Please have the following system information ready, and record it here. It will help you during troubleshooting, and will be needed if you contact tech support. This information can be found in the welcome letter you were given when you purchased service from IraqSat, and is also on a label on the DW7000 IDU (InDoor Unit).
| Site ID (ex: SVSS000000): | __________________________ |
| IDU Serial (ex: 0000000): | __________________________ |
| Gateway IP (ex: 10.207.0.1): | __________________________ |
Before you begin troubleshooting, please check the following pages on the IraqSat web site. The HTML version of this document has many links to these documents, but you can still work from a printed or PDF copy of this troubleshooting guide. If so, you may wish to print these pages for your reference.
| Frequently-Asked Questions: | http://www.iraq-sat.net/faq.html |
| VSAT Terms and Acronyms: | http://www.iraq-sat.net/kb_vsat_terms.html |
| DW7000 Rx/Tx Codes: | http://www.iraq-sat.net/kb_dw7000_rx_tx_codes.html |
You will need a PC running MS Windows and a network cable. This guide assumes you are using MS Windows XP and MS Internet Explorer 6 or higher. Other browsers and versions of Windows will also work, but may have different commands, methods, and appearance.
Familiarity with Windows PCs and an understanding of basic concepts of IP networking is strongly advised.
Follow the following steps in order. When you contact technical support, include the results of each question, and provide as much information as possible.
The DW7000 IDU includes an HTTP ("web") interface, called the DW7000 System Control Center. From this interface, you can identify most problems with the unit.
Using Internet Explorer, open the DW7000 System Control Center. To do this, put the Gateway IP address into your Address/Location bar and hit the Enter key. Example (replace with your Gateway IP):
http://10.207.0.1
Internet Explorer should display the DW7000 System Control Center main page:
Figure 1.1: DW7000 System Control Center main page
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Does the DW7000 System Control Center display? yes / no If no, what error does Internet Explorer display? ______________________ |
If no, skip to section 2.
In the DW7000 System Control Center, there is a "System Status" link at the top of the page. If it says "OK", the DW7000 unit is operating normally. If it says "Problem", the unit is not functioning. Click on this link for more information.
Figure 1.2: System Status links
Figure 1.3: System Status page
The System Status page will display the Signal Strength (also called SQF or Signal Quality Factor), the Receive and Transmit Status (Rx and Tx codes), Software Download Status, Commission Status, and TCP Acceleration Status. If your system status is "Problem", this information will help you find the cause. Here is an example of the status of a functioning unit:
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Signal Strength
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95
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Note: Signal Strength is not an indicator
of browsing speed. Precipitation can affect Signal Strength. If you do
not see a red flag next to any of the status messages on this page, you
should be able to browse the Internet successfully.
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Transmit Status
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Transmitter available for Normal Operation. (TxCode 8)
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| Receive Status | The receiver is operational. (RxCode 5) |
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Software Download Status
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All files are up-to-date.
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Commission Status
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Commissioned [Keys updated]
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TCP Acceleration Status
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Operational
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Figure 1.4: System Status of a normal system
Common status values are below. This includes only the most common Rx and Tx codes. For more information, see the document DW7000 Rx/Tx Codes.
| Signal Strength: | 70 or above - normal 30-70 - bad weather (see section 3.4), or bad dish alignment 30 - dish pointed to wrong satellite or IDU configured on wrong frequency 10 - dish pointed to wrong satellite 0 - no signal from ODU, check cables and dish alignment |
| Receive Status: | RxCode 5 - normal RxCode 3 - NOC outtage, bad weather (see section 3.4), or bad dish alignment RxCode 6 - no radio signal from ODU, check cables |
| Transmit Status: | TxCode 8 - normal TxCode 9 - transmitter is ranging, wait 2 minutes TxCode 10 - configuration problem with unit or NOC TxCode 1 - transmitter disabled by NOC, probably for virus traffic |
| Software Download Status: | All files up to date - normal Any other value - should change to "all files are up to date" within 15 minutes |
| Commission Status: | Commissioned - normal Any other value - service terminated, or major error |
| TCP Acceleration Status: | Operational - normal Not operational, unavailable - displayed for a few moments after boot up. If it persists, the site blocked for billing or suspended for virus traffic. |
Figure 1.5: System Status of a normal system
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Are all your status values normal? yes / no If no, which ones are not? __________________________ |
If any values are not normal, please complete section 1.3, then contact technical support. Report the Signal Strength, Rx and Tx codes, Software Download Status, Commission Status, and TCP Acceleration Status, and all the System Info from section 1.3.
