mpj99

Yes John, I think you are right, I forgot the step about setting the fixed IP address, it was in the manual, I just forgot it at the time.

An update... I went over yesterday and many thanks to those that said check the power supplies. First thing I did when I got there was check the power supplies and guess what, the one plugged into the Z21 said TP-LINK on it and the one plugged into the TP-LINK router said Fleischmann on it. Lesson, check everything. Swapped over the supplies and we had a blue light, yes! But, the iPad and the phone will still wouldn't link to the z21. Well the maintenance manual said the most stable configuration was to connect the pc directly to the z21, so I did this. No response, tried lots of IP addresses (should have been 192.168.0.111), also tried pinging various addresses, no response. Sometime about now I found that the router was using the wrong address 192.168.1.1 so did a factory reset, this changed the SSID from Z21 to TP_LINK, not a problem and the IP addr to 192.168.0.1. Then feeling totally frustrated at not getting the pc to link to the z21 I plugged both the pc and the z21 into the router and BINGO the maintenance software recognised the z21 as a z21 white and gave me the firmware version number and hardware type. (ONLY) I think I've a problem with Windows 10 not allowing the right ports to be opened. Any suggestions. Linked the iPad and phone to the router and they both linked through to the z21, put a loco on the track and with a bit of difficulty we had movement. Many thanks to all Malcolm

Didn't have a pc with me last time, will try the ipconfig bit next time I'm there but not sure about the server bit. Can try doing a ping from pc to phone. Had checked with a couple of wireless devices, iPad and Android phone, they both connected ok to z21_xxxx and logging in to the router the DHCP list gave them as 192.168.0.100 and 192.168.0.101 respectively. Malcolm

Yes checked it's not plugged into the blue WAN port and tried two different cables (at different times) in both of two of the yellow LAN ports. Hope that makes sense, I tried to make it clearer and think I failed. Tried cable a in port 1, cable b in port 1, cable b in port 4, cable a in port 4. That should cover it.

Apologise to all, it came out worse than intended, I was actually about to remove the first line after reading it but Ian replied before I had the chance. I have tried all the way through to give as much information as possible and ask questions as simply as possible it was just that the 'as I said earlier' comment niggled a bit after having just said that that was what it was. Can we let it drop, it wasn't intended to be nasty. I'm intending to go and see the gentleman today if he is available and this is my plan of action:- 1) check the power supplies and swap if necessary. 2) power up with nothing other than the power connected. 3) if still blue try powering up with a 15V 6A supply I have (I know the voltage is a bit low but it's the closest I've got). 4) connect a pc with the maintenance software directly to the z21, depending on how this goes... 5) try to ping 192.168.0.111 or 6) put the router back in with both the pc and the z21 hard wired to it. 7) try wireless connection from pc, then phone & ipad. I'll let you know the results.

As I said thank you for your help. And no I don't know the answer, but I had tried to give as much information as I could. Malcolm

Thank you but I'm sorry WIMorrison but do you read what I write? I wrote "The address for the z21 is set to 192.168.0.111 in the app. " to which replied "The address fir the z21 is as I said earlier 192.168.0.111 amd you should check that this address is in the app as the Z21 address." To me those look very much like the same numbers. I also said "Tried changing the network cable for a known good one and using different ports, no change. " so your comment "you should also have a cable from the tplink router to the z21." seems unnecessary. Thank you anyway, it's quite possible that it is something simple that I've got wrong. Thanks John, I've not powered the z21 up without the router plugged in but with just power and router the light is flashing red. It could be the power supply, I have not checked them, all I've done is unplug them (either at the mains or at the back of the units) and I've always made sure that I didn't swap then over but I didn't connect them up to start with. They were already connected when I went around to the gentleman's house. I can say that both power supplies must have European two pin plugs as they have two pin to 3 pin adaptors on them. I would therefore assume that they are original but they may well be the wrong way around. I’ll check this the next time I go over but it’s a half hour journey each way so would like to collect as much info as possible first, just in case they are the correct way around. I'll also take a portable with the maintenance software next time I go around and see if anything can be done with that. Malcolm

Thanks for the comments. Yes the router is the TPLINK one the same as in all the pictures the iPad and the Android phone connect to z21_???? can't remember what the numbers were but it started with z21. Yes both iPad and phone were in the DHCP list, I think they were 192.168.0.100 and 192.168.0.101, and I think the router was 192.168.0.1. The address for the z21 is set to 192.168.0.111 in the app. The app on the phone is a new download, nothing changed. The app on the iPad is as received, supposedly configured for the layout, appears to have correct locos and track. The z21 had been reset with 5s press of stop button until both blue and red leds were on (which I assume is what they call purple. Both the router and the z21 have been rebooted in every sequence you can think of with delay both ways around. Should the z21 have a red led until connected to router? Should the z21 have a red led until connected to tablet or phone? How does the router know the IP address for the z21, there does not appear to be any static IP addresses reserved in the router? Is there any way to check that the z21 is connected to the router? Does the z21 white have to be unlocked the same as the z21 Start? Are they the same thing in a different box? Malcolm

Hi, Apologies if this should be a new thread but the heading to this seemed applicable. I need some help with a z21 white (doesn’t say Start) controller that has continuous flashing red with no track connected and I can’t connect to it with old app on iPad or new app on Android phone. Background; a gentleman purchased a layout with the z21 controller and iPad over the internet (usual site) and it was damaged in transit, our club received a request for someone to help fix the electrical problems, I went and fixed the wiring problems, all to do with wires pulled out of connector blocks and all connected to lights. When the controller was powered up it gave continuous flashing red, disconnected track, still flashing red, rebooted still red. I came away and read up on all the z21 documentation I could find and went back having put the app on an old phone of mine. Still flashing red all the time, iPad that came with the layout and my old phone connect to the router ok but neither connected to the z21. Grey bar on my phone, red X over wi-fi symbol on iPad. Both devices say they are connected and both come up in the DHCP list when logged into the router. The x21 does not come up in the DHCP list. Tried changing the network cable for a known good one and using different ports, no change. Both lights on the network connector on z21 are on. One light seems to flash after z21 power up, suggests data is passed at this time. I haven’t checked that the correct power supply is connected to the z21, I’ll check this the next time I go over but it’s a half hour journey each way so would like to collect as much info as possible first. Do I need to connect a PC with the maintenance software to unlock the z21 before it will talk to the apps? Youtube videos seem to show people unpacking and using similar units without unlocking them. Does the light on the front remain red until the z21 is unlocked? The z21 was in use with the layout before it was purchased but would it need to be unlocked again if someone has done a 5s reset? Does the z21 white have to be unlocked the same as the z21 Start? Are they the same thing in a different box? Sorry for the length of this. Malcolm