://www.flashrouters.com/blog/20...up-vlan-ddwrt/)
Now the 3. Option that I use requires to use MQTT but with the use of a different z-wave divice because you can solder an external antenna port on it like this one :https://www.adafruit.com/products/1661 thus being able putting the antenna far away from the server itself. That is what was also intended to place the ZNET at long distances (HomeSeer needs to change the design) but if you encase them in extra boxes you are obstracting their antennae and therefore limiting their range.


So to sum it all up:

1. May be a no go for you. (cheapest!)
2. Expensive
3. Cheaper but requires you learn how to use MQTT (there is a plugin for mqtt. A raspberry PI and of course the z-waze device) But the again if your network is not wired then things don't "play ball".

Images for antenna extention =====> https://www.google.com/search?q=wifi...DRA-YQ_AUIBygC

NOTE: I did not test that z-wave device with the HomeSeer plugin. Because if it works well with mqtt then why change it?


I hope any of that helps.



Eman.

[zwolfpack]

It does sound like your link may be dropping packets. The zwave plugin has thresholds built in that if exceeded will cause it to abort the connection. I presume that the link is re-established after it drops?
To test the link, try pinging the z-net from the HS3 host. If the host is Windows,
ping -t 192.168.33.26
If Linux,
ping 192.168.33.26
Let that run awhile then Ctrl-C and view the packet loss statistic.

[Eman]

It does sound like your link may be dropping packets. The zwave plugin has thresholds built in that if exceeded will cause it to abort the connection. I presume that the link is re-established after it drops?
To test the link, try pinging the z-net from the HS3 host. If the host is Windows,
ping -t 192.168.33.26
If Linux,
ping 192.168.33.26
Let that run awhile then Ctrl-C and view the packet loss statistic.

No,

I did not suggest that. I have got an extremely powerful network and not to mention this this router: https://www.asus.com/us/Networking/RTAC87U/ which I only use for my phone and the iPAD. I like streaming media and anything of mine if it's got a network port (rj45) it has to be wired! No compromise!
I once bridged routers and APs but took all of them. Because all of them combined could not beat that router!.

EDIT: I'm sorry zwolfpack. This post was not intended for you. Or do you want me delete it?



Eman.