HC-2b Rev. 1.04 Cannot Connect

[Jimk33]

I just received my RailPro starter kit yesterday, and had no problems installing a couple of LM-3 modules in some old DC locomotives I inherited from my father-in-law.  My HC-2 detected them quickly and I was quickly able to set up a consist of an F7A and F7B.

However, I cannot get my HC-2 to connect to the RailPro server to download pictures for the locomotives.  I also tried creating my own picture, which RailPro Assistant recognized, however, no matter what I do I cannot get the HC-2 to connect.  I have tried turning on the HC-2 before and after connecting it to the USB port, but nothing changes.  The "USB X Not Connected" window on RailPro Assistant says it is connected no matter what I do, and the "RE=>Internet=>HC" says "ready", but when I press the button the HC "waiting for internet" for about 10 seconds and then says "cannot connect."  I can't even get it to load the picture on my computer.

When I set up the HC I put in my first and last name, my email address, and then a password.  I'm not sure what the password is for.  Am I supposed to set up an account on the RailPro server before downloading or does the HC do that?  If I have to set up an account, how do I do that?  I can't find anything on the Ring Engineering web site to set up an account.

Can someone please tell me what I am doing wrong?

Thanks,
Jim

 

[William Brillinger]

A recent email I got from Ring Engineering indicated that you no longer need to login to connect with the RPA software.

Are you using the latest version (v3.00) of the RailPro Assistant software?

What happens if you go to the setup page and remove the password?

[Jimk33]

Thank you for the response.  I am using RailPro Assistant 3.0.  Even re-downloaded the program and reinstalled this morning.  If I try to delete the password I get a message "Too few characters."

[William Brillinger]

Hmm, looks like the transition to the new server has a hickup.

I've emailed Tim to ask for instructions.

I suggest you try calling Tim for support on this one.
This is a pretty serious issue.

[William Brillinger]

Here is what I asked Tim:

Where does one go to create a new account so they can log in with the RPA software?

Here is his reply:

Hi Bill,

You no longer need to.  RailPro Assistant can do this automatically now.

You just load the RailPro Assistant then put in the information in the RailPro Assistant setup.  If it finds no previous account it creates a new one for you.

Tim

Ring Engineering Inc.

[nodcc4me]

Jim, when you get that message, unplug the HC2 and plug it back in. You may have to do it more than once. I have had to do that multiple times in the past in order to get it to connect. However, since the implementation of the new Ring server, it doesn't happen as much.

The old RE internet download page on Ring's website has been removed along with the sign up page. I guess all the downloads are now coming through RPA.

[Jimk33]

I have tried everything I can think of and still cannot connect to the RailPro server.  I have tried plugging in the USB cable with the HC on and off, I have rebooted my computer, even tried changing my email address in the RailPro Assistant set up hoping it would create a new account.

Is there a way to tell whether my computer recognized the HC?  The connection box in RailPro Assistant says "USB" whether the  HC is connected or not.  It has never said "non connected" although there are words that say that and are greyed out.

Do I need some type of driver for my computer to recognize the HC?  Is there someplace I can go in Windows 10 to see if the HC is connected?

Thanks,
Jim

[nodcc4me]

Test your USB port with a flash drive to make sure the port is functional. The Greyed out "Not Connected" is normal when the controller is not plugged in. There are no special drivers required. Does the box near the top of RPA say "Internet Connected" in green?

[G8B4Life]

There are no special drivers required.

Well there are but these get installed when you install RailPro Assistant.

Jim, just to make sure we're all on the same page, the two screen captures below outline RPA when the HC is detected and connected and when it isn't.

RPA with HC NOT detected (The HC might physically be connected to your pc but RPA can't see it.)




RPA with HC detected and connected.



If you get the second screen (which is sounds that you are not) then all I can really suggest is to keep trying and see what Tim Ring has to say.

If you get the first screen then read on. Firstly we have to determine a couple of things.

1. Are your running 32bit or 64bit Windows 10? (this can make a difference to the drivers)

2. Does your PC have USB 3 ports? (this definitely can make a difference).

First we'll check if Windows has even detected the HC. Please go to http://www.nirsoft.net/utils/usb_devices_view.html and download the appropriate version (x32 or x64, link is near the bottom of the page) of USB Device View. It is freeware and does not need to be installed; just unzip it and run it.

With your HC plugged in and turned on have a look for FT232R USB UART in the Device Name column, this should be your HC-2b (I am guessing that the HC-2b shows up the same as a HC-2). If it is not there then Windows is not seeing your HC.

