Ethernet controlled power switch\plug

[TheKub]

Im just wondering if anyone could recommend an inexpensive way to control a power outlet via my LAN. A couple times a month my cable modem will crap out requiring me to unplug\plug it in to get it back up and running. Unfortunately, it tends to do this on the day I happen to need to get into my home server remotely.

There are tons of these devices meant for enterprise operations with direct internet access, multiple ports, password protection, etc all of which I don’t need and just drive up the price. I would just like to make a script that can ping some websites every couple of min and if it cant reach them send a command via Ethernet to a device that I have my cable modem plugged into to reset it.

Anyone got any suggestions?

 

[gsaldivar]

Why not just replace the modem?

 

[TheKub]

Because over the years every DSL\Cable modem I've used occasionally crapped out like this. So I have little desire to buy another modem and *hope* that it doesn’t do it as well. Especially, when the problem can be easily worked around. I was just looking for a cheaper option than the $300 enterprise devices that Ive been finding.

 

[ScottMac]

Try an X10 system. It's not Ethernet, but it's remote control of the power, and it's (relatively) cheap.

www.x10.com (wear your sunglasses, it's a pretty gaudy site and they'll spam you if you sign up for anything)

www.smarthome.com is a very good site for all things in home control, and they're not so hard on the eyes.

 

[alfa147x]

How about one of those holiday light timmers? And have it reset the modem every night at 2 am ?

 

[RedCOMET]

This "might" work.. it does IP and RS232

http://www.ambery.com/reposw.html

You might have better luck with power strips that have RS232 serial interfaces. Very simple to send a command over Serial that can power toggle an outlet.

 

[Emulex]

that makes no sense dude. a cable modem should never need to be reboot. ever.

if it does you can simply just login to it (web/ssh/telnet) and run reboot (busybox).

you sure its not your router that is taking a dump?

 

[TheKub]

that makes no sense dude. a cable modem should never need to be reboot. ever.

if it does you can simply just login to it (web/ssh/telnet) and run reboot (busybox).

you sure its not your router that is taking a dump?

I would love it if that were true. I am also certain that its not the router as the LAN is 100% operational when the cable modem is frozen. I can reboot the router untill I'm blue in the face and not one thing changes until I unplug\replug in the power cable on the cable modem.

Ill go so far as to say it could have been a router issue on the past 2 DSL router\modem combo devices I have had (2 different providers in 2 different states) but that is not the issue here. Heck I've had to do the same thing with the wireless reciever\transmitter at my parents house for their wireless internet when it spazzed out.

I would also love it if I were able to do anything with the web interface on the modem itself, but every option is disabled except for the "system" option that just displays some basic info (serial #, hardware version, MAC, etc).

The timer idea is definately the cheapest but Im not sure it will do any good as I dont have the feeling that it is an overtime issue. It looks like for ~$50 I can get the bits needed to do this but looking through the guide it is unclear if I can send commands via commandline, it appears to be either scheduled events or via the GUI. Anyone have experience with their ActiveHome pro device\software?

 

[JackMDS]

There are probably Millions of people using Internet Cable services and its modem many probably the same as yours).

Yet we do not see many complains as yours. When these complains do come to surface many of them involve users that in their ignorance do not know that their Modem is actually a combo Modem/Router and that is the core of the problem.

Posting the model of the Modem and some technical info about your connection might help to Help you.

 

[TheKub]

The modem is a Scientific Atlanta DCP2100 and my router is a Asus WL-520GU running DD-WRT v24. ISP is BrightHouse in Tampa Bay and I have 20Down\7Up service. The router was formerly a node in a WDS system but that configuration was removed when it became a standalone device.

I also have a separate Dlink Gb switch off of this router connecting my main desktop, my WHS, my media center PC, and occasionally a laptop (for large file transfers). The issue with the cable modem existed before the switch was added. The Asus typically has 3 laptops, a Wii, and a Blackberry (for VOIP when UPNP behaves) as wireless clients and an Xbox 360 as wired client.

Occasionally at work I need to access my home PCs\files which I do via my WHS. A handful of times when I try to do this the WHS page does not load due to my internet connection being down. Though more often the case is when I get home from work either my girlfriend or her sister informs me that the internet has been down all day. At which point I unplug the power connector from the back of the modem wait a few seconds and plug it back in and within 30 seconds all is well. When the internet is down all LAN traffic functions as it should.

When I first moved here and this problem first started occurring the first thing I did was reboot the router, which was done by unplugging it as well as hitting the reboot button in the administration tab of DDWRT and it did not make one bit of difference. I can access the web interface of the modem but as I already said all options are disabled except for some basic information screen. I havnt done any scientific study as to when it happens but I estimate it to be every 2 weeks or so, though there has been at least one occasion where it happened 2 days back to back. Internet is heavily used with RDP traffic, some torrents, regular downloads, offsite backups, streaming TV, PC\Console gaming, Podcasts\webTV downloads via RSS, etc.

