B2 time zone & IP address

[Patrick Palmer]

The B2 is stuck on GMT and the settings menu does not have a set timezone option.

The IP address randomly changes, how do I make it stay at one address?

[Daniel Taylor]

You have to turn the knob slowly so as not to skip over any of the selections.

In your router, there will be a way to set a static IP address for the B2.

[fred.w....@gmail.com]

Hi desertpal

The assignment of the IP address is not under the control of the B2, this is being done by your House Router. 

Most routers allow you to assign a fixed ("static") IP No. to specified devices, the means of doing this varies from router to router but will always involve logging on as the Router's "Admin". The IP address for the Router and the "Admin" password will be on a sticker on the router somewhere (not the WiFi password). This and the manual should allow you to get there, but if you are having trouble I am sure someone on the Forum will have a similar Router if you tell us what it is.

The Timezone function is access from the front of the B2 using the screen and round knob. The function you want is to be found in the "settings" section

Fred

[Patrick Palmer]

Thank you, I found using the remote up/down arrows were more accurate than the knob. Still trying to make the IP a fixed number in the router.

[Patrick Palmer]

OK thanks all... I think I have the IP fixed now.

This B2 is absolutly amazing!

[Patrick Palmer]

Well as time marches on the IP changing just gets worse, perhaps someone familiar with Netgear and their WNDR3400 router could help solve the problem. It might be as simple as a weak signal but unlikely as other devices run fine. The B2 is about 5 meters from the router.

I have set LAN setting to .1.3 and named it B2:

 

The static IP is also set to .1.3 and named B2:

However the attached devices never shows the device name:

The IP has been 5 or 6 different numbers in two or three days, it has been 1.10, 1.11, 1.12, 1.14, etc. over the last few days.

On the Debug screen I see this over and over:

“30 Pings Dropped - netbroken2 () FAILED

wifiWatchdog () - restarting wlan030 Pings Dropped - netbroken2 () FAILED

wifiWatchdog () - restarting wlan0

refreshUI () called by doui REFRESHIP”

 I’m about ready to go strictly to the Ethernet cable but I’d need to wire the living room to do it properly.

[Mike W]

To me it doesn't look as though the address is being assigned.

The instructions for assigning a fixed ip address for your type of router, once you have logged in are:

• Select ADVANCED > Setup > LAN Setup.
  The LAN page displays.
• In the Address Reservation section, click the Add button.
  The page adjusts.
• In the IP Address field, type the IP address to assign to the computer or server.
  Choose an IP address from the router’s LAN subnet, such as 192.168.1.x.
• Type the MAC address of the computer or server.
  If the computer is already on your network, you can copy its MAC address from the Attached Devices page and paste it here.
• Click the Apply button.

Mike

[Patrick Palmer]

Mike, 

I have done exactly that over and over, the fact that the B2 is not named in that last screen shot seems to mean the B2 is not assigned. I have also tried the names: "Brennan", Brennan B2" and BrennanB2" and none of those names ever ger assigned. For phones and even visitors the device names show up right away on the attached devices screen.

[Mike W]

I'm sure that it must be very frustrating, the B2 is unfortunately not in control of the process.

I did a quick search and netgear ip address assignment problems similar to yours do appear with resolutions difficult to find.

If you connect the B2 with an ethernet cable instead of wifi it may help, don't forget to take the wifi dongle out of the B2 when you do.

Mike

[JFBUK]

Hi Desertpal,

Did you set the static route setting ?

If you did try deleting that

John

[Peter Lowham]

Hi Patrick,

One of the problems is that your Wifi signal is dropping out; that can be seen in your debug log.  Although your B2 is only 5 metres from the router, other environmental effects can occur which could cause the dropouts.  Items such as microwave ovens or other wireless devices for example.  If you try moving the B2 away or towards the router, perhaps by 30 cms or so, that might move the B2 out of a potential interference zone.

The lack of the 'B2' name in the 'Device Name' column does not matter.  The only two items that are relevant in this situation are 'Mac Address' and 'IP Address', and these are populated, so that is OK.

Another potential issue with your Netgear router is in the 'Lan Setup' screen where 'Use Router as DHCP Server' --> 'Starting IP Address' setting is '192.168.1.2'.  This means that the Netgear is using IP addresses from 192.168.1.2 upwards for DHCP devices.  I would be inclined to change that start address to '192.168.1.10' in order to force the Netgear to never use an address below '192.168.1.10' for DHCP.  Normally this setting should not matter because the router should know if any address is in use already, but Netgear routers can be a bit buggy and this would ensure that the range from '.2' to '.9' will be reserved for 'Static' IP addresses.

Regards,

Peter.

[Patrick Palmer]

John, I did delete it, no change so I put it back in as I was told it needed a static setting.

Peter, thank you, I will certainly try the DHCP setting at .10 and yes there is a microwave oven 1/2 way between the router and B2!!!??!

[fred.w....@gmail.com]

Not sure if this helps but here goes.

Here is you NEATGEAR user manual

here is the top page to prove this is the correct manual

Go down to section 5-4 (Address reservation) This is what you want to achieve

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

This is the section you want to achieve your objective

Fred

[fred.w....@gmail.com]

If you need to get the MAC address for the Brennan look here 

https://groups.google.com/g/brennanb2/c/5byV0tDK1kg

Fred

[Patrick Palmer]

Thanks Fred, I have that manual and have done exactly those steps but will keep trying things!

[fred.w....@gmail.com]

I have a newer NETGEAR

I connect the B2 up via WiFI ..... Then go onto the NETGEAR to see the IP address that is Currently assigned to the B2 (this should match the IP the B2 says it has). I thin "fix" this address as the B2's reserved address (For you you will need to link this IP to the B2's ACTUAL MAC number  xx:xx:xx:xx .

Then save the changes on the Router then shut down the B2 and reboot the router - wat 10 mins then reboot the B2.

fred

[Patrick Palmer]

Thank you Fred, I will certainly try that too.

[fred.w....@gmail.com]

If it help here is where I do it on my Router (sorry for security I have had to redact the actual numbers)

[Patrick Palmer]

UPDATE: thank you all so much, this group is truly amazing. As of this morning the IP has stayed at .1.3 and the Web UI communicates! Peter wrote " I would be inclined to change that start address to '192.168.1.10' in order to force the Netgear to never use an address below '192.168.1.10' for DHCP. " and that has so far worked. 

I did try many of the other suggestions as well, some I had already set in motion but the .1.10 setting stopped the drifting and shifting that was occuring every 2 hours!

Also there were NO " Pings Dropped - netbroken2 () FAILED" reports on the Debug list overnight, again thanks to all of you.

On Monday, November 1, 2021 at 4:15:49 PM UTC-7 Daniel Taylor wrote:

It occurs to me that you could have a defective WiFi dongle.  Or possibly a problem with the USB port into which it is plugged.  One easy thing to check would be to move the dongle to the other USB port and see if there's any change at all.  If the dongle is bad, there won't be any change.  If the one port is bad and the other is not, then there should be a change.