I have some questions:

1) I bought a card mLAN16E2 used (2nd hand), but I cannot connect the PC (Windows XP, SP3, 32-bit) with the XS6 (the XS is not recognized when installing the Steiberg FW driver). Not sure if it’s a software or hardware problem. Is there any way to do an internal test, in the XS6 itself, of the mLAN16E2 card installed? Some self-test or diagnostic internal service?

2) In software side, is correct to install ONLY Steinberg FW Driver (v1.51)? I need to install some more?

3) The other question I have is in relation to the Firewire card. I bought a VIA PCI card IEEE 1394 chipset with the VT-6307. Has anyone had this type of problem (mLAN unrecognized) using the chipset mentioned? I would have bought that, necessarily, a sign with VT-6306 chipset?

I’m kinda lost ... I read the various documents (PDF), but I can not reach a conclusion that the way and the correct order to make the installation of software.

Thank you in advance for any help!

I cannot advise on diagnosing PC problems as I hardly ever touch the beasts these days, but with regards to general advice, you should set the XS6 as follows:

- Upgrade to the latest OS if you haven’t already done so (1.55)
- Upgrade the firmware on the mLAN card to the latest version (1.07)
- On the XS:

Press [Utility]
Press [F1] - General
Press [SF4] - AutoLoad
Set the IEEE1394 Driver to FW

Df.

Thanks, Dreamflight.

I already installed the XS OS v1.55.
The IEEE1394 in XS already is “FW” (not mLAN).

But how can I update the mLAN firmware to v1.07 since the board is not recognized by computer? *

* At the “Yamaha IEEE1394 Firmware Updater” screen, the fields in Device Information (Model Name, Nickname and Current Firmware Information) are all blank.

Hmm, that’s a good question. If the PC simply cannot see the device then something is likely wrong.

Are you sure you installed the card correctly into the XS? I’d double check that to make sure it’s properly set into the connection.

Other obvious things to check are that the FW port on the PC works at all (have you any other devices you can plug in to check if it works with them?), check the device manager to make sure there are no problems with the driver and double check the cable itself.

Df.

Dreamflight - 15 January 2010 08:15 AM

Hmm, that’s a good question. If the PC simply cannot see the device then something is likely wrong.

Are you sure you installed the card correctly into the XS? I’d double check that to make sure it’s properly set into the connection.

Yes. The mLAN card is perfectly installed, no doubts.

Other obvious things to check are that the FW port on the PC works at all (have you any other devices you can plug in to check if it works with them?), check the device manager to make sure there are no problems with the driver and double check the cable itself. Df.

Hmmm… I´ll re-check the Firewire adapter (with chipset VIA VT-6307), the cable (6x6, 1.5 m) and the possibility to test that FW adapter with another device.

If nothing works, I´ll try to find an adapter with compatibility mentioned in YSFW installation document. Maybe the chipset VT-6307 differs enough to VT-6306 (listed as compatible) to cause problems…

Thanks again, Dreamflight!

If nothing works, I´ll try to find an adapter with compatibility mentioned in YSFW installation document. Maybe the chipset VT-6307 differs enough to VT-6306 (listed as compatible) to cause problems…

Have you used the PC firewire bus for any other functions to validate it is okay?

Although that specific VIA chipset is not listed as compatible with some Yamaha drivers, I doubt that it would cause a ‘detection’ issue. In theory, it should connect.  In practice, it might not handle the audio load correctly, but the IEEE1394 connections should be fine.

The other area to look at would be MIDI control page.

Press [Utility]
Press [F1p] - General
Press [SF4] - Control
Set the Interface to mLAN

tbone - 15 January 2010 03:39 PM

Have you used the PC firewire bus for any other functions to validate it is okay?

Thanks for answer, tbone.

No. Not tested with other devices. I replaced the firewire card (with another brand and model) and the mLAN stills not communicating.

