Clipsal C-Bus Wiser evaluation

submission By: Paul Gordon – Clipsal have just recently unleashed the new CBUS Wiser system which appears to offer a excellent offer of prospective to house automaters with CBUS to broaden their CBUS network with logic features as well as an out-of-the-box touchscreen centric manage system.

In essence, the Wiser system combines the functions of a couple of existing CBUS units that you may already own, as well as furthermore adds performance not previously offered in a hardware based unit.  The Wiser performs the complying with functions on a CBUS network:

Provides an Ethernet interface to CBUS (replacing the previous generation CNI unit)

A Logic engine for advanced programming (replacing the previous generation PAC unit)

A common Ethernet broadband router with 802.1n Wi-Fi, a WAN port, & 4 LAN ports

A built-in “Wiser” application which supplies a CBUS graphical UI to remote clients

For all this functionality, its retail cost is really less than just a present generation CNI system alone, so no-one might take problem with the value of the general package.

Hardware – The Wiser system hardware is comprised of 3 separate components.  The Wiser Router itself. This is the primary digestive tracts of the system, as well as is, for all intents & functions a common broadband router just like the one you most likely already have at home, as well as undoubtedly might really replace your existing broadband router (in truth it is meant to be installed this way). This system has been customized by Clipsal though to add on the additional abilities of the logic engine, as well as the touchscreen application. I believe that the customized router software application is supplied under a public license, as well as source code is offered on request.

The second primary element is the CNI. This differs significantly from the previous generation CNI; it is styled to match the primary Wiser system (so it isn’t a DIN module like the older one). It has likewise been re-engineered internally as well as no longer consists of the Lantronix hardware to supply the Ethernet interface, as well as therefore does not need the Lantronix redirector software application to gain access to it. This new CNI can be utilized standalone as “just” a typical CNI if required, so you can utilize it with the Toolkit software application for managing your CBUS network. However, it is created to be utilized in conjunction with the Wiser router, which is where the 3rd element comes in.

The third as well as final part of the bundle is what Clipsal phone call the ‘Busbar’ – this is a passive system which supplies a “bridge” between different connectors on the Wiser router as well as the CNI, in buy to link the two together for both power & Ethernet connections. It likewise adds significant mechanical stability to the entire assembly.

Assembly – The CNI clips – rather loosely I have to say, – to the bottom of the primary Wiser router unit. The busbar then clips to side of that assembly, as well as its connectors mate with the power receptacles on both units, 1 RJ45 LAN connector on each unit, as well as with the WAN connector on the router. only 1 PSU is supplied with the package, so the busbar is necessary if you want to supply power to both units; the busbar consists of a single power receptacle into which the PSU is connected, which it splits to supply power to both active components. The busbar likewise consists of a single RJ45 socket which is passed with to the WAN port on the router. (This will ended up being crucial to keep in mind later!). 3 Wi-Fi antennae are likewise in the box, which the documentation specifies need to be fitted to prevent “damage” – even if you mean to turn the Wi-Fi performance off.

Once assembled, the system can be wall-mounted utilizing the keyholes on the back surface, or it can be stood on a flat surface utilizing the clip-on ‘foot’ included in the package.

Connections – The CBUS connection is by means of the CNI; there is a removable plastic shroud underneath which is a common screw terminal for CBUS+ & CBUS- which accepts bared wires only. There is a extremely weak clip-on cord clamp, as well as a little cord exit recess in the shroud. This part feels rather flimsy to my mind, however ideally when linked won’t be tinkered with, so I don’t believe this will be as well much of an issue, however I would have discovered it much easier if the CBUS connection was likewise by means of RJ45. (Although I can comprehend why Clipsal may have intentionally selected to keep them different to prevent possible mis-connection). The CNI has a single power & LAN socket in one end, both of which are filled by the busbar (but which can be utilized standalone if needed).

The Ethernet connection(s) are made either by means of the busbar or by means of the LAN ports on the router.  This part can get rather confusing, as well as the Clipsal documentation might make with a bit of work in this area. since the Wiser router might be deployed as your primary broadband router, or additionally might just be added as one more regional gadget on your interior LAN, there are a number of different methods that the connections requirement to be made. I, (like a lot of individuals in my opinion), already have my broadband set up, as well as already have a router in location that I’m a lot more than delighted with. as a result I had no wish to re-architect my existing network to fit this device, as well as therefore just wished to link it to my existing LAN, as well as not utilize its Ethernet routing capabilities. This is referred to as the “Option B” connection design in the documentation, as well as needs that you link it to the existing LAN by means of any type of one of the offered ports on the router itself – NOT by means of the one on the busbar – which you will recall I pointed out earlier is passed with to the router WAN port… – the issue is that this point is far from evident when you are in the exited rush to get whatever working! – there is no embossed wording on the busbar that makes it ordinary that the RJ45 port there is for the WAN only, as well as the documentation might be clearer (but who right here reads the documentation before plugging whatever in?). However, when you’ve come to comprehend that point, the connections are relatively simple to make, as well as you can proceed to the next phase: commissioning the unit, which is where the fun truly begins.

Oh, as well as likewise in the box is a 1GB USB stick with the software application & documentation on it – rather than a CDROM – might are available in helpful I suppose…

Commissioning – This is where, for me, – as well as from what I’ve seen on the CBUS forums – for rather a few other Wiser owners – whatever started to unravel.  It is crucial to grasp a few fundamental however fundamentally crucial ideas about exactly how the whole system operates.

The Wiser primary system as well as the CNI – although linked together, are NOT a single network device. The Wiser router has its own IP address, as well as the CNI likewise has its own separate & special IP address. These two units interact by means of the IP network, as well as need to be on the exact same subnet.

