Can't log into bcs

[lupulinaddict]

Ok, so this is what I feared about going bcs. Computer troubles in the middle of a brew. Fortunately, I'm not brewing, but for some reason I can't log into the bcs. I have the 4.0 version so I ran that version utility finder again....it finds the bcs with the same IP address that I used to log into before, and set in the settings to keep, static I think? I've only been logging into it for a couple weeks, still new at it, but tonight my computer can't find it. I've tried shutting down the control panel, bcs gets power when panel is on, and restarting a couple times, but nothing. If the panel is off, then the bcs Finder won't find it. So I think the network is working. Power back up and it finds it on the same IP address. One thing that may provide a clue is that last time I used it I was using my computer and phone to control it. In the middle of the brew my phone lost connection to it, but my computer never had trouble. I figured it to be my phones fault. The next day I noticed my modem had been partially unplugged. My bcs is networked through a wifi extender, plugged directly into that, and that stays plugged in all the time. That shows to be operating fine. Anyone have any ideas? Thanks in advance! It's no fun when it's broke!

 

[BrunDog]

If the finder finds it, try pinging it (use the ping command in a command prompt or shell). If that doesn't work then eliminate the extender and plug the BCS directly into your router.

 

[lupulinaddict]

Thanks brundog.

I had to look up what and how to ping. I command prompt ping and the IP address of the bcs and it showed the four replies sent and received.

I was looking at the bcs forum and people with other problems reset theirs. Should I try that? I haven't found a problem like mine. Most problems are they cant find it, and they're resorting to reset. I can find it, with the bcs finder, but when I try to type in the IP address in the url bar it says page not found.

 

[JonW]

You can try resetting it, but chances are it's a networking problem - not a BCS problem. If your networking is rock solid, your connection to your BCS will be rock solid.

Like BrunDog said, you should start by connecting the BCS directly to your router and ensure everything is working fine. Then start dealing with your wifi extender or other hardware.

 

[lupulinaddict]

You can try resetting it, but chances are it's a networking problem - not a BCS problem. If your networking is rock solid, your connection to your BCS will be rock solid.

Like BrunDog said, you should start by connecting the BCS directly to your router and ensure everything is working fine. Then start dealing with your wifi extender or other hardware.

Thanks jonw

If I power off the bcs. Run the finder, and it doesn't find it. Then turn it on. Run the finder, and it finds it on it's set IP address, would that mean that my networking is correct?

I can't plug it directly into the router. The router is at the back of my house and the panel is hardwired in the garage. I would need a pretty long cable to try that. I could unwire and take the bcs out of the panel if you guys think that's what I should do.

 

[JonW]

The green terminal strips on the BCS unplug, so you can remove your BCS from the panel for testing without disrupting any of your wiring.

If you are seeing it with the finder, then the BCS is likely working fine, but I would suspect an issue with your wifi extender that is causing a communication problem.

Start by using the BCS plugged into the router for testing.

 

[lupulinaddict]

Ok so the terminal strips coming out is pretty cool. Bad news is I plugged it into the router and same issue. I even reran the bcs Finder thinking maybe it might have a new ip and it pulled up my original.

Any other thoughts?

 

[lupulinaddict]

I tried the 15sec reset and nothing. Tried the 25sec, and like it is supposed to, it reset the ip address so I was able to log back into it. Unfortunately, all of my processes are gone, but at least I can sleep easier tonight knowing that I got back into it. Thanks for your help guys.

Any ideas why it did that?

After I resest the ip I tried to put my old ip as the static. It changed it, but I couldn't log back into it with that ip. So I reset it again, and this time reset the ip to something else. Works, as of tonight... My best guess is when the router was partially unplugged the other night maybe one of our other devices reset to the same ip I was using for the bcs? Anyway, Thanks again!

 

[BrunDog]

You should make sure the static IP you are using is outside the range of dynamic assignments the router is using (DHCP). Alternatively, most modern routers can be configured to assign a particular device an IP address based upon its MAC address.

 

[lupulinaddict]

You should make sure the static IP you are using is outside the range of dynamic assignments the router is using (DHCP). Alternatively, most modern routers can be configured to assign a particular device an IP address based upon its MAC address.

I rewatched ebrewsupply's setup video, and he mentioned the same thing. That's what made me think maybe something else was assigned to that IP address. I was using xxxx106, I just made it in the 200 range like he recommended.

So you're saying I can program the bcs's MAC address into my non-Mac router, to be ultra safe from this happening again? Maybe I'll do that.

 

[JonW]

Non-Mac router? There is no such thing. The term MAC used here has nothing to do with Mac's or Apple - it means "Media Access Control". Every Ethernet device whether hard-wired or wireless has a factory assigned MAC address. In your router, you can usually setup "reservations" so that you can leave your device as a default DHCP setup, but the router will auto-assign it the same IP address every time based on the reservation you create. The way the router knows what IP address to give out is by the devices MAC address.

After you setup your BCS again, make sure you back it up! Any time you do a firmware update in the future, you'll need to restore from backup also.

 

[lupulinaddict]

Ok. Thanks Jon that makes more sense. I didn't know the MAC address I saw was pertaining to the bcs in that regard. I totally thought it meant if setting up with an apple. Like if you were to install a game on an apple/Mac or pc.

Yeah, I'll definitely back up this time! I needed to re-do some of the processes, anyway, because I needed to change portions from actually brewing with it. There is sure a lot I need to learn on what this can do! It makes learning how to wire the system seem like a walk in the park now.