Timeout issue again. Help please.

[Storm]

For some reason today my ANRB decided to act up. The traffic messages per secon freezes at the last number it got for about a minute. Then it'll timeout all the traffic for another minute and then it'll start working again for about 10 seconds and the process repeats itself.

You can see this live you just need a VNC viewer and the address is okbk.myvnc.com password is utility. Or you can download the full program from www.kuwaitstorm.com which makes it easier if you don't have a VNC viewer.

Please have a look and tell me what you think please.

This just started a few hours ago. I checked the box and everything was normal I disconnected and reconnected it a few times to no avail. I even reinstalled the software.

Thanks.

[AirNav Support]

Check your USB lead, it means it loosing connection with the RadarBox.

[Storm]

USB checks out. I connected the ANRB to my Vista laptop and it worked fine. Any other ideas?

[9M-ISJ]

Have you got another USB port on the trouble-some computer you could try??

If the lead is OK, maybe the port (or the wiring from it to the motherboard) has issues??

[Storm]

OK. I just connected again to my laptop to double-check and WHAM!!! same problem. I am using a 10 meter (2 - 5 meter) USB extension cables one of them must gave broken down. Ill buy new ones tomorrow and see if that does the trick.

Thanks for the answers!

[9M-ISJ]

Thats a very long USB lead.... in my SBS-1 days I ran a similar length USB cable and had lock ups and crashes (esp when the microwave oven in my house was used!!)

It is my understanding that data is 'dropped' when longer lengths of USB are used

[Storm]

yes. true, however to reduce the length of the antenna cable (which is currently down to 10 meters) I have to move the box upstairs in the attic and connect it like this. I ave not had a problem before and the signal loss is minimal I noticed.

[Storm]

So I changed the USB cables, still no joy. Same problem. So I connected the ANRB to my laptop directly it worked for a minute then died on me. I even changed the USB cable from the ANRB and still had the same problem.

If you want to have a look via VNC password today is offline

[Allocator]

Storm,

Just confirm that you have got rid of your very long USB cables, have re-booted your PC and now you are using the short USB cable that came with RadarBox and you're using it in the same USB socket?

Also, see this below:

  Q1:  How long of a cable can I use to connect my device?
A1: In practice, the USB specification limits the length of a cable between full speed devices to 5 meters (a little under 16 feet 5 inches). For a low speed device the limit is 3 meters (9 feet 10 inches).

Q2: Why can't I use a cable longer than 3 or 5m?
A2: USB's electrical design doesn't allow it. When USB was designed, a decision was made to handle the propagation of electromagnetic fields on USB data lines in a way that limited the maximum length of a USB cable to something in the range of 4m. This method has a number of advantages and, since USB is intended for a desktop environment, the range limitations were deemed acceptable. If you're familiar with transmission line theory and want more detail on this topic, take a look at the USB signals section of the developers FAQ.

[Storm]

Correct. And as an added bonus. I installed the software on my Mac (via Parallels) and I get the same thing. So I got my friends ANRB and hooked it up and I still get the same thing on both my Mac and XP

So to recap: 3 different computers, 3 different USB cables (the short ones that come with the ANRB) and 2 different ANRB.

Hmmm cold it be something in the mast pre-amp? Something electrical?

[Allocator]

Any test must always go back to first principles - remove all the external factors.

So, RadarBox, Radarbox software, original USB lead and original antenna.  I can't see how the antenna would affect USB drop-outs, but why not disconnect the antenna completely and run RadarBox with Network traffic only?  If you don't get the USB drop-out, then you are making progress.

[Storm]

OK update: I connected my ANRB via the 2 5 meter USB extenders to my laptop and its working fine so far. So it looks like a hardware issue so far. I guess its time for a new computer anyway this thing is about 10 years old now.

[Storm]

Well after an hour it started hanging on the laptop now. I dont understand this, everything was fine till last night. Nothing changed!

[Storm]

OK another test done:

Connected the ANRB to the laptop using the short USB lead the ANRB was connected to the provided antenna. Both ANRB will stop working either immediately or after a few seconds.

Now what?

[Blackthorn]

Has your PC installed any operating system updates since yesterday? You could always try a system restore to a date when you knew it was working okay on your laptop.