Troubleshooting

How many devices are offline?

Everything offline

If everything was working, and has now gone offline, the most common cause is an internet outage.

1. Call a person on-site and see if they're aware of any issues like a power cut or internet outage. If there is, then we just need to wait until it's fixed.
2. Ask if there has been anyone on site who might have turned hardware off.
3. If they're not aware of anything, get them to verify they can get on the WiFi and can go to a website, just to check the WiFi internet is definitely OK.
4. If power and wifi have been verified, then have a look at their setup on MSX, how many collectors do they have?

All collectors offline, but site power and internet confirmed OK

How do the collectors connect to the internet?

Check the WiFi extender

The WiFi extender is a white unit made by tp-link with two black antennas. On the black strip on the top it has three icons that can light up:

1. Left hand side, rectangle icon, means LAN. It will come on green if the unit is plugged in to a wired network
2. Middle, circle icon, means Internet. When connected to the internet it will be solid green. If no internet connection it is orange. It flashes orange when it's in setup mode.
3. Right hand side, signal icon, means WiFi. When WiFi is turned on, this is green. Just because the unit's WiFi is working, doesn't mean the internet is working, they are separate things.

It's worth starting by turning this off and then on again.

Give it a minute, check the lights on the top, what do you see?

No power to WiFi extender

Try a different power point or use a power point tester. If still no power, it might be the power adapter or a problem internally in the WiFi extender. Inspect for signs of overheating, melting or other damage. Try replacing with a new unit.

WiFi extender not connecting to internet

Follow the WiFi extender setup guide to configure and test the extended WiFi.

WiFi extender is in setup mode

It goes into this mode once you've pressed the reset button for 10 seconds. The "MSX Temperature Monitoring" WiFi won't be available, you'll be able to see one with a name like "TP-Link_B948" which is for setting the unit up.

Follow the WiFi extender setup guide, you are currently at step 4.

WiFi extender doesn't have WiFi on

Either it's malfunctioning, or it's somehow been configured wrong. Follow the WiFi extender setup guide to configure correctly and confirm new WiFi is available and working.

Mobile hotspot needs to be checked

Please contact MSX support staff on either by phone: +64 9 283 0410 or email: sales@msx.nz

Set up collector WiFi

Use the details you just successfully tested on your phone, to set up the collector

WiFi problem

Check with the location manager, have they changed their WiFi? Get them to check they can connect to msc.nz from their device using the same WiFi details you've been using. Can they visit other sites like google.com but just not msc.nz?

Did it work from their device?

Try a new device

To make sure it isn't something wrong with your phone, try to connect to the WiFi with a new device - a laptop or someone else's phone. Ideally use a laptop or android phone with the "WiFi Analyzer" app/program to definitely confirm it is not a 5 GHz network (needs to be 2.4 GHz).

Were you able to connect on that new device?

Only certain websites work

This is probably going to need an IT person to resolve. Possibilities are:

• If no websites load, their internet is down. Just because you can connect to a router's WiFi, doesn't mean the internet is working.
• If some sites load but not others (like msc.nz) their IT team could have limited the internet to only allowed sites and msc.nz isn't on that list.

No websites work

If no websites load, it sounds like the internet is down. It's worth noting that you can connect to a router's WiFi, but that doesn't mean the router's internet connection part is working.

Try and figure out when the internet stopped working, that can often point to the cause. Was someone just moving furniture or bumping cables?

Things to check/try:

• Has the cable from the router to the wall been knocked out? Make sure you push the ends to make sure they aren't part-way out. These cables are often under desks or behind filing cabinets so make sure you're definitely checking the right cable from end-to-end.
• Are there any computers connected to the router via a ethernet cable? Do they have internet access? If it's working via cable but not wireless, try rebooting the router.
• Turn the router off and on again
• Is there any digging going on outside? They might have put a spade through a wire.
• Call the internet service provider (Vodafone, Spark) and see if they can see the problem or know of any outages.

