mhSpy - Gateway

This is another App consisting of a small database to store names, IP addresses, and their status for  a max of 5 (installed) My Home Gateways.  ONLY for Mac Desktops. I found this App useful to inquire about the status and the location of the gateways.

This application is free, and it is useful to test connectivity to any My Home Gateway at times. It is on the spirit of mhSpy to have a simple App, just to monitor, a My Home installation with a simply click on its Icon. The are commands to control devices. It up to the user to determine what to do when a My Home gateway is not responding: you my check to see if the gateway and routers are ON, check the LAN wires, or call for services the CAT center or your preferred installer.  Refer to related work on a previous  mhSpy - My Home Spy  

STEPS:

1. Download the application by clicking mhSpy - Gateway and move it to your desktop or the application folder, as you prefer.

Click on the App Gateway, type the name Gatewy in the Spotlight at the write top corner of your screen. A windows titled: mhSpy - Gareway Configuration  window will show up.

Enter your preferred name for the gateway, i suggest the BT Article Model, a short Description, or a Location. Something that will help the installer to find out where the gateway is located.  For example, I have the following information:  MH200N - Brkly Hall  so when the installer comes to visit it does not have to go all over the house to locate a non responding gateway.

A personal story. Granted, I do not have a large home like the Palaces some people have in Italy, however I do not like to waste the installer's time locating a My Home Gateway hidden in the wall. I remembered,  in 1976 when I joined Bell Telephone Laboratories,  one installer that got very upset  because I had hidden the telephone inside the desk drawer in my office and route the telephone cord behind the desk. The installer was not amused at all, and it took me a year to realize that the installer performance was determined by  the daily average solved jobs, and in my case, the "senior and experienced" installer spent about half hour locating a telephone cord.  End of story and back to mhSpy Apps.

After entering each Gateway Name click MODIFY and you get the window below shown the name of Gateway Name1: MH200N - Brkly Hall ,  you may follow this step by clicking next if you wish to enter additional names.  There is room for five names but most people have one, two or three gateways. I have five gateway because I have my two home interconnected by a VPN, but, It is OK to have empty names.  In case if you need to add more gateways you may always copy the App and rename the application with different names like GATEWAYS-firenze GATEWAY-berkeley .... and each APP will store a different information.  Very handy for installers to save the gateway info f their clients.

If you enter more than one gateway name you should see all the gateway names you entered.  The display dialog shows the gateway number 1,2,3,4 and 5 followed by the names and the TEST result.  Click on NEXT several times and you will get a display for each gateway and their addresses, and an indication the TEST result for each IP address. Initially all gateways are configured with an existing address 127.0.0.1, that is the address of your computer, also called localhost., therefore all your TEST results are ERROR.

NOTE: Try to enter only known addresses like the address of your router.  mhSpy it takes longer to time out  and return the ERROR result  when trying to connect to a node with a non existing IP address.

For each gateway enter its IP address and click TEST_IP to see its response *#1*##  and record the address.  NEXT will show the different IP address.  Check that your gateways have responded OK by showing TEST:*#*1## .  When finish testing all your gateway click on EXIT to return to the initial GATEWAY CONFIGURATION screen. Click Cancel to close the application.

As you have observed this application is quite simple and requires no brain. The nice feature of the application is that it will remember all the gateways names and IPs.  And, at anytime in the future, after turning OFF and REBOOT the mac computer many times your gateway information is stored inside the mhSpy - GATEWAYS App.. A simple click and you will checking all your gateway names, internet address, and their connectivity, At any time you may update the information as needed.  No need to look for the old piece of paper describing the project.  If needed you may attach the GATEWAYS APP in an e-mail to your installer and ask him to run the GATEWAYS App to find out  your gateways information: model number, their location, and connectivity by running this mhSpy - GATEWAYS app.  

Once again, with a Mac and checking www.MyHomevVillage.com frequently you will have an easier life style.

2. Continue by clicking NAMES


After finishing entering all NAMES, click EXIT to take you to the GATEWAY CONFIGURATION screen and note the additions:

3. Continue with a single click on  IP_ADDRESS to get the following screen:



© Andres Albanese 2012