G Series FAQ

G Series FAQ

One G-5 control surface has had Ethernet communications issues periodically for several years. We've tried a number of proposed fixes, many of which seem to resolve the issue, but only for a short time. So far nothing has completely resolved it. Help!

The G-5 Surface only needs an unmanaged switch or hub so replacing that should be done first. If that makes no difference then the next time the G-5 drops off the network connect a laptop directly to the ENET port on that G-5 (might need a crossover cable if the laptop NIC does not auto-configure). Open a command window on the PC and see if you can ping the G-5. If you can that would indicate a problem with the network (switch or cable most likely, but there could be other issues, such as duplicate IP addresses if you have other equipment on the network). If you cannot ping it directly then that would indicate a problem internal to the G-5.

Here is a list of possible causes: solutions to the loss of Ethernet communications on a G-series Surface:

• Defective Ethernet switch/hub port: Move the Ethernet cable from the G-5 to a different port. Substitute/replace the switch.

• Defective Ethernet cable: Replace the cable from the G-5 to the switch port

• Defective internal ribbon cable between the HC-9 motherboard and the G-6 CPU: Replace cable.

• Defective G-5 flash drive: Replace unit

• An app running on the system's PC is trying to utilize the same port as the WSTimeSet program (used to synchronize the Surface clocks). This can prevent WSTimeset from accessing that port: Try running only WSTimeSet on the PC connected to the network.

• Having non-Wheatstone equipment connected to the Wheatstone network might cause interference with Ethernet communications in the system, even to the point of causing the G-5 to lose its TCP connection: Remove any non-Wheatstone equipment, other than the Administrative PC running XPoint and WSTimeSet, from the network switch.

• Defective PC-104 CPU board: Replace or send in for servicing. Electrolytic caps can dry out on that board and numerous issues can then arise.

• A defect on the HC-9 motherboard in the G-5: Replace or send in for servicing.

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