MySensors Gateway Controller Failed to ACK I_FIND_PARENT Request from Node

[Eme]

Five years ago, during the pandemic, I upgraded my Nano - MySensors Serial Gateway to a all-in-one Raspberry Pi running MySensors - Domoticz and Mosquitto Broker. I faced a challenge and got help from many kind hearted users here.. I have been using the Gateway and Nodes without incidence until last week, when I happened to upgrade the OS from Buster - Bullseye

regrettably, everything seem to stop working. I have tried without luck to get everything working again. I have uninstalled and successfully reinstalled Domoticz, MQTT, but MySensors continue to not acknowledge the registration of all nodes. I need some serious help. here is a brief of my setup.

• Rasberry Pi 3. MySensors Gateway - Running Domotics and Mosquitto MQTT.
• I used the Development branch for my git clone
• I configured with

./configure --my-transport=rf24 --my-gateway=serial --my-serial-is-pty --my-serial-port=/dev/ttyAMA0 --my-rf24-irq-pin=15 --my-leds-err-pin=12 --my-leds-rx-pin=16 --my-leds-tx-pin=18 --my-rf24-ce-pin=22

• I enabled SPI in the Raspi.config
• I ran Make and Make Install
• My log from tail -f /var/log/syslog shows

Jul 15 16:19:32 IoTGateway mysgw[328]: TSF:MSG:BC
Jul 15 16:19:32 IoTGateway mysgw[328]: TSF:MSG:FPAR REQ,ID=2
Jul 15 16:19:32 IoTGateway mysgw[328]: TSF:CKU:OK,FCTRL
Jul 15 16:19:32 IoTGateway mysgw[328]: TSF:MSG:GWL OK
Jul 15 16:19:32 IoTGateway mysgw[328]: !TSF:MSG:SEND,0-0-2-2,s=255,c=3,t=8,pt=1,l=1,sg=0,ft=0,st=NACK:0
Jul 15 16:19:58 IoTGateway mysgw[328]: TSF:MSG:READ,3-3-255,s=255,c=3,t=7,pt=0,l=0,sg=0:
Jul 15 16:19:58 IoTGateway mysgw[328]: TSF:MSG:BC
Jul 15 16:19:58 IoTGateway mysgw[328]: TSF:MSG:FPAR REQ,ID=3
Jul 15 16:19:58 IoTGateway mysgw[328]: TSF:PNG:SEND,TO=0
Jul 15 16:19:58 IoTGateway mysgw[328]: TSF:CKU:OK
Jul 15 16:19:58 IoTGateway mysgw[328]: TSF:MSG:GWL OK
Jul 15 16:19:58 IoTGateway mysgw[328]: !TSF:MSG:SEND,0-0-3-3,s=255,c=3,t=8,pt=1,l=1,sg=0,ft=0,st=NACK:0

By the way the hardware is still the same as before

please forgive my poor soldering skills.

What am I doing wrong? Why wont the Gateway accept the Parent requests from the Nodes? Please can someone help - Calling on the experts that have helped me in the past @mfalkvidd @hek @electrik @TheoL @eiten save a grieving soul

[buxtronix]

The NACK status suggests that the response isn't getting back to your node. Perhaps something in the build config on the gateway is different to what you built the nodes with? Debug with #define MY_DEBUG_VERBOSE_RF24 perhaps.

Although, in your earlier post it seemed electrical issues caused your problems. Perhaps you're getting the same again, or the new OS does something to make it flaky again?

	Sent Message
Sender: 0
Last Node: 0
Next Node: 2
Destination: 2
Sensor Id: 255
Command: INTERNAL
Message Type:I_FIND_PARENT_RESPONSE
Payload Type: P_BYTE
Payload Length: 1
Signing: 0
Failed uplink counter: 0
Status: NACK (OK=success, NACK=no radio ACK received)
Payload: 0

[Eme]

Thanks for your response @buxtronix . Please indulge me cos I am not an expert. I am just a tinkerer who dared to build this project and enjoyed it for years now.

The Software on the Node side remained as is. I haven't touched any of them after the Bullseye Operating System was installed.

Concerning the your debug suggestion, I have defined Verbose [ verbose=debug ] in the /etc/mysensors.conf. Does this address what you meant or should I do more.

The only things that has changed is that I changed Serial gateway from --my-serial-pty=/dev/ttyUSB020 which I couldn't select in Domoticz, so I changed it to --my-serial-port=/dev/ttyAMA0 and ./Configured with that. Could this be the culprit? If so, do I need to revisit each node to point things to the ttyAMA0 virtual Serial Port?

