A Forum run by Enthusiasts of MidNite Solar

MidNite Solar Monitoring software and hardware => My MidNite online monitoring => Topic started by: unyalli on September 20, 2017, 04:25:04 PM

Title: Accessing remote classic from mymidnite web site.
Post by: unyalli on September 20, 2017, 04:25:04 PM
At 19:33 in this video https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bCRoSpg6TVw

tunneling back to your products (aka a classic I assume) is mentioned. Is this and/or the combox being discussed in this forum somewhere? Searching returns nothing.

- Jeff
Title: Re: Accessing remote classic from mymidnite web site.
Post by: unyalli on February 25, 2018, 12:45:21 PM
Bump. Read 110 times not one comment. Any news?
Title: Re: Accessing remote classic from mymidnite web site.
Post by: Westbranch on February 25, 2018, 12:57:29 PM
a more specific question would help someone answer it...
Title: Re: Accessing remote classic from mymidnite web site.
Post by: unyalli on February 25, 2018, 01:08:39 PM
Did you go to 19:30 in Ryan's video? In the video Ryan talks a little about these upcoming features. Video was published Feb 17, a year ago, not sure when it was filmed.

- Jeff
Title: Re: Accessing remote classic from mymidnite web site.
Post by: Westbranch on February 25, 2018, 03:47:11 PM
I used to use it but not now as there were changes (?) made that makes it virtually unusable if you use satellite internet , the latency is the primary  issue that killed MyMidnite for me.
Title: Re: Accessing remote classic from mymidnite web site.
Post by: unyalli on February 25, 2018, 03:59:30 PM
Thanks for responding and understand your frustration with the satellite internet. Following as retirement is on the horizon and Hughesnet gen 5 is/was? of interest. Maybe a vpn service like btguard?

Where are we on "remoting" a classic "via" mymidnite v3 web site with good internet at both locations?

- Jeff
Title: Re: Accessing remote classic from mymidnite web site.
Post by: Westbranch on February 25, 2018, 06:29:06 PM
The issue is not getting the data from the MyM v2, there was a beta  ( = V3 ) ....   it became MyM2.....  the issue is that  the data can not get into the DB.... it never gets an open door...
Title: Re: Accessing remote classic from mymidnite web site.
Post by: Ron Swanson on February 25, 2018, 08:28:02 PM
We sell and install Midite, but have not (yet) played with internet.

Are you guys saying it will not work with satellite?  Why is latency an issue for something that ought to be tiny blips of data?
Title: Re: Accessing remote classic from mymidnite web site.
Post by: Resthome on February 25, 2018, 11:53:10 PM
To original poster:  don't think the com box that Ryan talks about every got off the ground. Too many other new projects going on at Midnight. Too bad as providing a Webserver would be much better than what exists today. And Ryan is no longer at Midnight.

And I would suspect the sat latency issue could cause timeout issues with connections.
Title: Re: Accessing remote classic from mymidnite web site.
Post by: Westbranch on February 26, 2018, 12:25:03 AM
For some unknown reason the last 'jump' into ''DIGITAL OCEAN ''s  servers 'time out'   just about at 1 second.... and  that makes for a TIME OUT.....I just wire-sharked the paths
Title: Re: Accessing remote classic from mymidnite web site.
Post by: krementz on February 28, 2018, 02:39:16 PM
If the OP is asking about directly controlling the Classics via Mymidnite, the answer is no, not programmed (yet, ever?) If you want to control the Classics remotely, you can open up your router ports and access the Local Application over the Internet.

There are security issues related to opening a port to the Internet. I have tried to set this up, not successful yet. I do have direct remote control over my SMA inverters (by opening a port) which works, but this may be a conflict with Midnite.
Title: Re: Accessing remote classic from mymidnite web site.
Post by: unyalli on February 28, 2018, 03:33:49 PM
This classic will be very remote. Verizon jetpack mifi with directional yaggi antenna will provide solid 3g cell to a Pi3 firewall via wifi. Classic connected ethernet will send to internet through Pi3. Was going to have Pi as an IpSec vpn server but Verizon does not allow new inbound traffic. Might have Pi initiate tunnel outbound once a week as maintenance window.

Was very excited to hear project to tunnel into classic via mymidnite web site. Hope this still happens.

- Jeff
Title: Re: Accessing remote classic from mymidnite web site.
Post by: KyleM on March 01, 2018, 02:07:47 PM
As far as I know at this very moment in time there are legal and safety concerns with allowing the MM2 webpage to make changes to your Classic.

MM2 is used for monitoring your system.   The local application can affect changes in the system. I use remote desktop with a laptop hooked into the network with the Classic.

I am sure there are many other ways to make this work.

Sorry to get your hopes up with that video.

Kyle M
Title: Re: Accessing remote classic from mymidnite web site.
Post by: Westbranch on March 01, 2018, 06:05:24 PM
IIRC you may (will) need a Fixed IP address to get through to MM2 with Xplornet & / or Hughes-net. 