Although that specific VIA chipset is not listed as compatible with some Yamaha drivers, I doubt that it would cause a ‘detection’ issue. In theory, it should connect.  In practice, it might not handle the audio load correctly, but the IEEE1394 connections should be fine.

Yes, I agree. But the simple updater tool is not recognizing the communication between the PC and the interface mLAN16E2 yet.

The other area to look at would be MIDI control page.
Press [Utility]
Press [F1p] - General
Press [SF4] - Control
Set the Interface to mLAN

Yes. My configuration is exactly that.

I am suspicious of cable communication. Searching the internet, I discovered that there are two types of cables, similar to the two types of cables for ethernet connections: a straight-thru cable and a crossover. Which of these cables should I be using? (a quick test of my cable with the multimeter told me that this is straight-thru). I should be using a crossover cable type instead*?

* Note: I did not notice this kind of information in any document from Yamaha (mLAN16E2 installation guide or other documents, including the XS Owner´s Manual).

Thanks for any help.

RobsonLuis - 18 January 2010 03:25 AM

I am suspicious of cable communication. Searching the internet, I discovered that there are two types of cables, similar to the two types of cables for ethernet connections: a straight-thru cable and a crossover. Which of these cables should I be using? (a quick test of my cable with the multimeter told me that this is straight-thru). I should be using a crossover cable type instead*?

* Note: I did not notice this kind of information in any document from Yamaha (mLAN16E2 installation guide or other documents, including the XS Owner´s Manual).

Thanks for any help.

You don’t use Ethernet cable for mLAN connection and Firewire.
Use a Firewire cable to your PC.

The Ethernet port is strictly for LAN connectivity, and that is a whole different kettle of fish..

tbone - 18 January 2010 04:02 AM

You don’t use Ethernet cable for mLAN connection and Firewire.
Use a Firewire cable to your PC.

The Ethernet port is strictly for LAN connectivity, and that is a whole different kettle of fish..

Yes, of course! I’m not using an ethernet cable. I´m using a straight-thru FIREWIRE IEEE 1394 cable (6-pin to 6-pin). What I want to know is if this IS the correct cable or should be using a crossover cable.

Answering myself: the correct cable is crossover: now the mLAN16E2 is working perfectly in communication with PC.

Cool, glad it’s working :)

Odd it needed a crossover cable though - mine certainly isn’t. I didn’t even know there was such a thing as a crossover firewire cable.

Df.

Dreamflight - 19 January 2010 08:29 AM

Cool, glad it’s working :)

Odd it needed a crossover cable though - mine certainly isn’t. I didn’t even know there was such a thing as a crossover firewire cable.

Df.

I also never thought of that. Just this week, I could buy a mLAN16E2, did I discover that there are two types of Firewire cables (straight-thru and crossover). And I only had the straight-thru cable. Yesterday I decided to go to a store and test (with multimeter) a cable for sale. This indeed was a crossover (see the 6x6 cable pinout in attachment). It was just connect the cable and everything worked immediately!

Click thumbnail to see full-size image

Cool.  I learned something too.

Wow! Very nice information bacause I have exactly the same problem and now I’m wondering WHERE I can get this crossover cable, because no one knows that this this even possible with firewire. Any ideas?

Vertical - 09 February 2010 11:31 AM

Wow! Very nice information bacause I have exactly the same problem and now I’m wondering WHERE I can get this crossover cable, because no one knows that this this even possible with firewire. Any ideas?

I think the “crossover” cable is, in fact, a default Firewire cable. The wrong cable I was trying to use before (a “straight-thru” cable) it was a kind of “extension” Firewire cable… totally inappropriate for communication between the mLAN16E2 and the computer. I think that is so. If anyone has any different information, please let me know!

Note: After replacing the cable (for one of the crossover, my mLAN board finally worked perfectly. And still working well ...

The scheme is exactly what I showed in the picture in my previous message. When buying the cable, if possible, would be good to test the pinout before installing it.

Good luck!