Any control 4 guys on here

Fire away... I've installed quite a few, and done light programming on most of them. My business partner usually does the programming while I mess around with the rack.
 
summy said:
Fire away... I've installed quite a few, and done light programming on most of them. My business partner usually does the programming while I mess around with the rack.
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I've setup a few of these now, and i've always used the Cisco RVS4400 or RVS4000. We have a customer that has the 4400, and it keeps rebooting from all the traffic and MANY MANY MANY control4 devices on the network putting a huge load on the unit.

I'm wondering what router you use ? I'm thinking about going to a better router that can handle more traffic and not over heat, and not have wireless built in, and use a WAP attached to the system.
 
dashpuppy said:
I've setup a few of these now, and i've always used the Cisco RVS4400 or RVS4000. We have a customer that has the 4400, and it keeps rebooting from all the traffic and MANY MANY MANY control4 devices on the network putting a huge load on the unit.

I'm wondering what router you use ? I'm thinking about going to a better router that can handle more traffic and not over heat, and not have wireless built in, and use a WAP attached to the system.
Click to expand...

Assuming you went DHCP on all the C4 devices? I always stuck to the RVS4000 because I preferred to put the AP's where I wanted (clients never want to invest in network hardware...), I've personally never used the 4400 on a C4 install but I've seen it used on very small jobs. Only time I ever had an issue with the 4000 is when we had a ton of devices (>60 C4 alone with countless other HT and home devices), had to upgrade to some higher end Cisco small business products.

I'm always scared to try static assignments on their devices as they never seem to be 100% reliable on reboots associating to the "director". Try a 4000, and offload some cycles to standalone AP's. How many devices in total?
 
summy said:
Assuming you went DHCP on all the C4 devices? I always stuck to the RVS4000 because I preferred to put the AP's where I wanted (clients never want to invest in network hardware...), I've personally never used the 4400 on a C4 install but I've seen it used on very small jobs. Only time I ever had an issue with the 4000 is when we had a ton of devices (>60 C4 alone with countless other HT and home devices), had to upgrade to some higher end Cisco small business products.

I'm always scared to try static assignments on their devices as they never seem to be 100% reliable on reboots associating to the "director". Try a 4000, and offload some cycles to standalone AP's. How many devices in total?
Click to expand...

I didn't set the system up, originally I setup the RVS4400 as that was recommended from C4, however this system keeps failing and the customer is "PISSED RIGHT OFF" I looked in the rvs unit tonight and some one setup static ip's for the unit, but that rvs is getting so hot, i know its power cycling due to heavy traffic.

there are a TON of units, it's not a small network. I assume that the C4 equipment doesn't use the wireless network it just uses the dhcp server in this RVS..

What would be the next model you would suggest ? I could go to a RVS4000 & a WAP. BUT this guy is raging mad, so id like to buy / get him a new better router & external WAP instead...
 
dashpuppy said:
I didn't set the system up, originally I setup the RVS4400 as that was recommended from C4, however this system keeps failing and the customer is "PISSED RIGHT OFF" I looked in the rvs unit tonight and some one setup static ip's for the unit, but that rvs is getting so hot, i know its power cycling due to heavy traffic.

there are a TON of units, it's not a small network. I assume that the C4 equipment doesn't use the wireless network it just uses the dhcp server in this RVS..

What would be the next model you would suggest ? I could go to a RVS4000 & a WAP. BUT this guy is raging mad, so id like to buy / get him a new better router & external WAP instead...
Click to expand...

To make a proper recommendation, I'd need more info TBH. Is it just C4 equipment? Is he doing media streaming to Tv's? Is there more than one switch daisy chained off of this thing or are critical pieces plugged into the 4400 itself? I'd love to know the size of the C4 install, it takes a significantly large install to overwhelm a 4400.

I stepped up to SB200's, an SGE2010P (POE for touchscreens and AP's), and a 1921. Depending on the needs, and what they want to spend, you could even look into Pakedge (they tailor solutions to HT needs, but are $$$$ for what you get).
 
summy said:
To make a proper recommendation, I'd need more info TBH. Is it just C4 equipment? Is he doing media streaming to Tv's? Is there more than one switch daisy chained off of this thing or are critical pieces plugged into the 4400 itself? I'd love to know the size of the C4 install, it takes a significantly large install to overwhelm a 4400.

