Remote console via VRM not working

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question

jlmster asked Apr 16, '19

Remote console via VRM not working

Hi. I am new to the Victron world, having recently installed a MPPT solar controller, BMV 712, and Venus GX. MultiPlus in box to install next. All in a RV with new lithium batteries too.

All is working great so far with the exception of the Remote Console via internet with the vrm.victronenergy.com website or the VRM iOS app. I can use remote console when connected to the RV WiFi hotspot or using the built-in IP address in the Venus GX.

Other VRM functions work fine over the internet - and I have it set to update in 1 minute intervals.

I’ve spent hours reading online and trying different settings, without success.

Can someone please give me the specific settings for the Venus GX to enable remote internet Remote Console access? I think I have everything set properly - but it does not work. I must be missing something. Do I need to set SSH? What about 2-way communication?

It seems odd that all other VRM functions work fine via remote internet with the exception of Remote Console.

Thanks!

remote console

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jlmster answered · Jul 14, 2019 at 01:45 AM

An update to my original post:

Since updating my Venus GX to firmware 2.32, the Remote Console is working!

From keeping up with this thread, it looks like this firmware update was released in May and fixes an IP verification check that was the likely source of my issue.

Thanks.

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mvader (Victron Energy) ♦♦ commented · Jul 14, 2019 at 04:07 AM

Hi!

Indeed. The trouble-making IP Verification check has been replaced by something better.

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mvader (Victron Energy) ♦♦ mvader (Victron Energy) ♦♦ commented · Jul 14, 2019 at 04:08 AM

Good to hear this solved your issue. matthijs

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Dave van Dongen commented · Jul 14, 2019 at 06:12 PM

For me and my customers the Remote Console is now in version v2.32 working as well! :-)

Many thanks for fixing this!

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Modifications Space

Node Red Space

Answer 1 · 2019-04-16T12:28:26Z

wkirby answered · Apr 16, 2019 at 12:28 PM

Do you have this setting enabled? Settings -> Remote Console -> Enable on VRM

1555417674169.png (38.9 KiB)

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jlmster commented · Apr 16, 2019 at 06:20 PM

Thanks for the quick response.

Yes I do have the Enable on VRM setting on. And I see “online” status on the line below.

Just to be sure, I turned it off and “offline” appeared. I tried VRM and the Remote Console option did not even appear.

I turned the settling back on, and the Remote Console selection reappeared on VRM. But I get the same connection error.

I’m still stuck. I’ve run out of ideas.

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JohnC ♦ jlmster commented · Apr 17, 2019 at 03:51 AM

Just a thought - if you have the Remote via LAN link open locally, then Remote via VRM won't work. Only one-at-a-time.. one may push the other off, but I can't test that from a single pc.

What's the 'error' of which you speak?

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jlmster JohnC ♦ commented · Apr 17, 2019 at 07:44 PM

I'll double check to see, but I don't believe I have Remote via LAN open. I close down the browser page when done.

The "error" is a ! in a triangle followed by "Remote Console failed to connect. Make sure to enable Remote Console for VRM. set or disable the password and the reboot the Color Control."

Thanks.

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Answer 2 · 2019-04-16T23:48:38Z

Guy Stewart (Victron Community Manager) answered · Apr 16, 2019 at 11:48 PM

Hi,

Have you read through this troubleshooting document and followed all the tests and recommendations?

https://www.victronenergy.com/live/vrm_portal:troubleshooting_ccgx_vrm_connectivity

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Answer 3 · 2019-06-24T10:53:39Z

thomas-weis answered · Jun 24, 2019 at 10:53 AM

Hello,

I have a similar problem to you. Have you found a solution?

I have 4 systems and no system can access the Remote Console via the VRM portal. The direct connection via IP works. But I can use this way only for 2 systems.

