4.0 upgrade problem/Mac

[bdeignan]

I'm having challenges and hoping someone can help. I've followed these instructions but during the final stage nothing happens.

I wait for several, several, several, minutes and when I refresh the static IP assigned to the BCS it doesn't connect. If I cut the power to the BCS and restart it will fire back up with the original IP and firmware version.

My setup is the BCS hard wired to a TP-Link setup as a repeater (with a static IP to the main router). Both the BCS and repeater have static IPs.

Any thoughts on my issue?

[JonW]

My setup is the BCS hard wired to a TP-Link setup as a repeater (with a static IP to the main router). Both the BCS and repeater have static IPs.

Others have had issues with the TP-links. I would say that at least for the firmware update part, you should direct connect the unit to your main router.

Both TFTP and the BCS Finder use UDP which is what the repeater setups are likely blocking.

[bdeignan]

My main router is mounted up in a closet and the BCS another part of the house.

Instead, I tried connecting the BCS directly to my Mac... but no success. I assigned a static IP to the Mac, ran the TFTP, selected the firmware upgrade on the BCS and typed in the Mac IP. Nothing. Just an empty page unless I cut power to the BCS and re-start.

What is the process for upgrading when directly connected to the BCS? Ladder logic etc.. is a piece of cake but I can't seem to get this connection stuff figured out.

Any thoughts?

[JonW]

My main router is mounted up in a closet and the BCS another part of the house.

Instead, I tried connecting the BCS directly to my Mac... but no success. I assigned a static IP to the Mac, ran the TFTP, selected the firmware upgrade on the BCS and typed in the Mac IP. Nothing. Just an empty page unless I cut power to the BCS and re-start.

What is the process for upgrading when directly connected to the BCS? Ladder logic etc.. is a piece of cake but I can't seem to get this connection stuff figured out.

Any thoughts?

If you are not getting any TFTP session starting (which requires resetting the BCS to get it out of TFTP update mode), then the BCS is unable to see the TFTP server. This can be for many reasons including (but not limited to) your router/wireless config is blocking UDP, the ports are closed on your machine not allowing connection to the TFTP server or the default gateway is set incorrectly on the BCS not allowing it to find resources on the network. This is why we suggest connecting directly to your router.

In case you were unaware, the green terminals on the BCS unplug so that the BCS can be removed from your system without disturbing any wiring. I'd suggest unplugging the terminals and taking the BCS to the router.

A direct connection with your computer is no longer supported. Although it can be made to work, the method of doing so varies by operating system and specific computer configuration and is something that absolutely requires advanced networking knowledge to make work. There are just too many variables involved in this type of setup to effectively support it.

[oakbarn]

You can take your router to the BCS if you can once you have downlaoded the update. This might be the easiest option as the IP Address issue is mute point if using the same router. Just take a pix of the wires and connections on the back of the Router and put them back when you are done with the update. You do not need to be connected to the internet to do the update, just to download it.

OR

You can buy a cheap router (Oxymoron with Apple) and just use it for the firmware update. You do not need the internet once you have downloaded the firmware update. Just connect both your computer and the BCS to the Router. You will likely need to find BCS using the Utility if it exists for the MAC ( I am a PC guy). This is a quick easy decision and once you have the IP Address assigned to the BCS, easy to repeat. You should get a router with the same Gateway as your existing router. ie if your is 192.18.1.1 then get a router that also has the gateway 192.18.1.1. This is important if using a static IP! Most routers of the same brand have the same gateway. (http://www.techspot.com/guides/287-defa ... addresses/). You might even be able to get one off Craiglist. This is the option I use because I just have to unplug the the ethernet cable from the BCS and plug in a short one to from the router. My computer can connect to the Router via Wifi so I can do this quickly with one wire (Ethernet) to mess with. I use DHCP and I know that the "firmware" update router will assign the same address as nothing else is hooked to it.

OR

You can take your BCS to the router.

1. Turn off all power to the BCS and disconnect the power supply from the BCS.
2 Unplug the Ethernet cable.
3. Look at the orientation of the BCS. Take a pix.
4. Using a flat head screw driver, gentlely remove the Green Terminal strips on the sides of the BCS. There are 4 and come off fairly easy. Just be careful.
5. Take the BCS, the Power Supply, and an short Ethernet cable and take to the router.

You do not need the Green Terminals to do a firmware update.

6. Once you have completed the update, take your BCS and Power Supply back to your BCS enclosure.
7. Plug the Green Terminals back into the correct slot. I personally have mine numbered and some guide lines so I know where and how to put them back.

This is all predicated on the fact that your BCS is accessible and able to be removed. I built my BCS enclosure so that I could do this. I also built it so I could do a Hard 15 Second Reset without removing it.


My router is in my house while my BCS is in my barn about 200 feet away so I have all kinds of devices between them.

[brahn]

Like JonW said, a direct connection is by far the hardest way to access the BCS. However, if you were able to see the BCS using the direct connection in order to initiate the firmware update process the most likely problem is the TFTP server not working. While the Mac comes bundled with a tftp server, getting it to work can be difficult. Did you follow all the steps listed in this post earlier in this thread?

http://forum.embeddedcc.com/viewtopic.p ... =10#p10179

[bdeignan]

Thank you so much for the support guys.

I've now tried:
- Connecting the BCS & my Mac directly to the router
- Connecting the BCS directly to my Mac

I'm following the exact steps shared for the TFTP connection and the result is the same every time:
- I can type the BCS static IP that I assigned (192.168.0.91) and get to the BCS controls.
- On the final step (clicking firmware upgrade) I type in the IP address listed in the TFTPserver as the host.
- Then nothing... if I refresh the browser a few minutes later it won't connect to the BCS.

Questions:
- On execution of the final step, is it possible to see that the connection has started?
- Maybe I need to adjust some of the network proxys on my Mac (attached image)? If so, what address to I enter (attached image)?

[brahn]

If the TFTP server is working the update happens very quickly, just a few seconds. It's hard for us to troubleshoot what's going on with your PC because there are so many variables. I would start by looking at the logs on your PC, there should be some log entries for TFTP and they may give a clue. I'd also double check the firewall settings. Proxy settings should have nothing to do with it, but disabling the Proxies entirely wouldn't hurt. FTP and TFTP are not at all the same thing. I see in your screenshots you checked the FTP Proxy, please make sure in the firewall settings that you checked TFTP and not FTP.

[bdeignan]

I really do appreciate the help / guidance. I know how impossible it can be via a blog...

I'm using the TFTPServer app, not the one built-in the Mac. When you say computer log, are you referring to Log Viewer? (screenshot) I'll try again tonight and watch the log.

[JonW]

I really do appreciate the help / guidance. I know how impossible it can be via a blog...

I'm using the TFTPServer app, not the one built-in the Mac. When you say computer log, are you referring to Log Viewer? (screenshot) I'll try again tonight and watch the log.

You said in a previous post that you were accessing the BCS at 192.168.0.91, yet your screenshot is showing your TFTP server running on 172.16.13.29. This could be a likely problem. Can you access that drop-down on the TFTP server and see if there is a 192.168.0.xxx address that the server can bind to?

Both the BCS and your computer need to be on the same physical network (and logical network addresses) to be able to see each other. Based on the addresses you've stated/shown, the two devices cannot see each to allow TFTP to work.