Trouble w NodeMCU "TSP FAIL"

[nodethecollector]

Noob here, so I tried to do my due diligence before posting

My goal is to use NodeMCU as wireless gateway to connect to Home Assistant on a Pi. I would also to use this NodeMCU as a Relay Actuator, but we are not there yet-- I'm having trouble getting NodeMCU to successfully get set up as a gateway.

It seems like the NodeMCU is successfully connecting to my network... it's being assigned a local IP address which I can ping, and it shows up on my router's list of connected devices.

From what I have searched, the error messages indicate there's an issue connecting with the radio. That confuses me, because the NodeMCU has the radio connected... there are no wires for me to mess up.

Below is my sketch and the info from the serial monitor. (I redacted my SSID and password, no other changes made)

Am I missing something? Thank you!

SKETCH

/*
 * The MySensors Arduino library handles the wireless radio link and protocol
 * between your home built sensors/actuators and HA controller of choice.
 * The sensors forms a self healing radio network with optional repeaters. Each
 * repeater and gateway builds a routing tables in EEPROM which keeps track of the
 * network topology allowing messages to be routed to nodes.
 *
 * Created by Henrik Ekblad <henrik.ekblad@mysensors.org>
 * Copyright (C) 2013-2019 Sensnology AB
 * Full contributor list: https://github.com/mysensors/MySensors/graphs/contributors
 *
 * Documentation: http://www.mysensors.org
 * Support Forum: http://forum.mysensors.org
 *
 * This program is free software; you can redistribute it and/or
 * modify it under the terms of the GNU General Public License
 * version 2 as published by the Free Software Foundation.
 *
 *******************************
 *
 * REVISION HISTORY
 * Version 1.0 - Henrik Ekblad
 * Contribution by a-lurker and Anticimex,
 * Contribution by Norbert Truchsess <norbert.truchsess@t-online.de>
 * Contribution by Ivo Pullens (ESP8266 support)
 *
 * DESCRIPTION
 * The EthernetGateway sends data received from sensors to the WiFi link.
 * The gateway also accepts input on ethernet interface, which is then sent out to the radio network.
 *
 * VERA CONFIGURATION:
 * Enter "ip-number:port" in the ip-field of the Arduino GW device. This will temporarily override any serial configuration for the Vera plugin.
 * E.g. If you want to use the default values in this sketch enter: 192.168.178.66:5003
 *
 * LED purposes:
 * - To use the feature, uncomment any of the MY_DEFAULT_xx_LED_PINs in your sketch, only the LEDs that is defined is used.
 * - RX (green) - blink fast on radio message received. In inclusion mode will blink fast only on presentation received
 * - TX (yellow) - blink fast on radio message transmitted. In inclusion mode will blink slowly
 * - ERR (red) - fast blink on error during transmission error or receive crc error
 *
 * See https://www.mysensors.org/build/connect_radio for wiring instructions.
 *
 * If you are using a "barebone" ESP8266, see
 * https://www.mysensors.org/build/esp8266_gateway#wiring-for-barebone-esp8266
 *
 * Inclusion mode button:
 * - Connect GPIO5 (=D1) via switch to GND ('inclusion switch')
 *
 * Hardware SHA204 signing is currently not supported!
 *
 * Make sure to fill in your ssid and WiFi password below for ssid & pass.
 */

// Enable debug prints to serial monitor
#define MY_DEBUG

// Use a bit lower baudrate for serial prints on ESP8266 than default in MyConfig.h
#define MY_BAUD_RATE 9600

// Enables and select radio type (if attached)
#define MY_RADIO_RF24
//#define MY_RADIO_RFM69
//#define MY_RADIO_RFM95

#define MY_GATEWAY_ESP8266

#define MY_WIFI_SSID "SSID"
#define MY_WIFI_PASSWORD "PASS"

// Enable UDP communication
//#define MY_USE_UDP  // If using UDP you need to set MY_CONTROLLER_IP_ADDRESS or MY_CONTROLLER_URL_ADDRESS below

// Set the hostname for the WiFi Client. This is the hostname
// it will pass to the DHCP server if not static.
#define MY_HOSTNAME "Gateway_MySensors"

// Enable MY_IP_ADDRESS here if you want a static ip address (no DHCP)
//#define MY_IP_ADDRESS 10,0,0,171