See attached the error notification:

remoteconsole.png (9.9 KiB)

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JohnC ♦ commented · Jun 24, 2019 at 12:17 PM

Could be a firewall issue. I just tested mine ok, but that's where I'd look first

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eirik JohnC ♦ commented · Jun 24, 2019 at 01:38 PM

I have the exact same problem now: It worked for me until yesterday (and I have been using it since September last year). I can only access Remote Console directly on the boat's LAN/wifi network. Any access attempts via VRM gives the same result, i.e. "Failed to set up... ".

The Dashboard, Advanced views, etc., do, however, get updated as they should (i.e. every 10 minutes, no connection problems there).

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thomas-weis JohnC ♦ commented · Jun 24, 2019 at 02:20 PM

My systems are now running for over a year. I noticed this problem for the first time this morning.

I have checked it with my smartphone with the vrm app and through the browser and it works normally.

Normally I use Firefox, so I checked it with another browser (Chrome) and it works.

So seems to be an issue with the new version of my Firefoxbrowser (Version 67.0.4 [64-Bit]).

Maybe this helps you too @Eirik

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eirik thomas-weis commented · Jun 24, 2019 at 03:28 PM

No, this applies to Chrome both on Android as well as Windows (PC) and also Microsoft Explorer. Also, there are no firewalls.

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eirik eirik commented · Jun 24, 2019 at 08:43 PM

Ok. Now it works. Went back to the boat and restarted the Venus and the 4G-router. Then everything was fine again.

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JohnC ♦ thomas-weis commented · Jun 24, 2019 at 03:32 PM

67.0.4 [64-Bit]

Same here too. Works fine. Dunno??

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thomas-weis JohnC ♦ commented · Jun 25, 2019 at 07:31 AM

Ok, I checked the changelog from Venus OS, which said the remote console was improved via the VRM portal in version 2.30. So I did an update to V2.31, because I still used the VenusOS version 2.23.

Now it works again with Firefox.

Many thanks for the support!

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jlmster commented · Jun 25, 2019 at 06:20 PM

Thanks for the comment. I’m still having exactly the same issue. Same as you’ve outlined. I feel better knowing that I’m not the only one, but I’ve pretty much given up trying to fix it.

I cannot locate any Victron tech support number to call. And I’ve exhausted the online guides without success. It may be a complicated or simple fix - but I can’t figure it out.

I’ve been using the VRM portal regularly, just not the remote console. So, I can monitor but cannot make any configuration changes remotely.

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Answer 4 · 2019-06-28T09:23:56Z

Thomas Pfeifer answered · Jun 28, 2019 at 09:23 AM

Hello,

the above described problem seems to appear in my Venus GX installation, too:

I have checked all setting as described above,
did the connection/firewall checks as described in https://www.victronenergy.com/live/vrm_portal:troubleshooting_ccgx_vrm_connectivity
can acces the remote console via LAN
but I cannot connect to Remote Console from VRM portal - same error message as above is thrown after ~15 seconds of connection attempt

Venus firmware is v2.30~35~node-red

Any ideas?

Thx,
Thomas

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Answer 5 · 2019-06-29T16:00:33Z

Dave van Dongen answered · Jun 29, 2019 at 04:00 PM

Just like me, it sounds like you might have run into the "IP Address verification issue". There seems to be no practical fix for this. Good luck...

https://community.victronenergy.com/questions/3305/remote-console-and-sd-card-logging-not-working.html?childToView=3343#comment-3343

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Answer 6 · 2019-07-01T08:18:22Z

Thomas Pfeifer answered · Jul 01, 2019 at 08:18 AM

Thanks to Dave for linking to the "IP Adress Verification Issue". However, Victrons explanation and recommended workaround (ask your internet provider???) is not really satisfying - first time for me, as I was absolutely convinced of Victrons professional service, so far.

My venus (for a remote, off-grid installation in Germany) is connected to an LTE-router, which occasionally gets a new IP address, e.g. after rebooting the router. I would assume that this is not such a fancy set-up, that VRM could not cope with it, or?

