Ethernet connection problem - no MAC address response

[ACHIMZ]

Hi

I am having a problem connecting my B2 with Ethernet. Whereas WIFI is working fine and shows a MAC address, the machine is not responding with a MAC address when I connect via Ethernet. I can make out that the router is sending messages to the Brennan but the machine is not responding and showing the MAC address.

The ethernet cable is the normal ethernet cable I am using with my iMac and hundred percent working.

Can anybody help me out? I am using B2 May 11.2020 10:15:55, NAS On, DLNA off

Many thanks

[Peter Lowham]

Hi Achimz,

When you are using a wired Ethernet connection on the B2, the MAC address is not shown in the display.  This is a rather strange, but that's the way it is.

What you should see in the B2 mian menu scrolling display is an IP address, something like '192.168.1.60' (the last two numbers will be different, but this is just an example).

The other thing to mention here is that if you are using the wired connection from the B2 to your router, you MUST remove the WiFi dongle from the USB port. 

Regards,

Peter.

[PMB]

Hi Achimz,

You should be able to get the MAC address from the router (I think) - log into the router as 'admin' - there's usually a password on the router for this - and check the list of connected devices.

Paul

Brennan Support.

[ACHIMZ]

Hi Peter

You are absolutely right and that is exactly what I did. I even can see that the router is sending and data message after the other to the Brennan but the there is zero response from the Brennan. Like that it doesn't  have any MAC address.

What other reason could be considered. The ethernet connection wire? The same wire works fine with my computer. I am puzzled

Achim

[Peter Lowham]

Hi Achimz,

Can I clarify one point before moving on which is when you say MAC address do you really mean IP address?

Can you select another port on the router and move the ethernet cable to that port, just in case there is a bad ethernet port on the router?

If than doesn't work, could you disconnect the ethernet cable (from the router end would be easier) and plug the WiFi dongle back in and power up the B2, what IP address does it show in the B2 display?

Also, as Paul has suggested above, can you log in into your router?  If so, what IP address are you using to get in to the router?

Regards,

Peter.

[ACHIMZ]

Hi Peter

This is what I understand from my system administrator who is a professionally managing my CISCO system with sixteen routers in the house. 

A) The wifi connection is good but due to the size of the house not always sufficient. Therefore I want to connect the B2 to my Ethernet network. I have a permanent WiFi IP address which is 192.168.10.101

B) When I plug in the ethernet switch onto the socket he can see that the switch is active and visas versa, when I unplug the ethernet from the socket he can see that the switch is not occupied. The moment I connect the ethernet switch to the socket, the router is sending bundles of data packages to the B2 to get the physical MAC address as a response. Unfortunately there is nothing coming back from the B2, just no response at all!

This means, I am not talking about the IP address which to my understanding is getting only established once the physical presence of the machine has been recognised through the MAC address. 

The switch at switch board also can not be the problem because if I plug in Ethernet its shows up immediately. The ethernet cable itself is cat6 ethernet cable. 

Can you give me any other lead to solve the problem? This would be great.

Many thanks Peter.

Achim

[PMB]

Hi Achim,

Have you tried 'Reboot' - Maintenance menu - with the Ethernet cable connected.

Paul

Brennan Support.

[ACHIMZ]

Hi Peter

Just dbl checked everything with my system administrator, including changing switches at the router. All connections are fine and working except that the Brennan is not responding with a MAC address.

It looks to me like that the B2 network card is damaged. 

What options do I have from here on? Can I reset to factory settings, without loosing my large Music library or do I have to copy the music library first to an external hard drive?

Can I change the network card against a new one?

Many thanks

Kind regards

Achim

[Peter Lowham]

Hi Achim,

For me, the first priority is to copy your entire music library to an external HDD.  I would not do anything else on the B2 until you have got that done.

Then, I would open up the B2 again and check that the Cat5 cable is fully inserted into the network port. It is a fiddly connection so is worth the check.

If the pevious step does not show any problem, I would procure a new microSD or SDcard (depending on which model of B2 you have) and build a new B2 software set on that.  Brennan has supplied the instructions to do this build on the website, but here is the link in any case. Look down the left hand side of the web page for 'New SD Card'.

https://www.brennan.co.uk/itemcontent.php/content/Techy

Alternatively, you can order a new card form Brennan; this will come with the B2 software already installed. Fit this into your B2 and see if the issue is resolved.

If that does not work, then it is likely that the B2 network port is faulty.  The port is part of the B2 motherboard, so I think that the B2 would need to go back to Brennan for repair.

Another option is to remain on the WiFi link, unless you were having problems with that.

Regards,

Peter.

[ACHIMZ]

Hi Peter

Noted all your points. Thank you so much. I will do exactly as you suggested step by step.

Kind regards

Achim

[Peter Lowham]

Hi Achim,

The more I think about this, I would check very carefully that the Cat5 cable is fully seated in the B2 motherboard network socket.  As I said above, it is a very fiddly connector, and needs a really firm push into the connector to ensure a full seating.

Regards and good luck,

Peter.

[ACHIMZ]

Hi Peter

Well, I m using a Cat 6 wire but this shouldn't be the problem, right? They are normally backward compatible. The cat 6 is sitting proper in the socket and is making a clear "click" when fully attached. I also have no problem to release it with the help of a small screw driver. Furthermore the system administrator confirmed again, that the connection is hundred percent ok and he can see the traffic very clearly on his computer. There is simply not response from the almost new b2 480 Gb.

Anyway, I need some time to work this all out but will keep you posted of what was the problem at the end of the day.

