Lights, warnings and messages
What the station's lights, display and web pages can tell you, what each message means, and what to do about it.
1. The red light: fault codes
The red light is the one diagnostic that works with no display, no network and no computer. It says what is wrong by a number of flashes.
| The red light is | Meaning |
|---|---|
| On steadily | Starting up: for the first seconds after power-on, while the station starts and checks itself. After that, a steadily-on red light means the station is holding back its reports during its health checks; the health line on the display says why (INIT, or BAD: with a code — see section 3). It also stays on for about 10 seconds while the station recovers after a problem clears. It goes off (or starts flashing a code) by itself. If it stays on for more than a minute, contact Denko. |
| Off | Everything is fine, and the station is reporting. |
| Flashing | A fault code: a group of short flashes (0.15 s on, 0.15 s off), then a pause of about a second, repeated. Count the flashes in one group and look the number up below. |
| Flashes | Meaning | What to do |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | The firmware recorded an internal error and restarted, or it is running short of memory. The station keeps working. | Note the firmware version (top line of the display) and restart the station once. If 1 flash comes back, contact Denko. |
| 2 | The measurement converter reports an error, or measurement data has stopped. | Switch the station off. Check the cable between the antenna unit and the base unit at both ends. Switch it on again, connecting the power last. If it stays, contact Denko. |
| 3 | Almost no signal is reaching the station from the antenna unit: the antenna unit’s amplifier is not working or not powered, or the antenna is not connected to it. The station has stopped reporting until the signal is back. (Before firmware v482, 3 flashes also meant that the background signal was too low or too high.) | Switch the station off. Check the cable between the antenna unit and the base unit at both ends, and switch it on again. If it stays, contact Denko. |
| 4 | No network: the station is not connected to Wi-Fi. | With no Wi-Fi saved, the setup screen appears within seconds; with a saved network it cannot reach, after about 5 minutes. Connect it to Wi-Fi from there (chapter 1, section 3). |
| 5 | No satellite position yet. It also appears when a station that had a position has heard no satellite fix for an hour. | Normal for a while after the first power-on. Otherwise move the base unit, which has the satellite antenna built in, to where it can see more of the sky. |
| 6 | The clock is not locked to the satellites. Normal for the first minutes after a position is found. It also appears whenever the clock later drops out of lock; the bottom right of the display then reads unlocked, relock, holdover or nofix instead of locked. | If it never stops, move the base unit to where it can see more of the sky. |
| 7 | The measured signal is not filtered the way it should be. The station keeps reporting. | Restart the station. If it stays, contact Denko. |
| 8 | The data coming from the antenna unit is corrupted. The station has stopped reporting until it is good again. | As for 2: check the cable at both ends and restart. The station resumes by itself when the data is good again. |
Only the most urgent problem is shown. The order is 1, 2, 8, 3, 7, 4, 5, 6, so a station with no network and no satellite position flashes 4, not 5. When you fix one problem, the next one may appear.
On the web page. The Status tab shows the code in words, and for 1 flash says which of its causes it is (chapter 1, section 5.2).
2. The white lights: the signal bar
- The row of white lights flashes once for each located lightning stroke whose location used this station’s report (firmware v482 and later). It flashes only after the network has confirmed the location, so it lights a moment after the stroke, not at once; a stroke that is not confirmed does not light it. Earlier firmware flashed once for each lightning signal the station detected and reported.
- The more lights, the stronger the signal the station reported, compared with the background noise at your site. One light is a weak signal just above the detection level. A full bar is a very strong one, usually a closer or more powerful stroke.
- Each flash is short, with a short dark gap after it, so separate strokes can be counted by eye. In a very active storm some flashes are skipped on the lights only; detection and reporting are not affected.
- The bar stays dark while the red light shows a fault or the station is holding back its reports. It never suggests the station is reporting when it is not.
- Dark white lights with the red light off simply means no confirmed lightning right now. That is the normal state most of the time.
- The Lightning indicators selector on the Live Scope tab (firmware v482 and later) can instead make the bar flash for any lightning the network locates within 250 km, even when this station did not take part. Those flashes show the lowest step, because the network supplies no signal strength for them, and they need a current satellite position. See
ledmodein chapter 3.
