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  1. Home
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  3. why mysensors is based on nrf24?

why mysensors is based on nrf24?

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  • K Offline
    K Offline
    kimot
    wrote on last edited by
    #40

    And do not forgot about law restrictions in some countries, EU and etc.
    For example with 868 Mhz your device can transmitting max 1% of time per one hour.
    Maybe problem for gateway node?
    2,4 GHZ is relatively free all over the world.
    Page 7 here

    R 1 Reply Last reply
    1
    • K kimot

      And do not forgot about law restrictions in some countries, EU and etc.
      For example with 868 Mhz your device can transmitting max 1% of time per one hour.
      Maybe problem for gateway node?
      2,4 GHZ is relatively free all over the world.
      Page 7 here

      R Offline
      R Offline
      Reza
      wrote on last edited by
      #41

      @kimot this is true . but also about 2.4 Ghz i think there is better modules.what module is using in raspberry pi 3 ( without antenna) or wifi router or milight modem or etc ... !? These are 2.4 Ghz . But working for more distance without any problem . i dont test esp8266 (12-12E and very new models) but Don`t you think this is work better ? I didnot work with any radio. Just nrf and a sender with receiver 433 .

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      • R Offline
        R Offline
        Reza
        wrote on last edited by
        #42

        Now for a wifi gateway mysensor used NodeMCU with a esp8266. Then connect a Nrf to NodeMCU . sensor network is with nrf and connection between router and gateway is with esp8266. If esp8266 work good , can we use esp8266 module for each node ? I did not work with esp and this is just a idea

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        • R Offline
          R Offline
          Reza
          wrote on last edited by
          #43

          Now for RGB controller i use this module with domoticz. This modem dont have any external antenna... But work in a good distance without problem and need to a repeater...
          0_1489215904831_Screenshot_2017-03-11-10-30-51~2.jpg

          AWIA 1 Reply Last reply
          0
          • R Reza

            Now for RGB controller i use this module with domoticz. This modem dont have any external antenna... But work in a good distance without problem and need to a repeater...
            0_1489215904831_Screenshot_2017-03-11-10-30-51~2.jpg

            AWIA Offline
            AWIA Offline
            AWI
            Hero Member
            wrote on last edited by
            #44

            @Reza In order to diagnose your problems with the nrf24. Can you make a photo on how it is wired?

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            • tbowmoT Offline
              tbowmoT Offline
              tbowmo
              Admin
              wrote on last edited by
              #45

              @Reza

              Have you checked power consumption on esp8266 (and other wifi modules) compared to nrf24? You will probably be surprised..

              Some friends of mine are using esp8266 for their sensors (not mysensors related), battery life is below 1 month (if I remember right), even when the esp8266 is sleeping most of the time. I have 4 sensebender micros (with nrf24l01+) running of batteries for 2 years now, so yes you can use wifi etc. but the battery life will be lower..

              R 1 Reply Last reply
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              • R Offline
                R Offline
                Reza
                wrote on last edited by
                #46

                dear @AWI i dont have problem with wired and NRF and i know i dont have problem with power for NRF. i have a good connection with 5-6 meter with a for example 20cm wall ( i think this is the best of distance for usual NRF . but Whatever increase distance , so increase lost paket...
                now i use this modules and wire for NRF :
                use regulator and 2 capacitor 100u and 10n
                0_1489226417444_photo_2017-03-11_13-29-12.jpg
                i mean just about connection. all mysensors library feature is excellent . really perfect . just connection is weak by NRF.

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                • tbowmoT tbowmo

                  @Reza

                  Have you checked power consumption on esp8266 (and other wifi modules) compared to nrf24? You will probably be surprised..

                  Some friends of mine are using esp8266 for their sensors (not mysensors related), battery life is below 1 month (if I remember right), even when the esp8266 is sleeping most of the time. I have 4 sensebender micros (with nrf24l01+) running of batteries for 2 years now, so yes you can use wifi etc. but the battery life will be lower..