// If using static ip you can define Gateway and Subnet address as well
//#define MY_IP_GATEWAY_ADDRESS 10,0,0,1
//#define MY_IP_SUBNET_ADDRESS 255,255,255,0

// The port to keep open on node server mode
#define MY_PORT 5003

// How many clients should be able to connect to this gateway (default 1)
#define MY_GATEWAY_MAX_CLIENTS 2

// Controller ip address. Enables client mode (default is "server" mode).
// Also enable this if MY_USE_UDP is used and you want sensor data sent somewhere.
//#define MY_CONTROLLER_IP_ADDRESS 192, 168, 178, 68
//#define MY_CONTROLLER_URL_ADDRESS "my.controller.org"

// Enable inclusion mode
//#define MY_INCLUSION_MODE_FEATURE

// Enable Inclusion mode button on gateway
//#define MY_INCLUSION_BUTTON_FEATURE
// Set inclusion mode duration (in seconds)
//#define MY_INCLUSION_MODE_DURATION 60
// Digital pin used for inclusion mode button
//#define MY_INCLUSION_MODE_BUTTON_PIN D1

// Set blinking period
//#define MY_DEFAULT_LED_BLINK_PERIOD 300

// Flash leds on rx/tx/err
// Led pins used if blinking feature is enabled above
//#define MY_DEFAULT_ERR_LED_PIN 16  // Error led pin
//#define MY_DEFAULT_RX_LED_PIN  16  // Receive led pin
//#define MY_DEFAULT_TX_LED_PIN  16  // the PCB, on board LED

#include <MySensors.h>

void setup()
{
	// Setup locally attached sensors
}

void presentation()
{
	// Present locally attached sensors here
}

void loop()
{
	// Send locally attached sensors data here
}

SERIAL MONITOR

MCO:BGN:INIT GW,CP=RNNGE---,FQ=80,REL=255,VER=2.3.2
19:18:17.296 -> 124 TSF:LRT:OK
19:18:17.296 -> 139 TSM:INIT
19:18:17.296 -> 153 TSF:WUR:MS=0
19:18:17.329 -> 176 !TSM:INIT:TSP FAIL
19:18:17.363 -> scandone
19:18:17.363 -> state: 0 -> 2 (b0)
19:18:17.398 -> state: 2 -> 3 (0)
19:18:17.398 -> state: 3 -> 5 (10)
19:18:17.431 -> add 0
19:18:17.431 -> aid 5
19:18:17.431 -> cnt 
19:18:17.431 -> 
19:18:17.431 -> connected with <SSID>, channel 6
19:18:17.466 -> dhcp client start...
19:18:17.501 -> 343 TSM:FAIL:CNT=1
19:18:17.535 -> 363 TSM:FAIL:DIS
19:18:17.535 -> 380 TSF:TDI:TSL
19:18:19.229 -> ip:10.0.0.171,mask:255.255.255.0,gw:10.0.0.1
19:18:27.338 -> pm open,type:2 0
19:18:27.542 -> 10398 TSM:FAIL:RE-INIT
19:18:27.575 -> 10422 TSM:INIT
19:18:27.610 -> 10443 !TSM:INIT:TSP FAIL
19:18:27.610 -> 10469 TSM:FAIL:CNT=2
19:18:27.643 -> 10491 TSM:FAIL:DIS
19:18:27.677 -> 10510 TSF:TDI:TSL
19:18:37.697 -> 20530 TSM:FAIL:RE-INIT
19:18:37.697 -> 20554 TSM:INIT
19:18:37.731 -> 20574 !TSM:INIT:TSP FAIL
19:18:37.765 -> 20600 TSM:FAIL:CNT=3
19:18:37.765 -> 20622 TSM:FAIL:DIS
19:18:37.800 -> 20642 TSF:TDI:TSL
19:18:47.835 -> 30662 TSM:FAIL:RE-INIT
19:18:47.835 -> 30686 TSM:INIT
19:18:47.869 -> 30706 !TSM:INIT:TSP FAIL
19:18:47.903 -> 30732 TSM:FAIL:CNT=4
19:18:47.903 -> 30754 TSM:FAIL:DIS
19:18:47.937 -> 30774 TSF:TDI:TSL
19:18:57.934 -> 40794 TSM:FAIL:RE-INIT
19:18:57.968 -> 40818 TSM:INIT
19:18:58.002 -> 40838 !TSM:INIT:TSP FAIL
19:18:58.036 -> 40864 TSM:FAIL:CNT=5
19:18:58.036 -> 40886 TSM:FAIL:DIS
19:18:58.070 -> 40906 TSF:TDI:TSL
19:19:08.077 -> 50926 TSM:FAIL:RE-INIT
19:19:08.111 -> 50950 TSM:INIT
19:19:08.111 -> 50970 !TSM:INIT:TSP FAIL
19:19:08.144 -> 50996 TSM:FAIL:CNT=6
19:19:08.179 -> 51018 TSM:FAIL:DIS
19:19:08.179 -> 51038 TSF:TDI:TSL

