Laptop Device Connectivity Problems

[Andyb90]

Hi Everyone,

Having just spent the evening trying to test the connectivity of the different devices in my imaging setup I've finally given up for tonight, but could really do with some advice.

I've been trying to connect the following to my imaging laptop:

SX USB filter wheel to asi1600 usb hub (on back of camera).

asi1600 camera, qhy5iii 174 camera and mbox weather station to Startech usb 3 hub

Lakeside focuser to hitec astro mount hub pro compact

Mount hub to Startech hub.

Startech hub directly to laptop - usb 3.0 port

Linear mount directly to laptop - usb 2.0 port

I have ASCOM drivers installed for all devices and I'm trying to connect to them using SGPro. Also I have the Startech powered with a 12v supply.

The problem is I can only connect to 2 or maybe 3 devices and get errors with the others, but I'm not sure why. When I connect each device individually to the laptop usb ports they work fine. It's when I try to connect them up together I have problems.

I notice some of the devices try to connect via the same port called COM4 or COM3. But I'm not really sure what that means. Is a COM port the same as USB?

Maybe I'm just trying to run too many devices through the Startech hub. Would I be better off getting a new laptop with more USB ports?

Any advice on thus would be appreciated as I'm struggling to identify the cause of thsee problems.

Andy.

[RT65CB-SWL]

Hi Andy.

I take it you are using MS-Windows (but what version) ?

The USB ports can become or shown as 'virtual' COM ports on/with some hardware. 

[richyrich_one]

You need to get to device manager, plug each device in one at a time, and see what com port is assigned to it. Use the hub arrangement you plan to use for imaging just to make sure, although it should remember the device regardless of the port used.

Keep a note of the COM port assigned and if you get the same port assigned to a different device then change the port to one that has been been assigned to any of the previous devices. This is on Windows 7, not sure how 10 looks but it would be something similar.

Right click and properties on a device...

Then click the port settings tab...

And then Advanced...and change the COM port number to a previously unassigned one. Then OK everything on the way out.

 

[Andyb90]

17 hours ago, Philip R said:

Hi Andy.

I take it you are using MS-Windows (but what version) ?

The USB ports can become or shown as 'virtual' COM ports on/with some hardware. 

Thanks for the info. I'm using Windows 8.

Andy.

[Andyb90]

14 hours ago, richyrich_one said:

You need to get to device manager, plug each device in one at a time, and see what com port is assigned to it. Use the hub arrangement you plan to use for imaging just to make sure, although it should remember the device regardless of the port used.

Keep a note of the COM port assigned and if you get the same port assigned to a different device then change the port to one that has been been assigned to any of the previous devices. This is on Windows 7, not sure how 10 looks but it would be something similar.

Right click and properties on a device...

Then click the port settings tab...

And then Advanced...and change the COM port number to a previously unassigned one. Then OK everything on the way out.

 

Thanks for the instructions. Will do this.

Andy.

[m.tweedy]

keep all of the devices plugged into the same usb socket (even label them) then the same usb socket on the laptop. it saves a lot of headaches with com ports being reassigned every time.

[Andyb90]

I managed to connect all the devices individually. Only the mount and mbox weather station created COM ports. The mount is COM4 and I changed the mbox to COM5. 

However when I tried to connect all devices I had problems. I got an error code 43 in device manager "Windows has stopped this device because it has reported problems". As far as I could see it was the mount hub pro compact that was not working. 

I then noticed that both the mount and mbox were trying to connect on COM4. COM5 was no longer available in device manager.

Also I had connected the sx usb filter wheel to the Startech hub as opposed to the asi1600 hub. Thinking it would be a simpler setup rather than using multiple hubs. Now I got a connection error with the wheel in SGPRO.

Startech hub was 12v powered, so I don't think lack of power was an issue.

The Startech hub has a light for each socket. I did notice that some of the lights for the devices were periodically off. I did various laptop restarts, unplugged and reconnected the hub. But couldn't get the devices working or COM5 to appear.

I have a spare 2 port c2g usb 2.0 hub. It's unpowered, but thought I'd give it a go. Connected the mount and mbox and plugged the hub into the laptop usb 2.0 port. This time I got both COM4 and COM5 in device manager and could connect both in SGPRO.

Next decided to put the filter wheel back in the asi1600 hub. This time the wheel connected in SGPRO.  So now the setup is

Startech hub:

asi1600 (with filter wheel in hub)

Qhy5iii 174

mount hub pro

c2g hub:

Mbox

mount

I tested and was able to get everything connected in SGPRO. Although I'll need to do more testing as I'm not overly confident there won't be further issues after having so many problems. Also I don't understand why I had problems with 5 devices connected through the powered Startech hub. Could there be too much traffic through the laptop usb 3.0 socket? Also it's odd the mbox didn't create COM5 when connected via the Startech hub.

