Forum Discussion

JonT2020's avatar
JonT2020
Tuning in
9 months ago

Cloud lost connection

Alarm system - my alarm control panel is connected to my Virgin router but not polling to a third party cloud and showing a "FULL NETWORK" message on the diagnostic menu.

They have checked all settings within the alarm control panel which have not changed since installation which was working correctly with the Virgin router previously. Since I changed my package to allow for faster speeds, they are saying that virgin have blocked "OUTBOUND PORT 25000" which is the port that Virgin must allow for the cloud to work.

I need someone from Virgin to contact me and remedy situation. I have rang twice and both times saying that I would receive a call back but no response.

  • Client62's avatar
    Client62
    Alessandro Volta
    9 months ago

    Since you changed to a faster package has there been a change of VM Hub ? 

    If Yes, to a Hub 5, make sure "Smart Security" is Disabled in the VM Connect app.

    • JonT2020's avatar
      JonT2020
      Tuning in
      9 months ago

      Thanks

      Still on Hub 3, increased speed from 350 to 500

  • Client62's avatar
    Client62
    Alessandro Volta
    9 months ago

    The Hub 3 will have been restarted to pick up the M500 profile, has the Alarm and any network switches between the alarm and the Hub 3 also been restarted ?

    Check also in the VM Online Account to make sure Child Safe and Virus safe have not re-activated and started affected the connection.

    Can you see the alarm listed in the Hub 3 menu >>> Connected devices ? ( has it completed the DHCP process )

    The Port 25000 business was so odd, perhaps a support desk ploy to get you off the call.

    • JonT2020's avatar
      JonT2020
      Tuning in
      9 months ago

      The alarm and hub are connected. The control panel on the alarm panel says it has network connection

      I've turned off the child and virus safe options, but that hasn't changed anything. Still cant connect.

      But I can't see the alarm as being listed on the connected devices ststus on the app.

  • Client62's avatar
    Client62
    Alessandro Volta
    9 months ago

    On our Hub 3, the DHCP devices all show as connected devices.

    But we have two Wireless Access Points with static IPs 192.168.0.2  & 192.168.0.3,
    these do not appear in the Hub 3 Connected devices list.

    In the alarm panel can you see the alarm network configuration ?

    We would expect to see...
    IP in the range 192.168.0.xxx
    Gateway of 192.168.0.1
    Mask of 255.255.255.0
    DNS of 194.168.4.100 and / or 194.168.8.100

    • JonT2020's avatar
      JonT2020
      Tuning in
      9 months ago

      Thanks

      We've checked the network configuration and it's as it should be.

      As I say it worked when initially connected, but had not since the speed was changed.

      We used a phone as a portable hub and it all worked fine.

      So it's something on the virgin system which is stopping it connecting to the alarm cloud

  • Client62's avatar
    Client62
    Alessandro Volta
    9 months ago

    So the alarm works over a phone Hot spot, but not over the Hub Wi-Fi.

    If over the Hub Wi-Fi the Alarm is not present in the Connected device list  of the Hub admin menu  ( i.e. not looking via the Connect app ) I would suspect the Alarm is not fully connected to the Hub, perhaps some other issue has blocked the Alarm from the Hub such as Wi-Fi Pausing / MAC Filtering.

    Again the Connect app can not be trusted to list all paused devices.



    • JonT2020's avatar
      JonT2020
      Tuning in
      9 months ago

      I checked the Mac filtering page on the hub.

      It lists all the devices that are being used in the house.

      It then has one item further down which is listed as enabled under Mac filtering but I don't know what this item would be.

  • Client62's avatar
    Client62
    Alessandro Volta
    9 months ago

    Here is my Blue Peter script ....

