Ethernet Link to machine not working

[Michael Walker]

Hello everyone. We just moved from Denver to Wichita. Just before we left the machine and computer were working fine. Rehooked up machine when we arrived and for some reason we cannot re-establish an ethernet connection with the machine. There are two ethernet cards in the computer both of which work if I plug them into the Internet. Neither work when plugged into the machine. I have changed the ethernet cable 4 times so I doubt it is the cable. When I open Amaya OS Ver 5.07 and then open the Configuration Wizard it indicates that there is 1 cluster avaliable and that NO machines or 0 are detected. Any ideas on where to start, what to try or how to fix would be greatly appreciated.

[Rod or Sharon]

Michael,

When you go into Tools, Options, Ethernet....is there anything in the Adapter display and if so is it hi-lited? If not, Hi-lite it and see if that allows a connection to be established.

Just one machine? Are you using the yellow crossover cable from the computer to the machine? Is there a switch or hub in line in this setup, if so, is it plugged in, turned on?? Just a couple of things to check.......

Rod Springer
Amaya Tech & Trainer

[Michael Walker]

Rod,

Reselecting the other ethernet card did not have any effect.

As for your other questions,
1) Only one machine.
2) I am using a standard ethernet cable to connect to the machine not the original yellow cable. Is this cable special?
3) There is no hub or switch. The machine connects directly to the ethernet card in the PC.

Mike

[Michael Walker]

Rod,

One other thing that I have noticed is that the machine does not have the normal humming soiund coming from the servo motor attached to the bobbin. Very unusual!

Mike

[Digital Stitchz / LaserWorkz]

This is Lee. Yes the yellow cable is a special (crossover) cable. It allows you to go from the computer directly to the Amaya machine. The regular cables are meant to go to a router before going to an Amaya.

So either use the yellow cable or put a small 4 port router between your computer and your Amaya embroidery machine. if you do it the second way you will be ready when you add your second or third Amaya.

[Michael Walker]

Lee,

Thanks. I will give that a try.

Mike

[Michael Walker]

Lee & Rod,

I bought and replaced my internet cable to the machine which allowed me to move the yellow cable back to it's direct connection with the machine. I did notice that it appears to be communicating as the green indicating LED's on the ethermet card are now on when the machine is connected. However, AMAYA OS still does not communicate as indicated by the lack of any machines detected in the Configuration Wizard. Any other thoughts? TIA!

Mike

[Rod or Sharon]

Mike,

We need to simplify the hookup for a trouble shooting exercise.

1. Use only the yellow crossover cable, no router or hub/switch , just the yellow cable from the computer to the machine.

2. Make absolutely sure of these connections at the computor and the machine.

3. Make sure that the Emergency Stop switch is not enguaged on the machine keypad and that the ethernet cable to the keypad is actually plugged in to the back of the keypad and has a good connection.

How about the Security Key? Is it plugged into the same port that you had it in before you moved? Just a process of elimination here....

When doing the config wizzard, and then turning on the machine, do the LED's blink on and the machine start to initialize? Any thing move on the machine at all? May sound like a dumb question but is it plugged in and there is definitly power to the wall socket it is plugged into?

Have you tried doing an un-install and reinstalling the Amaya software?

Just throwing out things to ponder.....

Rod Springer
Amaya Tech & Trainer

[Digital Stitchz / LaserWorkz]

Michael,

The problem is the yellow cable is only for direct connect from the computer to the AMAYA. You need to use normal Catagory 5 cables when you use a router between the computer and the AMAYA machine(s).

[Michael Walker]

Rod and Lee,

Thanks for the comments. I was not feeling well today and I had the MELCO Tech Support folks on the phone all day. Yes all day. We did much the same things that you recommended and a few more. We bought and replace the crossover cable. We removed one of two ethernet cards trouble shooting with only the one hooked up in the PC. We pulled to cover on the mother board in the machine and bypassed the jumper cable to the back jack in the machine. We removed the registry configuration settings numerous times during the whole process. We removed the ethernet card drivers and allowed the PC to reinstall them after a reboot. All to no avail. The last conclusion we came to was a reinstallation of AMAYA OS. I had a newer version that I had never installed of 2006, Ver 7.00. Once I uninstalled the OS per the instructions from the MELCO tech I reinstalled the newer version of DS and OS. Sure enough once I launched OS the machine responded immediately. I was quite surprised to say the least. Apparently the move or possibly the new internet settings that I loaded into the PC when we got to Wichita corrupted the current AMAYA OS. Everything seems to be working fine but for a few new features in OS that are not the same as my previous version. For some reason I cannot disable the Bobbin thread detection which I always had OFF in the previous version. The feature is now Grayed Out in the machine tab under settings. Can you tell be how to activate this feature in order to turn it off. The first pattern I tried to run is stopping for a thread break about every 50 stitches without actually having a real break. The other odd thing is that the thread break is actually disabling the keypad and the only way to clear it is to hit the E stop and reset it. Puzzling to say the least as this version has some subtle difference that I will have to learn all over. Thanks for your help everyone. I am definitely getting closer to full operation again.

Mike

[GF]

Just my two cents . . . one of the many reasons for problems like the above which not many realize. If you have a device (i.e. cordless phone) (usually lower than 5.8GHz), it is constantly scanning the frequency channels. Keep your cordless devices away from your routers. There is enough "noise" in the airwaves to drop your signal, conflict wireless signals, or cause sporatic and "unexplainable" interruptions with your internet connections. There is no reason you can't run both an internet connection and your Amaya's on the same computer with proper settings. Just not the same router would be advisable in my opinion. And definitely not near a cordless phone or other device that is scanning wireless frequency channels.

~geri

[levelbest]

Just 2 more cents - we've run the internet and the amayas in the same machine for years - HOWEVER, we run a 2 Network Card setup. The amaya traffic is on it's own card and the network is on another. We don't send the amaya traffic out to a router that then connects to the internet. Instead, we run from our computers dedicated amaya card to a hub and leave the amayas talk among themselves [img]smile.gif[/img]

[GF]

Exactly!
~geri

[The Embroidery Authority - OLD]

Guys,
For those of us who are knowledgable in this area, I say sure.
However, for the average embroiderer who is learning as they go, I say Keep It Simple, Sam.
You know, the old KISS theory.
On average, a person spends 15K on a complete system from Melco, why not spend a few hundred more on a dedicated computer.
That is all,
Ed

[levelbest]

Probably good advice Ed. Unless you have a computer nerd to help you out - with the price of computers these days (sub 500 for a decent machine), it's probably best for the average user...