Newbie with new install cannot connect locally

Hello. I searched documents but surprisingly could not find any help.

Just got my units today and intalled my wifi. Constant green light. Thats as far as I can go. I cannot pull up anything on iotawatt.local search. I have assured that my computer is on the same wifi network as the iotawatt install.

BTW…I just checked my router and do not see an IP address assigned to iotawatt. In fact, there is no listing for iotawatt, yet the light on the iotawatt device is constant green.

And I can’t find any suggestions on how to move ahead and troubleshoot. Any advice would be appreciated.

Thanks.

If the unit has constant green, it is connected to WiFi. Moreover, with a new unit, that also indicates that it has successfully accessed a time server.

The .local access uses the mDNS protocol to find the IoTaWatt. That is an old protocol developed by Apple to find network printers, but used by many since to identify devices on a lan. The way it works is that your browser would broadcast a datagram to all members of the LAN asking if there is anything out there names “iotawatt”. The IoTaWatt listens for that broadcast and responds with its IP address. Your browser makes a note and subsequently commun icates over that IP address. What could go wrong with that?

Plenty.

Modern routers can be configured to do a lot of things. One of those is to explicitly inhibit device discovery. That is very common on public and guest networks for example.

Another not so common anymore problem is that the browser host does not have mDNS installed. If you have an old PC or browser, that could be the problem.

These would seem to be two contradictory observations. How can you be sure the IoTaWatt is on the same network if you cannot see it in the router table?

In terms of debugging, depending on your capabilities, you can try powering the IoTaWatt with a microUSB cable attached to a computer and run a terminal program at 115200 baud. You will get all of the diagnostic information at startup (may need to restart to get that). Included in that will be the SSID of the connected network and the IP.

Another approach is to power down the IoTaWatt, open it up, CAREFULLY remove the SD card pulling it straight out, mount it in a computer and copy the file at /iotawatt/iotamsgs.txt.

I understand the confusion. I meant to say that i assured that the computer was on the same wifi network as the iotawatt when i configured it. In any case, i pulled the SD card, found the IP address, then went to the router and found it listed. Still cannot connect even trying the IP address in the web browser. Im a step closer but still no joy.

ALERT. With perseverance…I can now login. No idea why!

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