Hacked Flir E4 computer connection problems - Page 1
Forum section: electronics / general

author: mtdoc
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: February 04, 2017, 03:42:09 am
content: I've had my Flir E4 - hacked to E8 + menu options for a few years now. I have not tried connecting it to my laptop (Windows 7 64bit) since I did the hack a couple of years ago - until today.I wanted to give the Thermovision_JoeC software a go. Long story short, after a few hours of trying I cannot get any connection. No FTP connection with Filezilla, No telnet with putty, no connection with the original Flir Tools software and no go with the Thermovision_Joe C software.It's not showing up under Device Manager not with an IP scan.I've tried RNDIS mode, UVC, MDS and all combos.I've tried 2 different USB cables. It does show it charging via the USB cable.Anyone with any ideas?For my normal use, I don't need to connect it to the computer but still ....

author: jmaja
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: February 04, 2017, 07:57:23 am
content: I just had the same problem with the same setup, although my E4 is only a few weeks old. Check what ipconfig shows for INFRARED once you have activated RNDIS or RNDIS_UCV (allows you to see webcam live view). Mine was not able to get a sensible IP number for the PC. I had to manually set the following (through Network Sharing Center):Code:Ethernet adapter Local Area Connection 4:Connection-specific DNS Suffix . : INFRAREDLink-local IPv6 Address . . . . . : fe80::d015:8a3:2a86:c1a9%41IPv4 Address. . . . . . . . . . . : 192.168.0.1Subnet Mask . . . . . . . . . . . : 255.255.255.0Default Gateway . . . . . . . . . : 192.168.0.2After that you can try to ping 192.168.0.2. If that works, you should be OK.

author: Bud
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: February 04, 2017, 03:59:20 pm
content: Try reinstalling the Flir drivers. As the last resort, find a computer or VM with WinXP (install Flir drivers). XP always worked.There may also be a conflict with your router if it is already using 192.168.0.1. If that is the case try disconnecting the LAN cable from the computer before connecting the camera.

author: mtdoc
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: February 04, 2017, 07:51:06 pm
content: Thanks for the suggestions.No go with reinstalling the drivers.No go with running it on different computers - - another with Win 7 and one running XP..It does not show up at all when running ipconfig.Disconnecting from all networks does not help.It seems the computer is not seeing it at all.My main concern now is if anything goes wonky with the camera, how will I connect it to the computer to reinstall software, etc?Another thing: If I try to run FLIRInstallNet.exe it doesn't show up. When clicking on "scan network" I get this grammatically incorrect error box:

author: Platonas
author_rank: Contributor
timestamp: February 04, 2017, 09:24:42 pm
content: mtdoc, try to connect to the camera using the FlirInstallNet.exe which is under the ProgramFiles\Flir System\Flir Tools\Bin. Then load (browse) the Remove_RNDIS_permanent.fif file and press Run FIF. The Fif file is in the folder used to hack your camera.That should remove the permanent RNDIS.

author: Bud
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: February 04, 2017, 10:55:04 pm
content: I once bricked my camera in RNDIS mode. Trying different things i did a factory reset and the camera after restart showed up in USB mode. I immediately ran flirinstallnet and ran the script to remove RNDIS.Factory reset did not remove resolution hack, the camera just had to be configured again. Try factory reset and watch the USB and be prepared to launch RNDIS removal.

author: mtdoc
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: February 04, 2017, 11:54:01 pm
content: Quote from: Platonas on February 04, 2017, 09:24:42 pmIt doesn't see the camera when running FlirInstallNet.exe so once I load the Remove_RNDIS_permanent.fif file I can't "Run FIF" - that button stays grayed out.Quote from: Bud on February 04, 2017, 10:55:04 pmIf you mean run "Reset device settings to factory default'''" under the Reset options menu then I tried that but no change.Other ideas??

