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kccustom
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Posted: June 28 2007 at 12:15 \| IP Logged

I have been trying to get the ELK set up as a controller via Ethernet but it seems powerhome is a bit smarter than I am.

Is there anyone that would be willing to give a quick step-by-step to help me get going?

I have set up in the PowerHome Explorer a Elk M1 Gold (Ethernet) controller, I used the sql script to set my port to 2106 and have my elk set to port 2106, Is there any thing elese I should be doing?

dhoward
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Posted: June 28 2007 at 18:49 \| IP Logged

kccustom,

After making the changes to the controllers setup as you stated above, make sure that you either restart or reinitialize in order for the changes to take effect.

After restarting, do you get any error messages concerning connectivity on startup? Also, check your Help|About|Controllers tab and see what it says about your ELK (this will let you know if you're connected or not).

If you're running a personal firewall or similar, you may have to allow traffic on the specified port. Also, if you're trying to connect to an Elk that is behind a router, then that would require configuration as well.

If connectivity is good, then you just need to declare your Temperatures, Zones (multi-state inputs), analog inputs, lighting, etc. that you've got defined in the ELK as appropriate devices in the PowerHome Explorer (Analog I/O, Digital I/O, X-10, etc.).

HTH,

Dave.

kccustom
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Posted: June 28 2007 at 19:16 \| IP Logged

Thanks, it looks like it is connected now I have something to build on.

It is seeing ELK events, but I guess it is not a actual controller?

A little less confused but not much

I seem to be able to control X10 but not INSTEON, but yesterday I couldn't even do that.

PowerHome sees the elk connected via ethernet but it wont control INSTEON

Edited by kccustom - June 28 2007 at 22:36

kccustom
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Posted: June 29 2007 at 09:50 \| IP Logged

Ok, I thought I had it figured out but it is beyond me.

I have the elkm1 identified as a controller in powerhome explorer, and I have set up a test insteon light.

I can turn the test light on/off with the palm pad x10 commands and it reports my x10 motion detectors working but that is all.

I added some NC zones to test and get no report from them.

Where is the make it work button?

Keep in mind I am trying to come from Indigo on a mac.
Any help would be greatly appreciated

Thanks
KC

P.S.

I have my firewall turned off

Edited by kccustom - June 29 2007 at 09:51

dhoward
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Posted: June 29 2007 at 23:48 \| IP Logged

kccustom,

When trying to control Insteon through the Elk, do you mean that you've got the 2414S connected to the Elk via an M1XSP (this is the standard method that the ELK uses to control Insteon)?

If so, then a common misconception is how to control this through PowerHome. The Elk internally doesnt know anything other than pretty much standard X10. Every lighting control that the Elk uses is "translated" into X10 for the Elk. Internally, the Elk addresses lights as 1 thru 256 (or it may be 0 thru 255...I cant remember and don't have my Elk setup so I can check). Since the Elk treats all lighting systems like X10, when PowerHome communicates with the Elk, it does as if it were X10.

Sooo, to control lights in the Elk from within PowerHome, define your lighting devices as X10 devices. When you send X10 commands to control the lights from PowerHome with the Elk as the controller, the Elk will respond and send this on to the M1XSP which will then convert the 1 thru 256 number into an Insteon address (PowerHome cant see the M1XSP...only the Elk).

What is an NC zone...normally closed? If this is just a zone input (what I call a multi-state input), then just go to the Analog I/O screen and define the points there. Give it an ID, Descripton, and set the I/O as "Elk Input". Select as the controller the ID you gave the Elk controller. If the zone is onboard the Elk itself, then set the unit to 1 and the point to a number from 1 to 16 corresponding to the zone number. If the zone is on a remote board, then set the unit to the appropriate address of the board (from 2 to 13). You can leave the rest at their defaults for Elk Inputs since the formula calculations are done internally. Save the changes by pressing F5 and you should be good to go.

Let me know how it goes,

Dave.

kccustom
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Posted: June 30 2007 at 01:09 \| IP Logged

That helps alot, I went ahead and added all of my ELK devices and all the wired contacts are showing up in the device list correctly.

It looks like I am having trouble with my wireless, they show up in the log but their status does not change in the device list.

Let me fiddle with it a bit more, I think I might figure this out eventually.

KC

::UPDATE::
Set everything to "unit 1" and it is all working now.
I am definitly cooking with goose grease now.

Edited by kccustom - June 30 2007 at 01:14

dhoward
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Posted: June 30 2007 at 14:32 \| IP Logged

kc,

When you say you set everything to unit 1, is this just pertaining to the wireless?

