motojoe1988
Member
I know yesterday I couldn't access the website through Firefox! But haven't tried since. .(still at work)
Is Ecosmart Live down for anyone else right now? 7:28 Central, July 14, 2013
- Thread starter dlh5150
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There isn't an Ecotech product that I've bought that I haven't liked the hardware but the software can be a bit annoying. Today for example a buddy of mine who was interested in setting up a reef tank was over to look at mine. After telling him how great the Radions were I went to login to ESL and it refused to do it again and again. For the most part whenever I wanted to login I've gotten on but there is the occasional snafu and this happened to be one of those times it didn't want to work. Well, he wasn't impressed and I doubt he's gonna buy them for a planned 400g 
I understand Ecotech may have big things planned, maybe a controller or maybe 3rd party controller integration, but the whole remote server thing only works for big tech companies and even then companies like Google or Apple still have service outages but even in those cases my local hardware still works as usual. I realize there is a corporate strategy at play here, I really do and I respect that, but I have a suggestion for something that some online game companies do. Make a local server install so you can run your own server, either permanently or in a pinch. That way all the work you guys are putting in doesn't go to waste. I do appreciate how much work goes on behind the scenes with something like this. Just like online games that let you initiate your own private server to play you could have one do the same for ESL. It wouldn't need to be as robust as Ecotech's because it would only be worried about the local connection and all the interface and web code etc. basically stays the same. No GUI to worry about, that's all in the browser anyway at this point, and it could even be combined with the connection manager to simplifiy it. Heck, you could even make it "phone home" only to store the programming to take a load off your own servers. Also if the controller thing is part of future planning that still is going to require additional purchases so people w/o those extra devices will still be at the mercy of the remote server gods.
Take the suggestion for what it's worth but it's the software that makes, or in this case breaks, the Radion. If the product had some kind of LCD panel and you could control most things from there this wouldn't be an issue but the design decision was to forgo that I assume to keep costs down and a little LCD was going to pale in comparison to the control afforded by programing it on a PC/Mac or iPad etc. I agree with this decision as I have an Apex which I also love but if I couldn't program it all in from of a computer I'd have smashed that little LCD controller again the wall long ago. The funny thing is I can be standing right in front of the tank and wonder what the pH or temp is and take my iPhone out of my pocket to look instead of looking at the control LCD The difference though is the Apex does set up a local server. Later on the local server function could be integrated into a controller or standalone box.
I understand Ecotech may have big things planned, maybe a controller or maybe 3rd party controller integration, but the whole remote server thing only works for big tech companies and even then companies like Google or Apple still have service outages but even in those cases my local hardware still works as usual. I realize there is a corporate strategy at play here, I really do and I respect that, but I have a suggestion for something that some online game companies do. Make a local server install so you can run your own server, either permanently or in a pinch. That way all the work you guys are putting in doesn't go to waste. I do appreciate how much work goes on behind the scenes with something like this. Just like online games that let you initiate your own private server to play you could have one do the same for ESL. It wouldn't need to be as robust as Ecotech's because it would only be worried about the local connection and all the interface and web code etc. basically stays the same. No GUI to worry about, that's all in the browser anyway at this point, and it could even be combined with the connection manager to simplifiy it. Heck, you could even make it "phone home" only to store the programming to take a load off your own servers. Also if the controller thing is part of future planning that still is going to require additional purchases so people w/o those extra devices will still be at the mercy of the remote server gods.
Take the suggestion for what it's worth but it's the software that makes, or in this case breaks, the Radion. If the product had some kind of LCD panel and you could control most things from there this wouldn't be an issue but the design decision was to forgo that I assume to keep costs down and a little LCD was going to pale in comparison to the control afforded by programing it on a PC/Mac or iPad etc. I agree with this decision as I have an Apex which I also love but if I couldn't program it all in from of a computer I'd have smashed that little LCD controller again the wall long ago. The funny thing is I can be standing right in front of the tank and wonder what the pH or temp is and take my iPhone out of my pocket to look instead of looking at the control LCD
The difference though is the Apex does set up a local server. Later on the local server function could be integrated into a controller or standalone box.
Last edited:
BoxesOfTheSea
New member
Ecotech needs to hire Kahuna. That post makes total sense.
Alex Y EcoTech
RC Sponsor
EcoSmart Live was intensely monitored over the weekend, and we are happy to report the website did not go down. If you are having trouble connecting to EcoSmart Live, please ensure you follow these steps:
1. Close the Connection Manager
2. Close EcoSmart Live and your Internet Browser
3. Open EcoSmart Live using Google Chrome
4. Restart the Connection Manager & EcoSmart Live Website
If you continue to experience issues connecting, please contact us so we may solve the issue for you in a timely manner.
1. Close the Connection Manager
2. Close EcoSmart Live and your Internet Browser
3. Open EcoSmart Live using Google Chrome
4. Restart the Connection Manager & EcoSmart Live Website
If you continue to experience issues connecting, please contact us so we may solve the issue for you in a timely manner.