I stepped up to SB200's, an SGE2010P (POE for touchscreens and AP's), and a 1921. Depending on the needs, and what they want to spend, you could even look into Pakedge (they tailor solutions to HT needs, but are $$$$ for what you get).
Click to expand...

The router is for everything in the house, wifi printer 3 laptops iPad 2 desktops and then the whole home automated c4 and alarm system lighting system etc ex.

I will get you more info if you need it..

They only have one switch 24 port gig switch, everything thing plugs into the switch and e switch is plugged into the router...
 
dashpuppy said:
The router is for everything in the house, wifi printer 3 laptops iPad 2 desktops and then the whole home automated c4 and alarm system lighting system etc ex.

I will get you more info if you need it..

They only have one switch 24 port gig switch, everything thing plugs into the switch and e switch is plugged into the router...
Click to expand...

Doesn't really sound taxing enough to stress the 4400.. The lighting and other systems all communicate off of their own zigbee network (hosted off the primary C4 controller usually), and only the controllers and touchscreen/wireless devices use the network. A cheap "test" could be to turn off the wireless on the 4400 and toss in a standalone AP somewhere and check the reliability to be certain.
 
summy said:
Doesn't really sound taxing enough to stress the 4400.. The lighting and other systems all communicate off of their own zigbee network (hosted off the primary C4 controller usually), and only the controllers and touchscreen/wireless devices use the network. A cheap "test" could be to turn off the wireless on the 4400 and toss in a standalone AP somewhere and check the reliability to be certain.
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It's not e wireless part, but if you look iPad the static addresses in the dhcp on the wrvs it's got about 25 addresses, all c4 stuff too.

Want a screen shot ? Of the ip list ?

I know it uses zigbee..

They have lots of c4 media units and tv and other stuff..
 
I'd go all static on the c4 devices, less chance for issues. But the routing of all the zigbee devices is handles thru the devices themselves.

If your router is getting hot and overheating, perhaps its something else.. Heavy torrenting on that network as well? Can you isolate the c4 network from his home network?
 
Angus said:
I'd go all static on the c4 devices, less chance for issues. But the routing of all the zigbee devices is handles thru the devices themselves.

If your router is getting hot and overheating, perhaps its something else.. Heavy torrenting on that network as well? Can you isolate the c4 network from his home network?
Click to expand...

I'm starting to think the same way, but I'm wondering if it's more tv/movie streaming to TV's throughout the house. Even heavy torrenting isn't enough to overheat 4400's.. I also don't like to static the wireless remotes and touchscreens, but the actual controllers/radio/video switch/etc can all be static of course.
 
We do the networking for the control4 installer.

We always do a usg50 router. Access points have been mixed. Unifi on last job that had about $200000 of control4 working good.
 
No torrenting at all.

I know they have the c4 tv units in each room and a BIG c4 head unit down stairs in the rack.

The computers they have are very light weight usage, ie browsing emailing printing etc etc NOTHING like you or i would.

However his system goes down so much and im pretty sure its the WRVS4400,, that beast gets warm.
 
marley1 said:
We do the networking for the control4 installer.

We always do a usg50 router. Access points have been mixed. Unifi on last job that had about $200000 of control4 working good.
Click to expand...

whats a usg router cost ? arn't they $$$ and have stupid subscription ?
 
if you want to use the UTM but for a home user especially the ones i am doing i dont do them.
 
summy said:
I'm starting to think the same way, but I'm wondering if it's more tv/movie streaming to TV's throughout the house. Even heavy torrenting isn't enough to overheat 4400's.. I also don't like to static the wireless remotes and touchscreens, but the actual controllers/radio/video switch/etc can all be static of course.
Click to expand...


Would you say it would be a bad idea to put in a Sonicwall TZ105 or TZ100 ( NON WIRELESS ) unit ?
 