                  R Offline
                  R Offline
                  Reza
                  wrote on last edited by
                  #47

                  dear @tbowmo i know NRF is very low power consumption but power consumption is just an advantage . we must see other issue.
                  if we will want use nodes without battery , so power consumption is not very important.

                  you consider we want use a sensor for example 20 meter away gateway , so we must use a repeater ( this means that we must buy a additional arduino , radio , wire and adapter ) also we must turn on a new node(repeater) and additional power consumption . while if we use a stronge radio with more power consumption so i think this is better .this true that power consumption is increase but we remove a repeater node :)
                  can i (i am not a professional programmer)setup my network with a stronge radio ? or just mysensors team can setup this ?
                  esp8266 is a stronge radio?
                  thank you

                  AnticimexA tbowmoT 2 Replies Last reply
                  0
                  • R Reza

                    dear @tbowmo i know NRF is very low power consumption but power consumption is just an advantage . we must see other issue.
                    if we will want use nodes without battery , so power consumption is not very important.

                    you consider we want use a sensor for example 20 meter away gateway , so we must use a repeater ( this means that we must buy a additional arduino , radio , wire and adapter ) also we must turn on a new node(repeater) and additional power consumption . while if we use a stronge radio with more power consumption so i think this is better .this true that power consumption is increase but we remove a repeater node :)
                    can i (i am not a professional programmer)setup my network with a stronge radio ? or just mysensors team can setup this ?
                    esp8266 is a stronge radio?
                    thank you

                    AnticimexA Offline
                    AnticimexA Offline
                    Anticimex
                    Contest Winner
                    wrote on last edited by
                    #48

                    @Reza look, a lot of people agree that the radio works fine when proper components and design is used. It will remain to be supported by the core library and the community. Alternative radios have been presented to you.
                    You say that the power to the radio is good. Have you measured that? You don't think putting a huge number of sensors on the same device, all consuming power and adding noise to the system combined with a rats nest of cables has an impact on the radio performance? You could put any radio in that environment and it wouldn't perform any better.

                    Do you feel secure today? No? Start requiring some signatures and feel better tomorrow ;)

                    1 Reply Last reply
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                    • R Reza

                      dear @tbowmo i know NRF is very low power consumption but power consumption is just an advantage . we must see other issue.
                      if we will want use nodes without battery , so power consumption is not very important.

                      you consider we want use a sensor for example 20 meter away gateway , so we must use a repeater ( this means that we must buy a additional arduino , radio , wire and adapter ) also we must turn on a new node(repeater) and additional power consumption . while if we use a stronge radio with more power consumption so i think this is better .this true that power consumption is increase but we remove a repeater node :)
                      can i (i am not a professional programmer)setup my network with a stronge radio ? or just mysensors team can setup this ?
                      esp8266 is a stronge radio?
                      thank you

                      tbowmoT Offline
                      tbowmoT Offline
                      tbowmo
                      Admin
                      wrote on last edited by
                      #49

                      @Reza

                      I don't use repeaters in my setup, I have up to 15m between gateway and nodes, and I don't see package failures. Even with brick walls in between.

                      Power supply is number one cause to troubles with nrf radios, so verify that it delivers a clean 3.3v, filter it with capacitors etc like so many have suggested in other threads. Also verify that you don't have something else using the same channel on 2g4, or an adjacent channel, as this can also give you troubles

                      1 Reply Last reply
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                      • R Offline
                        R Offline
                        Reza
                        wrote on last edited by Reza
                        #50

                        this problem is for several month for me and i test with one relay and one sensor and some regulator and capacitor and etc... and i am be tired and accept i can not have better connection. so this is not my issue now . just i offer a suggestion .
                        if you can add a stronge radio with long range and more power consumption (for people that need long range and power consumption is not important for them.)

                        Anyway i am thank you for your trying :pray:

                        V 1 Reply Last reply
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                        • AnticimexA Offline
                          AnticimexA Offline
                          Anticimex
                          Contest Winner
                          wrote on last edited by
                          #51

                          Well, as many have pointed out now, they don't have problems with range on the nrf and for even better range, use rfm, so why should we look for other radios? The ones we support are perfectly adequate.