Kind regards

Achim

[Chris Jones]

If you know the IP address of the B2 (this will be shown on the display) open up a command prompt and type  arp - a this will show a list of all IP's and MAC addresses that are in use on the network.

Not sure what the command would be on a MAC but a quick google would find this

[Peter Lowham]

Hi Achim,

Yes, a Cat6 cable will work fine. Now that you have confirmed the click, we can assume that the cable is fully connected at both ends.

So, I think that it is back to the steps suggested above!

@Chris; it looks like the B2 is not getting that far, i.e. the B2 has not responded back to the router with its MAC address.

Regards,

Peter.

[Chris Jones]

Ahh ok, It could be a fault with the Ethernet module on the Pi, do you know if the B2 will work with a USB Ethernet adapter?  (like the ones you get with some notebook devices) if they do it might be worth trying one and seeing if it picks up a IP 

[PMB]

Hi Achimz,

"This is what I understand from my system administrator who is a professionally managing my CISCO system with sixteen routers in the house"

This sounds like you live in an apartment block (or a very large house) with many users sharing the switch/router - is that correct?

Paul

Brennan Support.

[ACHIMZ]

Hi Paul

I live in a 16.000sqf private house with two people. The system is used by us only.

Best regards

Achim

[PMB]

Hi Achimz,

If Ethernet won't work with your system another solution may be to add a WiFi router - something like the TP-Link TL-702N and connect the B2 to that.

Paul

Brennan Support.

[Peter Lowham]

Hi Achim,

Another alternative, suggested by Chris above, is to use a USB2.0 to Ethernet adapter cable.  I would steer clear of 'USB3' versions as I have had problems with connecting USB3 devices to the B2 even though they claim backward compatibility to USB2.

Have you been able to run an Export yet?

Regards,

Peter.

[ACHIMZ]

Hi Peter and Paul

- I exported the B2 Music library last night to a backup drive. So that's  is done.

- I meanwhile also purchased a USB 2.0 to LAN/Ethernet adapter from DeLock. I removed the Ethernet cable from the B2 and connected the wire to the Adapter. I tried both,  USB C as well as USB A, restarted the B2, Rebooted twice but unfortunately still no network IP address visible. It just says NO Network. 

- I also don't think that my general house system is a problem because the infrastructure  supports Ethernet as well as WiFi. All my Sonos equipment for example is connected via Ethernet and if there is an issue Wifi will automatically take over, whichever signal is stronger. For the B2 a separate Wifi router won't solve the problem because I have the best routers in the market already and the area Im working in is covered.

Any other idea? Did I overlooked something? Maybe its just a small silly issue.

Many thanks

Achim

[Peter Lowham]

Hi Achim,

Good news that your Export is done; your music collection is now much safer!

Regarding the USB to Ethernet DeLock unit, on looking at the spec, I think that the problem there is that for the B2 unit, it requires a Linux software driver to be downloaded and installed, which could be rather tricky without some Linux knowledge.

From my list of steps in the thread above, I would either try a software rebuild of your B2's microSD (or SD card depending on the age of your B2)  or alternatively procure a new microSD or SDcard from Brennan.  Brennan has supplied the instructions to do this build on the website, but here is the link in any case. Look down the left hand side of the web page for 'New SD Card'.

https://www.brennan.co.uk/itemcontent.php/content/Techy

Regards,

Peter.

The Brennan supplied card comes with the B2 software already installed. Fit this into your B2 and see if the issue is resolved.

Regards,

Peter

[ACHIMZ]

Hi Peter

Ok, many thanks. I will order B2's micro card immediately.

Best regards

Achim

[ACHIMZ]

Hi Peter

I just realise that after exporting the library to a hard drive it says on the B2 display now.

15550 tracks in 974 albums....

0 WAV 14833FLAC 15MP3 707AAC

Capacity 480.00G Used 0.00Gb

Why does "used" reads at 0.00 Gb? Should it say how much of the 480 Gb are used? I assume my library is still on it original place. Right? 

Thanks

Achim

[Peter Lowham]

Hi Achim,

First, can you check on the B2 front panel and check that 'Source: Hard Disk' is showing in the scolling window?

If that is good, then I would run 'Scan Disk' and recheck the stats agian.  I would run 'Scan Disk' from the WebUI as you can see the stats incrementing to completion.

The Brennan is pretty good at protecting the 'music' directory, but sometimes the stats get corrupted and give these strange results.

Regards,

Peter.

[ACHIMZ]

Hi Peter

...you really know this machine! It worked all good.

Meanwhile I also decided to rebuild the software on the micro card. It also all worked out fine and everything is validated. Unfortunately the Ethernet issue did not get resolved. I also updated to software to the latest version, rebooted, removed the wifi and Bluetooths dongles. 

Something is blocking the connection. 

I will speak again coming Tuesday to my system administrator 

Kind regards

Achim

[Peter Lowham]

Hi Achim,

Good to know that everything worked out for you.  I reckon that the B2 Ethernet port has gone faulty, and will require a return to Brennan for repair.  But see what your administrator has to say first.

Well done for doing the SD card rebuild.  It does pay to keep the software reasonably up to date as more new features are regularly being added as time goes on and it helps with the reliability of the unit in general..

Anyway, good luck!

Regards,

Peter.

[PMB]

Hi Achim,

I'm not the B2 will support a USB-Ethernet adapter but have asked Martin B the question.

As mentioned before you could add a WiFi router and connect the B2 to that.

Paul

Brennan Support.

[PMB]

Hi Achim,

I've checked and can confirm that the B2 does not support a USB-Ethernet adapter.

Paul

Brennan Support.