Warning Hazard of Electric Shock: Remove all power from all devices before removing any covers or doors of the system. Disconnect power at the device and at the power source. Electrostatic Discharge Required: Always discharge static electricity from your person by touching metal prior to handling any hardware. Failure to do so may result in damage to devices. Issue ACX5740 controller randomly re-boots and restore from flash, the controller does not attempt warm start but instead jumps directly to cool start.  Product Line Andover Continuum Environment Continuum ACX 2 Controller Continuum ACX 4 Controller Continuum Net Controller II Cause Door striker creating an electrical spike that can travel back down the output wiring to the controller. When this happens, it generally will not damage any of the hardware in the controller but it could cause it to reset or cause its memory to get scrambled. The fact that the controller does not attempt warm start but instead skips directly to cool start is a strong indication that memory corruption is taking place, on startup, the controller verifies RAM memory is intact and will not attempt warm start otherwise. Resolution Install Metal Oxide Varistor (MOV ) to add voltage suppression to the controller's output driving the door striker. ( Put the MOVs at the end device and not the controller end)   Another option is to add an isolation relay to keep the electrical noise from reaching the controller's output. 

Issue Selecting the appropriate IO system on a Continuum Net Controller (NC1 or NC2) Product Line Andover Continuum Environment CX9900 CX9940 CX9680 Cause Controller configuration Resolution Continuum Net Controllers can support three different IO systems, ACC-LON, LonMark XDriver and the legacy LBus. Only one IO system can be selected, the controller must be re-started after the selection is made. The document Selecting IO system in Continuum NetController  has instructions on selecting the desired IO system for the controller.

Issue How can I streamline badge creation in Security Expert? Product Line EcoExpert Security Expert Environment Security Expert Server Security Expert Client   Cause There is no "Import/Export badge" feature available in Security Expert (unlike in Episuite/Continuum) Resolution Badge templates are normally provided by the customer.  They should be provided in bitmap (.bmp) or portable graphics format (.png) format. JPEG image format does not work well for resizing.     A new template can also be drawn though this is time consuming.      Blank template from client 1. In Security Expert Client menu, go to Users--> Card Template Editor   Add and name new template, 2. Add blank template as image, go to right side Properties-->Images   Add blank template Adjust image to fit blue outline   3. Add dynamic user fields, go to right side Properties-->User Fields   Add and name fields ONE AT A TIME by dragging out items on to plan (drag one at a time to avoid confusion)     4. Name and place dynamic user fields over-top of blank template layout (Photo, Name, Dept, etc.)   Stretch, Align and Center Fields for uniform finish         5. Save template   6. Preview badge In Security Expert, go to Users--> Users-->Photo tab   Select a user:   Photo ID: Card template(drop-down menu)--> Choose newly created template Photo section: hover over "Print Card >" for card options Print & Process Template - print to pdf/image, etc Note: Do not choose Print & Read if no USB card reader is attached; this will cause an error and shut down Security Expert   Print Preview:

Issue AS-P that has infinet devices connected to it, crashes during the Spring time-change of daylight savings. Product Line EcoStruxure Building Operation Environment Building Operation Automation Server Andover Continuum, infinet devices Cause Infinet schedules are sent down to the controller on a weekly basis. Having changed from default to be on Sunday between the time of 2:00 AM and 2:59 AM causes issues during daylight savings time "spring forward" due to that hour time span not existing. This causes the AS-P to crash. Resolution If you have schedules being download differently from the default time interval, ensure that they are not being done on Sundays, between the time of 2:00 AM and 2:59 AM. If they are, update them forward or back an hour to avoid further issues.

Issue InfinityProgram that sets the value of a local string object from the value of a remote string object frequently gets disabled. Product Line Andover Continuum Environment CyberStation CX9900 CX9702 CX9640 CX9680 ACX5720 ACX5740 i2 field devices Cause Passing string objects between controllers does not use the system's Import/Export system, strings are passed by point to point operation which can produce large amounts of traffic on the Infinet field bus. The program will disable if not properly written to account for events in the field bus that will knock controllers offline (i.e. field bus reconfigurations) Resolution Care must be taken when writing the program to 1. Fetch the string value at a reasonable interval instead of in every scan 2. Keep the program from disabling due to communication errors, bus reconfigurations etc, typically an error line (E:) is added to the problem to handle errors graciously. If possible transfer the value via a numeric point so that the I/E system is used as opposed to point to point.

