HOW TO: Using the INSTEON 2412Ux (and 2413Ux) PLM

[Ted Singh]

The INSTEON 2412U PLM adapter is a USB flavor of the INSTEON PowerLinc Modem (PLM) family. When sold with HouseLinc2 software, the part number is 2414UH, with the H likely representing the HouseLinc2 software.

Though this is a USB device, it uses a Windows driver to make it available as a "virtual" serial port.

*** UPDATE as of June 23, 2010 ***
We have also proved this method to work with the INSTEON 2413U (Dual-Band) PLM.

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To use this adapter with mControl:

1. Install the drivers associated with this adapter:


*** UPDATE as of June 23, 2010 ***
Using the HouseLinc software may not be a feasible method because (a) You may not have access to the HouseLinc software (b) Using the HouseLinc installer/disk for other platforms (for example: Windows Home Server) may not be possible. Fortunately, Windows appears to automatically download and install the driver. Once you plug in the USB cable to your PC, most versions of Windows appear to automatically search the web then download and install the drivers. For Windows Home Server, this does not appear to happen automatically, but right-click on Computer and access the Properties, then select Hardware. You will see the unusable USB connection, right-click to initiate the "Update Driver ..." dialog.


2. Use "My Computer" properties (Properties - Hardware - Device Manager) to determine the serial port that this adpater resolves to:


3. Adjust the INSTEON adapter settings in the mControl Service Manager, using the serial port assigned by the driver:


4. Restart mControl and use the log files to confirm operation:

[bearcat245]

This "fix" knocks out the "HouseLinc2" software that can be used as a backup controller. When I use mControl as a replacement the commands are delayed or ramping goes very slow.
I have sent log files with no reply for over a week going on two.

[Ted Singh]

bearcat245,

Serial connections can only have one application using them at a time.

I'll check on the log file status.

Ted

[stephenmorris2000]

I have also seen the same problem. Houselink2 doesn't seem to work with mControl. In order to get Houselink to recognize the PLM, I have to manually stop the mControl Service Manager process, then make my changes in Houselink2, and then restart mControl Service Manager. When mControl Service Manager is running, my macros in Houselink2 do not run.

[bearcat245]

I would not be all that concerned with HouseLinc2 not being able to run at the same time as mContol, but mControl does not run correctly or consistently.

I have stopped using mControl until I get feedback why my controller/modules run irregularly when mControl is the primary application.(Setup as posted by Ted)

[carlhome1]

Is there something i am missing to get this to work??

no instructions with any of these devices

[Ted Singh]

The first post in this thread has been updated to include information on the 2413U (Dual-Band) PLM.