In the DW7000 System Control Center, there is a "System Info" link at the top of the page. Sometimes Customer Support will request this information when you report a problem. To avoid this step, include it when you contact technical support.
Figure 1.6: System Info link
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Figure 1.7: Example System Info
Note that your settings may differ from this, depending on the satellite, transponder, and grade of service your site is on.
If all tests have passed so far, try to browse the web. Using Internet Explorer, open any common site such as www.google.com or www.yahoo.com.
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Does the page display? yes / no If no, what error does Internet Explorer display? ______________________ |
| Have you found any errors with any of the tests so far? yes / no |
If no, your DW7000 unit is functioning correctly. If you are still having a problem, try the performance tests in section 4 or the local network and PC tips in section 5.
If you cannot access the DW7000 System Control Center, you may have a local network issue.
Directly connect an Ethernet network cable from a single PC directly to the LAN port on the back of the DW7000. Do not use a switch. This will eliminate your local network as a possible cause of the problem. Make certain this PC is operating normally and free of viruses. See sections 5.1 and 5.2 for more information.
You should see green and amber link lights on the LAN port, and message in Windows that "Local Area Connection is now connected".
| Does the link light come on? yes / no |
If no, check your network cable and your PC for hardware problems. If you cannot make a connection, go on to section 3.
Open the "Start" menu, then "Control Panel", and select "Network Connections". Right-click on "Local Area Connection" and choose "Properties". From the list, select "Internet Protocol (TCP/IP)" and click the "Properties" button. Assign a manual IP address from the range specified in your welcome letter. If you don't know your IP range, try using the next IP address after your Gateway IP. Example (replace with the correct IP and Gateway settings):
| IP address: | 10.207.0.2 |
| Subnet mask: | 255.255.255.240 |
| Default gateway: | 10.207.0.1 |
| DNS servers: | 195.238.50.254, 195.238.40.45 |
Open Internet Explorer. Go to the "Tools" menu, then select "Internet Options". Select the "Connections" tab, then click the "LAN Settings" button. Uncheck the proxy options "Automatically detect setings", "Use automatic configuration script", and "Use a proxy server for your LAN". Hit "OK" until all menus are closed.
Go back to section 1 and try to open the DW7000 System Control Center.
| Does the DW7000 System Control Center display? yes / no |
If yes, complete the steps in section 1.
Open a command prompt. Open the "Start" menu, then select "Run". Type "cmd" in the field, and hit "OK". A black command prompt window will open.
Type "ping 10.207.0.1" and hit Enter. Replace the example IP with your Gateway IP. A successful ping response looks like this:
Pinging 10.207.0.1 with 32 bytes of data: |
While a failure looks like this:
Pinging 10.207.0.1 with 32 bytes of data: |
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Did the ping succeed? yes / no If no, what error message was displayed? __________________________ |
If the error message displayed is "Request timed out", your IP address is not configured correctly, or there is a major configuration error with the DW7000. Please repeat section 2.2 and make sure you are using an IP address within the valid IP address range available to your PCs. If you do not know your valid IP address range, contact technical support and provide your Site ID.
If the error message displayed is "Hardware error", you did not follow all the steps in section 2.1. Go back and try again.
If the error message displayed is "Destination host unreachable", your IP settings may not be correct in section 2.2. Go back and try again.
Reboot the DW7000 and repeat from section 2.1. Many local network problems can cause the unit to lock up until next reboot.
| Did the reboot resolve the problem? yes / no |
If no, go on to section 3.
