A little planning and a few key checks will spare you from the most common “Why isn’t it booting?” and “Why can’t I talk to it?” support calls. The notes below apply to every JACE 9000, including the new Wi-Fi model shipping with Niagara 4.15.x
The very first time you run the Commissioning Wizard on a factory-fresh JACE 9000 the controller must inflate its Ubuntu Core operating system, generate security keys, install the Niagara runtime, and then reboot so those changes take effect.
Time to expect Niagara documentation says at least fifteen minutes. In real-world tests on Niagara 4.15 we frequently see twenty minutes or more before Workbench reconnects.
Extra reboot After the wizard completes the unit often performs one additional automatic restart. That extra reboot is normal.
Why patience matters During the unpacking phase the front LEDs give almost no feedback and the debug port is quiet, so it is tempting to cycle power. Doing so restarts the entire process and lengthens your day.
Once the initial sequence finishes, normal boot times fall to only a few minutes.
Every JACE 9000 is licensed to the unique Host ID stored on its SD card.
If the controller powers up without that card installed the Host ID it reports will be incomplete—specifically the letters SD are missing.
Commissioning or licensing against that incorrect ID will fail and cause confusion later.
Fix:
Power down the unit, insert the supplied SD card, power up again, and confirm that the Host ID now includes the SD segment printed on the case label.
The JACE 9000 has two independent Ethernet ports, en0 and en1.
In Platform → TCP IP Configuration Workbench allows you to enter a default gateway on each adapter.
Linux retains only the first default route it reads at boot and silently ignores the second.
If you populate both fields traffic on the “ignored” port reaches the controller but cannot return to the sender, so pings fail, BACnet/IP devices appear offline, or Workbench connects on only one address.
The symptoms may flip each time you reboot the JACE or reseat a cable because the operating system sometimes brings the ports up in a different order.
Best practice:
Niagara Provisioning assumes a controller will complete a reboot in ten minutes. The older value predates the JACE 9000 and is too short for its first start.
Failed jobs report Timeout attempting to reboot station <station name> in the job log.
To prevent this error open the ProvisioningNwExt property sheet, locate Device Reboot Timeout, and raise it from the default 600 seconds to at least 900 seconds.
Existing jobs inherit the new value automatically.
There are now two factory images in the field.
| Hardware | Ships with | Workbench requirement |
|---|---|---|
| Standard JACE 9000 | Niagara 4.13.3 | Commission with Workbench 4.13.x or 4.15.x as long as the platform image matches the runtime you plan to run. |
| Wi-Fi JACE 9000 | Niagara 4.15.0.130 | Commission only with Workbench 4.15.x. Earlier Workbench versions cannot connect to the Wi-Fi variant. |
Attempting to commission a Wi-Fi unit with an older Workbench build results in handshake failures at the very first step.
| Step | Action |
|---|---|
| Before power-up | Confirm the SD card is installed, otherwise your JACE 9000 will boot and show an incorrect Host ID. |
| First wizard run | Allow at least twenty minutes on Niagara 4.15. Do not power-cycle even if LEDs appear idle. |
| Network setup | Enter a default gateway on en0 only. Leave en1 blank or disabled. |
| Provisioning jobs | Change Device Reboot Timeout to 900 seconds to cover the longer boot. |
| Wi-Fi model | Use Workbench 4.15.x for any controller that shipped with 4.15.0.130. WiFi does not work on earlier versions. |
| Validation | After the final reboot ping both adapters, connect to Platform TLS, and verify the Host ID matches the license. |
Plan a solid twenty minutes for the very first commission, make sure the SD card is in place, use one network gateway, extend the reboot timeout for Provisioning, and keep Workbench 4.15 handy for Wi-Fi units. Cover these bases and your JACE 9000 should come online without surprises.
This article will be updated over time to reflect new suggestions and features with the JACE 9000 Hardware