                          Do you feel secure today? No? Start requiring some signatures and feel better tomorrow ;)

                          R 1 Reply Last reply
                          2
                          • AnticimexA Anticimex

                            Well, as many have pointed out now, they don't have problems with range on the nrf and for even better range, use rfm, so why should we look for other radios? The ones we support are perfectly adequate.

                            R Offline
                            R Offline
                            Reza
                            wrote on last edited by
                            #52

                            @Anticimex
                            i read myconfig.h and i think if i understand right , with RFM we can set 3 different frequency . but we can not have several channel. is that right ?
                            there is a defect in each radio :/
                            thank you dear friend for answer

                            1 Reply Last reply
                            0
                            • scalzS Offline
                              scalzS Offline
                              scalz
                              Hardware Contributor
                              wrote on last edited by scalz
                              #53

                              Sure in myconfig.h, you can only set 3 freq for the moment, but this is not a rfm69 problem. It's because for the moment the driver is still lowpowerlab based.
                              Lot of improvements have been done, and a completely new rfm69 driver will be released in future, including this feature ;)
                              I agree too, esp8266 is too power hungry for simple sensors node..

                              R 1 Reply Last reply
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                              • scalzS scalz

                                Sure in myconfig.h, you can only set 3 freq for the moment, but this is not a rfm69 problem. It's because for the moment the driver is still lowpowerlab based.
                                Lot of improvements have been done, and a completely new rfm69 driver will be released in future, including this feature ;)
                                I agree too, esp8266 is too power hungry for simple sensors node..

                                R Offline
                                R Offline
                                Reza
                                wrote on last edited by
                                #54

                                @scalz
                                thank you friend , this is good :pray:

                                1 Reply Last reply
                                1
                                • R Reza

                                  this problem is for several month for me and i test with one relay and one sensor and some regulator and capacitor and etc... and i am be tired and accept i can not have better connection. so this is not my issue now . just i offer a suggestion .
                                  if you can add a stronge radio with long range and more power consumption (for people that need long range and power consumption is not important for them.)

                                  Anyway i am thank you for your trying :pray:

                                  V Offline
                                  V Offline
                                  VaZso
                                  wrote on last edited by VaZso
                                  #55

                                  @Reza I don't know the source of the module you use, but the modules with same outfit did not perform really well for me.
                                  I have linked some modules in this thread, which work very well for me.
                                  There are modules with higher power consumption with PA, but other modules (without PA) may also work in higher ranges.

                                  If there are other transmitter near the frequency you use, it affects the range and packet loss you may see - so, you may also check it.

                                  I may use a stronger module (with PA) using appropriate antenna for the central transmitter/receiver and another module (maybe without PA) for battery-driven parts. Good antenna is mandatory for both parts.

                                  Anyway, 433 / 866 / 315 MHz frequency bands have much better wave propagation, but have much more limitations by regulations and not all frequencies can be used in different places of the world...

                                  R 1 Reply Last reply
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                                  • V VaZso

                                    @Reza I don't know the source of the module you use, but the modules with same outfit did not perform really well for me.
                                    I have linked some modules in this thread, which work very well for me.
                                    There are modules with higher power consumption with PA, but other modules (without PA) may also work in higher ranges.

                                    If there are other transmitter near the frequency you use, it affects the range and packet loss you may see - so, you may also check it.

                                    I may use a stronger module (with PA) using appropriate antenna for the central transmitter/receiver and another module (maybe without PA) for battery-driven parts. Good antenna is mandatory for both parts.

                                    Anyway, 433 / 866 / 315 MHz frequency bands have much better wave propagation, but have much more limitations by regulations and not all frequencies can be used in different places of the world...

                                    R Offline
                                    R Offline
                                    Reza
                                    wrote on last edited by Reza
                                    #56

                                    @VaZso thank you friend for answer , i am using several model (different radio) with pa and without pa. but with just one model i had a good connection. so i think other models(with pa+lna and simple ...) all is fake!
                                    sorry friend just a question.
                                    how much most range that you test with simple original NRF (without pa+lna) ? how meter with how Barrier (cm) ? without any lost packet and failed.

