WS-12-250DC 1.3.9 - Can't change voltage on the fly

[mhoppes]

Discovered something interesting today. Using a WS-12-250DC on 1.3.9 I was trying to change the operating voltage of a port that was already up from 24V to 24VH. Although the options were displayed in the drop down, the browser would not let me select the new option. I had to drop the port power and then I could select it.

This causes an issue in that I have to truck roll to a site if someone configured a port incorrectly. In this case it's an airFiber5x which can run on 24V, 24VH, and 48V.

[sirhc]

Sorry, this is by design.

It is better 99% of the time to not allow the POE to be changed or turned ON if an Ethernet link already exists on that port.

I can hear it now if we did allow this, it might go something like this; "

My stupid employee fat fingered the POE selection and changed a 24V to 48V or applied 48VH to his laptop and BOOM."

You can turn POE OFF then change to desired POE option when there is no link.

[mhoppes]

Except I'm coming in over the link I want to change :(

[sirhc]

Except I'm coming in over the link I want to change :(

I understand this, but what do we do?

Take the feature out and allow people to fat finger something and possibly burn something up?

It is a catch 22.

You would not believe some of the things people have done and then expected us to just replace/fix it.

How far should we go to protect people from themselves and protect us from the people who make mistakes and simply expect us to fix/replace their mistakes?

[mhoppes]

I think warning boxes are good enough. I never enjoy when something prohibits me from doing something. But I understand where you're coming from.

[Mikea]

Chris what if you give an option to enable this feature but it will prompt for a pass-phrase on a popup to do the change?

[steve_mac]

You can do this easy enough from CLI:

Drop to the Linux shell with cmd
use the nano text editor to edit config.json file in the /www directory and change the port config section:
e.g. port 1 on my switch is 48v:

"Ports": [
{
"Number": 1,
"Name": "Down AP",
"Enable": true,
"Link": "Auto",
"PoE": "48V",

then type the following to get the switch to load the new config: php-cli config.php --apply

Its not pretty, but if it stops you having to drive to a site, might be useful?

[MyThoughts]

This is a major design mistake. The entire point of these Netonix devices is to prevent truck rolls not cause them.
If you want a confirm box that pops up when changing voltage settings that requires typing in the voltage into a confirm box then fine. Locking me out of it completely very silly design decision.

I recently had a tech (he does not have access to the Netonix web interface), upgrade a link form a Rocket M5 to a AF5X. It was not until this morning when I went to change the voltage from 24V to 24VH via the web interface that I noted the new version prevents this.

I decided to try the change to the config.json remotely via the CLI, unfortunately after using the 'php-cli config.php --apply'
the Netonix locked up. I had to do a truck roll. On site I was unable to login to the unit's web interface. After power cycling the unit, I was able to login, and the port that was powering the AF5X was set to PoE 'Off,' I switched to to the proper 24VH and everything came back up fine.

I should not have had to make this truck roll.

You need to rethink this design decision.

[sirhc]

This is a major design mistake. The entire point of these Netonix devices is to prevent truck rolls not cause them.

You obviously have not been following the forums? This is not a design flaw nor is it silly when you think about it and why we do it this way.

This has been discussed several times on the forums, here is one post I found with a quick search for "change POE"
READ THIS POST: viewtopic.php?f=6&t=1552&p=11458&hilit=change+POE+voltage#p11458

Besides he should not be unplugging and plugging devices in with LIVE POE ON aport, this is also discussed many times on the forums as to why and also it is on the little piece of paper on top of every switch when you unbox it.
READ THIS POST: viewtopic.php?f=17&t=1734&p=13036&hilit=live+POE#p12998

If he was changing a Rocket M5 for an AF5X he should first turn POE OFF then remove the radio then turn the POE back on.
Had he done it this way he would have had no problem, this is the manufacturer recommended procedure and thus the software is designed around this.

Another thing, if I was installing a NEW AFX radio I would use 48V or 48VH, read this post for a description as to what AFX radios support 48V and 48VH
READ THIS POST: http://forum.netonix.com/viewtopic.php?f=6&t=1215#p9040

[MyThoughts]

We didn't have a problem with the AF5X, the unit was working fine powered without 24VH using the standard 2-pair 24V setting. I wanted to change to 24VH after the fact.

This change could be facilitated with your Netonix switches. I make a change voltage correction/change in the interface it makes me confirm it, then it powers off the port for 3 seconds, and powers it back on with the new setting.

We are not talking about a problem with anything other then a software limitation that you decided to introduce that doesn't need to be there.

The problem I had was the Netonix locked up after trying the CLI to alter the voltage via the config.json.

The first post you referenced is the post we are in, so yes I read it, and other then yourself everyone of your actual customers wants the same thing I want.

As for powering things Live vs. Not Live, you are talking good practice vs. practicality. Not to mention is has no bearing on what we are all asking for. You can shut the port off and turn is back on when applying the voltage change so it still fits with your good practice recommendations.

As for powering the AF5X radios with 48V/48VH, we stock 4-6 AF5X units (2-3 links worth) on the shelf at all times they could be older, not sure. What I do know is all the AF5X units that I have ordered came with 24V 4-pair PoE adapters, the tech sheet included with them lists them as 24V, so as for keeping with your other instructions of minding the manufactures recommendations I should be using it with with included 24V adapter and not a Netonix switch. Once I receive a AF5X with the specifications listing 48V, or coming with a PoE supply of 48V then maybe I'll consider changing. Again this has no bearing on what we all want.

As for this being a silly request we will have to agree to disagree. Your users of the product have asked for this option, and there are ways of doing it to ensure 'fat finger' mistakes are unlikely.

What is silly is I just spent 20 mins of my day to justify something that I far as I am concerned should've been handled more along the lines of...

"Thanks we will be implementing the ability to change voltage on an already powered port in the next version, were are going to use CAPTCHA as a method of preventing fat finger mistakes... stay tuned for this hotly anticipated feature."

And we all know how much you enjoy wasting your day (http://forum.netonix.com/viewtopic.php?f=17&t=1734&p=13036&hilit=live+POE#p12998)
I hate wasting mine too.