IRTrans Ethernet Setup Problems

[kjt]

I am trying to set up an IRTrans Ethernet module. It's successfully getting an IP address by DHCP and I can ping it. I can also log into the device's web pages.

(1) I'm a bit horrified to find only now that there are versions of this module with and without an IR database. This wasn't obvious when I ordered it. How do I know if it has an IR database? The manual talks about a "Mode - Device database" web page, but doesn't say how to get to this page.

(2) If it doesn't have an IR database, then it seems it won't work just like a USB-connected one (which is what I'd been led to believe). If so, how can I send commands to it? The manual seems to assume the presence of an IR database.

(3) If I do "IRTransTray.exe -logfile C:\Temp\IRTrans.log 10.0.0.101" I get told "Error opening USB Device / Device not found". I can ping the device, so what might the problem be - a Windows firewall issue?

(4) "IRRemote.exe 10.0.0.101" does nothing - the command just finishes without any message. Any thoughts?

Thanks!

[IRTrans]

Regarding your questions:

1) You can see it on the typelabel. If it has got the IR Database there will be "IRDB" mentioned on the typelabel. The Device Database is not accessed via the web browser - it will be controlled using the IRTrans GUI Client.

2) If it does not have an IR database it will work like a USB device: The irserver SW talks to the device and clients (like the GUI Client) can send IR commands through the irserver SW. No clients will talk directly to the IRTrans device.

3) The connection problem will most probably be caused by a firewall on your PC.

4) The GUI Client (irremote.exe) will connect to the running server, not to the device.

You should have a look at the manual, it describes the structure (Client -> Server -> IRTrans Device).

IRTrans

[kjt]

Many thanks for the clarifications. I've responded at length because I think that there are some places where the manuals or web pages could be more explicit. I had already read the main and Ethernet manuals several times.

(1) Indeed there isn't an "IRDB" on the label. The manual might usefully mention that the devices are distinguished this way. It's not clear when ordering an Ethernet module what the implications of having an IRDB or not are. In fact, I'd interpreted the IRDB option as meaning the device had a preloaded database of common devices - and that wasn't relevant to me. I think the web pages could clarify what this option means - and what the lack of the IRDB option implies.

(2) As far as I can see, the Ethernet manual (v 3.8) doesn't cover the case where there is no IRDB capability. It looks like I need to start up the server on the local host with the remote IP address as parameter, and then send commands to the server on the local host. As a matter of curiosity, can I have multiple server instances at different ports on the same host? I don't see a port parameter for irserver/irtranstray (main manual v3.03, section 4.1). This situation could arise if I wished to control a local USB device and a remote Ethernet device (or multiple remote devices).

(3) It turns out that TCP at port 21000 needs to be enabled in the firewall. Because I've been using USB devices up to now, the firewall settings hadn't been an issue. I imagine that initial software setup would enable this port, but because I've been using only USB devices up till now the port wasn't enabled. The manual might usefully mention this. With the TCP port enabled, I can now successfully start "irtranstray ip_address". Incidentally, the use of an IP address as a parameter doesn't seem to be in the main manual (v 3.03, section 4.1 - though it's almost in section 4.2).

(4) If I run "irremote" without any parameter I get "the application failed to initialize properly (0xC0000022)" even though the server is running. (I also tried it with an IP address parameter, but that does nothing.) What I can get to work is the command-line "irclient" (using UDP). Fortunately that's enough for now.

[IRTrans]

Regarding your remarks:

1) As we assume that the customer knows which device he has ordered we do not mention how to differentiate the modules in our manual. The technical information page on our website describes what the IR Database is: http://www.irtrans.de/en/technicalinfo/lan.php.

2) In general the base IRTrans manual describes how to handle devices without IR Database. Furtermore on page 6 of the Ethernet manual there is a step by step instruction how to set up the software. It also mentions how to use multiple devices and that UDP port 21000 needs to be excluded from a firewall.
To use multiple devices simply list them separated by a semicolon (";"): irtranstray usb;192.168.0.32;192.168.0.33

3) This information can be found on page 6 of the IRTrans manual

4) I have never seen this error message. It looks like an installation problem.

IRTrans

[kjt]

(1) This question arose because I had simply ordered an Ethernet module, not being aware of all the variants and their implications at the time. I had seen only the order page. Thanks for the URL with further technical information, though I don't think it spells out the implications of not having the IRDB option.

(2) I see the section now on page 6 point 3. It hadn't been clear to me, even after a couple of readings, how exactly the Ethernet version was to be used. (This wasn't helped by being unsure which version I had.)

(3) Page 6 refers to server-module communication via UDP at port 21000 (which I had already enabled). It was the communication via TCP at port 21000 that also needed to be enabled.

(4) The installation has been working fine with USB modules. I'm beginning to think the software needs reinstalled now that I'm using it with an Ethernet module. I suspect that it's the USB-> Ethernet change that has raised these issues.

Thanks!

[IRTrans]

Hmm, all the communication between the Ethernet device and the server SW takes place via UDP.

In fact only the IRDB devices use the TCP/21000 port at all - perhaps your firewall for some reason expects TCP 21000 to be excluded.

The GUI Client (irremote.exe) is the same for all devices, therefore that does not really explain the problems you are having with the GUI Client.

IRTrans

[wplate]

Thank you for this thread. I was under the impression that the iRTrans ethernet box was self-contained and didn't require a server. Certainly this is going to be more complicated than I was anticipating, but at least now I know that.

[IRTrans]

Well, that depends on the type of device you use.

If you use the IRTrans Ethernet IRDB with internal flash memory (IRDB version) you do NOT need the irserver SW.
The IRDB devices (and LAN Controllers) can store the IR Codes internally and send them through very simple UDP commands.

IRTrans