Issue Does Continuum have an interface to the KNX/EIB protocol? Product Line Andover Continuum Environment KNX Xdriver Cause There is a need to interface to a 3rd party device/system via the KNX protocol. Resolution There is no KNX Xdriver formerly listed for download on the Schneider Electric Exchange. However a Beta KNX Xdriver has been developed for a number of select sites and can be obtained via PSS or your local Customer Care Centre (CCC) There are also third party gateways available in the market that may be able to help with this connectivity. They can provide an interface from KNX to another protocol that Continuum supports natively such as BACnet.     Schneider Electric Wiser for KNX Loytec Universal Gateway

Warning Potential for Data Loss: The steps detailed in the resolution of this article may result in a loss of critical data if not performed properly. Before beginning these steps, make sure all important data is backed up in the event of data loss. If you are unsure or unfamiliar with any complex steps detailed in this article, please contact Product Support Services for assistance. Issue What is the correct procedure for migrating Infinet controllers from a Continuum controller fieldbus to an AS-P. Product Line EcoStruxure Building Operation Environment Continuum Building Operation Automation Server (AS-P AS-B) 1.9 onwards Cause It is critically important to follow an approved and tested procedure when migrating Infinet controllers from Continuum to EBO.  Resolution Procedure for Converting / Transitioning the Infinet Bus Prior to migrating the Infinet Using the conversion tool and other engineering efforts, create the AS-P database for all Infinet devices, Infinet, Interface items, etc. in either a live AS-P or in the PCT. At the site 1.          From Continuum Cyberstation,  the following must be completed to each Infinet controller that you are moving to an AS-P. a.      Upgrade all Infinet devices that are going to be converted to the latest firmware version.  Firmware upgrading capability will not be available in EBO until a future release. b.         Clear the memory of all Infinet devices involved before relocated to the AS-P com port by editing the controller object and selecting Runtime > Reset. 2.      If the conversion was done on the PCT, deploy the AS-P. 3.      Verify that the AS-P firmware is 1.9.0.73 or higher. 4.      Disconnect Infinet bus from the Continuum controller com port(s). 5.      Move the Infinet bus (busses) to the corresponding RS485 port(s) on the AS-P. 6.      Confirm that the Infinet devices are all showing online under the AS-P 7.      Download the Infinet devices. * 8.      Backup all Infinet devices to flash memory.   *  If the Infinet devices share data with other Infinet devices then it may be necessary to repeat this step in order to establish the complete Import/Export table. PLEASE NOTE The above steps are important! If not followed, offline and bus problems can occur. There may be a desire to skip the rest of the controllers, but the steps must be followed The likelihood is high that there will be  substantial difficulties in getting the i2 controllers online and in a stable state to accept the download files. All of the Infinet controllers must be reset in Continuum before moving the bus to the AS-P.  The controllers should then be backup up to flash memory to ensure that they do not revert to their Continuum configuration following a cold start. If problems occur that make it necessary to abort the migration process and return the controllers to the Continuum system, all of the Infinet controller must have their memory cleared before re-attaching the bus on the comm port of the original Continuum controller.  For those controllers which have not established communications under the AS-P, this will mean performing a hard reset at the Infinet controller hardware. At no time should the Infinet bus be connected to the both the AS-P and the Continuum controller at the same time as this  confuses the Infinet controllers causes communications issues that will take some time to resolve. Continuum Conversion Tool NOTE V3.0.x and v3.1.x Conversion Tools should not be used. The Workaround is to use the 2.0 Conversion Tool then upgrade. (The Conversion tool was fixed by v3.1.2.6000 (CP5)) V3.2.x onwards the Conversion Tool operates correctly

Issue How can the format of a custom card be determined/understood Product Line Andover Continuum Environment Access Control AC1 AC1Plus ACX Cause The format of access cards is unknown. Resolution The document Understanding custom card formats in Continuum describes how to determine the custom format of proximity cards.  