Lastly, how can I deal with the eeprom? Perhaps that is where the real problem stopping me from selecting the default ttyUSB020 serial port. What will happen if I erased the epprom. Will it return to the default when i make and install?

[Eme]

Okay I tried again to set VERBOSE on a node and get the output and

 16 MCO:BGN:INIT REPEATER,CP=RNNRA---,FQ=16,REL=255,VER=2.3.2
27 TSM:INIT
28 TSF:WUR:MS=0
29 RF24:INIT:PIN,CE=9,CS=10
32 RF24:SBY
33 RF24:WBR:REG=0,VAL=14
39 RF24:WBR:REG=3,VAL=3
43 RF24:WBR:REG=4,VAL=95
45 RF24:WBR:REG=5,VAL=76
47 RF24:WBR:REG=6,VAL=37
49 RF24:WBR:REG=29,VAL=4
51 RF24:RBR:REG=29,VAL=4
54 RF24:RBR:REG=6,VAL=37
56 RF24:RBR:REG=5,VAL=76
58 RF24:WBR:REG=2,VAL=2
60 RF24:WBR:REG=1,VAL=0
62 RF24:WBR:REG=28,VAL=3
65 RF24:FRX
66 RF24:FTX
67 RF24:WBR:REG=7,VAL=112
69 TSM:INIT:TSP OK
71 TSM:INIT:STATID=5
73 RF24:WBR:REG=2,VAL=3
75 RF24:WBR:REG=1,VAL=1
77 RF24:STL
78 RF24:WBR:REG=0,VAL=15
80 RF24:WBR:REG=10,VAL=5
82 TSF:SID:OK,ID=5
84 TSM:FPAR
86 RF24:SPL
87 RF24:WBR:REG=0,VAL=14
90 RF24:OWP:RCPT=255
92 RF24:WBR:REG=10,VAL=255
94 RF24:WBR:REG=16,VAL=255
96 RF24:TXM:TO=255,LEN=7
99 RF24:FTX
100 RF24:WBR:REG=4,VAL=80
104 RF24:WBR:REG=7,VAL=112
107 ?RF24:TXM:MAX_RT
108 RF24:FTX
110 RF24:WBR:REG=4,VAL=95
112 RF24:STL
113 RF24:WBR:REG=0,VAL=15
116 RF24:WBR:REG=10,VAL=5
118 ?TSF:MSG:SEND,5-5-255-255,s=255,c=3,t=7,pt=0,l=0,sg=0,ft=0,st=OK:
2125 !TSM:FPAR:NO REPLY
2127 TSM:FPAR
2128 RF24:SPL
2129 RF24:WBR:REG=0,VAL=14
2132 RF24:OWP:RCPT=255
2135 RF24:WBR:REG=10,VAL=255
2138 RF24:WBR:REG=16,VAL=255
2140 RF24:TXM:TO=255,LEN=7
2143 RF24:FTX
2144 RF24:WBR:REG=4,VAL=80
2149 RF24:WBR:REG=7,VAL=112
2151 ?RF24:TXM:MAX_RT
2153 RF24:FTX
2155 RF24:WBR:REG=4,VAL=95
2157 RF24:STL
2158 RF24:WBR:REG=0,VAL=15
2161 RF24:WBR:REG=10,VAL=5
2163 ?TSF:MSG:SEND,5-5-255-255,s=255,c=3,t=7,pt=0,l=0,sg=0,ft=0,st=OK:
4171 !TSM:FPAR:NO REPLY
4173 TSM:FPAR
4174 RF24:SPL
4176 RF24:WBR:REG=0,VAL=14
4178 RF24:OWP:RCPT=255
4180 RF24:WBR:REG=10,VAL=255
4184 RF24:WBR:REG=16,VAL=255
4186 RF24:TXM:TO=255,LEN=7
4189 RF24:FTX
4190 RF24:WBR:REG=4,VAL=80
4195 RF24:WBR:REG=7,VAL=112
4197 ?RF24:TXM:MAX_RT
4199 RF24:FTX
4201 RF24:WBR:REG=4,VAL=95
4203 RF24:STL
4204 RF24:WBR:REG=0,VAL=15
4207 RF24:WBR:REG=10,VAL=5
4209 ?TSF:MSG:SEND,5-5-255-255,s=255,c=3,t=7,pt=0,l=0,sg=0,ft=0,st=OK:
6217 !TSM:FPAR:NO REPLY
6219 TSM:FPAR
6220 RF24:SPL
6222 RF24:WBR:REG=0,VAL=14
6224 RF24:OWP:RCPT=255
6226 RF24:WBR:REG=10,VAL=255
6230 RF24:WBR:REG=16,VAL=255
6232 RF24:TXM:TO=255,LEN=7
6235 RF24:FTX
6236 RF24:WBR:REG=4,VAL=80
6241 RF24:WBR:REG=7,VAL=112
6243 ?RF24:TXM:MAX_RT
6245 RF24:FTX
6247 RF24:WBR:REG=4,VAL=95
6249 RF24:STL
6250 RF24:WBR:REG=0,VAL=15
6253 RF24:WBR:REG=10,VAL=5
6255 ?TSF:MSG:SEND,5-5-255-255,s=255,c=3,t=7,pt=0,l=0,sg=0,ft=0,st=OK:
8263 !TSM:FPAR:FAIL
8264 TSM:FAIL:CNT=1
8266 TSM:FAIL:DIS
8268 TSF:TDI:TSL
8269 RF24:SLP
8271 RF24:WBR:REG=0,VAL=12

