Hydros connectivity issues after the latest firmware

[christinna77]

Is anyone else experiencing issues after the latest firmware update to 399 that dropped yesterday? One of my collectives regularly stops responding several times an hour and it literally started happening right after I updated. It eventually reconnects, but it's extremely unstable and I can't really control anything. My other collective also sometimes disconnects, but it's not nearly as bad as this one. Nothing has changed on my end except for the new firmware.

Also, I can't log into the Hydros forum https://forum.coralvuehydros.com/ to create a post, I'm getting a 403 error.

 

[n2585722]

Have you tried rebooting your router by unplugging it for a few seconds and plugging it back in? I just checked the Hydros forum and had no issues getting into it. There is also an official Hydros group on facebook.

 

[christinna77]

Have you tried rebooting your router by unplugging it for a few seconds and plugging it back in? I just checked the Hydros forum and had no issues getting into it. There is also an official Hydros group on facebook.

Thanks, I'll check the FB group. And it's not my router. Wi-Fi is all in green when it does connect. I even checked my router logs - the devices are not disconnecting from Wi-Fi and nothing else is having issues.

 

[n2585722]

It would be unusual for the whole collective to have the issue since each controller connects to wifi and the cloud server separately. So you should be able to get into the collective if one are more is connected but there would be errors of some kind. Also make sure all the controllers did update to the new firmware if you can gain access long enough. If one are more are on a different firmware version it can also cause issues.

 

[naturalEhy]

Yes. I am having the same issues since the last update a week or so ago. Can’t connect to app. Usually have to cut power to everything and let it restart, reboot and reconnect to WiFi. Feels like the update had a bug.

 

[naturalEhy]

Yes. I am having the same issues since the last update a week or so ago. Can’t connect to app. Usually have to cut power to everything and let it restart, reboot and reconnect to WiFi. Feels like the update had a bug.

#Hydros

 

[JeffB418]

Try a few things:
- Reboot your router
- Update wifi credentials, use this procedure for all devices https://www.coralvuehydros.com/product-support/hydros-control/update-wifi-credentials/

I know one of the previous updates had an odd issue for a subset of users where after the FW update wifi would never connect due to something with wifi getting corrupted for some unexplained reason. using the linked process above re-writes everything and fixes it.

As for the latest update, nothing in wifi stack was touched to the best of my knowledge so shouldn't be any changes.

 

[afboundguy]

I spent 40+ minutes on the phone with Hydros support today as I have been having wifi issues with my X10. Wifi is green but when I go to update an input/output it loses connectivity. I bought a new wifi extender and plan to make it an access point on their recommendation.

 

[christinna77]

Somehow I missed the replies in this thread. Anyway, I had to power cycle all my controllers at once to get them back up and running.

I've also been having similar issues whenever my internet or power goes down for a while. One or two of my XP8s never reconnect, which breaks the entire collective. Again, I have to power cycle everything to get them connected.

I also sometimes get low voltage warnings on my X10 for my dosers and ATO, only for them to disappear when... you guessed it... I power cycle it!

I've tried pretty much everything at this point. Reconnecting devices to wifi, checking cable connections, even buying a Deco mesh wifi system a few months ago and placing one of the units just a few feet away from my tank stand. Nada.

I honestly REALLY wish there was a way to connect Hydros via ethernet. Just plug in a network cable and be done with it. I feel like that would solve so many of these issues...

The biggest problem with power cycling is when I'm away on vacation. I can't exactly unplug and reconnect everything remotely. So I basically ended up buying smart plugs for all my controllers, allowing me to power cycle them remotely when needed...

 

[n2585722]

Somehow I missed the replies in this thread. Anyway, I had to power cycle all my controllers at once to get them back up and running.

I've also been having similar issues whenever my internet or power goes down for a while. One or two of my XP8s never reconnect, which breaks the entire collective. Again, I have to power cycle everything to get them connected.

I also sometimes get low voltage warnings on my X10 for my dosers and ATO, only for them to disappear when... you guessed it... I power cycle it!

