Midnite Solar Classic wireless router interface with Status Panel software

I installed my solar system about 18 months ago and it has been working pretty well. I have the Conext SW, Classic 150, 6 Q-cell panels and 4 Kilovault AGM batteries.
I have tried unsuccessfully to interface the Midnite Solar Status Panel software on my laptop with the Classic 150. I purchased one of the routers specified in the instruction manual, but it is a newer model and has no user options for programming per the Midnite Solar instructions.

Has anyone done a recent install who can recommend a currently available router which will work with the Classic and the Status Panel Software? Hardware is constantly being updated and newer versions may not have the options required for the advanced settings required by Midnite Solar. Relying on a third party hardware to interface specialized hardware and software does not seem like a very reliable solution.

Midnite Solar tech support was unable to help me with this quest.

Thanks

Hi Skip,

Have you seen the section in the latest version of the Classic Manual (?):

Where did you find the refeerence to "recommended Router" ?

We have just used a Network wifi Extender, into which the Classic net port is plugged, and any capable router as the main router. Have changed this main router, with one from a different manufacturer (Motorola, in this case), replacing one from NetGear, which also was just plug and play, press the button pairing.

So, you are using Win 10, or 11 on the Laptop?

EDIT: Have you seen this Video?:

More later, Good Luck, Luke

Skip said:

Relying on a third party hardware to interface specialized hardware and software does not seem like a very reliable solution.
....
the options required for the advanced settings required by Midnite Solar

Click to expand...

I do know how to connect a Midnite Classic to a network, it isn't complicated and it doesn't require anything advanced or specialized.

But I'm okay with you keeping your assumptions and disdain.

I did not have this updated manual. Thanks for that.

I have an old Windows 7 laptop. I bought a netgear N300 wifi router, model WNR2000v5, one of the ones listed in the Status Panel software manual - attached here. With Midnite Solar tech support on the phone, we couldn't get the laptop to talk to the Classic through the Netgear router.

I also have a Calix 844GE Giga Center Modem/Router supplied by my ISP which is near the Classic. I haven't tried plugging into that yet.

Skip said:

I did not have this updated manual. Thanks for that.

I have an old Windows 7 laptop. I bought a netgear N300 wifi router, model WNR2000v5, one of the ones listed in the Status Panel software manual - attached here. With Midnite Solar tech support on the phone, we couldn't get the laptop to talk to the Classic through the Netgear router.

I also have a Calix 844GE Giga Center Modem/Router supplied by my ISP which is near the Classic. I haven't tried plugging into that yet.

Click to expand...

Which part "didn't work"?

Was your ethernet cable the wrong shape and won't fit in the port?

Do the ethernet physical layer link lights turn on when you plug it in? (not sure if midnite even has link lights on ethernet, but the router ethernet port should)

Is it getting its' network address automatically on the network or are you assigning it manually?

Is your laptop on the same network segment+subnet and does it have an IP address assigned? (this all happens automatically when you connect to wifi or plug into ethernet typically, and classic should be in same subnet if assigned automatically also)

Did you ping the classic IP address?

Does the local app show any classic devices in the list?

Or did all of this work, local network monitoring is successful, and now you're trying to add port forwarding and connectivity from the internet also?

Remote monitoring isn't really a major feature of the charge controller in my opinion.

What did you do or try other than buying things and making phone calls you were dissatisfied with?

N300 Manual, https://www.downloads.netgear.com/files/GDC/WNR2000V5/WNR2000v5_UM_20Nov2014.pdf
Follow instructions on p92 to create a custom port forwarding service for port 502.
Follow instructions on p91 to setup port forwarding to the IP address assigned to the classic.
This is "hacky" compared to modern nice monitoring systems, but maybe it will meet your needs. Midnite's solution really only connects it to the local network.

Hi Skip, Thanks for the Link to the MN Local Status Manual.

When you get the Classic on your Local Network, you might like allowing the Classic to report into "My Midnite", site. My Midnite will accept data from your Classic every 5-10 Minutes, which is also quite useful, when you are away from your local Classic.

Thanks for the added info... Good Luck, Luke

Prince Of Darkness said:

Hi Skip, Thanks for the Link to the MN Local Status Manual.

When you get the Classic on your Local Network, you might like allowing the Classic to report into "My Midnite", site. My Midnite will accept data from your Classic every 5-10 Minutes, which is also quite useful, when you are away from your local Classic.

Thanks for the added info... Good Luck, Luke

Click to expand...

I have never used My Midnite, thanks for pointing this out, that is definitely created for remote monitoring. The service was available when I was configuring my Classic 200, but I never finished a necessary firmware update to try using it myself. Newer hardware shouldn't need a firmware update, that was many years ago.

Lilikoi_Heavy_Industries said:

I have never used My Midnite, thanks for pointing this out, that is definitely created for remote monitoring. The service was available when I was configuring my Classic 200, but I never finished a necessary firmware update to try using it myself. Newer hardware shouldn't need a firmware update, that was many years ago.

Click to expand...

Thank you for your guidance you gave Skip on Networking.

Have been running Classics for 11 years, and it has gotten better, and better, over the years. Many new functions have been added, using Firmware Updates .. I need not lecture you.

To me, the Classic CC is by far the most capable CC on the market, and they have been real workhorses, here. Eleven years + of service from power electronics, that delivers 10 - 25 kWh, every day, is quite impressive to me.

Thanks again, Luke

Prince Of Darkness said:

Thank you for your guidance you gave Skip on Networking.

Have been running Classics for 11 years, and it has gotten better, and better, over the years. Many new functions have been added, using Firmware Updates .. I need not lecture you.

To me, the Classic CC is by far the most capable CC on the market, and they have been real workhorses, here. Eleven years + of service from power electronics, that delivers 10 - 25 kWh, every day, is quite impressive to me.

Thanks again, Luke

Click to expand...

Reliability, and using it as a battery monitor (w/whizbangjr+shunt) are my favorite features of the Classic. I haven't seen that one I installed in 2015 in many years but I definitely would have heard about it, if it stopped working. It powers everything for an off-grid farm.

Thanks for all the input. When I work up the courage and am not pressured with winter survival issues, I'll delve into all the responses and see what I can do with it.
Thanks again.