The DW7000 IDU consists of a single component, integrating the functions of a receiver, transmitter, and gateway.
The DW7000 IDU has five blue LEDs on its face. From top to bottom, these are marked "LAN", "Transmit", "Receive", "Status", and "Power".
Figure 3.1: DW7000 IDU status lights in normal operation
In normal operation, all five lights are solid blue. The "LAN", "Receive" and "Transmit" lights flash blue when data is sent or received.
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Are all lights normal? yes / no If no, which lights are not? __________________________ |
If no lights are on, there is no power to the IDU. Check the power supply to make sure it is plugged in and undamaged. If the power light is off but other lights are flashing, please contact technical support.
If all lights are normal, go back to section 2 or section 1.
Several cables connect to the IDU in back.
IMPORTANT: Always turn off the DW7000 power before connecting or disconnecting any cables, except network cables. Failure to do so may damage the unit and void your warranty.
Figure 3.2: DW7000 IDU and cables, rear view
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Are any cables or connectors damaged? yes / no
Which ones? __________________________ |
If any cables or connectors are damaged, contact technical support to order replacements.
| Are all cables securely connected? yes / no |
If any cables are disconnected, turn the unit off, connect them, and turn the unit back on. Then go back to section 3.1.
Check the dish for any signs of damage or misalignment. Once pointed by a professional engineer, even the slightest change to the alignment will cause the VSAT unit to stop working. Damage to the dish, support arms, ODU, or other components can prevent the VSAT from functioning. Even the slightest bending of frame parts can render the dish useless, by permanently moving the ODU out of the focal point of the dish.
If the dish has been damaged, contact technical support.
Snow, hail, heavy rain, and dust and sand storms can all cause enough interference to prevent the VSAT unit from working. If the system functions in normal weather, but is interrupted in heavy weather, it may be necessary to repoint the dish, buy a larger diameter of dish, or to simply wait for the storm to end.
Twice each year, the regular movement of the sun can cause it to disrupt communications from the satellite in orbit. These interruptions last only a few minutes and are predictable in advance. When possible, IraqSat will announce these interruptions to our customers via email or our web page.
This section is for testing the performance of your DW7000 system. Before performing these tests, complete all previous troubleshooting steps.
This test measures the download speed of your connection in kbytes/sec. VSAT Internet service is different from other broadband services, meaning other tests such as "Internet speedometer" sites are not a reliable measure of your network connection. The following is the only test you should rely on to measure your download speed.
Connect only one PC to the DW7000 as in section 2.1 above. Using Internet Explorer, run the following test.
Figure 4.1: Download test site
Figure 4.2: Download window for 300mb.pak
| Record all three download rates: __________ __________ __________ |
Note: Bandwidth (Internet service) is sold in kilobits/sec (kb/sec or kbit). Internet Explorer reports speeds in kilobytes/sec (kB/sec or kbyte). 1 kbyte = 8 kbits. Therefore 2048 kbit service will show download speeds no higher than 256 kbytes/sec.
Hughes DirecWay service is a shared bandwidth system. Expected download rates vary with the grade of service (GOS), the time of day, and average network load. Here are some reference values. Your site may perform more or less than these values, and overall system averages change over time.
| GOS | Advertised Download | Average Download Rate |
|---|---|---|
| STD | 512 kbit/sec | 15-60 kbytes/sec |
| PLS | 1024 kbit/sec | 30-120 kbytes/sec |
| PRM | 2048 kbit/sec | 60-250 kbytes/sec |
Figure 4.3: Download averages by grade of service
If your site is below these averages, you may have a problem with your PC, such as a virus infection or hidden software that is consuming bandwidth. See section 5 for more information. If you suspect a problem with your service, contact technical support and include the results of the download tests.
Problems in the Network Operations Center (NOC) or their DNS servers can cause your VSAT Internet service to be interrupted. Run these ping tests to verify basic connectivity to the NOC. See section 2.5 for more details on how to use ping.