I've tried pretty much everything at this point. Reconnecting devices to wifi, checking cable connections, even buying a Deco mesh wifi system a few months ago and placing one of the units just a few feet away from my tank stand. Nada.

I honestly REALLY wish there was a way to connect Hydros via ethernet. Just plug in a network cable and be done with it. I feel like that would solve so many of these issues...

The biggest problem with power cycling is when I'm away on vacation. I can't exactly unplug and reconnect everything remotely. So I basically ended up buying smart plugs for all my controllers, allowing me to power cycle them remotely when needed...

Have you tried just rebooting the controllers in question using device properties from the right menu. There is a reboot Icon to the far right of the name of each controller in the collective. If the wifi icon to the left of the controller name p is either orange or red I reboot that controller.

 

[|FATHOM|]

Somehow I missed the replies in this thread. Anyway, I had to power cycle all my controllers at once to get them back up and running.

I've also been having similar issues whenever my internet or power goes down for a while. One or two of my XP8s never reconnect, which breaks the entire collective. Again, I have to power cycle everything to get them connected.

I also sometimes get low voltage warnings on my X10 for my dosers and ATO, only for them to disappear when... you guessed it... I power cycle it!

I've tried pretty much everything at this point. Reconnecting devices to wifi, checking cable connections, even buying a Deco mesh wifi system a few months ago and placing one of the units just a few feet away from my tank stand. Nada.

I honestly REALLY wish there was a way to connect Hydros via ethernet. Just plug in a network cable and be done with it. I feel like that would solve so many of these issues...

The biggest problem with power cycling is when I'm away on vacation. I can't exactly unplug and reconnect everything remotely. So I basically ended up buying smart plugs for all my controllers, allowing me to power cycle them remotely when needed...

May I ask which smart plugs you bought? This is a good idea

 

[christinna77]

Have you tried just rebooting the controllers in question using device properties from the right menu. There is a reboot Icon to the far right of the name of each controller in the collective. If the wifi icon to the left of the controller name p is either orange or red I reboot that controller.

They've been rebooted many times before. Unfortunately, for some reason, if the whole collective is down, I cannot reboot them via bluetooth.

 

[christinna77]

May I ask which smart plugs you bought? This is a good idea

I went with heavy duty ones (since there's a chance they might get some water on them), Kasa Smart Outdoor Plug KP401. Works great.

 

[n2585722]

They've been rebooted many times before. Unfortunately, for some reason, if the whole collective is down, I cannot reboot them via bluetooth.

You are losing connectivity with the whole collective? The only time mine has done that it was either the router or the internet was down. I have one collective that has 15 controllers in it and one with just 2 controllers.

 

[christinna77]

You are losing connectivity with the whole collective? The only time mine has done that it was either the router or the internet was down. I have one collective that has 15 controllers in it and one with just 2 controllers.

Yep, basically, here's what happens:

• My internet or power goes out for 10 minutes, an hour, doesn't matter.
• When it comes back, all my controllers reconnect to wifi except for my XP8s. Last time I noticed both XP8s were affected (I have two total). I tried restarting router. Nothing. The router juts doesn't see them attempting to connect at all.
• This causes the entire collective to go down - I can't access anything, it just says connection failed.
• I can connect via bluetooth just fine (and I see the XP8s there), but there's no way to reboot the XP8s through bluetooth.
• The only way to fix it is to unplug the entire collective and plug everything back in. After that everything reconnects and works again.

 

[John Neuzil]

Yep, basically, here's what happens:

• My internet or power goes out for 10 minutes, an hour, doesn't matter.
• When it comes back, all my controllers reconnect to wifi except for my XP8s. Last time I noticed both XP8s were affected (I have two total). I tried restarting router. Nothing. The router juts doesn't see them attempting to connect at all.
• This causes the entire collective to go down - I can't access anything, it just says connection failed.
• I can connect via bluetooth just fine (and I see the XP8s there), but there's no way to reboot the XP8s through bluetooth.
• The only way to fix it is to unplug the entire collective and plug everything back in. After that everything reconnects and works again.

haven't problems been previously report with Hydros and mesh networks?

