APC UPS with Network Card - Help! (RESOLVED)

[Zangief]

Hi All (my first post! :-) )

 

Please could someone help me?

My Unraid Server is not communicating with my UPS - I have been using the UPS Settings Daemon by APCUPSD

 

I have bought a new APC Smart-UPS 1500VA LCD RM 1U 230V (SMT1500RMI1U) with a UPS Network Management Card (AP9631) installed. I've updated the firmware on the card to the latest version (6.4.6) and the web browser indicates all is up and running well with the UPS, including the DHCP allocation of an IPv4 address.

 

My Unraid Server (all rack mounted with UPS) is on the same network.

 

I have the APCUPSD settings as Ether (UPS cable) and SNMP (UPS type) although I've tried every combination under the sun. I have NOT connected the UPS via USB or Serial Cable as I had invested in the (rather bloody expensive) network management card to offer networking connectivity.

 

I have tried editing the device field with the IP address of the NMC, as well as leaving it blank.

 

Does anyone have a similar setup which is working on their UNRAID server and can kindly post a few screenshots to help?

 

Appreciate any help in advance...

 

Regards

Zan

 

 

[unevent]

The 'device' line should be the IP of the UPS plus the username and passphrase all separated by colons.  If you changed the port from the default 3052 it should added to the device line with a colon (ex: ups ip:username:passphrase:port)  Default username and passphrase are not the same as the web login.  Apcupsd manual shows defaults to be 'apc' and the default passphrase is 'admin user phrase', don't know how accurate it is.  You can change it using the web interface to the management card.  Need to decide what you intent to use: Ethernet, USB, or Serial, can't do all them all.  If you choose Ethernet, unplug the USB and serial cables.  Set 'UPS cable: Ether' and 'UPS type: SNMP' or can try 'PCnet'.  You may need to add the IP of your unRAID server (or whatever you are using apcupsd on) as a client to the management card using the web interface.

[Zangief]

On ‎07‎/‎05‎/‎2017 at 3:59 AM, unevent said:

The 'device' line should be the IP of the UPS plus the username and passphrase all separated by colons.  If you changed the port from the default 3052 it should added to the device line with a colon (ex: ups ip:username:passphrase:port)  Default username and passphrase are not the same as the web login.  Apcupsd manual shows defaults to be 'apc' and the default passphrase is 'admin user phrase', don't know how accurate it is.  You can change it using the web interface to the management card.  Need to decide what you intent to use: Ethernet, USB, or Serial, can't do all them all.  If you choose Ethernet, unplug the USB and serial cables.  Set 'UPS cable: Ether' and 'UPS type: SNMP' or can try 'PCnet'.  You may need to add the IP of your unRAID server (or whatever you are using apcupsd on) as a client to the management card using the web interface.

 

Thanks for this. I had tried most of what you have said without any success. I only intend to use the Ethernet and have never tried plugging in serial/usb cables so hopefully that doesnt cause any issues.

 

I'm confused as to what security settings are changing what... The only settings I seem to change (via the network card webgui) seem to affect the web logon, there does not appear to be anywhere where I can change a passphrase.

 

I had added the IP of the unraid server as a Powerchute client as well...  I had not changed any port numbers either.

 

I tried adding a new adminstrator account to the APC web gui and tried the device as that too, without luck

 

so Device field had  "192.168.1.25:admin:admin"

 

 

 

 

Edited May 10, 2017 by Zangief

[Zangief]

Ok I found something under Network settings within called Configure SNMPv3 User Profiles, so i setup a user and passphrase, and enabled the access control using the server's IP address...

 

Still not working... feeling I'm getting closer though!!

 

Have tried enabling/configuring SNMPv1 & v3... grrr.... has anyone done this?

 

Do i need to tinker with config files? 

 

Edited May 7, 2017 by Zangief

[Zangief]

Seem to have an issue in the log, but no luck finding an answer:

 

May 7 11:50:32 FoxServer apcupsd[32446]: apcupsd 3.14.14 (31 May 2016) slackware startup succeeded
May 7 11:50:32 FoxServer apcupsd[32446]: apcserver: cannot bind port 3551. ERR=Address already in use
May 7 11:50:32 FoxServer apcupsd[32446]: snmplite Bad port number

 

[JonathanM]

I'm afraid you are working outside the normal setup that most of us are used to seeing. Typically apcupsd communicates over serial or usb to the UPS. That "master" instance of apcupsd then transmits over port 3551 to any "slave" instances of apcupsd that you want to use the same power event notifications. I personally use that configuration quite successfully, with multiple different OS installations of apcupsd listening to the master that is transmitting from my unraid server connected via USB.