3. Health codes on the display
The status screen shows the station's health on the line below the IP address, or next to “IP” when the address is shown large (chapter 1, section 2):
| Shown | Meaning |
|---|---|
OK | Healthy and reporting. |
INIT | The first seconds after start, before the station has judged its health. Codes may already be listed after it, for example INIT:nofix. |
BAD: + codes | A problem that stops reporting has lasted about 20 seconds, and the station is holding back its reports until it clears. Codes that do not stop reporting may be listed with it. It reports again about 10 seconds after the problem goes away. |
OK? + codes | Reporting, but the station has noticed something that does not stop it. |
OFF, or OFF? + codes | Denko has switched this station's health check to information only. The station is on and reporting regardless; any codes are shown for information. |
| Code | Meaning | Red light |
|---|---|---|
nofix | No satellite position since start. It also appears when a station that had a position has heard no satellite fix for an hour. For the first 30 minutes from start the station holds back its reports; after that it reports without a position. | 5 |
noinput | Almost no signal is reaching the measurement converter: the antenna unit’s amplifier is not working or not powered, or the antenna is not connected to it. The station holds back its reports until the signal is back (firmware v482 and later). | 3 |
nbndlo | The background signal is lower than expected for a working station. From firmware v482 this is for information only: the station keeps reporting, and the health line shows OK?nbndlo. A quiet site can show it. Nothing needs to be done while the station reports; if the site survey also reads poorly, check the cable to the antenna unit. Before v482 it held back the reports. | — (3 before v482) |
nbndhi | The background signal is higher than expected: strong interference nearby, or a fault. From firmware v482 this is for information only, and the station keeps reporting. If it stays, move the antenna unit away from electrical equipment. Before v482 it held back the reports. | — (3 before v482) |
fedead | The receiver hears only its own noise: the antenna or its amplifier is not working. | 3 |
adc | The measurement converter is not responding correctly. | 2 |
stall | Measurement data has stopped. | 2 |
bband | The signal is not filtered as expected. Advisory: the station keeps reporting. | 7 |
dblbit | The data readout from the antenna unit is corrupted. | 8 |
gnssant | The satellite receiver reports a fault on its antenna. Advisory: the station keeps reporting. Contact Denko if it stays. | — |
What to do for each code with a red-light number is the same as for that number in section 1.
4. Wi-Fi setup messages
On the setup screen (bottom line)
| Shown | Meaning |
|---|---|
key: | The current 10-character setup password, also included in the QR code. It changes each time the setup network starts. Use the screen's current key or QR; if your phone remembers an old key, forget the setup network on the phone and scan again. Saved home Wi-Fi on the station is kept. |
no wifi set | No Wi-Fi network is saved on the station yet. Scan the QR code to set one up. |
waiting | The station has a saved network it cannot reach at the moment, and no phone or computer has joined the setup network yet. |
phone ok | A device has joined the setup network. Continue on that device. |
wrong pass | The last attempt to join your saved network failed: wrong password. |
no network | The last attempt failed: network not found (wrong name, out of range, or 5 GHz only). |
join failed | The last attempt failed: the router did not accept the station (for example a WPA3-only network). |
While saving
Network saved / restarting...: the station restarts in a few seconds to join the new network. finishing update / then restarting: it first finishes the update's trial — normally about 2 minutes, and up to about 20 minutes on a station that cannot get online, which then restarts on the previous version. Both screens add do not power off: in both cases do not switch it off.
On the setup page
| Message | What to do |
|---|---|
| “No Wi-Fi network is set up on this station yet. Choose yours below.” | Normal on a new station. Choose your network, enter its password and save. |
Searching for networks…, No networks found. | The nearby-network list is still being collected, or the scan found none. Wait, use Rescan, or enter a hidden network by hand. |
Could not reach the station. Retrying… | The setup page could not read the station’s network list. Stay connected to the station’s setup network and wait for the retry. |
| Last attempt failed: wrong password / network not found / could not join | The reason the station could not join the network saved last. Correct the details and save again. |
| Saved: “The station is restarting and will try to join that network.” | Nothing. If joining fails, the setup network comes back in a few minutes. |
| Not saved: “That setup form was stale or was not opened from this station.” | The page was opened before the station restarted. Open the setup page again and retype. |
| Not saved: “The network name must be 1-32 characters, and the password must be either empty (open network) or 8-63 characters.” | Correct the name or password. |
| Not saved: “An earlier change to this station's networks is still pending, so nothing from this form was stored.” | An earlier save or /wifi/forget has not finished yet. Wait for it to finish (the station normally restarts to apply it), then open the setup page again and save if you still need the change. |
| Not saved: “That network name or password was too long to receive intact.” | Use a shorter name or password. |
| “The last save did not reach storage. Nothing was changed.” | Try again. If it keeps failing, the station may have no room left for another change to its saved networks: forget all saved networks with /wifi/forget, then set up Wi-Fi again. If that does not help, contact Denko. |
| “local Wi-Fi origin required” | The setup page was opened with a name instead of the station’s IP address. Open it as http://<IP address>/wifi. |
| “This station cannot store networks … Saving will not work.” | Contact Denko. |
| Erased / Not erased | The result of /wifi/forget. After “Erased” the station restarts, and shows the setup screen at once, since no network is saved any more. |
5. Firmware update messages
These appear at http://<IP address>/ota (chapter 1, section 4). The display's own update screen appears only while a new version is being downloaded or verified, and shows only those two steps (downloading v…, then verifying). The “last update check” line of the Status tab reports how each check ended in its own shorter words (chapter 1, section 5.2).