Question to Victron: Is there a way to manually reset the IP address verification, or to permit some frequency in changing the IP address (e.g. once per day). When I freshly installed the Venus with that LTE router, remote console via VRM was working fine. Now, you might imagine that this feature is urgently missing - e.g. for switching relays from remote.

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mvader (Victron Energy) ♦♦ commented · Jul 10, 2019 at 05:56 PM

Hi @t.pfeifer: there is no IP address verification any more.

It was replaced by a better security mechanism per last May, in Venus OS version v2.30.

Please make sure you are running v2.30, or even better: the latest official release which is v2.32

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Dave van Dongen mvader (Victron Energy) ♦♦ commented · Jul 10, 2019 at 07:17 PM

Hi Matthijs, thanks for the notice! :-)

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Answer 7 · 2021-05-03T11:42:26Z

repro answered · May 03, 2021 at 11:42 AM

I too am having the same issue, with the same error. I have tried 5 different browsers from Chrome, Firefox to MS Edge. I have checked all settings with no success. It was working just fine, and after the FW update, it quit working.

remote-console-error.jpg (84.3 KiB)

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Guy Stewart (Victron Community Manager) ♦♦ commented · May 03, 2021 at 12:12 PM

Hi @Repro,

Can you provide some more details?

Which GX device are you using?

From what firmware were you using, to what firmware did you update to?

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repro Guy Stewart (Victron Community Manager) ♦♦ commented · May 03, 2021 at 02:00 PM

I have two Cerbo GX's. Firmware 2.66 is the currently installed FW version on both. They arrived two weeks ago with FW version 2.56, and the VRM Remote Console worked. After a couple of days with configuration and setup, I updated the FW and the console quit working. I have been researching solution and thought I would check here, and then I found this post.

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Guy Stewart (Victron Community Manager) ♦♦ repro commented · May 03, 2021 at 02:08 PM

Have you investigated your local networking/firewall situation?

https://www.victronenergy.com/media/pg/Cerbo_GX/en/faq.html#UUID-a22d8284-f52d-aeb6-539d-e6919d14353e

https://www.victronenergy.com/media/pg/Cerbo_GX/en/vrm-portal.html#UUID-5667f877-3cf4-18d8-3f43-2e6ab2843066

Which of those troubleshooting steps were you able to complete?

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repro Guy Stewart (Victron Community Manager) ♦♦ commented · May 03, 2021 at 04:06 PM

I turned off my firewall just now to test it, still does not work (Both the firewall on my PC and my router). I also shut down my anti virus and PC protection software. I tested the URL's (https://vncrelay.victronenergy.com & https://vncrelay2.victronenergy.com/) and it returned "Error Response" which is to expected. I would like to state again, that the console did work, and IMMEDIATELY after updating to FW version 2.66, the console quit working. I checked both installations after the FW update to ensure everything was OK, and saw the console was no longer working.

I also did a complete reset, and removed one installation, re-configured and tested it out again. No console through the VRM web site. The console does work on the VE App for iPhone. It is only the VRM console.

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sbman repro commented · Sep 12, 2021 at 02:42 PM

Did you ever get this working? I have a brand new Cerbo GX installation and I'm having the same issue, the VRM remote console won't connect. I've been through all the above steps and find no issues. The VRM reports:

Remote Console on VRM

Enabled and up

Two way communication

Enabled

I can get to all the URLS in the FAQ, I can connect locally on the LAN to the console, I have not left any other consoles logged in anywhere. I do not have a GX Touch attached to the Cerbo, is this required for remote console?

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Answer 8 · 2022-05-29T11:05:42Z

rattus answered · May 29, 2022 at 11:05 AM

Hello all.

So I'm having this exact issue, cannot access Remote Console via VRM.

Cerbo GX on firmware v2.86.

Here's the funny part, my partner's Macbook Pro can access the Remote Console, but I cannot. I'm on a MacMini, three metres away. Same IP, fixed line IP.

See screenshot below...

Thoughts?

