CONTROLLER-2-FIRMWARE: Controller E1 0/0/0, firmware is not running

[sameero10]

Hi Guys,

I already posted a case before 2 weeks describing what is happening with me regarding those VWIC2-2MFT-G703 cards I have and I am creating a new case now because I got another info that may help detecting this issue.

I have this error message that appears on my Cisco 1841 routers when I connect WAN RJ48 cables to my VWIC2-2MFT-G703 interface:

%CONTROLLER-2-FIRMWARE: Controller E1 0/0/0, firmware is not running

I installed VWIC2-2MFT-G703 cards on my routers and I wanted to use them for my WAN communications to transfer data but the above message kept appearing.

I was checking with TELCO guys, the WAN links I have is 64kbps G703 standard with CODIR line coding, framing is disabled, so I am not receiving channlized E1 links from the Telco, I am receiving separated 64kbps links,So I am expecting that this is causing the problem

please not that I used the unframed command (channel group 0 unframed) and didn't use any line coding or framing but got the same error.

what do you think?

Please note that when I issue show controllers E1 0/0/0 command, E1 always appears down and virtual serial interface is always down.

Another issue I faced is that when I tried to create channel groups with the VWIC2-2MFT-G703 cards, it just allowed me to create 2 channel groups only, I checked Cisco docs and it seems that this card support only 2 channel groups, does any body face the same case?

Please note that i upgraded router to different IOS images but got the same issue:

c1841-advipservicesk9-mz.124-21a.bin

c1841-advipservicesk9-mz.124-23.bin

c1841-spservicesk9-mz.124-15.T9.bin

c1841-advsecurityk9-mz.124-23.bin

pleaee note that the card appears in output of show version and show inven commands but keep showing me that error.

I searched on the internet and Cisco docs but I didn't find real answers to what is causing this issue

Another thing to mention, the controller card was added to the config, and it created the serial logical interface, is it hardware issue? Pinout assignment of the cables used? Or configuration issue?

Check the configuration below: i used serveral configurations for E1 controller:

1.controller E1 0/0/0

clock source internal independent

channel-group 0 timeslots 1-31

Or

2. .controller E1 0/0/0

Clock source line primary

Linecoding hdb3

Framing crc4 or no-crc4

Channel-group 0 timeslots 1

Or

3. controller E1 0/0/0

Channel group 0 unframed

but i still get the same error message and controllers are down.

any ideas guys

eng.Sam Abdo

[paolo bevilacqua]

You don't need any external box.

Get an HWIC-1CE1T1-PRI and you can connect up to the maximum of 31 remote sites per port (fully channelized).

[sameero10]

Hi p.bevilacqua

do u think that this card will know how to deal with sperated 64 channels i am getting from the Telco?

Acually i have this card, we order it for another project, we order the 2 port version of it, the issue is not the card, the issue is what i am getting from Telco, i am not getting E1 from them, just 64's, so i am trying to find external box to either convert this 64 to something looks like E1 or multiplexer to multiplex these 64 channels to channelized E1..

[paolo bevilacqua]

Hi, what you're describing is a channelized connection, not unframed.

E1 can be only channelized or unframed, there is no other alternative.