Hayward Omnilogic/App connectivity Issues

[aceniza]

Hi Everyone,

I've had the pool for over a year now, and the first year was absolutely flawless.

Now, everytime I open the app, it shows that it says that the panel has lost connection to the router. I have a router nearby, as well as an outdoor access point about 15 feet away.
Sending commands (turning things on/off) sometimes works, usually doesn't. It gets extremely frustrating.
I get the same lost link issue when trying to control it from the web.

What's struck me as odd - is if I send a command from my phone, then turn off wifi, it'll often reconnect and send the command properly.


Has anyone else had any issues like this? Does anyone have any idea what might be wrong?

 

[ajw22]

My guess is you may have some IP conflict on your home network if it works when connected to the cellular network and is flakey when connected to your home network.

Want to describe your home network?

@PoolBrews do you use the OmniLogic app?

 

[PoolBrews]

Since you see the same lost link message from both the app and browser, the problem is with the connection to the Omni - i.e. the Omni seems to have an issue connecting. I assume you are connecting wirelessly - where is your antenna located for the Omni - can you upload a pic? I'm assuming this is OK since it worked for a year, but something has changed.

Did you change your internet service, your head end modem, or your router lately? Have you tried plugging it in directly to see if the issue goes away (just a temporary check). If you have an access point within 15', you only need a 20' cable assuming the access point has an ethernet port on it.

I would try removing security on your wifi network - only long enough to test connectivity with no security in place. If it can't connect on an unsecure network, it will never work on a secure network.

Sorry for all the things to try... but this sounds like a network issue, not an Omni issue (unless the wireless card is going bad). Connecting via a hard cable can eliminate a lot of potential issues.

 

[aceniza]

Since you see the same lost link message from both the app and browser, the problem is with the connection to the Omni - i.e. the Omni seems to have an issue connecting. I assume you are connecting wirelessly - where is your antenna located for the Omni - can you upload a pic? I'm assuming this is OK since it worked for a year, but something has changed.

Did you change your internet service, your head end modem, or your router lately? Have you tried plugging it in directly to see if the issue goes away (just a temporary check). If you have an access point within 15', you only need a 20' cable assuming the access point has an ethernet port on it.

I would try removing security on your wifi network - only long enough to test connectivity with no security in place. If it can't connect on an unsecure network, it will never work on a secure network.

Sorry for all the things to try... but this sounds like a network issue, not an Omni issue (unless the wireless card is going bad). Connecting via a hard cable can eliminate a lot of potential issues.

I did change the modem awhile ago. Maybe I need check ports and forward them. Didn't have to on the last one but who knows.
I can't really plug in, the Access Point is full wireless and doesn't have any LAN ports on them. It's an outdoor POE AP.

The strange thing is, even with the "Link Lost" logo or whatever, it sometimes works.
Stranger, even without it (showing it would otherwise work), I can send a command, it it works, but the app will revert back after a minute. In other words, I turn the pump off, and it physically shuts off, but after a minute the app will go back and say the pump is running, even if it isn't.

 

[PoolBrews]

Keep in mind that the app does not talk directly to the Omni. All communication goes to the Hayward web server. Everything goes through the cloud. From the Omni, through the router, to the cloud/server, then to your smartphone/tablet/computer, and vice versa.

The only ports you should need open are ports 80 and 443 for http and https.

I'm guessing the issue lies in either your network or the wireless card on the Omni. The only way to eliminate the wireless card is to either replace the card or run a hard ethernet connection to the Omni. If everything works through the hard wire, then it's most likely the wireless card. I used to use a 100ft ethernet cable through a window in the house to test these types of things

 

[aceniza]

Update

the app started to connect a little more reliably. I’m not sure what changed.
I went ahead and changed the SSID on my Backyard access point on the 2.4GHz and connected the OmniLogic to that, just in case There were issues bouncing back & forth from the nearest indoor AP. So far it’s been great, and most phones/iPads etc work with the old SSID on 5ghz.
I did this same thing with our doorbell And Frontyard AP awhile back when it was constantly resetting.

 

[PoolBrews]

The OmniLogic uses 2.4GHz. There are a number of routers out there (including mesh systems) that use the same SSID for the 5 and 2.4 bands. I have found that a number of 2.4 devices have issues connecting in this case. My printer is 2.4 only, and won't connect to my Netgear Orbi mesh system when I leave the SSID's the same.

I renamed them to Network_5G and Network (fake SSID's ), and the printer had no issues connecting to Network.

 

[kinserc]

This thread is old. But I just had a similar thing happen with a new OmniLogic install. I don't have a complete fix yet, but I did find one key thing. If I try and send commands to the controller while my device (cell phone or desktop) are connected to the local network (192.168.x.x Ip address) the web site and app show 'Lost Link'. BUT.. if I drop the wifi connection from my cell phone and operate on LTE... Ta Da!"... connectivity returns. I do have a LinkSys mesh network so this may be part of the problem. But if you want a quick fix, try disabling WiFi on your phone.

 

[PoolBrews]

Make sure that your router does not use separate networks for 5G and 2.4. Otherwise you need to add port forwarding commands between the networks.

 

[craigy]

This thread is old. But I just had a similar thing happen with a new OmniLogic install. I don't have a complete fix yet, but I did find one key thing. If I try and send commands to the controller while my device (cell phone or desktop) are connected to the local network (192.168.x.x Ip address) the web site and app show 'Lost Link'. BUT.. if I drop the wifi connection from my cell phone and operate on LTE... Ta Da!"... connectivity returns. I do have a LinkSys mesh network so this may be part of the problem. But if you want a quick fix, try disabling WiFi on your phone.

Wow, that just worked for me.

The more I am figuring this out the more I am realizing the hayward hardware is just ancient. Despite being brand new of course.

 

[mummer43]

I am having the same exact issues but my connection is hard wired.

 

[kaseydog]

We have gotten this message along with one that says something about the server....but closing the app and re-opening it seems to solve it somehow? Is that normal?