The Wiser system needs IP connectivity to the CNI in buy to speak to CBUS – commands are issued from the wiser to the CNI over IP, as well as the CNI then puts the commands on the CBUS network. Therefore, the Wiser system need to understand where to discover the CNI (i.e. what IP address it’s on), in buy to speak to it

Out of the box, whatever is set to the factory default IP configuration, which nearly definitely won’t be proper for your existing network, so a lot of individuals will requirement to modification the IP addressing of the different units.

That seems like it should be a basic & simple task to any type of of us who have even a rudimentary working understanding of IP networking, however recent experience has shown that this operation has been the cause of an immense amount of irritation even to seasoned & experienced network-savvy individuals who work in the IT & networking fields day-in day-out.  It comes down to this:

The Wiser ships with the default address: 192.168.2.1

The CNI ships with the default address: 192.168.2.2

The Wiser *software* in the router *knows* that the CNI is on 192.168.2.2

So in buy to effectively get whatever working on a different network, it is needed to update all 3 of those configuration points…  difficulty is, each of them needs an completely separate configuration tool, as well as a different technique of updating it:

The Wiser router IP address is configured by means of a browser & its inbuilt web-based admin UI

The CNI IP address is configured utilizing the fairly new CBUS IP utility (part of Toolkit)

The Wiser software’s guideline to the CNI is configured by means of a PICED job upload

Users have discovered that it’s relatively simple to total the very first two activities, however then invariably discover that it’s absolutely impossible to get PICED to publish a job in buy to update the final part of the jigsaw.  It seems to be the situation that there are a couple of safety settings in the wiser software application that prohibit PICED from updating any type of settings, as well as that the only method to kick back those limitations is by means of the Wiser touchscreen UI, – which is only easily accessible when all 3 IP addresses are right (thus enabling the Wiser software application to speak to the CNI) – so you end up in a catch-22.

In my case, as well as for lots of other individuals that I’ve seen publishing on the forums, the *only* method out of this circumstance has been to revert all the units back to their factory default IP address, at which point the Wiser touchscreen UI becomes easily accessible once again by means of your browser, as well as permits you to customize those safety settings, which then permits PICED to publish your job file.

This of program needs that you link a PC to the Wiser router directly, as well as set that PC to be on a 192.168.2.x IP address… – you can utilize the inbuilt DHCP server in the Wiser router – IF you haven’t already turned it off previously as part of the customisations to reconfigure it for your network..

You may well believe that’s as well much hassle, as well as choose to just link by means of the WiFi… as well as a jolly practical believed that would be… – I believed of it too… – issue is, out of the box, the WiFi has WPA-PSK safety enabled, as well as as far as I can tell, there is NO mention anywhere in any type of of the documentation what the network crucial is, so it’s really impossible to link to the WiFi up until you’ve very first linked by means of the wired ports to modification the WiFi passkey to something you know!

The moral of this tale is – Don’t be lured to rush ahead as well as make the modifications that you requirement to make in buy to in shape the wiser onto your network. You need to do the requisite configuration steps in a extremely prescriptive fashion if you are to prevent a great deal of angst. The buy you need to comply with is:

Assemble the gadget & power it up.

Connect a PC by means of a WIRED connection directly to one of its LAN ports – do whatever is needed to make that PC work on the Wisers default network address of 192.168.2.x

Point your browser at the Wisers UI on as well as navigate to the Wiser interface.

In the Wiser interface, open the settings product as well as allow all 3 choices that appear. This will kick back the safety settings sufficient to enable a subsequent job publish with PICED.

Connect to the gadget with PICED as well as do a firmware update – the current version of PICED includes the current offered firmware image, as well as it seems to be rather a few releases newer than the version installed in my gadget when it left the factory.

Whilst there, it’s possibly  a great concept to publish your PICED job at this point, – you’re going to have to do that at some point in the process… – you requirement to have organized what IP’s you are going to modification the gadgets to, considering that the CNI address needs to be specified in that job file…

Only now must you believe about altering the IP addresses of the two units & integrating it into your existing network/

If you stay with this buy of doing things, then you *should* have a fairly smooth time of it.

In utilize – when you’ve commissioned the gadget on your network, what can you really make with it? In a nutshell you utilize the PICED software application to produce a “project” which you publish into the unit. PAC individuals will be familiar with this process, although some things have altered a bit to fit the differences between a Wiser & a PAC. There is still an choice to utilize a simulated screen in the PICED advancement atmosphere to design the linked CBUS network & devices, so you can compose & test logic code much as before. one of the very first differences you’ll notice is the new “Widget Manager” which immediately introduces the very first time you run PICED to configure a new Wiser project. This is where you tell the wiser what CBUS products will be displayed on the touchscreen interface. The process is relatively intuitive; on the very first tab you add places which represent the spaces in your house, then proceed to the 2nd tab where you can add “function groups” – these are classifications of gadget such as “lighting” as well as so on. lastly on the last tab you add the actual CBUS groups & scenes etc that you desire to have appear on your screens, by choosing them from your existing CBUS toolkit project. That’s quite much all there is to getting a fundamental practical CBUS touchscreen up & running which will operate the gadgets you added as explained above.

Widget manager with some places added

Adding a few practical groups

Pick the CBUS groups & scenes etc. from your existing Toolkit project.

Click for full size Version

As a result of the above, the Wiser immediately develops a web page consisting of all the products you added.  The places appear as a strip along the top, as well as the practical groups appear as a column down the left. The icons are the ones I selected from the default set offered in PICED when I added those practical groups, although you can of program get it to utilize quite much any type of graphics you want.

Note that it develops you an interface which can be checked out as either a device-centric or a location-centric layout, as well as you can quickly switch between these views, or even integrate them.

Note that although it’s touted as a touchscreen interface, it doesn’t *have* to be utilized on a touchsc