 

I've never seen anyone successfully communicate directly to a network enabled APC UPS using apcupsd. I'm not saying it isn't possible, just that I've never seen it done with unraid's apcupsd implementation.

 

I'd advise looking over the documentation at http://www.apcupsd.org/

 

You may be able to figure out the correct syntax to use for the ini file, which you can then either apply to unraid's template, or possibly manually insert it if the ini field you need isn't called out in the unraid setup.

[Zangief]

Thanks... I think I've come to that conclusion too... hence I have just connected my UPS and Unraid server via a USB cable... Sounds like that Network Management Card was a stupid and expensive mistake, as I naively thought it would make life easier to connect over a network rather than serial/usb ports.... 

 

And it STILL doesnt work....

 

Not sure what else to do now... :-( This UPS stuff is just not working... 

[ashman70]

I have an older Smart UPS 1000 UPS connected to one of my unraid server via  USB cable, here is a screen shot of my settings, maybe they will work for you. Its possible in trying to get your network card to work you changed a lot of default settings.

[Zangief]

Ha, you know, I good ol' reboot of the server seems to have fixed it!!!

 

:-)

 

So essentially I have it now working via USB, have given up on getting it working over ethernet...

 

Thanks for everyone's help - but I'd be happy to still try the ethernet side of things if anyone else has any bright ideas...

 

Is it me or is the UPS side of things a little... less looked after...?

[JonathanM]

9 minutes ago, Zangief said:

Is it me or is the UPS side of things a little... less looked after...?

If you are using a supported configuration, it "just works" so there is very little need of "looking after".

 

Since it's just a front end for apcupsd, unraid doesn't really do anything except provide presets for common configurations. If it's supported in apcupsd, it'll work in unraid. You may have to do a little under the hood tweaking if it's not a common setup and thus supported in the presets.

 

NUT is an alternative that supports more hardware, so it's possible if enough people need NUT support, limetech may add it.

[Zangief]

I think i need to enable the MODBUS protocol, but I think this is disabled within the plug in... has anyone ever got this working over a USB cable?

[unevent]

20 hours ago, Zangief said:

 

Thanks for this. I had tried most of what you have said without any success. I only intend to use the Ethernet and have never tried plugging in serial/usb cables so hopefully that doesnt cause any issues.

 

I'm confused as to what security settings are changing what... The only settings I seem to change (via the network card webgui) seem to affect the web logon, there does not appear to be anywhere where I can change a passphrase.

 

I had added the IP of the unraid server as a Powerchute client as well...  I had not changed any port numbers either.

 

I tried adding a new adminstrator account to the APC web gui and tried the device as that too, wothout luck

 

so Device field had  "192.168.1.25:admin:admin"

 

 

 

 

 

Under Powerchute in the web interface.  It is separate from the web gui login.

[unevent]

16 hours ago, Zangief said:

Seem to have an issue in the log, but no luck finding an answer:

 

May 7 11:50:32 FoxServer apcupsd[32446]: apcupsd 3.14.14 (31 May 2016) slackware startup succeeded
May 7 11:50:32 FoxServer apcupsd[32446]: apcserver: cannot bind port 3551. ERR=Address already in use
May 7 11:50:32 FoxServer apcupsd[32446]: snmplite Bad port number

 

 Port 3551 is the network information server (NIS) which is enabled by default in apcupsd.  Reading below a reboot cleared it, but then you changed config to USB.

[unevent]

Other option is to try the PCnet driver and see if that works.  First should verify in the web interface under UPS -> Powerchute that you have a passphrase set.

[Zangief]

13 hours ago, unevent said:

Other option is to try the PCnet driver and see if that works.  First should verify in the web interface under UPS -> Powerchute that you have a passphrase set.

 

Thanks unevent - Hmmm, nope, no luck... I have all but given up using the network method... Seems a real shame as I just thought it would be by far the easiest way to set it up.

[unevent]

Bummer.  I have a management card equipped UPS here at work.  I will tinker with it and see if I am not remembering something.

