D-Link Forums
The Graveyard - Products No Longer Supported => IP Cameras => DCS-932L => Topic started by: robert-e on January 01, 2014, 08:07:32 PM
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I see a note on the mydlink site that a software update is required before Jan 6th, or the 932l will cease working with mydlink.com; AND that it must be done locally to the camera using the same connected router. Well, that is just Jim Dandy. I am 2000 miles away from the camera, and will not be local to it for 3 months. I purchased it to monitor the temperature in my house. I guess I should not have trusted Dlink, and should have gone looking for a company with more collective brains.
Quite arbitrary, and very short notice, I would say. I hope I am wrong about this??
Regards,
Bob
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There is a workaround that will enable you to upload the DCS-932L firmware remotely:
- Download the latest DCS-932L firmware to a PC at your remote location
- mydlink: Log into mydlink and select the DCS-932L
- mydlink: Select the Settings tab
- mydlink: Select Advanced Settings which will provide you with remote access to your DCS-932L web UI, which will look the same as if you were accessing the interface from a local PC. You will need your admin password
- DCS-932L web UI: Navigate to MAINTENANCE > Firmware Upgrade and upload the locally stored firmware on the PC at your remote location
Although this procedure should work, you're taking a bit of a risk. If your network connection should drop during the firmware upload, the DCS-932L can be rendered unusable. If what D-Link says holds true and the DCS-932L loses mydlink access on 1/6/2014, then this procedure will only be possible if attempted before that date. Unfortunately, it looks like you're at an impasse here, but at least there is a viable option.
** Another important factor to take into consideration is relying on the DCS-932L to successfully automatically reboot and establish LAN and mydlink connectivity without assistance after the upgrade.
I don't know much more about the 1/6/2014 upgrade (and implications) other than what's been publicly made available.
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I did the procedure in the above post. All went well (as predicted) until I browsed to the new software, and clicked on the upload button. Firefox popped a notice that it failed to connect. (I did unzip the distribution file first.)
I then closed that window, and came back to the "settings" tab window. I clicked the setting window, and after entering the password again, I checked the software version, and it was still at 106. I then had the camera reboot, and relogged onto the camera via mydlink.com. I again looked at the software version and it was still unchanged at 106.
I think it might be failing because the software updater is trying to use the same port as the one the advanced settings is using. I also think that upnp might be involved there as well, but upnp is a dark mystery to me.
Oh yes, I did try with all firefox addons disabled (no script,hpps everywhere, adblock etc) but no joy.
Bottom line: I think I am screwed...or rather Dlink has screwed me.
Regards,
Bob
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If you still have access, you may want to try IE, but not the latest version.
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OK, will try a win xp that is on another hard drive. It has an older IE that I will try tomorrow. I want to leave it overnight to let the timer turn it off and back on to force a reboot. I will post the results.
Regards,
Bob
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I've got my fingers crossed for you! ;)
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I've been thinking, if you are unable to upload the firmware via mydlink and you have web UI access to your router, you can establish a direct connection to your DCS-932L web UI using port forwarding through your router.
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Unfortunatly, the router has web access to the setup pages disabled. It was the default setup and I did not change it.
I am really ticked off with Dlink's arbitratily changing access, especially with such short notice. Darn.
Regards,
Bob
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In the future, setting up a direct connection to the camera is probably preferable for remote troubleshooting and to gain direct access to the web UI Live Video page in a pinch (i.e. circumventing mydlink).
Come to think of it, D-Link released a new free mobile app a couple of months ago called Justconnect+ that will allow you to establish a direct connection to your DCS-930L through a mydlink-type interface without using the mydlink service: Justconnect+ Mobile App (http://forums.dlink.com/index.php?board=371.0). Getting this app to work is predicated on you owning an iPhone and the DCS-930L not having a reliance on port forwarding through the router. If all these conditions are met, it may be possible to configure the app remotely. I'm trying to think out of the box here for a tenable ad hoc solution.
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Thanks, but I don't have a Ifone/datafone. I have left a note with dlink support to see what they have to say. I do hope they think this through a bit more. I wonder what is their big hurry in this?
Regards,
Bob
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Do you have an update? Have you had any success uploading the firmware through mydlink or alternative means?
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No luck so far. I tried every trick I could think of. I guess I am just out of luck. Not happy with dlink at all.
I can't imagine why they would do this...sounds a lot like shooting oneself in the foot...lots of unhappy customers.
