X10 Community Forum
📸Cameras & Camera Software => Legacy non Wi-Fi X10 Cameras => Camera General Discussion => Vanguard Internet Control Center => Topic started by: easymoney on November 26, 2008, 01:12:35 PM
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I have X10 camera system using Vanguard Control Center. I had all camera's and Internet access working last week for 3 days, but now suddenly I cannot connect for 3 days in a row.
The Connect button turns green for about 20 seconds, then it goes back to red, then about 20 seconds later it will go back to green again. This process repeats, it connects and disconnects, but I cannot access the video.
I check the status, it siimply says Server Online.... then Server Offline, Server Online, Server Offline.
I have rebooted the PC, I have restarted the router, and I have tested usiing the x10 Internet connection and it says it is ready. All seems to be working fine onsite, but not remotely. When I connect using Internet Explorer, it doesn't read "Acquiring Image" like it should when connecting.
The latest version is installled, 3.199.... Why can't I connect anymore?
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Connecting to the X10gate server is hit and miss at best of times! ::) :'
Others have suggested using the sentinel site (http://sentinel.x10.com./), if it works better for you, ??? you be the judge!
>!
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Is this an installation issue or a server issue.... I have tried disabling AV and Firewall as well. Still cannot connect to camera's online.
Why did it just stop working. I guess re-install is next....idk. For 3 days it worked, then not working for 3 days. I have tried multiple times each day, only got connected once in that time period.
Are others able to connect online. Can someone confirm that the server is operational... Thanks.
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Connecting to the X10gate server is hit and miss at best of times! ::) :'
Others have suggested using the sentinel site (http://sentinel.x10.com./), if it works better for you, ??? you be the judge!
>!
Results are the same with either site posted... no luck yet...
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Todays the first day in many that I've been able to connect!
I consider your three day conection as lucky!
I just checked and it is working but for how long is anyones guess! ::) :'
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Is the server really that bad....??? I have installed remote access, but that creates more issues.
With logmein.com, more than one person cannot view cameras at the same time. Also, the quality and refresh rate of the video with remote access is even worse than the x10.com server.
The whole point of this installation was to stream the video. If the server is down as often as some claim, what good is the x10 system?
I understand the home automation part, but the system was advertised for keeping an eye on the home when not at home.
Is there not some other software that can stream the video from the x10 camera's to the internet?
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Here is what is happening currently.
I moved the PC and camera's to from the home to the office since we use ATT high speed at that location and that is where the setup was tested and configured before being moved to the home. Remember, that once it has at the home it worked fine for several days.
At the home, the connecting "animation" would play, but Vanguard would go offline after exactly 20 seconds. The text "Accessing Image" would never display like it did when it was working. So I guessed that maybe the Internet provider for the home service had done something to block access, may they considered it file sharing... who knows. The at home provider is SuddenLink. I did a netstat command window to see connections that were open.
On SuddenLink cable modem, I only got something like SYN_SEND, but no established connections. On ATT dsl I get the following:
TCP HOME:1114 gate1.x10.com:8001 ESTABLISHED
TCP HOME:1117 gate1.x10.com:8001 TIME_WAIT
TCP HOME:1128 gate1.x10.com:8001 ESTABLISHED
I still cannot connect on AT&T dsl, but it does show the "Accessing Image" I have not seen that since the cameras went down. Is the server down now or is it still up?
This is getting useless. I have been working on this for over a week.... sad :(
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On the connection status, I get the follwoing info:
12/01/08 14.09.02.062 Server Offline
12/01/08 14.09.02.062 Server Online
12/01/08 14.08.01.093 Server Client Connecting
12/01/08 14.08.00.123 Server online
You can see that the client tries to connect to the server, then the server goes offline.... What is going on. If I can cannot get this resolved, should just throw my $$$ in trash. I have even tried different PC, still no change.
Is there even a test feed for the server to see if it is online.... I can't see why x10 cannot stream the video from the PC, why use x10 servers unless you have too. Is there an alternative software that works with x10 to stream video?
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There are lots of webcam style programs out there that will stream your video from X10 Cams the tricky part is the switching or Pan N Tilt options. Do a google search it may turn up something that will work for you! ;)
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Ok. I have contacted x10 support again, they assure me tier 2 will look into this problem. They couldn't even decide what the problem maybe. They could connect to my cameras, they could see the ports on their server, but they couldn't get any video.
In the meantime, I downloaded Active Webcam, and it works with the x10 camera. It has three methods for viewing video including its own http server and a subscription based server, so best of both worlds. Too bad x10 doesn't allow its own http server.
I am not sure if it can switch cameras using the x10 switching system like vanguard does. I am tired of messing with x10 tech support. If it can, awesome... can anyone confirm if Active WebCam or another app can control Firecracker to switch camera's, etc...
So far, it detects the video capture as X10 video capture VA11A 2.55 but I only see PTZ for control options???
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I gave tier 2 support not only my Vanguard access id but the logmein account access as well. They accessed the PC remotely over 3 days ago for over 30 mins and no response from them since. Seems that even tier 2 support cannot resolve issue even with the PC literally sitting in their office.