    Disable MAC filtering to re-enable Paused devices ( Hub 3 )

    Login to the Hub's menus at http://192.168.0.1

    1) Advanced settings >>> Wireless >>> Security

       1.1) then set Wireless MAC Filtering to Disabled

       1.2) "Apply changes"
     
    2) Advanced settings >>> Security >>> MAC Filtering

        2.1) then delete all entries in the MAC filter list

        2.2) Enable Always on

       2.3) "Apply changes"

    • JonT2020's avatar
      JonT2020
      Tuning in
      9 months ago

      Thanks

      But what is the item showing in the Mac filter list - why would it be there?

  • Client62's avatar
    Client62
    Alessandro Volta
    9 months ago

    The usual reason is some one paused a device they failed to recognise.  
    Wi-Fi Pausing is utterly lethal & I wish VM would remove it.

    See if it is the Alarm.
    Note down the MAC and see if it becomes a Connected device when deleted from MAC filtering.

    • JonT2020's avatar
      JonT2020
      Tuning in
      9 months ago

      Thanks. I learnt a bit.

      Unfortunately it was not the alarm that was in the filter.

      So the alarm panel works, it says connected to network, we tried it with a portable hub and works, I cant obviously see the alarm on the virgin hub, and it's not connecting to the cloud.

      This is after it workinfor over 2 years, and the only change is the speed change.

       

  • Client62's avatar
    Client62
    Alessandro Volta
    9 months ago

    At this distance I am left with the impression that the Alarm is not connected to the VM Hub 3 as it is missing from the Connected devices list.

    Consider if there are there any other Wi-Fi access points / Wi-Fi Repeaters / VM Pods or Wi-Fi Powerline extenders that the Alarm could connect to but perhaps then fail to find a route to the VM Hub ?

    Failing all of this I'm tempted to say change the SSID  / Password on the VM Hub, then reconnect the Alarm Wi-Fi to the new Wi-Fi name just to force a new connection situation.

    Kind of running out of ideas.   Perhaps a 60 second press of  RESET on the Hub & revert it to the shipping state.

    • JonT2020's avatar
      JonT2020
      Tuning in
      9 months ago

      I've tried all that unfortunately.

      Can virgin media contact me to assist.

      The system worked. All that has changed is speed upgrade and pods added. Now it doesn't. So has happened to block the signal talking to the cloud.

  • Roger_Gooner's avatar
    Roger_Gooner
    Alessandro Volta
    9 months ago

    You haven't mentioned pods before. Remove them and see if your alarm system works with only a hub connection.

    • JonT2020's avatar
      JonT2020
      Tuning in
      9 months ago

      The pods are out and showing as being off line.

      But no connection to the cloud still.

  • Sephiroth's avatar
    Sephiroth
    Alessandro Volta
    9 months ago

    You'll get no joy from VM staff.  This is down in the weeds and not in their scripts.  Also, they'll say that 3rd party equipment is entirely outside their purview.

    When something as important as this occurs, it's time to go to Modem Mode, imo.  You would buy your own industry standard router and all your issues will disappear.  It wouldn't occur to me not to be in Modem Mode for all the stuff I've got connected to the VM hub.

    Apart from that, the Hub 3 is a terrible device - almost as bad as the CONNECT app.

    • JonT2020's avatar
      JonT2020
      Tuning in
      9 months ago

      Thanks

      But it works elsewhere and it worked previously here.

      All it is a alarm key pad system connecting to the home WiFi which then sends a signal to the third party cloud.

      It worked OK for years, and since the speed upgrade and additional pods, it no longer does.

      The third party product hasn't changed in that time.

      • Sephiroth's avatar
        Sephiroth
        Alessandro Volta
        9 months ago

        Just saying.  Your best chance of solving this if you want to remain with the current setup is that someone with a similar alarm solution is able to sort you out. VM won't.  Modem mode!

  • jpeg1's avatar
    jpeg1
    Alessandro Volta
    9 months ago

    I went to considerable trouble to run ethernet from the alarm panel direct to the (non VM) router, bypassing switches etc. 

    Even with a solid mesh system, I want that connection to be hard wired.