Thank you for all your suggestions, though.
Best regards,
Bob
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Well, they have done it. As of tonight I cannot connect to my camera at my house. Ironically, they suggest the firmware update is "REQUIRED for enhanced remote capability"...I cannot connect at all until some 3 months time from now.
I sent them a "support" note, but did not hear anything back from them.
I guess I will have to eat my words for recomending dlink. Certainly not what I would call a customer orientated company.
Pooh Dlink!
Bob
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I'm sorry we weren't able to sort this out. This might not be any consolation, but here are some preventative measures you might consider (once you return home) since you have extended duration trips:
- Setup port forwarding on your router so you remotely access the Cloud camera web UI directly from any remote PC
- I leave a PC running 24x7 on my LAN with logmein installed (no cost version), so while I'm out or away for extended periods I can remotely access my PC and perform maintenance/troubleshooting on my Cloud cameras and ShareCenters as though I were at home. This approach has the added benefit of allowing me to "work" from my home PC while I'm away and have persistent access to all my network devices and files
I've also encountered similar but different issues (with other devices) where this type of access saved the day while I was away.
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I guess the router port forwarding will be the answer, but that is for the future.
Before going the 932l route, I did do some experimenting with a desktop pc left running skype 24/7, setup to auto answer only on a particular user call. It worked, but it was troublesome in that sometime the pc would hang. I imagine a 24 hour timer such as I used as a workaround with the 932l hangs would have remediated that. It also did not work in the dark, and that meant I would have to depend on a light bulb not burning out.
I also did some costing on the energy needed to run the pc as opposed to the dlink camera, and it turned out that over the winter the energy cost would exceed the cost of the camera. So, long story short, I went with the dlink camera. I am now sorry I did not look into further alternatives. I should have known, considering my past experiences with dlink, but that is another story.
I now have to rely on my neighbour to do the checks on my house...he is over 80 years old, and certainly has no computer skills that could be used to update the dlink software.
I think I will do some research on alternatives to dlink cameras, and caution those to ask about my experiences.
Again, not your fault, but I do thank you for your suggestions.
Best regards,
Bob
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I have been doing a bit of poking around for alternative IP Cameras. It seems that the TV-IP600/W Wireless Network camera almost will fit the bill of requirements. The only downside as far as I can see, is that it is not infrared able. I think that could be worked-around by installing one of the newer bright white LED strips. These work from a nominal 12 volt supply (I use one in my 5th wheel trailer as a reading light).
I will do a bit more research on the reliabily of this device, and will report my findings here. I would be interested in forum member's experiences with this and other cameras, as I don't wish to repeat my recent experiences. I really do wish that Dlink were not so arbitrary, and that I could continue to rely on them. Whatever...it is what it is.
Regards,
Bob
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Thanks for your candidness. Please keep us posted on what you find.
To D-Link's credit, the mydlink service has not been around all that long and has matured and stabilized substantially over the past year, as have subsequent Cloud camera models and new firmware for existing models.
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I have found a workaround: If I log onto mydlink.com, type in my username and password, wait until the "logging onto the camera" ( or somesuch) page, and then VERY QUICKLY, click on the SETUP tab. It will take you to the setup page where you can scroll down and log into the camera. In that page, the camera image shows (at least on mine). I can thus keep monitoring the temp. on my furnace. Hopefully, dlink will not attempt to "fix" this workaround, at least until I can get back home to download the new firmware.
I imagine this might not work too well for those with a very fast internet connection; mine is slow.
Regards,
Bob
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That's great news, at least under your present circumstances. Hopefully a new firmware update will sort out this issue once and for all, and mydlink is thankfully getting easier to use and has a more persistent and stable connection with each passing day.
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Now I am really puzzled: Last night I logged onto the camera via the dlink site, and went to the setup/advanced setup, and low and behold, the software version is now 1.07. The last time before that it was still reported as 1.06. I did not attempt to update the software during this time. So I logged out of mydlink.com, and then logged back in; and sure enough, I was able to view the camera's live image (without the software update warning). Not sure what all happened there, but the bottom line is that things are now back to normal, and this thread can be marked as Solved. Thanks.
Best regards,
Bob
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It looks like your earlier firmware upload attempt took hold and for some reasons those changes weren't immediately reflected in what mydlink was reporting.
??? :-\ ???
I'm glad everything worked itself out . . . regardless of how that happened. ;)