I have a small solar powered system for CCTV Cameras in a remote area. The system is 24v and uses 4 batteries and enough solar panels to power the system. I have a Victron charge controller, Victron inverter and a Victron Cerbo GX unit to monitor everything.
Things to note.
This DOES NOT use bluetooth
This DOES NOT use WiFi to connect to the Cerbo unit
This DOES NOT have any possibility of connecting to the internet so it can not use VRM
The connection to the Cerbo GX unit is through local ethernet only
I have a Windows 11 computer onsite that I use to monitor the system. I am trying to use the Victron Connect software in Windows using the “Local Tab” to monitor the system.
I AN NOT interested in using the web browser as a solution. This question is ONLY about Victron Connect software in Windows.
Can the Cerbo GX unit work with the Victron Connect software on a local network to monitor Victron products with the app?
If it does not work please just tell me it wont work and I will move on. Please do not suggest using a browser. I have used the browser and its very much lacking. I am trying to use the Windows software on a local network only.
Edit. Misread your post.
Via ethernet (same as wifi), Connect should discover the cerbo and present a list of devices and summary data that you can select and expand on.
Like so (this is mac, but same concept)
The app in this screenshot was not logged into VRM so could not pull any data via the internet, it was all local discovery.
Sounds like his scc and inverter will be hardwired to the cerbo. My understanding is the local tab of Victron Connect doesnt involve the cerbo at all versus the vrm tab that drills thru to the vrm instance.
Works fine for connecting to a Cerbo in a local network, also without internet. You will be able to connect to the inverter as read-only, as well as the MPPT.
It can take some time for the Cerbo to turn up in the local tab, i am not sure as to how exactly device discovery is done, i assume the Cerbo sends out a discovery packet every so often.
I believe this is the exact problem. I do not see a way to search for devices or any way to configure anything within the local tab. Victron does not offer any support. Our only source is this community. I did have 1 person form a reseller reach out to me but again he didnt understand the issue and kept telling me it would not work and I needed to just use the browser. I have yet to understand why this will not work or how to make it work.
There is a “config file” but it does not exist in the directory where is should be found. There is also no information on how this config file is created or where it comes from.
My experience with Victron so far is not great. They seem to make a good product if you can ever figure out how it works with 0 support.
Here are a few pictures to show the problem. Victron Connect does not find anything even though the Cerbo and Windows machine are on the same local subnet. There is no way that I see to configure the Connect software, find a Cerbo unit or search for anything else. The help section of the manual is also no help. The so called dealer that reached out to me is not help and Victron wont even talk to us.
I can poke around a bit later, i also noticed on my own network that sometimes it takes a long time for the cerbo to turn up on the local tab, but i never really cared to find out why, because im so used to doing everything through VRM.
Thats true, theres nothing to adjust or set in VC. The only thing you could set is the local IP adress on the cerbo itself, but then again you could also set that on the router to a fixed IP. Ive done that, just because im too lazy to always look up the IP, but i dont think it helps with VC discovering the Cerbo faster
In apple land ir asked for permission to access the network, showing nothing. After granting access and restarting the app it appears immediately.
What gateway is set on your Ethernet interface on the gx?
Try 0.0.0.0
Where do I go to set any Network settings for the Cerbo? Remember I dont have an outbound connection to the internet. So I can not access VRM. The only access I am aware of is through the web browser and I dont see any way to access network settings of any kind in there. Victron Connect does not see my Cerbo unit which is the entire problem.
I am hoping you have some simple answer for this lol. That would be really awesome if I just missed a setting page or there was another way to edit settings.
I could edit the gateway or any other setting if I had access.
VictronConnect sends out an mdns query, to which the cerbo answers. So i guess check if that service is disabled on your router, or if the multicast IP 224.0.0.251:5353 is set as a local-only exception in its firewall policy
I finally found the ethernet settings but nothing I did helped. It was already set correctly. So Cerbo still does not work. In my opinion this was not designed to work without internet. It needs the internet to function. I would advise anyone considering Victron for an off grid solution (no internet) solution to buy something else. Victron simply does not work. Add to that the fact that there is 0 support form the company. Its like they just dont care. I am beyond frustrated with this product!! I have spent countless hours trying to make a square peg fit a round hold and Im done. I will just try to use it without monitoring. Hopefully it will not fail and if it does the only way I will know if my CCTV system stops working.
Thank you to everyone that responded and tried to assist.
guystewart
(Guy Stewart (Victron Community Manager))
16
It looks like your router might be blocking the local network connection between your computer and the GX.
To isolate the problem for troubleshooting, try disconnecting both the computer and the Cerbo GX from the local network.
Directly connect an ethernet cable between the computer and the GX, this will make a link-local connection.
Then open up VictronConnect on the computer and see if you can see the Cerbo GX.
If you can, the problem is at your router/local network layer and you need to investigate your router settings find what there is blocking it and allow the connection.