| Message | Meaning |
|---|---|
checking | Asking the update server whether there is a new version. |
downloading v… | Downloading the new version. Keep the power on. |
verifying | Checking the downloaded file before using it. |
rebooting to new fw | Restarting into the new version. Keep the power on for at least 3 minutes. |
idle v… (no update) | Up to date. (idle v… alone: no check yet since the start.) |
manifest timeout, transport busy | The update server did not answer, or the network was busy. The station tries again by itself every 3 minutes. |
dl retry …, dl timeout … | The download was interrupted. It is retried automatically. |
verification failed, download flash err, reboot failed, writer refused, verify park timeout, install record failed | Shown only for a moment: the downloaded file failed its check, could not be written, or the restart into it failed. Nothing was installed. The next message is FAILED …. |
FAILED v… (x…) - quarantined | That version failed to install on this station. The station stays on its current version and does not retry that version for now. If it stays, contact Denko. |
v… deferred (trial not bought) | Normal after an update: the new version is still on trial, and another new version is already waiting. The station installs it once the trial has confirmed itself, usually about 2 minutes after the restart (longer on a station with poor internet). |
v… waits for config.json | Normal for the first minutes after a restart: a new version was found, and the install starts by itself once the station has collected its settings. |
v… held (ota_max …) | Denko is deliberately keeping this station on its current version for now. Nothing to do; it updates by itself when the hold is lifted. |
v… refused (signature not OK) | The new version was not signed as expected, so it was not installed. The station stays on its current version and checks again by itself every 3 minutes; once a correctly signed version is published, it installs that by itself. If it stays, contact Denko. |
v… waits for its signature check | Temporary: a new version was found, but the station could not check its signature just now. It checks again by itself about a minute later; nothing to do. |
v… skipped (…) | The station is deliberately not retrying that version right now, to protect itself. If you keep seeing it, contact Denko. |
explicit_buy rc=… retry …/5 | The new version's first attempt to confirm itself did not succeed; it tries again every 30 seconds. Keep the power on. |
explicit_buy failed x5 - will roll back | The new version could not confirm itself. The station restarts by itself right away and comes back on the previous version. If it repeats, contact Denko. |
no A/B partition table | This station cannot be updated over the internet. Contact Denko. |
no network stack | The station is not connected to Wi-Fi right now (or its network hardware did not start), so it cannot check. It retries by itself: every 10 seconds while it is merely not connected, and every 3 minutes when the network hardware did not start. If it stays while the station is connected, contact Denko. |
Other web-page notices. The GNSS freshness warnings and History confirmation labels are listed in chapter 1, section 5.1 and section 5. When clearing a stored sweep result, request outcome unknown; not retried means the page could not confirm the reply. Press Reload result and check the current result before trying again; the page has not repeated the clear request. The network controls can show on, on · no collector yet, off or · the station did not accept that; the Denko row adds · always on. The network-choice and storage messages are explained in chapter 3.
6. Other things you may see
| You see | Meaning and what to do |
|---|---|
REMOTE CONSOLE, Open station console, in dashboard, Keep station online | Use Open station console on the Denko dashboard and keep the station online. The connection opens automatically on the station’s next contact. See chapter 1, section 5.6. |
Older pairing screen: REMOTE CONSOLE, Pair in dashboard, an eight-digit code and Expires in 2 minutes | Firmware before v482 shows this pairing prompt and code. From firmware v475 onward, use Open station console on the Denko dashboard; the connection opens automatically on the station’s next contact. The dashboard does not need the displayed code. See chapter 1, section 5.6. |
| A page that says “Page not found” and “This page does not exist on DENKO Aurora.” | The address typed after the station’s IP address does not exist on the station. Use Go to the front page, or check the address (chapter 1, section 5.3). Firmware before v482 shows only not found. |
IP shown as - (or 0.0.0.0) | The station is not connected to Wi-Fi right now. See chapter 1, section 3. |
| The station restarts about every 10 minutes | It is connected to Wi-Fi but cannot reach the internet, and it restarts to recover what looks like a stuck connection. Give the network internet access, or connect the station to one that has it. |
| It restarts once a day | Normal: a scheduled restart. |
| The setup screen comes and goes by itself | Normal while no network is reachable: after an hour with nobody connecting, the station restarts, tries its networks again, and brings the setup screen back (at once if no network is saved, otherwise after about 5 minutes). |
| Display dark, station powered | Most likely the station is in USB update mode, because the display button was held at power-on. Switch it off and on without holding the button. If the display stays dark, contact Denko. |
| Red light flashing and white lights dark in a storm | Expected: the white bar stays dark while there is a fault. Fix the fault shown by the red light first. |