Ethernet ETH03 module hangs

[mikeinnc]

I must stress before starting that my problem is VERY occasional. Over the last few years, I have \'lost\' the ability to see the ethernet module on my home network a couple of times. Quite randomly! Of course, this means I cannot use Comfigurator to access my Comfort system. It is definitely not a \'level 1\' (wiring) problem! For some unknown and unexplained reason, my ETH03 module just appears to hang and so can\'t be accessed. No IP address; can\'t be \'pinged\' etc. I can fix it - relatively easily - by switching the power off to the panel; removing the cover and disconnecting the battery.  :X  When I reapply power, everything is fine again, and it just works - exactly as expected. So, my question is - is there any programmable method using engineer mode from a phone or the keypad (both of which continue to work, of course) by which I can \'reset\' the ethernet module. This would be far easier and much more convenient than the power-off; panel access etc method. BTW, this doesn\'t seem to be a firmware function, either, since it has occurred with a few different firmware variants installed. Many thanks for any comments!

[slychiu]

There is a reset button on the ETH03 submodule (not on the base UCM). Can you press this reset button, which resets the eth03 module. You should not need to power off the whole comfortI cannot explain why this happens. It coulkd be a quirk of the ethernet chip itself

[Ingo]

@mikeinnc I\'ve also seen this perhaps twice in all the time I\'ve had one which is since they were launched some years ago.

I can\'t remember what I did to fix it as the last one was many many months ago, perhaps 2019 or 2018 even. The next time I hope I can remember what I am typing here but I would want to check my Switch\'s CAM table, the Router\'s ARP table and also see if the Eth03 answers the Layer-3 \'Discovery\' message by using a Sniffer.

[Ian]

Interesting. I have also been having issues with accessing via ETH03. I replced the module, that didn\'t help. I replaced the connecting wire - still having problems.
Although the network cable tests as OK, I am thinking of replacing that! Maybe I\'ll hang on.....

[mikeinnc]

Thanks, everyone, for the very useful comments.   Can I stress just how random this problem is - there seems to be no rhyme nor reason for it happening, and it\'s really just an annoyance rather than a critical issue. It doesn\'t in any way stop the alarm providing it\'s primary function, and if it weren\'t for me \'looking\', I\'d probably not even recognise that there even was a problem. 

My real concern is that when it does occur, it appears the only way to correct it is to \'dismantle\' the panel cover, with all its attendant issues - tamper alarm; purposely obscure location etc.  

This would be the case whether I use the module reset button, or merely disconnect and reconnect the power (because of the backup battery, obviously). Yes, the reset button may \'fix\' the problem, but it still means getting inside the panel box. And, of course, were I not of a technical \'bent\', this would be a real problem!  

So, again, I\'ll repeat my question. I know that when this problem occurs, I can still access the system through the keypad or via an attached phone. So, is there some - perhaps obscure - method by which I could use this non-intrusive method to reset an apparently \'hung\' ethernet module? And, if so - what is it? Regards - Mike

[slychiu]

If this happens again, try resetting the Comfort using the keypad
Press F0, enter the engineer code (default 6789#) and press 7,4,2 to reset Comfort

[Ian]

I agree with the \'randomness\'. I probaly see it more as I have a software link to my home automation, HomeSeer. I now have a routine so HomeSeer notes a change in the alarm status and triggers a response in the Comfort that speaks on the keypad. That way I can monitor if the ETH03 is working or not every time I set or unset the alarm. Last time it showed the fault I reset the alram with main board reset button but that did not restore the function. Removing and replacing the the feed to the ETH03 works. Next time I will try the reset button on the ETH03.

[mikeinnc]

Thanks @slychiu  I seem to recall I did try that - although to be fair, I may have not! If I did, I also seem to also recall it didn\'t make any difference. I accept I may not have been doing it correctly, and I\'ll certainly try it again - if or when the issue reoccurs - and make sure I post my findings here.
And, @Ian - I too use the ethernet interface as a link to my Home Assistant home automation system. I have Clipsal CBus lighting and the CBus UCM module in Comfort allows Home Assistant (HA) to interface to the lights and Comfort security settings via an excellent python module from @koochyrat. That\'s how I saw the ethernet module had gone \'off-line\' - HA shows all the Comfort functionality as \'unavailable\' if it can\'t \'talk\' via the ethernet interface. Again, more an inconvenience than a disaster, but something that really shouldn\'t happen. Of course, as we all know, the inordinate complexity of modern circuitry means the probability of it being 100% fault-free 100% of the time is .....well, not 100%! 

[Ian]

Today I lost connection. I did a reset using the reset button on the ETH03. That did not work.
I did a reset on the main board. That did work.
(At the moment I have the cover off trying to trace the problem.)

[Ian]

Today is a bad day for whatever reason. The connection has gone down again. This time I reset via a keypad, as per instructions above, that restored the connection.
@slychiu can you suggest how to track down the problem?