beginner 5 minutes

Troubleshooting

Common issues and solutions for Beeboard and LED integration.

Troubleshooting

Having issues? This guide covers the most common problems and their solutions.

App Issues

Can’t Log In

  1. Check your internet connection
  2. Verify your email address is correct
  3. Try resetting your password
  4. Clear app cache and try again

Problems Not Showing Up

  • Make sure you’ve selected the correct wall and angle
  • Check if filters are hiding problems
  • Pull down to refresh the problem list

Session Won’t Save

  • Ensure you have an active internet connection
  • Check that the session has at least one activity logged
  • Try force-closing and reopening the app

LED Issues

LEDs Not Responding

Check the basics first:

  1. Is the LED server running? SSH in and check: sudo systemctl status beeboard.service
  2. Is the Pi connected to WiFi? ping beeboard-wall1.local
  3. Is the server URL correct in app settings?

Test the server directly:

curl http://YOUR_PI_IP:5000/health

Only Some LEDs Work

  • Check for loose connections in the LED strip
  • Verify power supply can handle your LED count (60mA per LED at full white)
  • Look for damaged LEDs in the chain (one bad LED can break the rest)

Wrong LEDs Light Up

  • Hold numbers in app must match physical LED positions
  • Re-map your holds if needed in Hold Editor
  • Check LED strip direction (data flows one way)

LEDs Flicker

  • Usually a power issue - try a stronger power supply
  • Add a capacitor (1000µF) across power lines
  • Check for loose data wire connections

Server Issues

Server Won’t Start

Check the logs:

journalctl -u beeboard.service -f

Common causes:

  • Port 5000 already in use: sudo lsof -i :5000
  • Python package missing: reinstall dependencies
  • GPIO busy: sudo pkill -f beeboard_server.py

”GPIO Busy” Error

# Stop the service
sudo systemctl stop beeboard.service

# Kill any running instances
sudo pkill -f beeboard_server.py

# Restart
sudo systemctl start beeboard.service

Server Crashes After a While

  • Check available memory: free -h
  • Review logs for errors: journalctl -u beeboard.service --since "1 hour ago"
  • Consider upgrading to Pi with more RAM

Network Issues

App Can’t Find Server

  1. Verify both devices are on the same network
  2. Check the Pi’s IP address: hostname -I
  3. Try using the IP address instead of hostname
  4. Check firewall isn’t blocking port 5000

Intermittent Connection

  • Set a static IP on the Pi (see setup guide)
  • Check WiFi signal strength
  • Consider using ethernet if available

Jam Session Issues

Sessions Not Syncing

  • All users must be on the same wall
  • Check everyone has an active internet connection
  • Try leaving and rejoining the session

LED Updates Delayed

  • Network latency between app, cloud, and Pi
  • Check Pi’s internet connection
  • Reduce network congestion if possible

Still Stuck?

If you’ve tried the above and still have issues:

  1. Collect information:

    • App version
    • Device and OS version
    • Pi model and OS version
    • Error messages or screenshots

  2. Contact us with the details and we’ll help you out!