 

[n2585722]

Yep, basically, here's what happens:

• My internet or power goes out for 10 minutes, an hour, doesn't matter.
• When it comes back, all my controllers reconnect to wifi except for my XP8s. Last time I noticed both XP8s were affected (I have two total). I tried restarting router. Nothing. The router juts doesn't see them attempting to connect at all.
• This causes the entire collective to go down - I can't access anything, it just says connection failed.
• I can connect via bluetooth just fine (and I see the XP8s there), but there's no way to reboot the XP8s through bluetooth.
• The only way to fix it is to unplug the entire collective and plug everything back in. After that everything reconnects and works again.

Even if I loose wifi with one or more of my controllers it does not stop me from accessing the collective. Are you sure that one of the XP8's is not setup as the only wifi master for the collective? Also there could be something that is blocking the wifi signal between the XP8's and the router like water. Water will block a wifi signal easily. Also the type of wifi you have may also be the issue since it appears to only happen when there is a power outage or internet outage, I do not use a router supplied by my cable company. I use my own router and also have a UPS that both the router and cable modem is connected to. I also have battery backup for my controllers.

 

[christinna77]

Even if I loose wifi with one or more of my controllers it does not stop me from accessing the collective. Are you sure that one of the XP8's is not setup as the only wifi master for the collective? Also there could be something that is blocking the wifi signal between the XP8's and the router like water. Water will block a wifi signal easily. Also the type of wifi you have may also be the issue since it appears to only happen when there is a power outage or internet outage, I do not use a router supplied by my cable company. I use my own router and also have a UPS that both the router and cable modem is connected to. I also have battery backup for my controllers.

Yep, I use TP-Link Deco as my own router instead of the one provided by my ISP too. My x10 is the wifi master and all other controllers are set to 'normal' priority.

Also, one of the XP8s is completely outside the cabinet, with a direct line of sight to the Deco and no water in between. I've also tried forcing a 2.4 GHz connection in my Deco settings, in case it was trying to force to a different band after reconnection, but all my controllers are connected the same way, so it doesn't make sense only the XP8s would be failing.

The weird thing is that this only started happening after I added the second XP8, which I actually got to replace the wifi power strip, which has always had really bad connectivity issues (and probably one of the reasons it's now discontinued). I still have 3 of them and all 3 regularly stop responding and need to be reset, but that's a problem for another day (I also connected them all to smart plugs lol).

 

[christinna77]

haven't problems been previously report with Hydros and mesh networks?

That I don't know. I force my controllers to connect to my single Deco in my office (where the tanks are), and usually there are no issues, even my second collective reconnects fine, except for those two XP8s.

 

[JeffB418]

Yep, I use TP-Link Deco as my own router instead of the one provided by my ISP too. My x10 is the wifi master and all other controllers are set to 'normal' priority.

Also, one of the XP8s is completely outside the cabinet, with a direct line of sight to the Deco and no water in between. I've also tried forcing a 2.4 GHz connection in my Deco settings, in case it was trying to force to a different band after reconnection, but all my controllers are connected the same way, so it doesn't make sense only the XP8s would be failing.

The weird thing is that this only started happening after I added the second XP8, which I actually got to replace the wifi power strip, which has always had really bad connectivity issues (and probably one of the reasons it's now discontinued). I still have 3 of them and all 3 regularly stop responding and need to be reset, but that's a problem for another day (I also connected them all to smart plugs lol).

How close is the second XP8 you added? I have heard of very oddball connection issues from specifically placed devices due to what I might assume to be RF interference from co-located transmitters. If they are fairly close to each other, you may want to try changing the orientation (rotate 180 degrees) or moving it to see if that helps. Any RF device can succumb to deconstructive interference in the right physical positioning due to wavelengths. I'd recommend giving that a shot, its worked for some other situations I've seen.