WiFi config problem

You could ask the manager to disconnect from the WiFi and choose the "forget this network" option to clear it. Then try and connect yourself (this hopefully made a spot available). See if the manager can reconnect (this checks they are definitely using the same WiFi details (name and password) that you've been trying).

If the manager can still reconnect, and you still can't, then this is probably going to need an IT person to resolve. Possibilities are:

• their WiFi only allows a limited number of users and it's maxed out (and disconnecting isn't freeing up a spot immediately).
• their WiFi only allows certain MAC addresses (specific devices) to connect.

Collector might be offline

Check the collector on MSX, what is/was the power source? If it has the latest software it can tell you if it was operating on the backup battery. If it was, then it's been turned off at the wall or unplugged by someone.

Locate the collector and check the lights. What do you see?

Collector turned off

Check the collector's grey power button first, is it on? It should beep when you press it on. If it doesn't come on, check the power cable, is it plugged in? Is the power on at the power point? Use a power point tester to check the power point is actually live.

Collector OK

This collector is connecting to the internet ok.

Double check the ID on the bottom is what you expect, make sure you're definitely looking at the right collector.

If no devices are connecting through it maybe they are too far away? Or the "sucker" antenna might be disconnected or broken?

Turn a test device on right next to the collector and see if it works.

Another possibility is that it's a Collector30 (maximum of 30 devices) but all the devices were previously connected to a Collector12 (max 12 devices) and the devices are set to intervals less than 5 minutes (either manually or because the location is in setup-mode). You'll need to use a Collector12 to get the devices to connect, then set them to a minimum of 5 min intervals before using the Collector30.

Collector can't connect to internet

Using your phone, check you can connect to the local WiFi, open up a browser like Safari or Google Chrome and view "https://msc.nz". You should see the current time displayed, check this, it's important that it's the time right now, so you know you're not looking at cached (your device has saved it) copy of the page.

Get the local WiFi name and password from the MSX system. If your phone is already connected you should "forget this network" to be sure you are using the correct details.

You **must** be connecting to a 2.4 GHz WiFi (not 5 GHz). MSX Collectors can't see or connect to 5 GHz WiFi.

Is it working on your phone?

Collector Problem

Replace this collector. It needs to be checked and tested in the lab.

Device offline

Locate the device and check the lights. What do you see?

Device Off

Try turning it on by pressing and holding the button for three (3) seconds. If it doesn't come on, replace the batteries.

Device OK

This device is OK. Check the device ID on the sticker on the back of the device, and compare with the offline one in the system.

Are you looking at the right device?

Device Can't Connect

There's a number of reasons a device can't connect:

• Signal too weak to collector (too far away, or going through thick metal walls, or there is interference like a big motor between them)
• It's set to less than 5 min intervals, and you are trying to connect it to a Collector30
• Collector has a problem (check other devices can connect to it)
• Collector already has maximum devices connected (might need to replace Collecter12 with a Collector30 or add another collector)

Device Battery Issue

Sometimes seen with devices in freezers. The batteries don't have enough charge to operate in low temperatures (although they will seem fine when the device warms up). Replace the batteries, ideally with some that have been tested and confirmed at freezer temperatures. Sometimes new ones straight from the box may not work either (stored too long or faulty chemicals)

Device or Battery Problem

Can you turn the device off by pressing and holding the power button?

Device Won't Turn Off

This is most often caused by really cold temperatures (like -30°C)

You need to remove the batteries for at least 3 hours, and let the device warm up to room temperature.

You'll notice that the lights stay lit for a while even when the batteries are taken out - this is because the capacitors are still holding a charge. These capacitors even hold a charge even after the lights go out, which is why we keep the batteries out for as long as we do.

If you don't wait long enough it seems like the device goes right back to its corrupt state, so best to wait.

Device OK, but offline

It can sometimes take 10-20 mins (depends on the send interval) for data to be sent to the system. Try turning it off and on again, what are the lights doing now? Also check the other devices in the system, are they all offline now, or still just this one?

No idea

Well you've got me stumped. I've run out of ideas.

Please contact MSX support staff on either by phone: +64 9 283 0410 or email: sales@msx.nz