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Troubleshooting

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Joe Saavedra edited this page Dec 20, 2013 · 33 revisions

##Visualight Troubleshooting and FAQ Guide

If you're having a problem not outlined here, please post it to the Visualight Forum.

####I need to change the WiFi network (or network credentials) that my Visualight is connected to You might move, change WiFi network names/passwords, take your Visualight to another location; anytime you want to change the network credentials follow this process:

  1. Open your Visualight enclosure. For bulbs, rotate the top until the notches line up and it comes off. For LED boards, use a small screwdriver or even a pen to pop the bottom off.
  2. Set your Visualight to be a WiFi access point: Reset your Visualight by powering it on and locating the RESET button on the board. On the Visualight bulbs, this is located on the side of the board. On the LED strips it is mounted on the top of the board. After powering on, press and hold this button until your Visualight begins pulsing blue.
  3. While your light is pulsing blue, look at the available WiFi networks on your phone or computer. You should see a network named "Visualight-##". Connect to this network.
  4. In a browser on your phone, tablet or computer, enter the URL "1.2.3.4"
  5. Re-enter your WiFi credentials and security type. Hit Submit.
  6. Your Visualight will reset and join that network.

####There is a tiny green light coming from inside my Visualight and I'd like to turn it off Visualight uses the Roving Networks WiFly module for all WiFi communications. By default, your bulb comes with all of the debug LEDs (1 each of Green, Yellow, and Red) enabled on the WiFly unit. We did this to make it easy to troubleshoot any issues you might encounter when first connecting your light to the Visualight server. However, it is quite simple to disable these status LEDs, particularly if you have programmed an Arduino before.

  1. Download and install the Arduino software if you don't yet have it on your computer
  2. Download and install the Visualight Arduino library, by placing it in your libraries folder. More info here
  3. Open the "visualight_basic.ino" example.
  4. Change the setup to say:

visualight.setup("visualight.org", 5001, 0);

note: it is the final '0' that is the disable flag for WiFly LEDs. 5. Upload this code to your Visualight by selecting Board -> Leonardo and then the correct serial port. Hit "upload" 6. Connect your Visualight back to it's power supply. WiFi network and password are stored on the WiFly, so there should be no need to do anything else. If your Visualight begins flashing blue, it has entered Access Point mode. If this is the case, connect to the "Visualight-##" network from your phone or computer. Navigate to http://1.2.3.4 in any brower. Enter your WiFi credentials and click 'submit'. Log in to Visualight.org1. Your bulb does not require re-registration to the server, it will simply appear as connected in your dashboard. WiFly LEDs will turn off the moment a connection to the server has been established.

####When I login, I don't see any Visualights under the "Lights" menu The registration process failed, and you need to do it once more:

  1. Open your Visualight enclosure. For bulbs, rotate the top until the notches line up and it comes off. For LED boards, use a small screwdriver or even a pen to pop the bottom off.
  2. Reset your Visualight by powering it on and locating the RESET button on the board. On the Visualight bulbs, this is located on the side of the board. On the LED strips it is mounted on the top of the board. After powering on, press and hold this button until your Visualight begins pulsing blue.
  3. Login to [visualight.org]. Click on the "+" next to the "Lights" menu and follow the on-screen instructions to register your light.

####I've followed the registration process, I see the light listed under "Lights" but my light is still pulsing blue This means the WiFi credentials are not working properly. Make sure you double-check and are sure of the WiFi password and security type before executing the following steps:

  1. While your light is pulsing blue, look at the available WiFi networks on your phone or computer. You should see a network named "Visualight-##". Connect to this network.
  2. In a browser, enter the URL "1.2.3.4"
  3. Re-enter your WiFi credentials and security type. Hit Submit.
  4. Your Visualight will reset and join that network.

####When i run the "visualight_factoryRestore" sketch the Visualight never flashes green If upon running the "visualight_factoryRestore" sketch, your visualight stays red indefinitely and never pulses green there is an error with communicating with the WiFly backpack unit.

  1. Check that the WiFly is properly seated in it's header pins. The WiFly board is the red "backpack" on your Visualight board. It's edges should match the black outline drawn on the PCB, and headers should be fully seated.
  2. Run the sketch again. If the problem persists, try posting to the forum [here]. All Kickstarter Visualights shipped with the Roving Networks RN-XV WiFly Module, which can be purchased from Sparkfun Electronics here.

####My LED Strip isn't showing all the colors! The likely cause is that the wires to the LED strip are loose or became disconnected. Use a small screw driver to open the case and ensure that the wires are connected in the order shown above.

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