GC-100-12 Detection

[Armor Gnome]

I just received my < 3.0 firmware GC-100-12 and am having a rough time getting it connected.  Here is my setup.

Core (eth1) 192.168.80.1 > 5 port 10/100/1000 switch > GC-100-12.

Attempt 1:

Power off and unplug network cable from GC. Shorted pins 2&7 on first serial port while power was plugged in.  I got the light on sensor 1 flash, then all lights flash, then all lights off.  Powered off device, attached network cables as above and powered on the GC.  From orbiter I used "add GC-100" and it failed.

Attempt 2:

Concerned it was not working or my cable might be bad I grabbed a laptop and a router off the lmce network.  Changed the router to 192.168.1.254 and set range of IP to 2-253.  Connected GC-100-12 and noted it did not show up as a connected device. I entered 192.168.1.70 into the laptop browser and ta-da, global cache web browser!  At least I know it's working.  Now being the armorgnome everyone knows I tried "forcing it" by changing the network ip to .80.100, subnet 255.255.255.0 and gateway 80.1.  I applied settings and returned it to my lmce network.  Nothing...  No detection, no lease given, not able to enter 80.100 into a browser and see it.

Attempt 3:

I contacted Global Cache and requested a test, repair, upgrade quote.  No reply yet.  I will redo the factory reset method again and look at the detection script.  Perhaps even note the MAC and put that into a modified "add gc100" script though that would screw up adding other gc's if I like it and want more.

Help Request:

Add GC100 posts and wiki information goes back to the archives and often confuses me even more.  Could someone who has added a pre-3.0 firmware GC-100-12 in 10.04 provide their methods?  If I get it working I will get with the wiki group about updating the instructions.

[tschak909]

seriously, why did you get a pre 3.0 firmware GC100? they have a bucketload of problems, the last of which is no dhcp.

-Thom

[Armor Gnome]

"get a GC-100"

"a GC-100 is the supported way to do what you are trying"

eBay > GC-100-12 > sort ending soonest > buy gc-100

I didn't even know to ask about firmware.  My fault obviously as its very clear in the wiki!  I got it detected today however.  If you read the above you will see that I told it to use 80.100.  The wiki is very clear on putting its IP outside of lmce's Pluto reserved range which by default goes to 80.129.

It took an extra few steps over a 3.0+ model but I only paid $45 for it!

For anyone interested, Global Cache was very prompt with an email response and told me the cost to update firmware is set at $35 and they pay the return shipping.  You must contact them first to acquire an RMA but their advertised turn around is 1 day.

[Marie.O]

Who ever knows about flaws with older firmware might want to update the wiki page, to tell people about it in uncertain terms.

Thanks.

[Armor Gnome]

I have to recant my victory celebration speech over the GC-100-12.  As described in some archived posts I believe I lost connectivity after going into the browser interface of the GC-100.  I did this to change one of the IR inputs to sensor input.  When I came back to web-admin it remained listed as IR and I was getting new errors about not being able to resolve host name with the gc-100 that I was not getting before I went to the browser interface.

From the descriptions of problems noted back in the archive information it seems you had to be really specific about how you wanted to set baud rates, IR vs Sensor jacks etc before you connected the device to lmce.  I am going to attempt to connect to it again after changing some settings and then leave it alone to see if it stays on my network.

Two alternatives still remain. 

Put the gc-100-12 on my external network and access it like I have done before with samba shares and IP cameras. 

Pay the $35 plus shipping one way to send the unit in for a firmware update.