[mfalkvidd]

Welcome to the MySensors community @nodethecollector

The nodemcu does indeed have a radio "built-in". However, that radio is for wifi connections. Most MySensors networks use a different radio for communication between the sensor nodes and the gateway.

https://www.mysensors.org/about/components#the-radio might give a better view if you haven't read it already.

Which radio to use is set by this part of the sketch:

// Enables and select radio type (if attached)
#define MY_RADIO_RF24
//#define MY_RADIO_RFM69
//#define MY_RADIO_RFM95

If you don't want to attach a radio (for now), just change the sketch to

// Enables and select radio type (if attached)
//#define MY_RADIO_RF24
//#define MY_RADIO_RFM69
//#define MY_RADIO_RFM95

This will make your gateway a lone node in its MySensors network, since it can't communicate with other nodes. Which is fine if you want it to function as a relay actuator only. When you want to build more nodes, you can select a radio type and connect radio modules to the node(s) and the gateway and update the sketches to reflect your choice of radio.

[nodethecollector]

@mfalkvidd wow, thank you for your help! I totally misunderstood the radio scenario.

I uploaded my "Gateway + Relay Actuator" sketch and updated the radio section as you suggested. We are connected! I can ping the node.

Now my challenge is getting connected to Home Assistant on my Pi. I'm thinking I need to do some permissions work within HA/Pi.

Thank you!

SKETCH

// Enable debug prints to serial monitor
#define MY_DEBUG

// Use a bit lower baudrate for serial prints on ESP8266 than default in MyConfig.h
#define MY_BAUD_RATE 9600

// Enables and select radio type (if attached)
//#define MY_RADIO_RF24
//#define MY_RADIO_RFM69
//#define MY_RADIO_RFM95

#define MY_GATEWAY_ESP8266

#define MY_WIFI_SSID "SSID"
#define MY_WIFI_PASSWORD "Pass"

// Enable UDP communication
//#define MY_USE_UDP  // If using UDP you need to set MY_CONTROLLER_IP_ADDRESS or MY_CONTROLLER_URL_ADDRESS below

// Set the hostname for the WiFi Client. This is the hostname
// it will pass to the DHCP server if not static.
#define MY_HOSTNAME "MySensors_Gateway2"

// Enable MY_IP_ADDRESS here if you want a static ip address (no DHCP)
#define MY_IP_ADDRESS 10,0,0,171

// If using static ip you can define Gateway and Subnet address as well
#define MY_IP_GATEWAY_ADDRESS 10,0,0,1
#define MY_IP_SUBNET_ADDRESS 255,255,255,0

// The port to keep open on node server mode
#define MY_PORT 5003

// How many clients should be able to connect to this gateway (default 1)
#define MY_GATEWAY_MAX_CLIENTS 2

#define MY_NODE_ID 1

#include <MySensors.h>

#define RELAY_PIN 4  // Arduino Digital I/O pin number for first relay (second on pin+1 etc)
#define NUMBER_OF_RELAYS 1 // Total number of attached relays
#define RELAY_ON 1  // GPIO value to write to turn on attached relay
#define RELAY_OFF 0 // GPIO value to write to turn off attached relay


void before()
{
  for (int sensor=1, pin=RELAY_PIN; sensor<=NUMBER_OF_RELAYS; sensor++, pin++) {
    // Then set relay pins in output mode
    pinMode(pin, OUTPUT);
    // Set relay to last known state (using eeprom storage)
    digitalWrite(pin, loadState(sensor)?RELAY_ON:RELAY_OFF);
  }
}


void setup()
{
	// Setup locally attached sensors
}

void presentation()
{
  // Send the sketch version information to the gateway and Controller
  sendSketchInfo("Relay", "1.0");

