CMote

I have downloaded and looked at CMote as means of providing a user interface for a home theatre C-bus that was installed in the house before we purchased it. If there was a user interface such as the Wiser Home Interface before we moved in, its missing now. From knowing nothing about C-Bus I am now able to access the system though C-Gate and the 5500 PCI serial interface that was left. Via my PC I've tested the network programs for lighting and curtains and all seems to be working fine. Having downloaded the android version of CMote I am stuck as to how to set it up so that it talks to C-Bus through C-Gate. Can anybody provide me with an idiots guide on this?

 

Click on the 3 vertical dots in the top left and select settings. Scroll down to
use C-Gate and select it. Enter the IP address, project name and local network number (usually 254). Also select 'Display Cbus activity'

You will have to edit the cgate access.txt file in C:\Clipsal\C-Gate2\config to allow remote access. It tells you how.

Then back in Cmote setting select 'Online'

You should start seeing activity logged when you press a cbus switch.

Then just create buttons as required.

Personally I wouldn't bother. It's very buggy and erratic.

 

Thanks Ashley for your rapid response
I have done as you suggested but I get a failed message from CMote - "failed to connect to (I've used 10.1.1.2 in both CMote and C-Gate access txt file) port 20023". I'm not sure whether I have inserted the correct IP address. Is their a way to interrogate C-Gate to identify this? Anything obvious that I've missed?

 

What are you running C-Gate on? If it's windows you can run IPCONFIG from a command prompt to get the ip address. Also, if you run C-Gate as a windows app ( not a service), the terminal window will show you if C-Gate is rejecting the connection for any reason. Using the same ip address in Cmote and Cgate can't be correct. Cmote requires the IP address of the machine CGate is running on. Access.txt requires the IP address of who is allowed to connect to it (i.e. your Android phine). I generally just allow anyone on the local net to connect with a line like:
"remote 10.1.1.255 Program" (assuming 10.1.1 is your local subnet). The 255 is a wildcard.

 

Thanks again for your response and I'm sorry to have to come back to you for further clarification.

OK - I am running C-Gate on an old but upgraded Dell Optiplex 755 loaded with windows 7 and it only being used for this purpose. I have linked into my C-Bus via the 5500 PCI using an RS232 connection. As you have recommended I have run ipconfig and have attached the screen print which also has C-Bus HOME scan on it (for information).

If I understand you correctly the IP address I use in the CMote settings is 192.168.0.13 as shown in the screen print.

I am running the CMote app on an android tablet which according to my router has an IP address of 192.168.0.10. I assume from your note that if I want to give this device specific access to C-Gate I need create this IP address in C-Gate Access.txt. Have I got this right. I have done this but am still get a failure to connect in CMote. Have I followed your advice correctly - what have I missed?

 

What does the line in the access.txt file look like? It should be like this I believe:

Code:

remote 192.168.0.10 Program

Josh

 

While Josh is correct I prefer to use the line:
"remote 192.168.0.255 program" in access.txt
as this will allow for the tablet changing it's ip address.

If you have another windows pc on the network try to connect to CGate using this pc and telnet (or some other terminal app like Tera Term etc). This will confirm Cgate is configured correctly for remote access and if not not will give you better error messages than Cmote.. You can also use an Android app like "TCP Telnet Terminal" to conenct to Cgate from your tablet to test out the android connection.

Apart from that, not really sure why it doesn't work. I have found CMote to be very flaky and gave up using it ages ago, so it just might not work with your device.

 

Thanks Josh and Ashley. The Access.txt line was written as 'interface "ip address" Program'. I've changed it to both your respective recommendations but still getting the CMote failure to connect error. I have other PCs and android devices to try so I will get back to you when I've worked through the various permutations.

 

Don't forget that when you change the access.txt file you have to restart CGate. (You can get it to reload it via a command but it's easier just to restart CGate).

 

Not sure what else other than already suggested.
I just gave it a go and it all worked fine on my Android phone.....

 

Thanks to everybody for their input to this conversation. I installed C-Gate on another computer and went through the steps setting up CMote taking into account all suggestions so far. Bingo - I got online but consistent with your experiences the platform is volatile, sometimes dropping out, other times difficult to reconnect, and sometimes I had to reboot my android device in order to reconnect. I was therefore interested in Daniel's comment regarding connecting to PCI or CNI. How does connection work via PCI. Is it a direct connection omitting the need for a RS 232 connection to a PC?

 

To use a PCI you need a TCP/IP Ethernet to RS232 converter. If you have a CNI you can directly connect to it from Cmote.