So after plugging this into the Phaser - I can read the log output.

8264 TSM:FAIL:CNT=1             // means Disable transport
8266 TSM:FAIL:DIS               // means Set transport to sleep

see that the Node is disabling the Transport, and turning off the NRF24. So how do I wake it up? Does this have to do with the Interrupt? IRQ Pin and all that?

Help please, Help @buxtronix everyone! Anyone!!

[Eme]

Again, I am replying myself...

I spent long hours looking through the whole thing. I have a kind vague diagnosis: I replaced the Sleep(1000); in the loop with wait(0); to keep the node perpetually awake ensuring it doesn't miss out on the GW's responds - but this didn't make a difference.

I also ensured both Node and GW were running the same MS version. That also didn't change anything. for now, I know that;

• My nodes are successfully transmitting "Find Parent Request" messages.
• My Gateway is successfully receiving their messages.
• My Gateway is then attempting to respond to the Nodes.
• However, Nodes are not receiving (or acknowledging) those responses from the gateway, leading to the "NO REPLY" on the node and "NACK:0" on the gateway.
• Power is not an issue
• Hardware is also not an issue as I have swooped 2 other NRF24's (making it a total of 3 radios) and I still get the same result
• I have even looked online to see if anyone has had a similar challenge after upgrading to Bullseye, but I can find any.

If I dont get expert help soon, my next plan is to consult AI... but that would be another day.

I need to rest my poor head...

[nagelc]

Your analysis of the problem seems correct.
This sounds very frustrating, and I am afraid I can't help much.

From your earlier post, the transport is just shutting down because it had too many failed attempts to find a parent. That is normal operation. My memory is that it will just try again after a while.

[Eme]

Thanks @nagelc at least I know I am not blinking in the dark...

[Eme]

Once again I am replying myself...

What that clearly shows is that people are either too busy to help, or they are tired of people like me, asking obvious questions that have been treated so many times elsewhere on this same discussion forum. Again, that is not their fault - most people here are volunteers and they all have pressing issues to deal with other than solving your problem!

Goodnews, Is that I have solved all my problems, not without help from an expert though. I know you all want to know Where did I find help? An expert versed in MySensors, Linux, C++, Domoticz and MQTT? ... you will never believe where I found help.

...

... wait for it

...

Right here on the internet! And I didn't have to pay a dime for his services. in less than 1hour, I had all my issues resolved and everything working fine again. Who hlped me?

Artificial Intelligence AKA AI - I started with Googles Gemini. but progressed to Microsoft s CoPilot.

Just treated AI like an individual, introducing my issues and requesting for specific help with code and step by step guidiance, I then shared Log Outputs and it refined its analysis and supplied the needed code. It was a highly rewarding experience for me. I even proceeded to giving it some challenging projects that I have been working on and it solved all of them.

So if you are a mere moonlighting tinkerer like me, someone who doesn't necessarily want to be an expert in these things. If you just want the fix the issue and not border with the need to understand the technicalities, use AI. I recommend MS CoPilot, as it simplifies everything and keeps you in the loop. Germini tends to run round in circles after a while. In fact at one point it gave up and told me it couldn't solve the issue, but I pressed it on by requesting that it tries other solutions. When I find it straying away, I constrained it by asking specifics. At the end, I got exactly what I wanted.

Food for thought, What would the future of forums like this be with AI at our finger tips and beck?

[OldSurferDude]

@Eme

Thank you for coming back to report how you solved your problem! Your comments will help other people.

I am a big fan of Frugal Tech and I think MySensors is great for that.

Alas, MySensors is not well supported anymore. Right now I'm having problems linking to the home page It's people like you and me that will keep MySensors going.

Thanks for your help.

OSD