Frequently Asked Questions

My system will not turn on


If your system will not start, check the following:

System:

  • If the power button is pressed, does the system turn on?

Power Supply:

  • Does the power supply light come on?
  • Is there a loud hissing sound coming from the power supply?
    if Yes, the power supply may need to be replaced.
  • Check power cable connection to the AC adapter
  • Check DC connection to the thin client
  • Does the power supply work with another Thinlabs system?
  • Does the power supply work on another electrical outlet?
  • Does the system work with a different Thinlabs-approved power supply?
    [NOTE: Using non Thinlabs-approved power supplies with Thinlabs system voids all warranties].
  • Does the power supply connector fit snugly into the DC-In Port of the motherboard?

PoE:

  • Is a Thinlabs-approved PoE switch being used?
  • Is the PoE switch powered on and configured correctly?
  • Is the port on the PoE switch to which the system is connected working?
  • Is the CAT5e/CAT6 network cable from the PoE switch to the PoE-In port working?
  • Has sufficient time been given for the system to boot (systems with PoE BIOS may take up to 30 seconds to display a welcome screen as there is low-level negotiation between the PoE switch and system)?

PoE Injector:

  • Is the power cord properly connected to the Injector, and the power light from the injector on?
  • Is there a network cable connected from the "OUT" port of the injector to the "IN" port of the system's PoE splitter?
  • Is a network cable connected to the "IN" port of the injector?

External PoE Splitter:

  • Is there power from the PoE splitter to the motherboard power port?
  • Is the PoE working on another system?

Battery:

  • Is the battery charged?  If yes, the battery may need resetting.  See this FAQ.
  • Is the proper charger being used to charge the battery?
  • ONLY connect the charger to the battery - DO NOT directly connect the battery charger to the system as the motherboard will be overloaded and short out, voiding the warranty.
  • Is the battery properly connected to the system?  
    See the FAQ on Battery support for more information.
  • Is the battery cable in good condition?

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Network Connectivity Troubleshooting

 

General:

  • Check the internet connection to ensure it it functioning.
  • If attempting to access a specific website via the Internet, check to see if another website can be accessed through the internet browser.
  • If attempting to PING another IP address on the network, check to see whether that IP address can be accessed from another client.
  • Check the switch or router to ensure it is working - check the network ports to ensure they are working.
  • If network access is controlled by a central MAC address database, ensure that the correct MAC address of the device in question is included in the database.
  • If there has been a recent power outage, check whether devices (servers, switches, routers etc) have been probably reset or turned on.

Hard wired Ethernet connections:

  • If using Static IP:  ensure that there are no duplicate IPs on the network.
  • If using DHCP:  check the network port by connecting a portable notebook computer at the same network jack, or;
  • Check the system at another station to ensure it is not a network port problem.
  • Check the CAT5e / CAT6 network cable.
  • If using PoE:
    • Make sure the network cables are firmly connected from the PoE switch to the internal PoE splitter and/or PoE injector.
    • Make sure the network patch cable is firmly connected on the computer from the POE Out port of the internal PoE splitter to the LAN port of the motherboard.
    • Check that overall power capacity of the PoE switch has not been met.
    • If using a POE switch, confirm that the port is properly configured to deliver sufficient power to the system.
    • If using a POE injector, confirm all cables are properly connected, and that the injector can deliver sufficient power to the system.

Wireless connections:

  • Check to see if external wireless antenna is connected and threaded properly into the connector.
  • Try swapping an antenna from a working device.
  • Check that the wireless access point is online and accessible through other wireless clients.
  • Ensure that the correct SSID / Passphrase is entered in the wireless settings on the thin client.
  • If using a Windows 7 device:
    • Verify or update wireless configuration on the client
    • Commit changes to the system using XPe's Enhanced Write Filter Manager (EWF) and reboot the system.

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What POE standard is required for my POE Computers to work properly?
  • Thinlabs PoE Computers can be powered by a POE 802.3at+ switch or midspan power injector.
  • A POE 802.3AT+ switch / injector can supply 30W or higher power per port.  
  • The device can be powered up to 100 meters (330 feet) using a CAT5e / CAT6 Ethernet cable.
  • Switches must be properly configured to provide the necessary power to a port. 
  • Check the peak capacity for an entire switch, which may be less than if all channels are plugged in.  