So just the router reboots? Is there just one uplink from the 24 port switch to the router, and then router WAN to the modem? What does the customer notice when the problem occurs? i.e. his C4 stops working and he has to manually reboot the linksys or ...

Browsing the documentation on the WRVS4400 says it can handle 64 wireless clients, and has throughput up to 800 Mb/s on NAT (if IPS is disabled). I'm hard pressed to say that you're overusing this particular piece of hardware.

Can you scratch up a small diagram of how everything is hooked up, maybe even get some documentation from the C4 installer as I know you didn't do that particular part. If this is too difficult to do, feel free to PM me and we can exchange #'s and chat about this as I know typing this stuff out can be time consuming.

Chris

p.s. I think the lowerend sonicwall's have similar performance to linksys, just with better feature sets. I don't think that would solve the problem. Although if you had one, and wanted to test separating the wireless from the wired hardware wise, that may be a cheap and viable option to experiment with to determine where the issue lies.
 
summy said:
So just the router reboots? Is there just one uplink from the 24 port switch to the router, and then router WAN to the modem? What does the customer notice when the problem occurs? i.e. his C4 stops working and he has to manually reboot the linksys or ...

Browsing the documentation on the WRVS4400 says it can handle 64 wireless clients, and has throughput up to 800 Mb/s on NAT (if IPS is disabled). I'm hard pressed to say that you're overusing this particular piece of hardware.

Can you scratch up a small diagram of how everything is hooked up, maybe even get some documentation from the C4 installer as I know you didn't do that particular part. If this is too difficult to do, feel free to PM me and we can exchange #'s and chat about this as I know typing this stuff out can be time consuming.

Chris

p.s. I think the lowerend sonicwall's have similar performance to linksys, just with better feature sets. I don't think that would solve the problem. Although if you had one, and wanted to test separating the wireless from the wired hardware wise, that may be a cheap and viable option to experiment with to determine where the issue lies.
Click to expand...

isn't that 800 mb across lan to wan ? or is that lan to wireless ?

I can pm you my number or uU can give me yours in a pm. Are you in Canada or USA ?

IPS is turned on I believe too.

it goes like this...

Shaw modem>wan port to WRVS4400N > port 1 > Netgear Port 23


BTW the WRVS4400N GETS HOT!
 
Main controller is the new HC800 controller and 1 x HC300 controller, and 4 x HC200 controllers. 1 x 8 zone control4 Multi zone amplifier, 1 x control4 audio matrix, 1 control4 tuner, 1 ccontrol4 iPod dock, about 8 x 2 button keypads, and about 16 control4 dimmers, and 7 control4 door locks,And 6 control4 SR250 remotes

At this house.
 
That isn't that much c4 gear, that definately should not be stressing your network. Maybe its even a bad router, or again something else is hitting the network hard. It will definately give you issues with your c4 stuff, but I really dont think its the c4 causing the issues..
 
Angus said:
That isn't that much c4 gear, that definately should not be stressing your network. Maybe its even a bad router, or again something else is hitting the network hard. It will definately give you issues with your c4 stuff, but I really dont think its the c4 causing the issues..
Click to expand...

Yes I might be starting to agree with you here, I spent some time talking to summy, and gave me some ideas and pointers to try.


A) managed switch features turn them off & spanning tree
B) turn off ips for now
C) back to dhcp
D) plug in power 1 from router to port 23 ( uplink port ) on switch.
E) might move router closer to switch..
 
We used Apple Airports for routers.......

In a residential environment. Never did C4 installs in a business.


Multi-Million dollar beach/island houses 4-8k sq ft houses. One Airport extreme would cover the whole house 3-full bars.
 
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JPF_ said:
We used Apple Airports for routers.......

In a residential environment. Never did C4 installs in a business.


Multi-Million dollar beach/island houses 4-8k sq ft houses. One Airport extreme would cover the whole house 3-full bars.
Click to expand...

this is a residential customer, not business.. :p I will be going on site soon to see what i can look at.
 
control 4 ?

I know alt + F4

oh dang.. i'm not going to fall for that again!
:D

(it's a slow forum day)
 
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