Modem has always been plugged into a UPS. Formerly a residental APC RS800 and now an enterprise APC SmartUps 1500.

I must be the most unlucky person in the world then as Ive always had issues like this. Ive had 2 DSL providers ATT in MI provided a 2Wire DSL Modem\wireless router combo, Hawaii Telecom in HI (obviously) I dont remember the type but it too was a modem\wireless router combo but this one was more of a POS usually freezing up 2-3 times a week. My parents are out in the sticks and use a wireless provider, I dont know much about it becasue I wasnt around when they had it installed. It too would crap out and restarting their router didnt fix their problem but unpugging the power cord to the PoE injector which lead to the antenna on the roof for a few seconds did. I had to do this for them at least once and Ive had to walk them through doing it a few times over the phone.

*Edit* Also I confirmed that commands can be sent to x10 devices outside of their ActiveHome software so I can easily script powering off\on the modem.

http://kbase.x10.com/wiki/Using_command_line_arguments_to_control_modules_from_Activehome.

 

[Gillbot]

Pardon the obvious but, how would you use Ethernet to reboot it if you can't remote in to begin with?

 

[RedCOMET]

Pardon the obvious but, how would you use Ethernet to reboot it if you can't remote in to begin with?

I though he was going to use a machine on his local network to ping website / what ever that was out side his network. If the ping test failed, a local machine would issue a restart / reboot command

 

[TheKub]

I though he was going to use a machine on his local network to ping website / what ever that was out side his network. If the ping test failed, a local machine would issue a restart / reboot command

This is correct. I took the chance and picked up some of the x10 equipment and well see how it goes. It cost about $40 and thats much better than the $100-$300 I was seeing for purpose built dedicated hardware.

 

[Gillbot]

Why not just get a watchdog system on a card that has a power plug output built in? I've seen older model ones that run on the PCI bus and issue a command every so often (this is programmable) and if there is no reply, it can power cycle something for you via the power outlet built in. We use these all the time in the industrial side and they are usually readily available on ebay, though I haven't looked for one in a while.

 

[TheKub]

Why not just get a watchdog system on a card that has a power plug output built in?

Mainly because I have never seen one and didnt know that they existed, my google-fu must have let me down.

 

[Emulex]

if your cable modem is so defective just kill it for good - and request a replacement - really the number of times my cable modem (note it is on a working ups always next to the router) has needed a reboot? never. they remotely rebooted it when the unit was upgraded to a higher speed tier and for bios fixes - you should google around for the model to see if it has issues and/or passwords

alot of modems have very insecure web interfaces - usually only routable when they are down - so if it was down you could execute a script to reboot it - but you should probably take a look at the logs to see why its not working - if its responding to web but not to internet - that may be a different issue - bad codewords/ t3.

and we're sure this isn't a combo router/modem? routers crash alot - memory leaks and not enough ram when you have alot of activity (nat connections!) - i'm suprised at how many gateways are given out which end up as double-nat'd to a linksys rather than being reconfigured to bridge mode.

 

[JackMDS]

I Never heard about drivers for Cable Modem.

However the DCP 2110 has it.

Maybe this can Help, http://www.cisco.com/web/consumer/support/modem_DPC2100.html#~drivers

 

[wfay]

This is a great thead, I have similar problems with my Cable modem provided by Mediacom in Central IL and also had occasional issues when I was previously with Comcast also in Central IL.

I don't suppose TheKub would be kind enough to come back and tell us exactly what he bought, how he set things up (including software etc), how well it is working a year later, etc?

 

[TheKub]

Yes, ultimately I wound up buying ~$100 in x10 stuff (more than I really needed becasue I was just geeking out at the thought of robo-apartment). This hardware along with a script I wrote "fixed" the problem for 6+ months. I have not had the need for the setup since I moved (same complex, different building) as in ~8 months I think Ive only had to boot the modem once or twice.

Since I havent used it in sometime I maybe a bit rusty with the details but at the absolute minimum you need the unit that you attach to your PC via USB, this device accepts commands via the USB and transmits them using the X10 wireless\powerline signal. In conjunction with that you need an appliance unit (not a lamp unit), this is simply a on/off electrical socket.

I then wrote a script that I installed as a service on my WHS that would randomly ping a list of websites a number of times over are particular interval, if they all failed a few intervals the script would execute a command to issue the power off commad for the appliance unit. The script would then wait a period and power it back on and wait a min or 2 and check for connection and would repeat if needed (but would terminiate after too many failures).

If there is interest I can likely dig up the script.

 

[AbRASiON]

This "might" work.. it does IP and RS232

http://www.ambery.com/reposw.html

You might have better luck with power strips that have RS232 serial interfaces. Very simple to send a command over Serial that can power toggle an outlet.

Is there a modernised cheaper version of this product?

Perhaps something with a central control box and multiple small units around the house which are on a wireless network?

 

[ch33zw1z]

If the connection is dropping, get your ISP on it.