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How do I configure my CISCO Switch to properly power my PoE client?


Configure your Cisco switch so that it properly works with Thinlabs Power over Ethernet (PoE) Computers (including, but not limited to,TL2530P, TL2640P, TL7600P, TL8510P, TL8610P models)..

Summary

  1. enable
  2. configure terminal
  3. interface interface-id
  4. power inline {auto [max max-wattage] | never | static [max max-wattage]}
  5. end
  6. show power inline [interface-id | module switch-number]
  7. copy running-config startup-config

Detailed Instructions

      Command or Action Purpose
    1 enable 

    Example: 
    Switch> enable

    Enables privileged EXEC mode - enter your password if prompted.

     
    2 configure terminal 

    Example: 
    Switch# configure terminal

    Enters global configuration mode.
    3 interface interface-id 

    Example: 
    Switch(config)# interface gigabitethernet2/0/1

    Specifies the physical port to be configured, and enters interface configuration mode.
    4 power inline {auto [max max-wattage] | never |static [max max-wattage]} 

    Example: 
    Switch(config-if)# power inline auto

    Configures the PoE mode on the port.  Keywords and meanings:

    •  

      auto - Enables powered-device detection; if enough power is available, automatically allocates power to the PoE port after device detection (default setting).

    •  

      max max-wattage - limits the power allowed on the port; if no value is specified, the maximum is allowed.

    •  

      max max-wattage - limits the power allowed on the port; range is 4000 to 30000 mW; if no value is specified, the maximum is allowed.

    •  

      never - disables device detection, and disable power to the port.

    Note:

    If a port has a Cisco powered device connected to it, do not use the power inline never command to configure the port. A false link-up can occur, placing the port into the error-disabled state.
    •  

      static - Enables powered-device detection; pre-allocate (reserve) power for a port before the switch discovers the powered device; the switch reserves power for this port even when no device is connected and guarantees that power will be provided upon device detection.

    The switch allocates power to a port configured in static mode before it allocates power to a port configured in auto mode.
    5 end 

    Example: 
    Switch(config-if)# end

    Returns to privileged EXEC mode.
    6 show power inline [interface-id | module switch-number] 

    Example: 
    Switch# show power inline

    Displays PoE status for a switch or a switch stack, for the specified interface, or for a specified stack member.

    The module switch-number keywords are supported only on stacking-capable switches.
    7 copy running-config startup-config 

    Example: 
    Switch# copy running-config startup-config

    (Optional) saves your entries in the configuration file.


    Click here for more detailed information on configuration of Cisco Catalyst IOS switches.

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    What special configuration is required with Cisco Meraki or HP PoE Switches?


    Add the following lines to your Cisco Meraki or HP PoE Switch configuration so that it properly works with Thinlabs Power over Ethernet (PoE) Computers (including, but not limited to,TL2530P, TL2640P, TL7600P, TL8510P, TL8610P models)..

    • Disable LLDP Snooping
    • Ensure the port is set to deliver 30W or higher

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    What special configuration is required with Phihong, Microsemi & Blackbox POE Switches?

    No special configuration is required for Phihong, Microsemi and Blackbox POE switches.

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    How do I power up my system using a POE Injector?


    Connect the power cord to the POE Injector.

    Connect a CAT5e / CAT6 LAN cable from a working wall network jack to the In port of the injector.

    Connect another CAT5e / CAT6 LAN cable from the Out port of the POE injector to the POE In port of the computer.  The computer should automatically start.

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    My Second Screen of my Dual Monitor PoE Computer Takes a Long Time to Boot

    Thinlabs Dual Monitor PoE Computers (TL2530D, TL2700D models) have a built in delay - the second monitor turns on about a minute after the computer is booted.


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    My Second Screen of my Dual Monitor PoE Computer Doesn't Turn On

    Thinlabs Dual Screen PoE Computer models affected:  TL2530D, TL2700D

    There are two cables connecting the primary computer and secondary monitor.  Make sure that both the male-to-male cable and HDMI cable are firmly connected to the DC-In and HDMI ports of the computer monitor, respectively.


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