Node Cycling In and Out

This post addresses a WiRES-X node that constantly leaves and rejoins a room.

 

This type of problem is almost always the result of a networking issue. When certain networking problem occur the HRI-200 software will wack out (a technical term). Once the software has been wacked out, it will continue to cycle in and out of whatever room it is connected to. Restarting the WiRES-X software usually solves the problem.

 

1. Turn off UPnP. It should never be used!!!!!!

2. Turn off all quality of service features like those to improve Xbox gaming or VoIP functions. (Yes I know we’re using VoIP so you’d think it would help.)

3. In fact turn off everything you don’t have to have.

4. Some routers are total crap and need to be rebooted every few weeks.

5. You’re not using Wi-Fi are you? Wired is always better than wireless – we should know! Drop-outs in Wi-Fi can cause this issue.

6. Did I mention, turn off everything on the router you don’t need?

 

1. Something as simple as the ISP dropping your connection for a few minutes in the middle of the night when they’re doing maintenance.

2. The ISP just doing a bad job of getting packets to you during prime evening Netflix viewing.

3. The ISP switching your IP address. (I think CenturyLink just does this for the fun of it.)

 

1. Make sure Win10 doesn’t put the USB interface to the HRI-200 to sleep. It really, really likes to do this. Just going to the obvious place in the control panel to turn this feature off doesn’t really turn it off. See the documents on running Win 7/10 24x7x365 remotely in the Fusion Help section at HamOperator.com.

2. Make sure the computer isn’t crap. Cheap computers may not have quite the reliable communication interfaces that we need.

3. Banish all RFI and ground loops. Make sure RF is not getting into the USB interface to the HRI-200. This can cause message errors and really screw things up.

4. Make sure you computer actually has enough power to run the HRI-200 reliably. Get one of those USB power thingies and make sure you have a solid 5VDC under load.

 

1. Bad data on the WiRES-X network can mess things up. This happens mostly with hotspots that are bridged into the WiRES-X room. On MNWis and a few other networks we’ve banished this problem by banishing FCS and running YSF server software that banishes bad data from hotspots. So if you have this problem in one room, say AmericaLink and not others, there may be nothing you can do.

2. Yaesu radios that are running really old firmware or have not had the firmware updated correctly (I.e., “I did the main CPU but I’ll get around to the DSP later.”)

 

The port check should not be relied upon to definitely prove it’s working or not working. The test is not exactly the same as actually communicating with the Yaesu list servers and the room server. So it can lie to you with false positives and false negatives. This is because the port check uses the Yaesu servers in Japan to perform the test, not the room server you’re trying to connect to. Routing issues can cause one to work whilst the other doesn’t.

 

You may also experience a similar problem if the Yaesu list servers are not able to keep up with the demand or if maintenance is being done. (When they do maintenance in the wee hours of the morning, that’s right in the middle of the day for us.)