I know one other user was having problems with getting the wireless aspect of the Elk working and I'd like to understand better so I can pass it along to others.

Thanks,

Dave.

PS. Glad to hear that it's starting to make some sense. It's probably a big jump moving from the Mac and Indigo.

Edited by dhoward - June 30 2007 at 14:32

kccustom
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Posted: July 01 2007 at 00:33 \| IP Logged

dhoward wrote:

kccustom,

What is an NC zone...normally closed? If this is just a zone input (what I call a multi-state input), then just go to the Analog I/O screen and define the points there. Give it an ID, Descripton, and set the I/O as "Elk Input". Select as the controller the ID you gave the Elk controller. If the zone is onboard the Elk itself, then set the unit to 1 and the point to a number from 1 to 16 corresponding to the zone number. If the zone is on a remote board, then set the unit to the appropriate address of the board (from 2 to 13). You can leave the rest at their defaults for Elk Inputs since the formula calculations are done internally. Save the changes by pressing F5 and you should be good to go.

Let me know how it goes,

Dave.

Here where you were (or I thought you were)saying to designate the onboard sensors unit 1 and the expanded zones as unit 2. I just set every thing as unit 1 and the point number to the number of the zone it was set up as in the elk.

I hope that makes sense I just barely understand it myself.

I can take a screen shot if you want.

dhoward
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Posted: July 02 2007 at 09:10 \| IP Logged

KC,

If it works for you, then that's all that matters

. I reviewed the code and see that I did give users the choice (I had forgotten about that). If you set the "Unit" to 0, then you can set the "Point" to the number of the zone as it is in the Elk. If the "Unit" is not 0, then Unit would be 1 for the on board and 2 through 13 for the address of the remote board with the point being from 1 to 16.

It sounds as if you've got the "Unit" as 1 however and the "Point" as the Elk assigned zone which should only work when "Unit" is 0. Im not sure why that would be though.

Dave.

kccustom
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Posted: July 02 2007 at 11:13 \| IP Logged

I tried a little experiment based on your last post and set all of the zones to unit 0, and it still works but it reports unit 1 for onboard and unit 2 for my wireless.

I like it this way better.

Thanks again
KC

m0eman
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Posted: July 04 2007 at 03:40 \| IP Logged

The issue of adding ELK zones to PowerHome sparked my interest. I am a relatively new user to ELK and PH. I purchased PH to more easily manage Insteon devices and add them to my ELK. The ELK controller with Ethernet module, enables me to control HVAC, Insteon and X10 devices (even when my home computer is off) through the internet via any java enabled web browser, or via telephone. ELKRP software automates all of my devices. What is gained by setting up your ELK zones in PowerHome (if you already have the ELK Ethernet module)? Is it simply that PH's web interface can be customized?

Steve

Edited by m0eman - July 04 2007 at 13:21

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Steve

mustangcoupe
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Posted: July 08 2007 at 16:46 \| IP Logged

eventhough the elk can do alot it can not do everything. And with the script engines in PH you can try and fill in the gaps. I am planning on emailing out a file (from security cams) to my cell phone if the motion sensors go off...

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Todd Hannemann

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hbertacc
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Posted: July 17 2007 at 00:14 \| IP Logged

Hi
I carefully read of the messages it seems that PH cannot update the Elk-
M1XSP database of Insteon devices but only control devices already
registered through the manual process. Did I understand properly or did I
miss something?
I am looking for a software that would allow me to configure through the
Elk-M1XEP ethernet Interface the M1XSP Lighting interface with Insteon
firmware. Can PH do this? Otherwise does anyone has a suggestion?
Thanks a lot!
Herve

tbeckman
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Posted: March 31 2008 at 02:18 \| IP Logged

What am I doing wrong? I am trying to setup my PH with my ELK. I set it up as a controller and made sure my router was set to foward port 2106, no firewall... but I still am not connecting? Any ideas, of what I can try now? Thanks.

kccustom wrote:

dhoward
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Posted: April 02 2008 at 14:13 \| IP Logged

tbeckman,

First thing to verify is your Elk controller settings. In PowerHome Explorer under Setup|Controllers, verify that you've chosed "Elk M1 Gold (Ethernet)". Then, in the settings window, make sure that you've got the correct IP address and port setting. The default port setting is 2101 I believe (the "open" port...not the port that ElkRP uses). If you made any changes here, be sure to restart or reinit.

If Help|About|Controllers does not show you're connected to the Elk, then the next place to check is your Elk configuration using ElkRP. Im not in front of the machine with the Elk, so can't verify, but I believe the M1XEP settings and configuration is all done from the main Elk screen.

Let me know,

Dave.

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