                                    thank you
                                    this moldel :) According to told Producer , this module can coverage 2000 meter. but i could connect this for 15meter with 60cm brickwall.
                                    0_1489393082354_as01-ml01dp5-4.jpg

                                    V 1 Reply Last reply
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                                    • R Reza

                                      @VaZso thank you friend for answer , i am using several model (different radio) with pa and without pa. but with just one model i had a good connection. so i think other models(with pa+lna and simple ...) all is fake!
                                      sorry friend just a question.
                                      how much most range that you test with simple original NRF (without pa+lna) ? how meter with how Barrier (cm) ? without any lost packet and failed.

                                      thank you
                                      this moldel :) According to told Producer , this module can coverage 2000 meter. but i could connect this for 15meter with 60cm brickwall.
                                      0_1489393082354_as01-ml01dp5-4.jpg

                                      V Offline
                                      V Offline
                                      VaZso
                                      wrote on last edited by
                                      #57

                                      @Reza Internal walls and special circumstances may affect range very badly in 2.4 GHz band.
                                      Even fake modules may allow relatively high ranges, but the quality of the antenna also highly affects the range.

                                      We have not really tried two modules without PA...
                                      I had communication for about 50-70 meters in one of my very first tests using the worse modules I had, in open field...

                                      Otherwise, we could achieve ~1.2km in open field one module using PA and other module without PA.
                                      There was a straight open field between modules and ~1.2km was the maximal range where they could communicate (with packet loss).
                                      That case when something was inside them, the communication stopped. Till about 1km, the communication was very well in the same setup while it was completely open field.
                                      One module had a relatively good antenna (and PA) with authentic IC inside, other one had a PCB antenna with counterfeit IC...

                                      The 2000 meter for that module is sure to be in open field using two modules with PA and good antenna.
                                      Walls are lowering the coverage.

                                      R 1 Reply Last reply
                                      1
                                      • V VaZso

                                        @Reza Internal walls and special circumstances may affect range very badly in 2.4 GHz band.
                                        Even fake modules may allow relatively high ranges, but the quality of the antenna also highly affects the range.

                                        We have not really tried two modules without PA...
                                        I had communication for about 50-70 meters in one of my very first tests using the worse modules I had, in open field...

                                        Otherwise, we could achieve ~1.2km in open field one module using PA and other module without PA.
                                        There was a straight open field between modules and ~1.2km was the maximal range where they could communicate (with packet loss).
                                        That case when something was inside them, the communication stopped. Till about 1km, the communication was very well in the same setup while it was completely open field.
                                        One module had a relatively good antenna (and PA) with authentic IC inside, other one had a PCB antenna with counterfeit IC...

                                        The 2000 meter for that module is sure to be in open field using two modules with PA and good antenna.
                                        Walls are lowering the coverage.

                                        R Offline
                                        R Offline
                                        Reza
                                        wrote on last edited by
                                        #58

                                        @VaZso you are right , but most of used NRF and mysensors is inside home with wall...
                                        friends told me dont have any problem in their home , so i think this is just related my radios. probably all of my radios are fake...

                                        V AWIA 2 Replies Last reply
                                        0
                                        • R Reza

                                          @VaZso you are right , but most of used NRF and mysensors is inside home with wall...
                                          friends told me dont have any problem in their home , so i think this is just related my radios. probably all of my radios are fake...

                                          V Offline
                                          V Offline
                                          VaZso
                                          wrote on last edited by VaZso
                                          #59

                                          @Reza It really depends on the special circumstances in your house, the quality of the antenna, the quality of the module and so on.

                                          In a building we tested, it could communicate in the two far end of it (upstairs to downstairs), however, there was a place where the communication was not perfect (using two authentic modules with PA).
                                          In my house, I was able to communicate upstairs to downstairs through an about 80cm of "wall" (Godet?) in between, but I haven't done extensive testing with our best modules there yet - however, I have places there where also my WLAN devices fails because of too many walls and concrete... so I think there should be places there where it would fail...

                                          Otherwise, I found generally internal range is also very good using these modules.

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