Warning Electrostatic Discharge Required: Always discharge static electricity from your person by touching metal prior to handling any hardware. Failure to do so may result in damage to devices. Issue How to drive the IO on the DM-20 using an external pull up resistor and voltage source. Product Line Andover Continuum, Security Expert Environment Continuum CX Gen 1 Continuum Net Controller II Continuum DM-20 IO Module Security Expert Controller (SP-AC1) Cause DM-20 IO does not have built-in pull-up resistors.  In order to be able to drive the IO without the DIO-20, external pull up resistors must be used. Resolution Attach a 10K resistor between the + termination of the 24VDC at the bottom left corner of the DM-20 and the termination at the female connector corresponding to the input/output to be driven.   In1, in the screenshot above, can be driven by removing and inserting the other end of the resistor into the input termination. Out5, in the screenshot above, a voltage meter is used, when the output is turned ON/OFF from the software, the voltage across the resistor will change from GROUND to 24VDC  

Issue Faulty operation of BMS equipment due to electrical interference from other equipment can be difficult and costly to identify and fix.  Guidance is required for the best installation practices to minimize the source of the interference and to protect against it when it occurs. Product Line Andover Continuum, EcoStruxure Building Operation, Field Devices, Satchwell MicroNet, Satchwell Sigma, TAC IA Series, TAC Vista Environment All electrical equipment Cause Poor installation can cause equipment to generate high and low-frequency electromagnetic interference that can disrupt the operation of other systems. Resolution Schneider Electric has produced a document Practical Installation Guidelines which discusses the theory and offers practical guidelines to protect against and minimize the generation of, electromagnetic interference.

Issue What utility in Windows XP can disable items in Startup? Environment Windows XP Cause Items that run on startup can sometimes make the boot up process for a PC very slow. Depending on which applications have been added to start automatically on startup, it can also cause problems if things load in the incorrect order. Resolution Click the Start button in Windows XP Select Run Type msconfig and click OK.

Issue How to find the IP address information on a PC? Environment Windows Operating Systems Cause Need to identify the IP address of the workstation (PC). Resolution For a Windows 95/98 PC, go to a DOS screen and run WINIPCFG. For a Windows NT / XP / Windows7 / Server 2008 PC, run a CMD window and run IPCONFIG.

Issue I'm not sure the network card is working on this PC. Is there a way to Ping or test the card? Environment PC Network Interface Card Cause Testing the network card is the first step in troubleshooting basic setup of an IP system. Resolution Assuming you have the correct protocols loaded, you can do a loop-back test. Go to Start > Run > and type "cmd" Type the command: ping 127.0.0.1  127.0.0.1 is the loop-back address. If the card is operating, you should get a reply

Issue How is a subnet defined? Environment Refer to "TCP/IP Network Administration" by Craig Hunt, O’Reilly & Associates, Inc. Cause Sectioning network communication by subnets. Resolution A subnet is defined by applying a bit mask (subnet mask) to the IP address. If a bit is on in the mask, that equivalent bit in the address is interpreted as a network bit. If a bit in the mask is off, the bit belongs to the host part of the address. The subnet is only known locally.

Issue Change an IP address on Windows 8 to a static address. Product Line Other Environment Windows 8 Cause Changing the IP address of a PC is often done to ensure it resides on the same subnet and network as the system or devices it is trying to communicate with. Resolution From the Start Menu (Tiles), open the Charms bar by moving the mouse to the right bottom corner of the screen or press the Windows Key + C and click on Search. Highlight Settings. In the Search box type Network to search for any network related options From the list options choose Network and Sharing Center. From the View Your Active Networks section, select Local Area Connection. Go to Properties. Result: The Local Area Connection Properties screen appears. Highlight Internet Protocol Version 4 (TCP/IPv4) and click on Properties. Result: The Internet Protocol Version 4 (TCP/IPv4) Properties screen appears. Click Use the following IP address. Complete the configuration fields as shown below. This part of the configuration requires attention to detail, because one error will prevent you from getting on the network. Be sure you have this information at hand when you start to configure the TCP/IP protocol: IP Address: x.x.x.x Subnet mask: 255.255.255.0 Default gateway: x.x.x.x  Enter these numbers in the appropriate fields and click OK. Continue to click OK or Close as appropriate until you return to the Network Connections screen. The Local Area Connection icon text should now say "Enabled". To test the new IP address: Open a command prompt in Windows 8 Swipe to show apps screen Scroll down and locate Windows system section heading Under Windows system, press or click on Command Prompt (a new Command Prompt window will open up on the Desktop.) You then can type in IPCONFIG then hit Enter and look for the new IPV4 address. You can also try to type in PING (IP ADDRESS) that should reply with the new IPV4 address if set correctly.

