http and Mark's docking stations

OK,

I have looked through the FAQ and searched the posts. I am sure this has come up before but I can't find it anywhere.

When my empeg is docked in one of Mark's docking stations, I can't get the web interface to work. ftp and http connections are refused. I can ping the empeg just fine.

I put the line dc_servers=1 line in the hijack section of the config.ini and syncronised and rebooted the empeg but it has had no effect. What am I doing wrong?

Have you tried just plugged into the Empeg without the dock involved ???

It works fine for me in the dock.

Cheers

Cris.

As stupid as it sounds, I had not tried that today. In the past I have never had any trouble bringing up the web client or connecting via ftp with the player plugged directly into AC.

I tried it just now and had the same problem. Now I am more confused than ever.

At least that might explain why dc_servers=1 had no effect.

Did your web stuff get erased when you put 2.0 final on the player?

I can't remember on this player if I put it back yet or not. But even if the web interface is wiped out from the upgrade...

wait, oh this is good. Hijack itself is still wiped out! That is why I can't connect. Now I feel good and stupid. This particular player is not the one I use inside as often and I just realized that I did not re-apply hijack after the upgrade to 2.0.

I will put hijack back on (and then of course put the web interface back on as well) and everything should be OK.

And also note that "dc_servers=1" is not necessary for docked operation -- it applies only to in-car usage.

Thanks,

Frankly I was grasping at straws at that point. It is very good to know however. I will take it out so I don't use memory unnecessarily in the car.

Just in case anyone is having issues getting Ethernet to work in a docking station, I just had this happen and found the player just needed to be pulled from the docking station and put back in a little "harder" than before.... now all is well. I guess the ethernet connector wasn't fully plugged in while the other docking connector was.

I might drill a hole in the back of my docking station so that the blue light can shine through to make this easier to diagnose.

Eh?

This should not happen. If it does, then I need to adjust the tolerance of the fit for the ethernet connection in the docks! I totally believe you, but am wondering if this is widespread or not?

If you're the only one, then it could be the cable (internal to the dock) that is at fault. They all must pass a live test here before they get shipped out, but we did have some trouble with them for a while, and you may have received a "marginal pass" that escaped our scrutiny!

Anyone else see this?

For general info: the cable internal to the dock is a standard 10-12" long straight through 4 pair cat5 cable, with RJ-45 male connectors crimped onto each end. It is field replaceable -- just remove the bottom panel (four screws), and unplug it to remove. But any replacement must be crimped in-place through the hole in the positiioning block.

If anyone has a DOA dock, I'll mail you a new cable at my expense. BUT ONLY for a DOA dock. Since all docks are tested here before shipment, those ought to number VERY few.

Thanks

If the problem persists, you could try opening the dock (4 screws on bottom), and adding a very small amout of spacer material of some kind (like a paper shim or three) between the positioning block and the panel that it butts against. Doing so will give it a tighter fit.

This should not normally be necessary, since we hand test each dock before shipment, but the tolerance on the ethernet connector can be finicky sometimes.

Cheers

Also, the first few (10 or 20) insertions may be necessary to "break in" the ethernet connection -- basically training it in the exact geometry for your particular player. But after that (or even before that, normally!) it should be 100% reliable.

Cheers

So if I have 2 players, or 3, I'm screwed?

Yeah, if you only have 1 docking station!

Mark, I just got the docking station yesterday and that was the only time I got to play with it. I'll give it another round of tests over the weekend. Love the dock by the way!

Weird thing is that the player worked the first time I popped it into the dock. Then, the next day (without removing it ever from the dock) the player could not be contacted via ethernet. Viewing the "About" screen showed it did not have the IP it should have had if it was on the network, so I knew where to start looking...

I only have one receiver to plug it into, so it doesn't make much sense to have 3 docks when only one player will be playing at a time.

One might think so, but in practice, my dock seems to not care which of my three players is inserted at any given time. Mostly I guess it's just training the ethernet plug to lie in the correct orientation. A hair either way might cause trouble.

HOWEVER, this is pure speculation from me, not something I have ever seen in practice on any dock I've shipped!

The ethernet trouble seen once by one user could easily just be the usual flakiness that I see all of the time (docked as well as not docked) -- DHCP just seems flakey at times. Mine now all use static IP, and work 100% reliably with that. DHCP works for them on my friend's network, just not reliably on my own. Dunno why, everything else on that same network/switch uses DHCP with nary a glitch.

Cheers

In reply to:

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Also, the first few (10 or 20) insertions may be necessary to "break in" the ethernet connection

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Mark, I just wanted to pop in and say that everything is fine now. Didn't want to scare anyone away.

Greetings!

It is just a very close tolerance thing. I have that problem with one specific player, where it will not fully connect with the ethernet. In a dark enough environment, you can see (or not see, in this case) the blue ethernet link light through the right side vent holes in the player and dock.

I had always assumed it was because I have the digital out connections installed, making the tolerances a little closer. Pressing the player on the right side is enough for it to establish link. I may open up a dock, and see if I can adjust this.

Well, the ethernet connection should not be giving anyone grief, but.. you can open the dock and just pull out a millimetre or two of additional cable, so that the RJ45 plug sticks out a wee bit more.

Cheers

Oh, I intend to. One of these days...