Remote lights for sat modem

[Tom]

Has anyone hooked up remote lights for the DW6000/7000 modem? I've moved my modem to a side upper cabinet and the only way it fits is sideways. The result is that I can't see the 5 lights unless I pull the modem out. What I'd like to do is install 5 remote lights on the outside end of the cabinet, but I don't know if these would be LEDs or what voltage. Presumably, I'd need to solder wires to the PCB to connect external lights in parallel with the on-board lights (?)

TIA

 

[Ron]

Web Cam????  You could set a web cam in front of the modem so you could look at them on screen when wanted.

 

[Tom]

Not really, Ron. There's only a couple of inches of space in front of the modem. Of course, I could cut a slot in the end of the cabinet, but I don't think Chris would approve.

 

[Ron]

Then drill 5 each 1/4 inch holes in the end of the cabnet and place a piece of polystyrene plastic rod from the area of the lights on the modem to the holes.  Drilling should come much easier since the master has shown you how to drill holes in you coach. ;D ;D

 

[Karl]

Tom,

It's not practical to parallel the LED's on the 7000, or any other device for that matter. The 7000 uses very small surface mount LEDs and acrylic light pipes to bring the light to the front of the modem, so soldering additional wires to the c.b. would be extremely difficult. Secondly, individual LEDs have varying forward voltage/current characteristics, and you would have to match them almost perfectly in order to get satisfactory results. Your best bet would be to get some flexible fiber optic light pipes, build a manifold to position them over the ones in the modem, and route the other ends to some place where they would be visible. You could build your own using acrylic rods, but the careful heat bending that would be required is not easy at all - been there, done it, don't want to do it again!

 

[Ned]

The lights won't tell you any more than the DW7000 status pages from the modem.  They look nice but are not that good of a diagnostic tool.  Go to the 192.168.0.1 page and if you have a green light, then all the modem lights are on and you're online.

 

[Karl]

Ned,

Tom's too chea... er, being frugal and wants to use them as a night light ;D

 

[Ned]

He can put some blue leds in his reading lights like we have and problem solved

 

[Tom]

Carl,

Peering through the vents in the 6000 case, I see you're right about the light pipes    That would be a lot of work.

Yes, I was hoping for free light powered by satellite 

 

[Tom]

Ned,

You're right of course. It appears the NOC had a few intermittent problems the last few days. That System Control Center page was giving me a green light, but showing transmission errors. I was merely looking for additional confirmation by watching the activity on the lights.

 

[RLSharp]

Has anyone hooked up remote lights for the DW6000/7000 modem?

Tom,

Years ago, I installed a remote reading LED on a motion detecting alarm system I installed in our house. When the alarm is armed and there is motion in the covered area, an LED on the sensing module flashed. I installed the sensing module in the ceiling of the basement to get better coverage of both entry areas of the house. I wanted an indication of movement in these areas in our bedroom, so I attached a phototransistor to the flashing LED on the front panel of the sensing module and used it to activate a LED in our bedroom on the second floor. It still works. Unfortunately, I do not have the schematic but remember that it was very simple (a phototransistor, a couple of resistors, an output LED and a 12VDC power source). Perhaps, Karl can tell you how to construct the circuit necessary for each of your modem outputs. It would be easier than trying to use light optics to get the output of each light on your modem to a position where you could see them. Perhaps a schematic could be found on the Internet.

Richard

 

[Tom]

Thanks Richard. I could probably come up with a circuit and components to do that, but I think I'll just settle for one or more of the diagnostic screens accessible from my PC.

Now that I'm sitting at my PC and staring at the end of my cabinet with the cabinet door open for ventilation, I realize I might be able to use a mirror glued to the inside of the cabinet door. But that's not very high tech  ;D

 

[RLSharp]

..... I realize I might be able to use a mirror glued to the inside of the cabinet door. But that's not very high tech ;D

It also reverses the light images, so you would have to get used to that!

Richard

 

[Ned]

5 blue lights look the same forward or backward

 

[Tom]

True Ned, but not if I want to know which one is blinking. Of course, the middle one would be the same in both cases  ;D

BTW anyone know how to reset the date on the 6000 modem? Mine thinks it's Aug 19  ???

 

[John From Detroit]

Actually, perhaps 2 mirrors,, Both strips about 1-2 inches wide by the length of the modem., both mounted at 45 degrees when mounted one mirror, hidden in the cabnet, reflects the lights onto the other mirror which is visible to you the user

Option two,  Tape Photo cells over each LED, and use them to control a remote light panel,  Kind of a home made opto-isolator, there woudl be NO electrical connection between the DW modem and your remote, no effect on warranty, no modification to the DW at all other than the piece of tape holding the sensorsx

General circuit disign on request... You need to fill in values and part numbers though

 

[Tom]

Thanks John. This is getting complexified again.

I might just take some black electrical tape and cover the lenses on the modem so I have no option but to ignore the lights.

 

[Ron]

Actually Tom I very seldom even look at the lights on the modem and they are in the cabnet right beside me but would require opening the door.

 

[Tom]

I think it's just one of those habits I'll learn to break Ron.

 

[Ron]

Like Ned I usually just check the system control center if I am  inclined to wonder what the system is doing.