Xplornet wants $10 / month.  I suspect HN wants similar $$
Title: Re: Accessing remote classic from mymidnite web site.
Post by: rfdude on March 03, 2018, 11:09:59 PM
I'm using an HSPA+ data modem with a static IP assigned.   The wireless data modem does NAT port forwarding translation for security through obscurity.   For example, this means you translate port 42879 to 502.  The 3 Classics are on a hill at a location 35 miles from the nearest cell site.  Third party "Classic Status 4 Plus" software on the PC to access the Classics.  Works good.  The three Classics chirp out there status to MM2 every 5 minutes or so, which seems to use a manageable amount on the monthly data plan.  Every two or three weeks, one of the three Classics (same one every time... all are the same FW) gets hung up half way through the day, but is set to reset at midnight.  Shows up again the next day.  Honestly, I don't have a regular need to get into the units for adjustments.  It is more back door peace of mind.  MM2 web site works OK, but slow most of the time.  Today MM2 got hung up displaying all three.  This has been happening more lately. 

I do also have another LTE data modem with an IPSEC tunnel.  But this is more intense with data.  The tunnel chirps the other end regularly to make sure it is up. More overhead too.  So it is possible and it can be done, but the data costs may add up.  This is not simple to set up with some routing knowledge required. 

Unless you pay extra for a static IP, your cellular carrier will usually assign a private IP which makes it impossible to initiate contact with your device from the outside.  There are "push" methods available (as used for your smartphone's email and other notification services) that would require experts with a bigger pay grade than me to describe and who would have to create/integrate the solution.... meaning they must have a business case or other incentive.  Look at how various home IoT appliances communicate through your home router... your choice of smart WiFi thermostat for example.  It also means that once the business isn't interested in supporting a legacy product, its remote capabilities may cease to function.  But I digress. 
Title: Re: Accessing remote classic from mymidnite web site.
Post by: Matrix on March 04, 2018, 01:16:40 PM
If you can leave a computer on with the LAN at the site,  (which i sure is impractical)  I have gone to using a desktop sharing program like TeamViewer (free) or Go to My Pc or something,  to remotely control the LAN computer from a remote location.  Works like a charm.  I can control all the Classic app features and all my inverter s features from the remote desktop

But of course this requires a local LAN computer to be on at the site,  so probably not practical.  But it does work well.   With no need for port forwarding and DNS servers. 

Title: Re: Accessing remote classic from mymidnite web site.
Post by: Ron Swanson on March 04, 2018, 06:38:52 PM
Kohler generators come with an ethernet cable now.  They phone home to the master Kohler server and then you also log in to the Kohler server from wherever you are and control/read it that way.  I know this sounds Big Brother but it just works.  I have wasted enough of my life on DNS and port forwarding this solution makes me happy.
Title: Re: Accessing remote classic from mymidnite web site.
Post by: ZoNiE on June 17, 2018, 05:23:30 PM
I've got my classic online now with a Verizon Jetpack in my Motorhome at the storage lot 78 miles away. Not bad. Like to be able to see if all is well. only took me 5 min to get it all working, and verified that it was with the jetpack on Verizon and my macbook tethered to my phone on AT&T.

I had to connect the wireless adapter directly to the Classic, couldn't get it to talk through the switch, but will mess around with that on my next camping trip.

I do want to eventually be able to use the Aux output to turn on a compressor refrigerator via a relay. Anyone here done this yet? I have not had any luck getting the Classic Status 4 plus program to see the classic yet, even when I was on the same Wifi node. Not sure if it was because it was already talking to the mymidnight server?

There are other options for remotely controlling things, such as an arduino project or even a "control by web" https://www.controlbyweb.com/x410/ (https://www.controlbyweb.com/x410/), but if I can get the classic to do this with just a relay, it is a lot of time and money saved.

Title: Re: Accessing remote classic from mymidnite web site.
Post by: Matrix on June 18, 2018, 08:25:21 AM
Heres my set up for a water heater on AUX 1 using a relay.  It is a bit of a read,  but I eventually figured out what to do.  And there is a lot of forum links to other threads that might help.  But what you want to do sounds possible.

http://midniteftp.com/forum/index.php?topic=3881.0
Title: Re: Accessing remote classic from mymidnite web site.
Post by: FNG on June 20, 2018, 07:47:10 AM
That video, At the time that was the plan, to be able to tunnel back and make changes like you can with Optics RE, I do believe this will happen in the future in some way, MidNite is working on the com box that will be a webserver as well and I know they are also actively looking for help to rebuild MM

Title: Re: Accessing remote classic from mymidnite web site.
Post by: mcsarge on October 15, 2018, 08:02:21 AM
Hi, per the comment about using the cellular modem, I have the same setup, but I placed a Raspberry Pi powered from the battery pack (through a LVC) at the location which allows me to access the local network and so access the Classic 150. I use RealVNC to easily gain access to the desktop of my Raspberry Pi.

Matt