When I tried to go to ftp.uniden.comI got the following error message Invalid Request (Bad hostname).

Thank You
Todd

HEY just to let you know, I am able to read from and write to my HomePatrol 2 scanner with no problem.

todddjreese wrote:


There is definitely something going on at your end that is blocking access to the Uniden FTP server where the updates come from. The server at Uniden is on-line and responding properly as I type this. If the Uniden server or the Sentinel software was causing the problem, there would be many, many reports of it in this forum and others.

You will just have to systematically investigate all possible causes on your end.

Check all the settings in your router. Many folks that had the same problem have found that their router had firewall or other settings that were blocking access to FTP transfers or blocking port 21 or other ports (the router firewall is different than Windows firewall). Read the post at this link and all the ones after it where a router (not the ISP itself but the router in the house) was blocking access to the updates:

www.homepatrol.com/index.php?option=com_kunena&func=view&catid=110&id=13818&limit=6&limitstart=30&Itemid=38#14700

If you're using a laptop for Sentinel, take it to a friend's house and try to connect using their Wi-Fi, or take your laptop to a public location that offers free Wi-Fi and see if you can access the updates there.

Temporarily disable any anti-virus software running on your computer.

Temporarily disable Windows firewall.

If you are familiar with using the Windows functions for PING and TRACERT, use those for the ftp.uniden.com address. Those will give you some answers as to where your path to the update server is being blocked. If you are not familiar with those functions, try to find someone who is that can use them on your computer at your house.... they are very important investigating tools to pinpoint the cause of your problem.

todddjreese wrote:

That connection is only between your scanner and the computer, it doesn't go through your router or the internet.

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Comcast is my ISP at this time and Comcast supplied me with the modem that I am currently using to access the internet,
I contacted Comcast earlier today to ask them if they were blocking FTP traffic, Comcast told me that they were not blocking FTP traffic, and that the settings on my modem looked fine on their end. Earlier today I did connect my HomePatrol 2 scanner to my computer, I WAS NOT able to see my scanner in the list of devices that are connected to my modem though. I will do further troubleshooting to see if I can find the cause of the problem. To tell You the truth, I never thought that Uniden was to blame for this issue. I just find it a little strange that I can read from and write to my scanner just fine, but for some reason I am NOT able to my scanner or the HomePatrol Database. I currently have HomePatrol Firmware version 1.05, The Sentinal Software says that my HomePatrol Database was updated on 7/20/2014. I purchased my scanner on 09/24/2017.

todddjreese wrote:


There is no reason that your scanner would ever show up on that list. The scanner connects to your computer directly over the USB cable, not through your modem/router. Your computer should show up on that list.... and I'm sure it does because you are able to reach this forum. This forum and other web surfing mostly uses HTTP connections..... the file downloads for the updates use an FTP connection.... and that FTP connection is being blocked by something in your setup.

todddjreese wrote:


As I pointed out previously, reading from and writing to your scanner goes only between your scanner and your computer over the USB cable. Those read and write functions do not go through the router, firewall, your ISP, or any part of the internet.

When you update your database, only your computer connects to the Uniden server over the internet with an FTP connection and downloads the update to Sentinel in your computer first, and then you must write it from Sentinel to your scanner over the USB cable. Your scanner itself does not ever directly connect to the server over the internet.... so there is no reason it would be in the list of devices connected to your modem/router.

Check your HP-2 owner's manual on page 6 to see the instructions for the update:

The update is a 2 step process... In the first step just your computer connects to the Uniden server over the internet using the Sentinel software with an FTP connection and downloads the update file only to your computer, not the scanner. In the second step, you then write the update to your scanner from the Sentinel software on your computer using the direct connection over the USB cable.


As I suggested previously, using the PING and TRACERT functions will show you exactly where your internet FTP connection is being blocked as your computer is trying to connect to the Uniden server during that first step.


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