Manufacturer names have changed to null

MartynK · May 2020

Just logged in to my Fingbox for the first time in a few weeks and the vast majority of the manufacturer names have changed to "null". They all used to be showing things like Dell, Asus, VMWare, Dyson etc, now most just say null.
Any ideas ?

Pixelpopper · May 2020

Try first logging into to your Fing web account & check the details there (check how many networks are displayed and which one is most recently updated) on the active network, hopefully details will be correct there. If you still have problems, stay logged in to the web account and run a scan from the Fing App, that may resolve the problem. Update your findings here.

MartynK · May 2020

I have two networks showing, both the same in reality, one shows via a MAC and the second via a Subnet.
Both are showing that they have been updated almost within a second or two of each other and both show the same errors with the "null" being displayed. I have run updates on both the Android and Windows apps, nothing changes on the web pages, but the apps are showing correctly.

Pixelpopper · May 2020

...I have two networks showing, both the same in reality, one shows via a MAC and the second via a Subnet...

@MartynK Could you clarify the above quote. Access via the web account will display historical “snapshots” of your network (the left margin on the webpage as indicated). There may be an indication when the data changed & what was happening on your network at that time.

@Robin @Marc @rooted - any thoughts on this?

MartynK · May 2020

Does this show what I your looking for ?

Image: https://us.v-cdn.net/6031733/uploads/editor/j1/qbu845aj45ep.jpg

It also shows the devices all NULL now

Pixelpopper · May 2020

@MartynK thanks for screenshot. I would expect “null” if the devices were offline but that’s clearly not the case here, that said, once recognised the Fing database should still “hold” the name record. You mentioned that you logged in “for the first time in a few weeks“ when you noticed the problem, have you changed anything in your networks in that time?
I’m not sure how Fing deals with VMSERVERS but if it was working that shouldn’t be an issue. In the meantime you could try clearing browser cache/history/cookies just in case there’s an issue with cached pages.

MartynK · May 2020

Nothing has changed, all I did was login to see if all was still working and everything had changed to "null"

Robin · May 2020

MartynK said:

Nothing has changed, all I did was login to see if all was still working and everything had changed to "null"

I would like you to make sure that you have enabled all permissions required for the Fing app to operate. Please go to phone settings and set location permissions so Fing App is able to read the SSID correctly. And also, please make sure that other required permissions for Fing app are enabled as well and then open Fing App and run a scan to see the changes.

With new Android and Apple O.S versions, the location permissions are mandatory for the Fing App to operate and identify all the devices on the network. If you have not enabled the location permissions then every time you scan the network then Fing App will not be able to display the access point name and show network as NULL and the device customizations will be lost and revert to the default value(Generic).

If you are using an Apple device to run Fing App, please go to Phone settings, and then enable the 'Recognise Device' option to view all information.

If you are using Android, you need to open the Fing App settings, and then look for option ‘Device Recognition’ and enable it.

And, if you are unable to see the location permissions for the Fing App under phone settings then, I would like you to follow these steps and location permissions pop up will appear to be enabled.

1) Open Fing App and go to 'Network' tab

2) Click on the ISP tab(Network name) and it will open the Network page

3) Clear out the Network information such as Address.

4) Next, to the MAP section, there is a small icon to auto-detect location. Click on the icon and location permissions will be asked.

MartynK · May 2020

Hi, A silly question, but why do I need to even both to use the Fing App for Windows or Android, I only loaded these to see if I got a better result, I have a Fingbox so I should not need the apps. I have already removed the apps as I dont need them.

Why is the FingBox not detecting properly and why have the items changed to null ?

Robin · May 2020

To address your query, @MartynK
the null error responds to Location permission error. It seems like after the recent update of the Fing App, you have not enabled the location permissions for the app. Can you try to click on Fingbox network and then go to Network tab and then you will see the network name. Click on Edit there and you will be taken to a different page with map. Next to map there is a small auto-detect icon. Please click on that and location permissions will be enabled for the app and if you run the scan, you will see the correct results.