Issue Some helpful basic IP commands. Product Line Other Environment Computer with IP NIC or Network Cause Need for basic IP configuration or IP address Resolution Go to start, click run and type in "cmd". This takes you to the command prompt. Type in: "ping xxx.xxx.xxx.xxx" to see if your device is online and its response time. Make sure you put the space between "ping" and "xxx". "ipconfig" and hit enter to get the info of the computer you are currently using. You'll get the IP address, subnet mask and the gateway. "ipconfig/all" and hit enter to get more info on the machine your using. It will give you all the above and then some including the DNS server addresses. "tracert xxx.xxx.xxx.xxx" and hit enter and you can see the servers that you are going through to get to your destination. This can be used when connecting to a Loytec or a iLon and the IP address is being presented to the L-IP or iLon is unknown. Connecting through a firewall/gateway/NAT server, you are not presenting the PC's address - when you do the tracert you will go through your gateway and the next address will be the IP you are presenting- Use this in the iLon as the LNS server address.

Issue What is Domain Name Service (DNS)? Environment TCP/IP Networks Cause DNS is a distributed hierarchical system for resolving host names into IP address. Under DNS, there is no central database with all of the Internet host information. The information is distributed among thousands of name servers organized into a hierarchy similar to the UNIX file system. DNS has a root domain at the top of the domain hierarchy that is served by a group of name servers called the root servers. Source: TCP/IP Network Administration by Craig Hunt, O’Reilly & Associates, Inc. Resolution Short for Domain Name System (or Service or Server), an Internet service that translates domain names into IP addresses. Because domain names are alphabetic, they're easier to remember. The Internet however, is really based on IP addresses. Every time you use a domain name, therefore, a DNS service must translate the name into the corresponding IP address. For example, the domain name www.example.com might translate to 198.105.232.4. The DNS system is, in fact, its own network. If one DNS server doesn't know how to translate a particular domain name, it asks another one, and so on, until the correct IP address is returned.   Short for digital nervous system, a term coined by Bill Gates to describe a network of personal computers that make it easier to obtain and understand information. 

Issue When swiping a card in front of the reader, there should be a beep indicating that the reader has read the card. There is no beep. Environment HID Reader Cause There are 2 reasons for this issue: The beeper is disabled thought a default configuration when the card is shipped The beeper has failed Resolution Short the beeper wire (yellow) and the GND wire (Black) when the reader power on If there is a beep, that indicates that the beeper can work but is disabled. Ask the manufacturer to send a configuration card to enable the beeper 3 seconds after reader power is on If shorting the beeper produces no sound, the beeper has failed. Send the reader to repair and replace it with a new one.

Issue Microsoft Visual Studio causes Just-In-Time Debugging Environment Windows Operating System Cause Visual Studio is installed on the PC and when attempting to perform a task, an error appears claiming Just-In-Time Debugging.  Resolution To disable Just-In-Time debugging: On the Tools menu, click Options. In the Options dialog box, select the Debugging folder. In the Debugging folder, select the Just-In-Time page. In the Enable Just-In-Time debugging of these types of code box, select or clear the relevant program types: Managed, Native, or Script. To disable Just-In-Time debugging, once it has been enabled, you must be running with Administrator privileges. Enabling Just-In-Time debugging sets a registry key, and Administrator privileges are required to change that key. Click OK.

Issue Need to mirror a switch port in order to capture controller data with Wireshark.   Product Line Access Expert, Andover Continuum, EcoStruxure Building Expert, EcoStruxure Building Operation, TAC IA Series, TAC INET, TAC Vista Environment NETGEAR Prosafe Plus Switch Cause Need a step-by-step guide to set up a mirrored port and an understanding of how it works.  Resolution Click here to download the video.   Use the link to the original post in Area360 to get written instructions.