Lost network access

[digitl]

I can no longer connect to my Fox-T2 through either Putty or the web interface. Both report 'Network error: connection timed out'.

I have reinstalled the customised firmware and that has made no difference. The Ethernet cable is plugged in and the box reports that it is connected to the LAN on its fixed IP address.

The only recent change is the installation of a new Samsung Pipeline 2TB drive three weeks ago but there have been no discernible issues following that.

Anyone with any ideas?

 

[prpr]

Can ya ping it? Or Telnet to it?

 

[EEPhil]

Use of Putty would suggest digitl has tried Telnet. Definately worth trying to ping it!
Without knowing more about the setup my first thoughts would be to check the settings in your router - does the IP address in the router match the fixed IP address your are using? Are you sure the computer you are using is connecting to the LAN properly? I don't use a router, nor do I have CF- but when I've had similar problems on a 2000T I've tried: 1) turning off all the network access on the Humax and then restarting them and/or 2) rebooting everything - computer, network switch, Humax. Usually that has solved the problem.

 

[Black Hole]

1: Reboot HDR-FOX
2: Reboot router
3: Assuming it still isn't working, Menu >> Settings >> System >> Internet Setting >> Configure LAN >> Configure IP = DHCP, then click "Apply" and see if the auto settings for IP Address and Netmask make sense.

 

[digitl]

Thanks, all, for the suggestions but:
I can't ping the box
The IP address in the router matches the fixed IP address I'm using (192.168.178.120 with port 81 forwarded for remote scheduling)
I've tried to connect from both my laptop and desktop but both failed
Reinstalling the custom firmware has made no difference
Rebooting the Humax has made no difference
Rebooting the router made no difference
Changing to DHCP produces 'Network connection has failed' and when I have returned to 'Manual' the IP address has been changed to 169.254.104.157, the netmask to 255.255.0.0 and the Gateway address to 0.0.0.0 rather than 192.168.178.1. Resetting these produces 'Network connected' when I click 'Apply'. But the box still isn't reachable: no ping (Destination host unreachable) and no web access.

And now I've discovered that the other two HDR-Foxs on the network are unreachable with one of them having switched itself to DHCP and having a 169.x.x.x address!

So, it looks like a network issue. But a network issue limited to these three boxes as everything else is functioning normally. The only thing common to them is remote scheduling from rs.hpkg.tv.

Anyone have any thoughts? I'm lost!

 

[MartinLiddle]

I can't ping the box

You need to concentrate on the network until you can at least ping this Humax. How are the Humaxes connected to the rest of the network?

 

[digitl]

All three are connected Ethernet through homeplugs in different rooms.

At least one other device is using the same three port TP-Link homeplug as the Humax I first noticed was problematic.

But... I've just checked a Humax Freesat HDR 1100S and it, too, is not connecting. It's 192.168.178.123 IP address has changed to 192.0.2.100 and the Gateway address to 0.0.0.0. After resetting it, it reports that it's connected (BeBox, 192.168.178.123) but I can't ping it and 'On demand' has been loading for quite a while now.

 

[Black Hole]

All three are connected Ethernet through homeplugs in different rooms.

That's your problem. Have you tried rebooting the HomePlugs?

Changing to DHCP produces 'Network connection has failed'

That means the DHCP negotiation with the router failed to get a response, and the problem (assuming the router is OK) is the link between the HDR-FOX and the router (including the HDR-FOX's Ethernet port and all hardware to the router). Assuming rebooting/reconfiguring the HomePlugs doesn't get it going, the obvious answer is that one or more of them have failed.

Note that HomePlugs don't necessarily wake up fast enough to perform a boot-time DHCP negotiation, which is why you need manual IP setting under normal circumstances. DHCP is a useful test probe.

 

[digitl]

Five homeplugs reset and re-paired, and all the boxes are now reconnected.

Thanks for the help: much appreciated!

 

[prpr]

Five homeplugs reset and re-paired

<mode=Phil the Greek>
I won't have those infernal ruddy things in the palace.
</mode>
Shame you didn't mention that when you said "The Ethernet cable is plugged in...". To what? The implication was that it was hard-wired to the switch/router.

 

[Black Hole]

Yep. The admission about HomePlugs should have been in the first post. I'm quite used to having to reboot mine, which tend to be OK until I try copying files to PC (I don't know why that kills them in particular, but it seems to be more reliable if I use FTP rather than SMB).

 

[Trev]

After all this time you should realise that it's often difficult to elicit the relevant information from those who says "It doesn't work" and often the vital piece of info just sometimes 'leaks out' much later.

 

[prpr]

After all this time you should realise that it's often difficult to elicit the relevant information from those who says "It doesn't work" and often the vital piece of info just sometimes 'leaks out' much later.

Indeed. Just proves yet again that you can't beat a CATx cable from devices to switch. Wins every time.
And it's interesting that the first attempt at fixing is to re-install the firmware (whatever that hopes to achieve - nothing that I can think of), rather than basic connectivity checks.

 

[Trev]

And it's interesting that the first attempt at fixing is to re-install the firmware (whatever that hopes to achieve - nothing that I can think of), rather than basic connectivity checks.

That's pretty much what people tell you to do every time, however miss-guided misguided that may be.
Reset to factory defaults is the other.

They seem to miss out on the 'switch it off and switch it back on again' (although OP had already tried a reboot, but it's not the same thing).
Having said that, I am pleased for OP that he now has it up and running with, hopefully, a lesson learned.

 

[digitl]

Yep. The admission about HomePlugs should have been in the first post. I'm quite used to having to reboot mine, which tend to be OK until I try copying files to PC (I don't know why that kills them in particular, but it seems to be more reliable if I use FTP rather than SMB).

I had made a point of trying to include everything that I thought was relevant but my mind was on the box itself after I had replaced the hard drive following more than a few hangs.

 

[digitl]

<mode=Phil the Greek>
I won't have those infernal ruddy things in the palace.
</mode>
Shame you didn't mention that when you said "The Ethernet cable is plugged in...". To what? The implication was that it was hard-wired to the switch/router.

I was concentrating on the box which had been playing up. I was concerned that, after replacing the hard drive, there was a different fault. A 'physical' network error had not crossed my mind, especially as the homeplugs haven't missed a beat since I installed them 12 months ago.

 

[digitl]

Indeed. Just proves yet again that you can't beat a CATx cable from devices to switch. Wins every time.

With where the router and various boxes are in this house there's no way I can run cables.

And it's interesting that the first attempt at fixing is to re-install the firmware (whatever that hopes to achieve - nothing that I can think of), rather than basic connectivity checks.

A reinstall was the first thing I thought of after resetting the IP address was down to the possibility of it being corrupted after the various crashes and hangs. With more knowledge and experince perhaps I might have done things differently.

 

[digitl]

Having said that, I am pleased for OP that he now has it up and running with, hopefully, a lesson learned.

And I'm grateful for the help, though a little disappointed at the negatives surrounding how I described the problem. I had tried very hard to provide what I thought was a complete picture but missed just the one aspect which didn't cross my mind as other devices on the homeplug in question were still functioning.

 

[MartinLiddle]

With more knowledge and experince perhaps I might have done things differently.

The first thing to do is to try and ping the box which should work with the standard firmware or the custom firmware. If you can't get a response then you have to look at the network. There is a myriad of possibilities of what could be wrong (faulty or loose cable, confused router or switch, faulty WiFi or Homeplugs, network settings changed etc) and you just work through the list.

 

[Trev]

... but missed just the one aspect which didn't cross my mind as other devices on the homeplug in question were still functioning.

That is strange. No idea why that should be. Perhaps one of the gurus can explain it?