MartynK · May 2020

@Robin, I should point out, I have not been using the Fing App except to try and solve this problem, I have now removed it from my laptop.
I have tried what you have said, I dont see any auto-detect icon anywhere on the map, there is a + - signs but thats it, I cannot see anything that is enable/disable/find or anything to do with the location. When I do go to the map I have been getting the following error forever but I just ignored it "Javascript Exception: : Unable to get property 'clear' of undefined or null reference".
Again I will also point out here, everything was working fine for months, I just logged in the other day and I had all these null values showing.
Posting in another thread I did say I had two networks showing on the web page, one defined by a MAC address and one by a subnet. The MAC address one I believe is from the Fingbox and that is showing I am in the UK, the one with the subnet is showing correctly that I live in HK.
Thanks for the help

Robin · May 2020

Thanks @MartynK
Will it be possible to share the screenshot of the null reference or javascript exception to investigate?

MartynK · May 2020

Sure, here you go

Image: https://us.v-cdn.net/6031733/uploads/editor/k4/n06yv393krbp.jpg

Robin · May 2020

Thanks @MartynK
I understand your query now. We are already working on a new version of Web app which will replace this. And this will resolve the issue. As of now there is no time frame but as soon as it is released we will update all users via newsletter and community post. Thanks again for bringing this to our attention.

MartynK · June 2020

@Robin Thanks for the reply.
What has happened to my FIngbot to now trash what has been working since the day I purchased the device ?
Add this "null" issue to the other issue I reported with Random Disconnects and its becoming a little unstable now.

Robin · June 2020

MartynK said:

@Robin Thanks for the reply.
What has happened to my FIngbot to now trash what has been working since the day I purchased the device ?
Add this "null" issue to the other issue I reported with Random Disconnects and its becoming a little unstable now.

The javascript error on Web app is not null issue. As you mentioned, Can you please let me know if the devices name are changed to null or Generic?
Also, for the random disconnects of the Fingbox, As we have investigated the reason for Fingbox going Offline, there are two reasons:

1) Internet Outages. The fingbox is correctly connected to the network and the home wifi works well, but the internet is down. These outages are underlined in the timeline on the speed test view. In that case, please check for minor Internet outages with your ISP.

2) Lost of load-bearing. In this case, the fingbox seems to lose the IP address. It might due either to the cable or to the switch connected to.

I would like to confirm if the ethernet cable is not broken. As you restart the Fingbox, it forces the network to reach its full speed but if there is any damage on the cable, the speed will drop thus leading to Offline.

I would also like you to try any Cat 6 or Cat 7 cable and then see if it is still losing connection or not.

MartynK · June 2020

Hi,
1. The Javascript error only comes up when on the network page showing the map, which still to this day has me in the UK.
2. The Null entries on the device list only started a last month when I first reported it and its still there today.
3. My internet is running fine, I have dual providers plugged in to my firewall which switches between automatically, the current line has been up and running without issue for almost 3 months.
4. The cable between my Fingbox and switch is a Cat6 (I have just replaced it) but the switch was reporting that the connection was fine and that the port had been up for months without issue.
Thanks for the help.

Robin · June 2020

Thanks @MartynK
Can you send me the screenshot of the null entries on the device list of Fing mobile app to investigate?

MartynK · June 2020

@Robin the issue is on the web page, I dont tend to use the apps.

Robin · June 2020

MartynK said:

@Robin the issue is on the web page, I dont tend to use the apps.

The web app is the mirror image of what you have identified on the mobile app. If you don't use the mobile app then web app will appear empty or null. You need to use the mobile app to view the information on web app.

MartynK · August 2020

Not sure I understand here, why do I need to use a mobile app when I have a Fingbox it is monitoring my network ?
I plugged something new in today, it was found, I was notified and it told me what it was device wise.

Robin · August 2020

MartynK said:

Not sure I understand here, why do I need to use a mobile app when I have a Fingbox it is monitoring my network ?
I plugged something new in today, it was found, I was notified and it told me what it was device wise.

The Fingbox is only monitored by the Fing mobile app. The fing web app is a mirror image of the mobile app and what mobile app has identified. The web app itself does not add any feature to fingbox.

MartynK · August 2020

The web app does not add anything, but the fingbox detects new devices on my network, when it detects them, they are sometimes of the wrong type, manufacturer etc.

Robin · August 2020

MartynK said:

The web app does not add anything, but the fingbox detects new devices on my network, when it detects them, they are sometimes of the wrong type, manufacturer etc.

Hi @MartynK
I can see you have number of different post where all the issues might be related to one thing. Can you please reply on one post so all the information can be found easily and we can investigate as well?

Manufacturer names have changed to null

Answers