EcoTech Support
New member
There isn't an Ecotech product that I've bought that I haven't liked the hardware but the software can be a bit annoying. Today for example a buddy of mine who was interested in setting up a reef tank was over to look at mine. After telling him how great the Radions were I went to login to ESL and it refused to do it again and again. For the most part whenever I wanted to login I've gotten on but there is the occasional snafu and this happened to be one of those times it didn't want to work. Well, he wasn't impressed and I doubt he's gonna buy them for a planned 400g
I understand Ecotech may have big things planned, maybe a controller or maybe 3rd party controller integration, but the whole remote server thing only works for big tech companies and even then companies like Google or Apple still have service outages but even in those cases my local hardware still works as usual. I realize there is a corporate strategy at play here, I really do and I respect that, but I have a suggestion for something that some online game companies do. Make a local server install so you can run your own server, either permanently or in a pinch. That way all the work you guys are putting in doesn't go to waste. I do appreciate how much work goes on behind the scenes with something like this. Just like online games that let you initiate your own private server to play you could have one do the same for ESL. It wouldn't need to be as robust as Ecotech's because it would only be worried about the local connection and all the interface and web code etc. basically stays the same. No GUI to worry about, that's all in the browser anyway at this point, and it could even be combined with the connection manager to simplifiy it. Heck, you could even make it "phone home" only to store the programming to take a load off your own servers. Also if the controller thing is part of future planning that still is going to require additional purchases so people w/o those extra devices will still be at the mercy of the remote server gods.
Take the suggestion for what it's worth but it's the software that makes, or in this case breaks, the Radion. If the product had some kind of LCD panel and you could control most things from there this wouldn't be an issue but the design decision was to forgo that I assume to keep costs down and a little LCD was going to pale in comparison to the control afforded by programing it on a PC/Mac or iPad etc. I agree with this decision as I have an Apex which I also love but if I couldn't program it all in from of a computer I'd have smashed that little LCD controller again the wall long ago. The funny thing is I can be standing right in front of the tank and wonder what the pH or temp is and take my iPhone out of my pocket to look instead of looking at the control LCD
I want to start by saying that we really appreciate your feedback and strive to incorporate as much customer feedback into our products as possible.
Our direction for EcoSmart Live is to fully utilize the "cloud" as our central location for all of your EcoTech Marine products, both presently and moving forward. The primary benefit to using the "cloud" is that your data is accessible from anywhere in the world. You don't need to worry about firewalls, setup, computer problems and other hassles when things are running locally.
As you have experienced, this direction is not always perfect, however we are diligently working as I write this to make EcoSmart Live as reliable and available as humanly possible. We completely agree that you should be able to control your EcoTech Marine products from anywhere and at anytime without interruption. We want the experience to be seamless, whether your sitting on your couch at home or at work and want to change your settings.
Over the next few weeks we will be developing, testing and deploying updates that are specifically geared towards reliability and availability. After that we will continue to make improvements in this regard to make the issues we have been experiencing a thing of the past. In fact we are going to be starting a dedicated thread in this forum where we [EcoTech Marine] can communicate updates and issues as effectively and efficiently as possible. We will also invite all you that participate in this forum to provide feedback when appropriate.
We understand the frustration and want to be as transparent as possible with EcoSmart Live so everyone is aware of the current status as well as planned updates.
mpsti05
New member
^ I like everything I just read above and really hope it's something that's not gonna happen in 5 years from now. Having access and control via "cloud" over my radions and two mp10's would be awesome. Hopefully this year! But then again i just tried to log in to adjust my radion slightly after a 3 day black out and got the "We are currently experiencing issues that might prevent you from communicating with your Radions. " prompt. Damn!
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GainesvilleReef
New member
EchoTech Support the website is never down but you get this message that says "We are currently experiencing issues that might prevent you from communicating with your Radions.". Which means you can not connect to your lights and thus cannot program them.
What bothers me, is that you responded like you don't have a problem and I assure you that you do. I have only been able to program my lights one night out of the last two weeks. Your desktop software is not up to date and does not program the current firmware correctly. So the only way to program them is with EcoSmartLive which is never working. What good are programmable lights that you can't program. This is messing up an otherwise exceptional product. Please help.
What bothers me, is that you responded like you don't have a problem and I assure you that you do. I have only been able to program my lights one night out of the last two weeks. Your desktop software is not up to date and does not program the current firmware correctly. So the only way to program them is with EcoSmartLive which is never working. What good are programmable lights that you can't program. This is messing up an otherwise exceptional product. Please help.
ghostman
Active member
Very well said. That is the kind of response I have seen too often from Ecotech. I don't see the point in boasting that the website wasn't down, when people still cannot connect to their lights. The idea of connecting to your lights "anywhere in the world" is not very useful for most people. As of right now, people cannot connect to their lights standing right next to them.
Johnny C
New member
There's only so much assistance that can be provided via message boards from open ended complaints - the best way to resolve an issue is always to contact support directly.
ghostman
Active member
Agreed Johnny C. Customer support is always the way to go to get problems resolved. Sometimes though, the best customer support is one that you never have to use. The products work as expected.