If it is there it should look like this in USB Device View (the green "light " and green highlighting tell you that it is connected and turned on):



If it is there right click anywhere on the line that is your HC and select properties from the menu. I'd like you to take a screen capture (press ALT and Print Screen together). Paste the capture into MS Paint or similar, save it and post the image here.

If it is not there then we'll work on that when you get back to us.

- Tim (not from RE).

[MtRR75]

Test your USB port with a flash drive to make sure the port is functional. The Greyed out "Not Connected" is normal when the controller is not plugged in. There are no special drivers required. Does the box near the top of RPA say "Internet Connected" in green?

The flash drive test is an easy one to check first.  There are 3 USB ports on the laptop that I was using.  I kept getting disconnected mid-file transfer.  I switched to another port and the problem went away.

Also, if you have another USB cable with the same ends, try that to see of it is a cable problem.

[Jimk33]

Thanks for all of the replies. I've "fixed" the problem, kind of.  I installed RailPro Assistant on my backup computer and the HC connects and I have been able to download picture files and update the firmware in the HC.  The problem is not in the USB port.  I have a KVM so I can use the same monitor and keyboard with either computer with the push of a button.  The same USB port that works when connected to the backup computer does not work when connected to my primary computer.  I set these up to supposedly be identical.  Theoretically, the only difference is my primary computer has an i7 processor and the backup has an i5 processor, but that's only in theory.

I'm running Windows 10.  Both computers have USB3 ports, but the USB port I am using through the KVM is USB2.  For what it's worth the HC works connected to my backup computer through a direct USB3 port, but the USB3 port on my primary computer does not work.

I ran USBDeview on both computers and HC-2b appears on both, but I don't see FT232 USB UART on either of them.  Screen prints from both my primary computer and backup computer are attached.  My primary computer is USBDeview-Primary, my backup computer is USBDeview-BackupComputer.  They look the same to me.

I'm running Norton anti virus and had to authorize Railpro to communicate with the internet, but that doesn't seem to be the problem because RailPro shows that it is connected to the server.

Now that I have it working on my backup computer the immediate problem is solved, but the question still remains why won't it work on my main computer?

Thanks,
Jim

[Jimk33]

Don't know if it matters, but USBDeview on my primary computer shows the "Last plug/unplug date" as 2/18/2017 even though I plugged and unplugged it during these tests.  the HC-2b appears and disappears when I plug and unplug the HC, so the primary computer is definitely seeing it.

Thanks Again,
Jim

[KPack]

Jim, on the computer that is having issues, did you buy it with Windows pre-installed?  I ask because I was having an odd issue on my laptop that was only about a year old or so.  No matter what I did I couldn't get the CI-1 to be recognized by the HC-Simulator....very similar to the problem that yours is having with the HC connecting to RPA.  The USB drivers installed fine, it showed up in the USBDeview, and I even reinstalled all my USB drivers.

Then suddenly my harddrive catasrophically failed and I was forced to get a new hard drive and reinstall Windows fresh.  Problem solved.  Everything works perfectly now with the CI-1.

Something in the factory installation of Windows was causing the problem.  Computers with Windows pre-installed typically come with a ton of bloat-ware.  I removed as much as I could, but apparently there was still something on there that was interfering.

-Kevin

[Jimk33]

KPack
I built the computer myself and originally installed Windows 7.  When I upgraded I did a clean install on a new hard drive of Windows 10, 64 bit.  I keep data on a separate physical drive so I can do a clean install on a new drive without having to move data around.  I did the same with the backup computer, but exactly how I did the OS install I'm not sure.  In either case, Windows was not pre-installed.

Jim

[G8B4Life]

Jim,

I'm glad to hear that you got it working, if not on your primary pc. The screen caps look good, nothing different other that which port you had it plugged into. I assume you tried it in different ports on your primary pc? It looks like your primary pc has the same case as Kevin did with his CI-1; Windows can see it but nothing can communicate with it. The normal method from here would be to then try without any other USB devices plugged in and then failing that uninstall the USB ports in device manager (or USBDview can do it) and let Windows re-detect and re-install the drivers but since you say Windows was a clean install I'm not so sure that it'll work. If it was an upgrade it usually does. Unfortunately (or fortunately if I really say so) I don't have Win10 or any USB 3 ports so I can't delve around inside the OS looking for clues from my end.

Oh, and you didn't see FTDI USB UART as on Win10 at least it was reported as HC-2b in USBDview. The HC-2 (not 2b) at least on older OS'es get reported as the FTDI device. Good for me to know that.

Kevin,

I'm very glad to hear you got the CI-1 working on the laptop (shame to have had to suffer a crash to do it though), it went for so long without you having posted any further about it I had wondered if you'd given up on it.

- Tim