Also, under the Troubleshooting chapter "9.6 Remote Console on VRM: Troubleshooting" the first part refers me to Chaapter 5.4, which is about Temperature Relays. I'm at a loss...

Thanks.

screen-shot-2022-05-29-at-125242-pm.png (51.4 KiB)

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nickdb ♦♦ commented · May 29, 2022 at 11:18 AM

Try from firefox, also clear the data in safari for all victron sites and try again.

Also, you can't both connect so make sure having the window open elsewhere isn't contributing.

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rattus nickdb ♦♦ commented · May 29, 2022 at 11:22 AM

@nickdb

yay!!!!

That worked, firefoxywoxy to the rescue!

Thanks nick

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rattus rattus commented · May 29, 2022 at 11:36 AM

p.s. Incidentally, I was using Chrome, not Safari.

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Answer 9 · 2022-06-03T20:06:30Z

Andrea answered · Jun 03, 2022 at 08:06 PM

hello,

i have the same problem with a CERBO. All start when i end the credit on the SIM in the router, i do a recharge but the system not restart. Now i take at home the router and the CERBO, i change te telephone operator.The Cerbo is on line on VRM, i connected to another one MPPT charger and a smarth Shunt by cable. On the VRM i can't open the remote consolle. If i connect by the app on the cerbo i see the remote consolle, i ceck the firmware is the 2.87 and the remote consolle on the VRM is enable.

Where is the problem? what can i do to solve the problem?

thanks best regards

Andrea

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Andrea commented · Jun 06, 2022 at 06:31 AM

hello, the router end to work from the end of november, yesterday on the VRM i see in the right top, it was offline from 6 months, later 5 months,than 4....3...and now is online and the remote console is possible to open correctly....

strange but work, or the system need time to returne active after a long time off line to put the data in the VRM....

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Answer 10 · 2022-11-19T12:15:41Z

gnagflow answered · Nov 19, 2022 at 12:15 PM

Anyone found a solution for those problems .. ??

https://community.victronenergy.com/questions/169040/remote-console-enabled-and-online-but-no-access.html

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jonathan-drewes commented · Dec 04, 2022 at 02:59 PM

I am also having this problem.

Victron, please help somehow.

Tried opening ports, browsers, clearing cookies/cache, all settings are correct. RC works over bluetooth.

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Answer 11 · 2023-11-05T22:56:13Z

mbr89 answered · Nov 05, 2023 at 10:56 PM

Push ... fix this

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mvader (Victron Energy) ♦♦ commented · Nov 06, 2023 at 06:23 AM

Hi both @MBR89 and @Craig Robinson , the issue posted above has been fixed long ago (years).

I am not aware of any structural issue - I have tested on several sites just now, and all works well.

To diagnose further, please post here your VRM url.

Thank you, Matthijs

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Answer 12 · 2023-11-06T06:06:40Z

Craig Robinson answered · Nov 06, 2023 at 06:06 AM

I also have the same problem but as I first set up the system at base to ensure all was working and it was it was only when I went to site to fit the system it would not connect remote console. Even tried local ip access via web browser on laptop (Assigned ip on LAN 192.168.1.291) and would not connect it was as though it was rejecting the connection. you can view it online and everything else just can access remotely, and I see by this tread seems to be a common problem with no fix!

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Guy Stewart (Victron Community Manager) ♦♦ commented · Apr 11 at 11:00 PM

Hi Craig,

We've collected lots of fixes for this issue over the years :)

The first step is to start from the beginning again and run through the remote console setup, step by step as described in the GX manual here.

Once that is confirmed, then proceed to work through the troubleshooting section.

If remote console was previously working, but has stopped, and the site is remote so unable to physically reboot the unit, and it's still otherwise working and reporting to the VRM, you can do a remote reboot of the GX device by adding /diagnostics to the site address, scrolling to the bottom and clicking the reboot button.

That should resolve it in all cases where there isn't some local networking issue that needs to be corrected at the router level.

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