[Armor Gnome]

I finally was able to configure my gc-100 without sending it back to Global Cache, by closely following the instructions on the wiki article about adding the MAC to my perl script.  Here is my basis for believing I have it working:

After I factory reset, I then navigate to its default browser and configure IR ports to be sensors or IR
When I do the command "get gc100" LMCE finds it and adds it with children matching what I selected prior (ie. its getting info from the gc100 before adding it and children)
No errors starting it in dcerouter log, no errors at all other than no event handlers set for devices not yet attached
Two serial ports have been added to my available comm port on pc

Now I have the frustration of a unit that appears to work fine but sits there on my network and doesn't actually do anything.  I have tried setting the sensors as normally open, n.closed, input, output, both input and output, child of gc100, child of the sensor port (4:1) and no matter what I try I see DEVICE STATUS: NORMAL.  Please follow my logic below and correct any bad logic on my part:

not either serial port
devices 3:1 - 3:3 are relays so I cant use those as a doorbell
devices 4:1 & 4:2 are Generic Input Output Sensors - 4:1 has a 3.5 jack going to a normally closed contact switch, 4:2 is a 3.5 jack with wires spread until I solder another button
devices 4:3 & 5:1 - 5:3 are IR so I cant use those as a doorbell

In device tree I select Generic Input Output Sensor (4:1) under gc100
I set "input,output,both" to both because I don't know from which angle it is asking the question.  Does it receive input? Does it report to the gc100 output?  This part is confusing
I see that there is an option to set the normal state from normally open to normally close but it specifically states "if the device supports input"
Web-Admin>Security>add device> add doorbell
LMCE automatically assumes this will be controlled by Zwave so I have to change controlled by field to say Generic Input Output Sensor (4:1)
I use the same settings for the doorbell which is now a child of 4:1 and reload router
Device Status reads NORMAL for all devices associated
Pressing my button does nothing, and when pressed I see no activity on the gc100
My switch however shows constant activity on that port so I have to assume something is being discussed between lmce and my device?


I noticed that Global Cache sells a "contact closure sensor" to use when you want a contact to communicate with the gc-100, is this what other users are getting to make sensors work?  Alternatively I used a 3.5mm mono jack (one black stripe) and separated the wires to connect my button, should I use a stereo plug?

Thus far after reading everything I can about the gc100 on our wiki, our forums and their website I can not answer the question "what good is it?" despite everyone praising it.  I do not control anything in my home via IR and can not think of any device I would want to buy emitters for just to say I am. (Though I do have a usb-uirt for learning my device codes so I can share template information)  I have unused serial ports on 3 media directors and my core already.  Basically I bought this gc100 so that I could have a doorbell...  it may seem silly but after a thread entitled "doorbell... please help" the gc-100 was offered as an easy solution.

Please, I ask everyone who has/is using a gc100, what are you using it for?  How is it set up in web-admin?  What can it do?

[davegravy]

Make sure in your GC-100's web config that the ports are configured as "Sensor with Auto-Notify".

The default config in web admin otherwise worked for me. Input/output field should be setup as an input, but mine's blank and works fine. Tail the gc-100 device's log in /var/log/pluto and you should see activity during button presses. You don't need the input hardware module, but I think it does debouncing to prevent multiple triggers.

What do I use my GC-100 for?

Sensor inputs connect to: doorbell and all the security devices my house had (probably installed in the 80s) when I bought it, including motion detectors, window/door sensors.
Relays connect to:
-door chime x 2, one triggers during door presses, the other triggers on alarm system armimg countdown once per second.
-alarm siren
(if I had one more I'd connect my garage door opener to it)

[Armor Gnome]

I am afraid I have to admit to another frustration posting.  Just after posting this and going back over the details again I noticed that the diagrams from Global Cache indicate power coming into the sensor jacks, and they were stereo jacks so I was missing two important bits.

I did some digging around my parts bins and came up with a wall wart (AC to DC adapter), an couple old stereo headphone sets and 'sorry the name escapes me, non-twisted non-braided ethernet cable' and a computer case lead momentary contact switch.  I tossed together a couple foot long power-on-press cable that would deliver 3v @ 0.7A when the button was pressed and cut out when released.    I believe everyone in IRC chat new that I had succeeded before I could even type a coherent sentence.  My experiment worked and I could see the sensor light and ethernet port light up after a press.  I have some work ahead of me with getting LMCE to understand my device however as once hit once each sensor goes into "Tripped" state still and does not go back to 'Normal' without a quick-reload.  I don't see a setting for delay anywhere like X10 devices have so I will have to spend some time there.

