Does anyone know anything about the USB driver?

J

JazzMac251

Inspired
As the many threads I've started regarding issues related to this can attest, I'm on a mission to get my wireless Axe-Edit rig working. At this point, I've pretty much paired down the problem to a FAS driver or an AxeFX firmware issue.

The backstory to this is long and complicated, but the short version is this:
I'm trying to connect the AxeFX2 to a Surface Pro 3 via a USB hub connected to a wireless network so I can make changes to my rackmount AxeFX2 from a remote location (the stage, for example). I'm using a special USB hub that converts the USB input of a connected device to Ethernet output which can then be connected to a WiFi router. A PC can then connect to the WiFi network and, through the use of a specialized driver, it will then interpret the information coming over that network as being a normal, hardwire USB connection. This works very well with every device I've attached thus far...

The Issue:
...except the AxeFX2. I'm consistently getting Code 10 errors from the Windows Device Manager on the AxeFX2 driver. Driver uninstall/re-install doesn't help. None of the normal troubleshooting measures have had any impact at all. This type of setup is confirmed to work by someone else in this forum.

Suspected Culprits:
1) USB Transfer Type - According to my research, there are something like 4 USB transfer types: Control, Interrupt, Isochronous, and Bulk. The USB-to-Ethernet device I'm using does not (technically) support (all devices using) isochronous transfer types (parentheticals present because apparently some devices do end up working anyway).
2) AxeFX Firmware - I recently updated to Quantum FW. Could this new firmware changed some setting that would render this type of connection unstable?
3) Incompatible Driver Setting - Maybe I have something setup wrong on my PC? That's probably too easy to be possible...

That's it. I don't know a lot about USB, so if anyone has anything to offer I would really appreciate it. I sent a support request to Fractal, but they haven't responded yet. I have limited time to work on this issue and my progress is essentially stalled until I get some expert input.

Thanks!
 
I know the axeFx/axeEdit is funny with inferior usb cables, im not sure what the issue is, but ive had to switch cables once or twice, it definitely doesn't like an un-powered usb hub i have

It maybe somethign with the driver not liking lower bandwidth or something, or flakey connections
 
Bojangles said:
I know the axeFx/axeEdit is funny with inferior usb cables, im not sure what the issue is, but ive had to switch cables once or twice, it definitely doesn't like an un-powered usb hub i have

It maybe somethign with the driver not liking lower bandwidth or something, or flakey connections
Click to expand...

Hmm. Yeah, those are good ideas. I've tested the connection and it's pretty stable, no dropouts or anything. I switched to a better router and I'm getting pretty good latency (about 2ms average, 4 max no lost packets). I wonder what the issue could be with USB hubs? Do you get a similar Code 10 error from the driver or does it just act up a bit but still work?
 
USB wireless usually involves a transmitter and a receiver. The Axe and Axe Edit communicate both ways. Wouldn't each end need a transmitter and a receiver?
 
strat714 said:
USB wireless usually involves a transmitter and a receiver. The Axe and Axe Edit communicate both ways. Wouldn't each end need a transmitter and a receiver?
Click to expand...

An adapter I purchased converts the USB coming from the Axe to Ethernet output. The Ethernet output can then be connected to the LAN port of a WiFi router and a PC then connected to the WiFi. 2 way communication is handled by a driver installed on the host PC that interprets some of the data coming from the WiFi card as USB in/out.
 
I know that (for some reason) firmware for the USB port on the Axe-FX gets loaded to the USB hardware in the Axe-FX when you plug it into a Windows machine or Mac. (different firmware for each, I've heard), so maybe when you're plugging it into your "device" it's not loading the firmware.
With the Axe-FX turned on, try plugging a Windows PC (with the driver) into the USB and then unplugging it and trying your device. Worth a shot.
 
Maybe what you should be doing is screen sharing the PC connected to the Axefx. And not trying to transport the USB traffic over the wireless link?

The problem is that the USB link is assumed to be extremely low latency. It's essentially a sound card, and as such expects to be able to send and receive data between the PC and the Axefx pretty fast. You're introducing a ton (relatively) of latency between the Axefx driver and the hardware. And it doesn't like it.

The only way I see it working is this:
[Axefx]<--usb cable-->[Windows Box/tablet running VNC server]<--wifi-->[Tablet/iPad/whatever running VNC client]

For $100USD you can get a Window 8.1 tablet with 2gb of RAM that will run AxeEdit.. two of those could form the 2 end points... or you could use just about anything for the on-stage device.
 
JazzMac251 said:
An adapter I purchased converts the USB coming from the Axe to Ethernet output. The Ethernet output can then be connected to the LAN port of a WiFi router and a PC then connected to the WiFi. 2 way communication is handled by a driver installed on the host PC that interprets some of the data coming from the WiFi card as USB in/out.
Click to expand...
That adapter converts the output of the Axe USB to Ethernet. What receives the data @ the Axe USB input sent from the computer?
 
Axe-Edit can work over the MIDI connections as well as USB, (I've tested this) so you may be doing this in a harder way than you have to.
Get an iConnectMIDI4+ or a Kiss-Box and a cheap AP. Install RTP-MIDI on your computer, configure it and Axe-Edit to use RTP-MIDI and away you go.
 
Have you made sure that in the device manager for the root USB hub (and all USB ports) that they are not allowed to sleep? That causes most USB problems right there. If allowed, they tend to turn themselves off and on based on some sort of timer that I haven't bothered to figure out yet. I learned that back when I got an MBox 2 mini and ProTools 8 SE.
 
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