author: Bud
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: February 05, 2017, 12:40:51 am
content: How about performing a factory reset, shut down the camera, remove the battery and let it sit for a few hours, reconnect the battery, do not power on the camera , connect to computer and see if it pops up in USB mode. If not , power on the camera and see if it now pops up in USB mode

author: joe-c
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: February 05, 2017, 01:01:33 am
content: on my win7 x64 PC i get only a contact if the "ThermaCAM Connect 3" is running.sometimes it crashes an then no contact an be established over RNDIS, until I restart it."C:\Program Files\FLIR Systems\FLIR Device Drivers\FLIR T3Srv\sysx64\T3Mon.exe"

author: mtdoc
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: February 05, 2017, 02:34:32 am
content: Quote from: Bud on February 05, 2017, 12:40:51 amTried it. No go.Quote from: joe-c on February 05, 2017, 01:01:33 amTried this as well. Still nothing.Thankfully, the camera seems to be working fine. Just no way to get it connected to the computer. Pretty frustrating.Thanks very much for the ideas.

author: joe-c
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: February 05, 2017, 04:27:04 pm
content: Quote from: mtdoc on February 05, 2017, 02:34:32 amIt doesn't appear in System->Hardware?You tried different cables... do you tried different ports as well?

author: jmaja
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: February 05, 2017, 04:54:49 pm
content: How do you change between RNDIS, UVC etc? Your firmware is old enough to allow changing from camera setup? In 2.11 I can still get the menu open for changing, but it doesn't actually change anything.So you can put it to MSD mode, but you still can't see it as a drive and import pictures? Or is the only problem with TCP connection using RNDIS?

author: mtdoc
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: February 05, 2017, 06:14:05 pm
content: OK Finally!I had previously tried 2 different cables (as well as different USB ports, different computers, etc). Nothing - the computer just didn't see it at all - it did not show up as hardware under device manager, etc no matter whether set to RNDIS, UVC or MSD. Though it was charging via the longer USB cables.I had pretty much given up but decided to try one more time with a very short USB cable and that was it. It works fine with 2 different short (less than 2 feet) cables but not with the longer cables I have.Thanks for everyone's ideas and help.joe-c - your software is great!Quote from: jmaja on February 05, 2017, 04:54:49 pmYes, I have firmware 1.19.8 with the menu hack and I can change USB modes.

author: jmaja
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: February 05, 2017, 06:23:12 pm
content: Are the longer USB cables real USB cables or just USB charging cables with data pins not connected?

author: mtdoc
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: February 05, 2017, 06:43:36 pm
content: Quote from: jmaja on February 05, 2017, 06:23:12 pmI believe they are both meant to be "real" USB cables. (Do they even make them for "charging only"?) Testing them with another device (Analog Discovery) one works fine but the other does not - so at this point that one seems to be good for charging only. I'm fairly certain that it previously worked for data as well.

author: jmaja
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: February 05, 2017, 06:59:17 pm
content: Quote from: mtdoc on February 05, 2017, 06:43:36 pmI have several USB cables that are only for charging and do not work with any device for anything else. They came with devices not using any data connection, e.g. power bank and a GPS for my heart rate monitor.

author: mtdoc
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: February 05, 2017, 07:17:04 pm
content: Quote from: jmaja on February 05, 2017, 06:59:17 pmDo they have the USB symbol on them? If so, that is just wrong. In fact they should have something on them that say "for charging only".

author: jmaja
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: February 05, 2017, 07:29:02 pm
content: Quote from: mtdoc on February 05, 2017, 07:17:04 pmJust checked the short cable that came with Flir power bank that was bundled to my Flir E4. It has USB symbols on both connectors, but doesn't work as USB data cable.

author: joe-c
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: February 05, 2017, 08:54:37 pm
content: The USB connector is a SMD and only soldered on one side of the PCB.Maybe one of the 2 Data lines lost his connection.Do you have also no connection if you pull the connected cable a little bit in direction of the Display?

author: mtdoc
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: February 05, 2017, 10:09:49 pm
content: Quote from: joe-c on February 05, 2017, 08:54:37 pmThat was my concern as well. Poor design for sure. But as I posted above, it was the cables. For some reason - both of the 2 cables I first tried did not work - "Murphy got me" as Dave likes to say. One of those cables is clearly faulty - not sure why the other won't work but I've now found 3 other cables that it works with just fine - so I'm happy.Thanks again for your help and your software.