Fortunately during my last few wiring runs I added extra cable from our server room (which we affectionately refer to as the data-center) so with a few exceptions for out of the way desired contact locations I am ready to get creative.  Below are a few of my ideas:

Replace some of my wiring cabinet cat5 patch panels with 10" telephone patch panels.  I will be sending power over some of these sensor lines and I don't want any mix-ups. 

Doorbell - Leave the battery powered unit at the gate and pull my active sensor line off of the chime indoors.  We have already converted it from C batteries to a wall wart so it shouldn't be hard to pull a signal from there.  Possibly add a second doorbell and chime so that visitors can ring Tehbard or me independently,

X10 motion and camera floodlight, currently working without a X10 network as a simple flood light whenever there is motion.  If I can get a line up to it's wire from sensor to socket I am sure Tehbard can parasite enough off that 110V to get us a signal.  Using gc100 to do X10 a new way!

Manometer/Pressure Differential sensor.  I have been looking at ways I can improve my core rack's cooling system and add some automation to its ducts with sensors, smart fans, actuators etc.  My system relies on a large variable speed squirrel-cage at the far end of the exhaust port to create a negative pressure space back through the ducts to the rack enclosure.  Ideally a pressure differential sensor will make sure the exhaust stays just ahead of what the rack devices are pushing and the entire enclosure will only draw the fresh air it needs slowly and through filtration.

"Follow-Me" buttons.  I found momentary contact switches in standard decorator style wall plate insert sizes.  They look just like the switches they are next to in multiple gang outlets but when pressed they instantly pop back out with an audible click.  I don't think I can tie the follow-me feature directly into a response to event but I can surely figure out a way to update current room and resume current media.  I am wiring one in my bedroom wall now so I can set up orbiter-less methods for activating mood lighting/music etc. 

Full House IR Blast?  I read a blog about a guy who with repeated splicing, was able to wire all of the IR devices in his home to a single USB-UIRT.  The principle was that if you blast a command at every device, only the device that understand that code would respond.  Perhaps he got lucky with no devices sharing codes but knowing there is enough energy to fire 20 emitters off an IR port is impressive.  I know that a USB-UIRT's built in emitter can control multiple devices in a single location, I do not see why a gc100 IR output can not be told to send commands for 5-10 devices as well...


Basically anything that does something (with electricity) I can leach and respond to with creative wiring.  This is why I was curious and still am curious about what other users have come up with for sensors.

     

[davegravy]

Note that you shouldn't need to feed power into the GC-100's sensor inputs. Of the 3 pins, i think one is ground, one supplies 5v, and the other is the sensor input. If you short the sensor input to ground it should trigger the input. You shouldn't need any external supply.

That said, my doorbell has a light in it, and requires 16V across it for the light to operate, so I had to build a small circuit to handle this and feed TTL to the GC-100's input.

[Armor Gnome]

Note that you shouldn't need to feed power into the GC-100's sensor inputs. Of the 3 pins, i think one is ground, one supplies 5v, and the other is the sensor input. If you short the sensor input to ground it should trigger the input. You shouldn't need any external supply.

Interesting, thank you.  From the GC-100 manual I interpreted the drawing to mean that the +5v power came in on the very bottom of the plug and was for IR only.  This would have explained why a mono 3.5" plug would not close the connection and trigger a tripped sensor.  When I went to a stereo plug where I supplied power to the middle band I was able to get a sensor tripped.  Having the +5v come from the gc-100 itself would be much much easier and open up even more options for me since that allows me to use ice-cube relays which will close a contact and register back at the gc-100.

I will do some experimenting, thank you.