  for (int sensor=1, pin=RELAY_PIN; sensor<=NUMBER_OF_RELAYS; sensor++, pin++) {
    // Register all sensors to gw (they will be created as child devices)
    present(sensor, S_BINARY);
  }
}

void loop()
{
	// Send locally attached sensors data here
}

void receive(const MyMessage &message)
{
  // We only expect one type of message from controller. But we better check anyway.
  if (message.getType()==V_STATUS) {
    // Change relay state
    digitalWrite(message.getSensor()-1+RELAY_PIN, message.getBool()?RELAY_ON:RELAY_OFF);
    // Store state in eeprom
    saveState(message.getSensor(), message.getBool());
    // Write some debug info
    Serial.print("Incoming change for sensor:");
    Serial.print(message.getSensor());
    Serial.print(", New status: ");
    Serial.println(message.getBool());
  }
}

SERIAL MONITOR

MCO:BGN:INIT GW,CP=R-NGE---,FQ=80,REL=255,VER=2.3.2
09:20:06.194 -> 126 MCO:BGN:BFR
09:20:06.267 -> scandone
09:20:07.256 -> 1203 GWT:TIN:CONNECTING...
09:20:08.281 -> 2232 GWT:TIN:CONNECTING...
09:20:09.100 -> scandone
09:20:10.052 -> state: 0 -> 2 (b0)
09:20:10.052 -> 3987 GWT:TIN:CONNECTING...
09:20:10.086 -> state: 2 -> 3 (0)
09:20:10.121 -> state: 3 -> 5 (10)
09:20:10.121 -> add 0
09:20:10.155 -> aid 13
09:20:10.155 -> cnt 
09:20:10.155 -> 
09:20:10.155 -> connected with SSID, channel 6
09:20:10.189 -> ip:10.0.0.171,mask:255.255.255.0,gw:10.0.0.1
09:20:10.223 -> ip:10.0.0.171,mask:255.255.255.0,gw:10.0.0.1
09:20:10.291 -> 4220 GWT:TIN:IP: 10.0.0.171
09:20:10.324 -> 4249 MCO:BGN:STP
09:20:10.324 -> 4267 MCO:REG:NOT NEEDED
09:20:10.358 -> 4292 MCO:BGN:INIT OK,TSP=NA
09:20:20.092 -> pm open,type:2 0
09:20:47.941 -> 41822 GWT:TSA:C=0,CONNECTED
09:20:47.975 -> 41866 GWT:RFC:C=0,MSG=255;255;3;0;20;
09:20:58.061 -> 51953 GWT:RFC:C=0,MSG=0;255;3;0;2;
09:21:08.201 -> 62090 GWT:RFC:C=0,MSG=0;255;3;0;2;

HOME ASSISTANT CONFIGURATION.YAML

mysensors:
  gateways:
    - device: '10.0.0.171'
      persistence_file: '/home/pi/homeassistant/mysensors/mysensors.json'
      tcp_port: 5003
  version: '2.0'

HOME ASSISTANT LOGS

2020-05-26 09:20:47 WARNING (SyncWorker_6) [mysensors.persistence] File does not exist or is not readable: /home/pi/homeassistant/mysensors/mysensors.json
2020-05-26 09:20:47 WARNING (SyncWorker_6) [mysensors.persistence] Trying backup file: /home/pi/homeassistant/mysensors/mysensors.json.bak
2020-05-26 09:20:47 WARNING (SyncWorker_6) [mysensors.persistence] File does not exist or is not readable: /home/pi/homeassistant/mysensors/mysensors.json.bak
2020-05-26 09:20:47 WARNING (SyncWorker_6) [mysensors.persistence] Failed to load sensors from file: /home/pi/homeassistant/mysensors/mysensors.json
2020-05-26 09:20:47 ERROR (SyncWorker_2) [mysensors.persistence] Permission denied when writing to /home/pi/homeassistant/mysensors/mysensors.json

[nodethecollector]

In case this helps someone in the future, I learned two additional things about getting these added to Home Assistant:

1. The "file does not exist" error messages is because I had not created a sensor yet.
   Described here: https://community.home-assistant.io/t/mysensors-persistance-file/11047

2. Home Assistant was not seeing my RelayActuator sensor because it needs to send an initial value from the loop. For some reason, that is not in the example sketches.
   Mentioned here https://www.elektormagazine.com/labs/mysensors-home-assistant-howto and I used code from here to make it happen https://www.home-assistant.io/integrations/mysensors#presentation