I'm also not overly confident having the mount and mbox connected through an unpowered hub, but will do further tests.

Andy.

[ollypenrice]

On 06/11/2017 at 21:57, m.tweedy said:

keep all of the devices plugged into the same usb socket (even label them) then the same usb socket on the laptop. it saves a lot of headaches with com ports being reassigned every time.

Totally agree. Mine are all labelled.

Olly

[VIctor_M]

Hi,

Every time you connect an USB device to a different USB port in your computer, Windows will create a new COM port (COMmunications port, normally used to name serial communications ports). So if you plug your mount in a USB port and this is linked to COM5 (for example), you should configure your software to talk to COM5. Lately, if you plug the same USB device to another USB port in your computer, then you should change the settings in the software.

In other hand, I think it is better to connect devices that will need fast communications (like your ASI1600 camera) directly to a USB port in your computer (maybe USB 3.0), and left the USB hub for the devices that are not "speed communications demanding".

Finally, if you have a laptop running on its battery, maybe you can get problems because the laptop is not able to supply the power needed.

 

Good luck !

[michael8554]

Hi Andy

Also, if you go to Device Manager / View / tick Show Hidden Devices, you'll be amazed at the number of redundant connections you'll find in Ports, Imaging Devices, and USB etc.

Particularly if you Set_Devmgr to show the "hidden" Hidden Devices that MS hide from you for some reason:

https://kabheap.wordpress.com/2011/02/26/command-line-to-show-hidden-devices-in-device-manager/

Delete the lot and always plug into the same socket.

Michael

 

[Andyb90]

Just now, michael8554 said:

Hi Andy

Also, if you go to Device Manager / View / tick Show Hidden Devices, you'll be amazed at the number of redundant connections you'll find in Ports, Imaging Devices, and USB etc.

Particularly if you Set_Devmgr to show the "hidden" Hidden Devices that MS hide from you for some reason:

https://kabheap.wordpress.com/2011/02/26/command-line-to-show-hidden-devices-in-device-manager/

Delete the lot and always plug into the same socket.

Michael

 

Ah I didn't know there could be hidden devices. Will check and delete any old ones. I'll connect the devices to the same sockets too.

Andy.

[Andyb90]

I found quite a few duplicate and old devices which I've removed. I'm still having an issue with the SX USB wheel disconnecting. So had to unplug it and re-connect. It then seemed to work. I think it may be trying to connect via COM4 even though I have it set to 'USB' in its settings dialog. So will change it to COM6.

Hopefully the connections will be more stable, but if not I might get a new imaging laptop with more usb ports.

Andy.

[Andyb90]

Was imaging the other night and apart from one filter wheel disconnect everything was working okay.

I've also found it best to switch on the 12v power for the Startech hub with just the mount hub pro compact connected. I then plug the as i1600 and qhy5 cams into the hub.

If I connect the hub to my laptop with all devices connected and no power I seem to get intermittent error messages in device manager.

Thanks to everyone for your advice.

Andy.

[geoflewis]

I'm following this thread with great interest as I have been plagued by connectivity problems, which mainly seem to affect my Hitec Mount Hub Pro. I have tried various solutions - different cables, adding an extra d-link powered hub, moving cameras and mount cables to the d-link, different ports on the laptop, etc., etc. Mine is a permanent set up in an observatory, so connecting the laptop to everything is a single cable currently connected to the D-link with the MHP and AP1200 mount running off that. The MHP runs the usb to Lodestar and QSI cameras, the focuser and dew straps. Sometimes everything connects ok, other times the MHP won't connect. Last time out trying to image on Monday I got the same message and came to the same conclusion as Andyb90

On 07/11/2017 at 22:28, Andyb90 said:

I got an error code 43 in device manager "Windows has stopped this device because it has reported problems". As far as I could see it was the mount hub pro compact that was not working.

I even took my laptop to beside the pier and tried to connnect the laptop direct to the HMP, bypassing the D-Link.  I rebooted my laptop a few times, even removing the battery once to ensure that it was really turned off. I recycled power to the MHP several times, tried different sequences of connecting the laptop to the MHP (power off/power on first, USB first, etc.), I used several different USB cables of different lengths, but the MHP just would not connect, so I gave up as I acnnot run an imaging session without it.

Yesterday I opened up the obs to try to troubleshoot the problem in the daylight and low and behold everything connected first time....SWTF......!!

I've looked at device manager (I'm no computer techie), but I don't see any unused Com ports and when it does connect the reported Com ports are always the same unless I try using a different USB port on the laptop, which I only do if trying to trouble shoot the connectivity issues. I would not use the MHP other than I need it to control the focuser and dew straps, so if that doesn't connect I'm screwed for imaging as I can't adjust focus....

It seems that not only do I need to wait for a rare clear night, but I then need to be lucky with the connections - I can't control the UK weather, but really wish I could fix these connectivity issues once and for all....

Regards, Geof