Pinging 195.238.40.45 with 32 bytes of data: |
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Did the ping test succeed? yes / no If yes, what was your average ping time? _________________ If no, what error is displayed? __________________________ |
If the NOC ping test fails, but all of the previous tests have passed, there is a connectivity problem between your DW7000 unit and the NOC. Contact tech support and include the results of the ping test.
The NOC is the point where your network connects to the rest of the Internet. Once you have verified you have a connection to the NOC, check for a connection to the Internet beyond. Run the ping test again, this time to a server outside of the Hughes NOC:
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Did the ping test succeed? yes / no If yes, what was your average ping time? _________________ If no, what error is displayed? __________________________ |
If the Internet ping test fails, but all of the previous tests have passed, there is a connectivity problem between the NOC and the rest of the Internet. Contact tech support and include the results of all ping tests. We will inform the NOC of the problem, and assist them to resolve it as soon as possible.
If the Internet ping test succeeds, but you still cannot browse, there may be a problem with the DNS servers. Test them using the nslookup command.
Server: ns2.direcpceu.com |
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Did the nslookup test succeed on both servers? yes / no If no, what error is displayed? __________________________ |
If the DNS test fails, but all of the previous tests have passed, there may be a problem with the NOC DNS servers. Contact tech support and include the results of this test.
The Windows tool tracert shows you the path a network packet takes to reach its destination. If you cannot reach a particular site, or to identify where your traffic is stopping, use this test.
Tracing route to tahs1.silverserve.com [62.189.250.9] |
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Did the traceroute test complete? yes / no If no, where does the first timeout begin? __________________________ |
In most cases, the network problem begins where the traceroute timeouts begin. However, some networks or sites - for example, hotmail.com - ignore traceroute for security reasons. If you see a series of timeouts after the traffic leaves the NOC, you may have reached your destination but the site is ignoring traceroute.
Problems with your local network can affect your VSAT Internet connection. LAN problems are not covered under the IraqSat support plan, and you should always eliminate this as a possible cause of your problems before contacting technical support. If a problem is found to be caused by a customer's LAN, we will bill the customer for the cost of the support call and, if necessary, site visit.
All of the tests in sections 2 and 3 above are performed with a single PC connected directly to the IDU. This is done to eliminate the customer LAN from the possible causes of problems. However, the PC itself can still be the cause. Always make sure your PC's are kept up to date with Windows Update and are clear of any suspicious software or viruses that affect network performance.
A virus can slow down or halt your network and VSAT Internet connection. Further, having a virus on your network is a violation of the IraqSat virus policy, and your service can be suspended for it. See the Frequently-Asked Questions document (listed above) for more information on keeping your network clean of viruses, and removing infections if you already have them.
Routers, switches, servers, UPS systems, and other equipment can fail. If this equipment is critical to the function of your network, such as a router, your LAN may be cut off from your VSAT Internet connection. In such a case, the VSAT is still operating, but your users cannot tell. Always check your network equipment for problems before contacting technical support.
If one PC has no network access when another is working normally, the problem is the PC or the local network. If one PC has very slow download speeds, but others are normal, the problem is the PC or the local network. Always make certain that the problems is universal within your network before contacting technical support.
Before contacting support, please see the frequently-asked questions document, and follow all steps in this troubleshooting guide. The support staff will require several pieces of information found in the troubleshooting process in order to help you.
| Have you run all of the tests in this document? yes / no |
If no, run the tests before contacting technical support.
If yes, please include the following information when you contact support.
To report a problem or request support, please email support@iraq-sat.net. Include the results of all the tests in this guide, and place your Site ID in the subject line. If you do not include enough information, we will reply and ask for it. The more information you give us, the faster we can solve your problem!
Here is an example email, providing the information we need to diagnose the problem:
Dear IraqSat Support, I have a problem with my DW7000 system, site ID SVSS000000, Gateway IP 10.207.0.1. Signal Strength - 95 Here is my system info: Gateway Satellite Software Configuration Please help me. I can be reached by phone or email between 9am and 6pm Baghdad time. Regards, |
If you are unable to contact us by email, please contact us by phone at one of our offices. See the IraqSat web page for current phone numbers.