 

[unevent]

I used a Smart-UPS RT 8000 XL with AP9619 management card for this.  My web UI login is apc/apc, and my management card is configured to use 192.168.100.3.

 

APC Web GUI:

• Go to UPS tab at top followed by Powerchute, configuration, then update the authentication phrase.  I used 'passphrase' for this example. (passphrase.png)
• Go to UPS tab at top followed by Powerchute, clients, add unRAID IP as client. (clients.png)
• Go to Administration tab at top, go to Network sub-tab, verify TCP/IP settings match your network, specifically the default gateway and subnet.  I have manual config vs DHCP. (network.png)

unRAID UPS config or edit the apcupsd.conf located in /etc/apcupsd using telnet/SSH/console:

 

SNMP Config: (snmp.png)

• UPSCABLE ether
• UPSTYPE snmp
• DEVICE 192.168.100.3:161:APC:private

The 'APC:private' are defaults and will be exactly that regardless of your passphrase or login credentials.  161 is the default port.

 

PCnet Config: (pcnet.png)

• UPSCABLE ether
• UPSTYPE pcnet
• DEVICE 192.168.100.3:apc:passphrase

 

• Restart apcupsd by issuing /etc/rc.d/rc.apcupsd restart  (or 'stop' followed by 'start')
• Issue 'apcaccess' command or view in unRAID GUI.

 

clients.png

 

 

network.png

 

passphrase.png

 

pcnet.png

 

 

snmp.png

 

Edited May 9, 2017 by unevent

[JonathanM]

3 hours ago, unevent said:

 

I used a Smart-UPS RT 8000 XL with AP9619 management card for this.

 

Could you please add this somewhere where it will not get lost? FAQ, wiki, somewhere? This is the first time I've seen this documented.

Maybe when @Squid gets bored again he can help?

[Squid]

Could you please add this somewhere where it will not get lost? FAQ, wiki, somewhere? This is the first time I've seen this documented.
Maybe when [mention=10290]Squid[/mention] gets bored again he can help?

Anyone who was a member of the old forum can edit the wiki. Anyone who wishes to add an entry to the unraid FAQ is more than welcome

Sent from my LG-D852 using Tapatalk

[unevent]

Feel free to do what you want with it.  Create a spot in the wiki and I can work on it or at least give it a once-over if someone is interested in handling it.

[Zangief]

Unevent that's amazing, I'll look into this asap. However I can see the firmware for your management card is the old firmware. I flashed mine up to 6.4.6 (latest version) and it looks very different to your setup... I'll try see what synergies there are between the two front ends.

 

Ah and your management card is an older device but lets see what I can do...

Edited May 10, 2017 by Zangief

[Zangief]

Yes my web GUI doesn't seem to have some of the options you have - e.g. Powerchute Configuration is missing

 

[Zangief]

Ah this could be it... I'll have another crack at it and confirm success/failure...

 

 

[unevent]

I'll see what updates are available for the card I have.  In the meantime, under Configuration, Network, TCP/IP, verify your network settings are correct.  Update your passphrase as you show in one of the pics.  That should be all you need to get it running using the info in my previous post if everything else was left at defaults.

 

Edit: Last firmware update for my AP9619 was from 2010 which is 3.7.2 and still looks like the pics I posted.  You have enough information to make what you have work.  Locations of configuration items are the only things that should be different.  From defaults, verify network TCP/IP settings are correct, add IP under powerchute clients, set the powerchute passphrase and configure apcupsd for snmp following the instructions.

Edited May 10, 2017 by unevent

[Zangief]

3 hours ago, unevent said:

I'll see what updates are available for the card I have.  In the meantime, under Configuration, Network, TCP/IP, verify your network settings are correct.  Update your passphrase as you show in one of the pics.  That should be all you need to get it running using the info in my previous post if everything else was left at defaults.

 

Edit: Last firmware update for my AP9619 was from 2010 which is 3.7.2 and still looks like the pics I posted.  You have enough information to make what you have work.  Locations of configuration items are the only things that should be different.  From defaults, verify network TCP/IP settings are correct, add IP under powerchute clients, set the powerchute passphrase and configure apcupsd for snmp following the instructions.

 

Unevent... you are a GENIUS..... thank you...   WORKING!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!