Who is going to fix it now....
Could it be the gate.x10.com server is blocking my access id? Has anyone ever had to have their Vanguard registration id revoked and a new one issued?
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I have the same problem and this is a new installation and new account. I also have activehome and don't recall having any connectivity issues with it. Any idea what port it tries to communicate on? I know my provider does block ports 25 and 80. Otherwise, I've set DMZ for the host box and when using a browser on the same computer, cannot connect.
Also, something strange. I don't have a "Username" field in the remote user setup of Vanguard in Options.
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Anyone getting any traction on this? If this info helps, I have yet to see a single byte received on the web browser end. The site comes up, but the buttons on the left are truncated. Once I hit connect, the log shows bytes sent, but haven't seen any bytes received. I see a connection established on the host, but nothing consistent on the client. Server port is open (telnet gate.x10.com 8001), but still can't establish a connection.
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billf8004 you state you also have Active home (Pro ???)
If it is installed on the same PC they don't play nice together!
Make sure AHP isn't running in the background! ;)
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Yep, I noticed that. Doesn't look like AHP likes the VA12A at all. I'm running Vanguard by itself....I actually had a successful test from an office net, but inside my network, it doesn't seem to connect. Probably has something to do with using a single NATted IP for the server and client. Any information in that regard?
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Hi billf8004,
I have installed AHP both on XP and Vista using the V3.228 on one system with XP and 3.236 on another XP system and Vista with total success, :)%
here is a link to the section about this
http://www.x10community.com/forums/index.php?topic=16829.0.
I just now installed Vanguard software that I got with the VA12A on the Vista Laptop and the same scenario as with AHP in the installation I was forced by Vista's Account User setting being on, to reinstall with recommended setting of which it did automatically for me.
Opened Vanguard and It picked up the Webcam on the Laptop and looks good. Did nothing else yet. Will do some fun tests connected to the house X2 and Astak cams and will see. AHP worked OK but not allowed to run both at the same time, it did ask for to connect the VA12A to get a view so as said I will have some fun with this later.
Did not try to do this on an XP system yet.
Hope that gives hope!
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Still no results from tier 2 support. This was last response on Dec 17th, 2008. Have not heard anything since then:
Greetings!
Thank you for your request. I am afraid I need you to wait while I discuss
further steps with the tech team and some of the developers. We are seeing a
very high volume of support requests right now. Please rest assured that I am
doing what I can to see the issue resolved, but it will take some time. As soon
as I receive further information, I will let you know. Again, thank you for
your patience.
Sounds like, "don't call us, we will call you"....
Sorry, All I still get is "Accessing Image".... I do not feel that anyone at x10 is working on anything except adding more ads. This should not be this complicated, not my first rodeo. The setup worked fine for a few days, then stopped. Never has connected again. Even with x10 tier2 support logged in directly to PC with LogMeIn... I mean the tech was "practically" sitting in front of the PC and they could not even fix issue.
With access to their own server, the client PC, and all the tools suchs as netstat, pings, server logs, etc and a direct connect to Internet with no Firewall, even x10 cannot get video.
I guess I have a Internet Survelliance system without the Internet part.... so what is that called.... "useless". That is what I needed, $300 and two months later, "useless" is all I still got.
I am ashamed to say that I even purchased x10... ::)
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Easy-
I suggest contacting X10 one more time but this time, fire an email to my namesake. Brett seems to be the go to guy for level 2 support and I have heard nothing but good things about him from my friends who have all been using X10 for a while. I think he works the late shift there so you probably want to email him. I'm pretty sure it's bretta@x10.com
A few of my friends had the same problem that you are having and he got them squared away. In the interest of saving time, you may want to gather some info for him before you send the email (make/model of router, OS, internet connection, etc). I'm sure he'll ask you for more but that should help I would think.
Just shoot him an email and see what he says.
P.s. I've been told that he tends to stay pretty damn busy so you may want to give him a day or two to respond. Just a heads up
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I had the same problem after a power failure while connected. After hours of toil I got Vanguard to work but couldn't connect to the server with a remote. Finally I tried this and it worked. Put your server on line. On your remote connection at the connect screen delete the name and password, leave it blank. It will connect. Then you will be able to change the connection and password.
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We'll, it's been years and guess what still not working. I have been using Active Webcam, but it only works with one camera. Using port 8080 on Active Webcam. I could have done the same with a $20 webcam and got better support.
Seems my ISP is blocking port 80 as well. Furthermore, there are no options in Vanguard to allow one to change the server port. No options for built in HTTP server, only crappy gate.x10.com.
Besides, even if port 80 wasn't blocked by my ISP, it is a major security hole for worms have incoming traffic on port 80 all the time.
$300 down the drain. I can't believe I fell for those crappy "porno" style ads to by x10 cameras. The system is good for hooking up to a TV to see who is at the door, that's about it. Besides, even if the Internet server was working, or I just wanted to record to VCR when away from house, you can still only see one camera at a time.
Sad... >*<