EcoTech Support
New member
We certainly do acknowledge that EcoSmart Live has been down at several points over the last few weeks. We are working both internally and with external partners to resolve the issues you all have been experiencing as quickly as possible. Our internal goal is to have EcoSmart Live be up and running 99.9% of the time. We are disappointed that we haven't hit that goal over the last few weeks. More importantly, we are disappointed in the experience that it has presented to all of you, our valued customers.
On a side note, it is best to contact our Customer Service department if you are having trouble using EcoSmart Live to adjust your Radions.
On a side note, it is best to contact our Customer Service department if you are having trouble using EcoSmart Live to adjust your Radions.
Thanks for the response. Here's the thing. I want my controller to be accessible anywhere so I can monitor ph, temp, amperage etc. so I have peace of mind that things are where they should be. I want my controller to be able to use the cloud but not actually be in the cloud. If my apex depended on being in the cloud every time I wanted to turn on/off an ATO, check a heater, check a feed mode, or do any number of daily task and maintenance it would be a problem, even 98% uptime is inadequate. Controlling and programming of my lights from anywhere in the world however is of dubious value. Most people need to do that while staring at the tank, not on vacation in Hawaii. Standing in front of my tank and not being able to do anything because the server or internet is down should never happen. I do want to control things from an iPhone or iPad but that doesn't mean everything is in the cloud and only in the cloud. After going through numerous outages of both power and internet the last year due to storms you should realize that 99.9% uptime is meaningless when you have no control over internet outages. Sure these aren't everyday occurrences but they do happen, that's why I bought and love your very nice Battery Backup
I appreciate the dream of the cloud and being able to control my lights from the opposite hemisphere of the planet but you guys haven't shown me you can guarantee I can control the lights from the opposite side of the room my tank is in
I say this not to attack you or with malice but as a plea to examine where you are headed with all this. If your plan is to make general controllers this is a bad, actually make that a very very bad, idea of putting critical control hardware remotely from the aquarium with an unneeded layer of abstraction. This is a recipe for disaster. I can only imagine the lawsuits from people losing tanks because they can't access servers. It's mostly just irritating that the lights do this but lights aren't critical day to day, unless they maybe stay on all day and cook corals. That's one reason I find the "you can control the lights from anywhere in the world" idea so perplexing. You can't have reliable remote control til you have reliable local control as a fail safe. I can honestly say if you came out with a controller based on the same cloud control concept of the Radions I wouldn't use it even if it came for free with the lights. I love your products and you have service second to none but be careful about this path and think it through. Good luck.
EcoTech Support
New member
Thanks for the response. Here's the thing. I want my controller to be accessible anywhere so I can monitor ph, temp, amperage etc. so I have peace of mind that things are where they should be. I want my controller to be able to use the cloud but not actually be in the cloud. If my apex depended on being in the cloud every time I wanted to turn on/off an ATO, check a heater, check a feed mode, or do any number of daily task and maintenance it would be a problem, even 98% uptime is inadequate. Controlling and programming of my lights from anywhere in the world however is of dubious value. Most people need to do that while staring at the tank, not on vacation in Hawaii. Standing in front of my tank and not being able to do anything because the server or internet is down should never happen. I do want to control things from an iPhone or iPad but that doesn't mean everything is in the cloud and only in the cloud. After going through numerous outages of both power and internet the last year due to storms you should realize that 99.9% uptime is meaningless when you have no control over internet outages. Sure these aren't everyday occurrences but they do happen, that's why I bought and love your very nice Battery Backup
I appreciate the dream of the cloud and being able to control my lights from the opposite hemisphere of the planet but you guys haven't shown me you can guarantee I can control the lights from the opposite side of the room my tank is in
I appreciate the feedback. The important thing to remember with our direction of using the cloud is that it is only necessary to use EcoSmart Live when you need to make changes to your EcoTech Marine products. From day one all of our products have been fully capable of managing themselves without the need of a separate system or controller. Having said that, you do need to use EcoSmart Live to initially setup your Radions, however once that is done, they are fully autonomous. In other words, a connection to a controller or the "cloud" isn't necessary once things are up and running. Moreover, future EcoTech Marine products will be no different in that they will include intelligence to operate without the need of a dedicated controller or the cloud.
This approach is forward thinking and less prone to confusion for the majority of our customers. Think of the Nest thermostat in this case. It is a fully connected cloud-based device. How many times do you actually need to adjust a scheduled, programmed thermostat - not that much. However, if you need to, the ability is there and you can do it from anywhere. The same logic applies to our Radions. If you are away on vacation and check in on your tank with a webcam and see that you have an algae outbreak or your corals are starting to bleach, you might want to adjust the overall brightness of your schedule and reprogram. Internet service and other connection related issues are never guaranteed to work 100% of the time. In fact, there have been several instances where I wanted to check on my Nest thermostat and it reported as offline.
On the flip side, I have a "local" aquarium controller running at work that I can access via Wifi but only from within the work network. Our IT admin has refused to open up a specific port in our firewall to allow me to access it outside of our network. This is a strong argument for using a HTTP based, cloud-connected solution.
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