Previously Working HM Now Won't Connect


 

Paul Frere

TVWBB Member
I built my HM a year ago/May and after sorting some software issues (https://tvwbb.com/showthread.php?74219-RP-3b-HeaterMeter-boot-woes) it has been a joy.

I last used it a few months ago and it was fine. For T-day yesterday, however, it would not connect to my WiFi from my deck, where it used to happily do so. Today I booted it within three feet of my WAP and got only the 192.168.201.1 default IP. I then connected it to one of my switches with CAT5 and got the same result.

So apparently something has died. Should I just replace the raspberry pi 3 B+? With a RP4? Or?

edit: I am not using a blower, but all the temp functions of the HM worked fine yesterday. Not having a network connection reduced the entertainment value of the cook but didn't hold up the show.
 
Hard to say really, after sitting a while maybe the SD Card or WiFi adapter need to be reseated? You could try that... Beyond that you need to know if the software is actually loading on the rPi, you could plug in a monitor to the HDMI on the rPi to watch what is going on there (depending on rPi model and cables available).
It seems odd that it wont grab an IP from DHCP when connected to your wired network (indicated by the .201.1 IP), you could try setting a computer to that same IP block and try to connect to that IP via wired lan to get to the HM config, or you could download the software again (I would use latest snapshot) pre-configured for your wifi and try re-imaging your SD card.
You could also use the HM menu to reset your HM, which should make it boot up in access point mode, then connect to the HEATERMETER AP with a wireless device and go into the config and scan for wireless networks to find and connect to yours.
A handful of suggestions there, somewhat generic because your options will vary depending on what model rPi you have and whether you can wire a display or wired lan to your HM....
 
Last edited:
You guys have been sniffing at the right thing.

When I first fired the HM up on T-day, everything was normal except for it not connecting.

In the course of fiddling with it, using the right button to look for its IP address (no joy) it did offer to reset but I left the "no" default. One time, though, the answer on the screen was "Yes" and the HM did reset. I assumed this was just a reset to factory defaults and didn't think much about it. I had no idea that the thing could be an access point but voila! I can see it using a WiFi analysis app that I have.

So I connected to the HM AP wifi, used the default IP and got into the HM. I found the page where it seemed that I could switch back to device mode from AP mode and that seemed to work. The HM now comes up as 192,168.2.2, which is a fine IP, and I can access its page.

So ... have I fixed this? Will the HM now come up properly? I still get "No HeaterMeter found at your site" from http://heatermeter.com/devices/ I'm pretty sure that used to work. When I power off and restart the HM it does show me its 192,168.2.2 address. So I am hopeful. :)
 
If you have connected to the HM Config page (via AP mode) and scanned for wireless networks, found your wifi network and connected and saved successfully then it should reconnect to that network when the HM boots. Move your wireless device back to your wireless network (away from HM AP) and you should be able to connect to the HM interface at the ip you reported (or whatever ip is showing on the HM LCD when it boots).
You will only see your HM listed on the HM site if you load the HM site from a computer using the same network as the HM.
 
If you have connected to the HM Config page (via AP mode) and scanned for wireless networks, found your wifi network and connected and saved successfully then it should reconnect to that network when the HM boots. Move your wireless device back to your wireless network (away from HM AP) and you should be able to connect to the HM interface at the ip you reported (or whatever ip is showing on the HM LCD when it boots).
Thanks. I wasn't sure if I had to do something else to make the DHCP mode persistent. I'll probably never know why the HM refused to connect on T-day. I just turned it on the way I always do. No messing with setup. But apparently it was in AP mode for some reason.

You will only see your HM listed on the HM site if you load the HM site from a computer using the same network as the HM.
Yes. I assumed that, but several minutes after I restarted the HM it still was not registered with the mother ship. Maybe it just takes longer to report in. Not a big deal.

Thanks again.
 
Mine started doing this yesterday. It no longer shows the IP address when booting up.
When mine was in Access Point mode, it did show the default IP address after bootup but it took a long time. The display would show normal scanning and then get interrupted by the default IP address display. 10-20 seconds, maybe? I never timed it.

To check for AP mode, just look at the list of available WiFi networks. Its SSID is obvious, "HeaterMeter" or something like that. Very easy now that I know what to look for.
 
Mine occasionally will quit talking to my router during a cook. Honestly it seems to be happening more frequently.

Simply unplugging the power source to HM momentarilly and plugging it back in tends to fix the problem and it reconnects and communicates fine and picks up where it was.

At times I've thought it was related to putting the heater meter in the open lid mode, accessing it from a second device at the same time, or making too many changes too quickly, because that has seemed to be the point at which I lost contact. I frequently have a tablet in the house connected to the heater meter which I monitor the cooks on. The tablet connects to my router port through a VPN. Sometimes I access with my phone as well from elsewhere.

The errors range from the checksum error to page can't be found. but momentarily unplug the heater meter and plug it back in and everything is back to normal after it boots up. Seems to be some kind of heatermeter firmware issue.

if the device tablet that's connected monitoring it has been in screensaver mode for a while..... Sometimes when thats reawakened the screen updates a whole bunch of numbers you can see the temperature changing as it processes through something that's been stored... Then it stops and it looks like hey it reach the current temperature. But it may or may not sometimes it's actually not communicating anymore and it doesn't change any more from that point but it still looks like it's active until you try and access the configuration screen and then you get the message saying it cant be found. until you unplug and replug the heater meter and reboot it and then all is well again. So for some reason, it drops out.
 
Last edited:

 

Back
Top