Alternatives for nRF24L01+ ?
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So after a month or two of fiddling I've had enough of the unstable nRF24L01+.
Been trying all sorts of tricks to try and these things working - the range is useless and everything I try doesn't seem to help.Tried nRF24L01+, nRF24L01+ PA, capacitor, making sure its a stable 3.3V, extending antenna on nRF24L01+, used tin foil to stop noise, change channel numbers, transfer speed, nothing seems to help. Trued multiple devices - no go.
They only seem to work right next to each other. Going through 2 rooms is impossible. Sometimes it works, then it loses comms for 30 mins.
Today I tried replacing gateway and sensor with PA - range is even worse :(Thinking of tossing them all out and going XBee. Expensive but its bound to be rock stable.
Read through so many posts on how to extend the range and am wondering if I'm the only one having headaches.
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So after a month or two of fiddling I've had enough of the unstable nRF24L01+.
Been trying all sorts of tricks to try and these things working - the range is useless and everything I try doesn't seem to help.Tried nRF24L01+, nRF24L01+ PA, capacitor, making sure its a stable 3.3V, extending antenna on nRF24L01+, used tin foil to stop noise, change channel numbers, transfer speed, nothing seems to help. Trued multiple devices - no go.
They only seem to work right next to each other. Going through 2 rooms is impossible. Sometimes it works, then it loses comms for 30 mins.
Today I tried replacing gateway and sensor with PA - range is even worse :(Thinking of tossing them all out and going XBee. Expensive but its bound to be rock stable.
Read through so many posts on how to extend the range and am wondering if I'm the only one having headaches.
@gmccarthy you do now that MySensors also supports RFM69 right? I runs on a lower frequency. And if I remember it correctly from high school, a lower frequency has a longer range. But there are people here that have more knowledge of that.
Much cheaper and more versatile than Xbee.
Besides. If it isn't a hardware problem. You might end up with the same problems when you use Xbee. Just a thought though.
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@gmccarthy you do now that MySensors also supports RFM69 right? I runs on a lower frequency. And if I remember it correctly from high school, a lower frequency has a longer range. But there are people here that have more knowledge of that.
Much cheaper and more versatile than Xbee.
Besides. If it isn't a hardware problem. You might end up with the same problems when you use Xbee. Just a thought though.
@TheoL Thanks. Will have a look into those.
In the meantime I've gone back to basics and have used the pingpong sketch from https://arduino-info.wikispaces.com/Nrf24L01-2.4GHz-HowTo#lib and to my amazement its been running for an hour already with no errors. (And going through 2 floors!) Same hardware, power supply etc.
Might be too early to jump for joy so will leave it running for a few days and see if it falls over.
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@TheoL Thanks. Will have a look into those.
In the meantime I've gone back to basics and have used the pingpong sketch from https://arduino-info.wikispaces.com/Nrf24L01-2.4GHz-HowTo#lib and to my amazement its been running for an hour already with no errors. (And going through 2 floors!) Same hardware, power supply etc.
Might be too early to jump for joy so will leave it running for a few days and see if it falls over.
@gmccarthy There can be many reasons why hardware sometimes doesn't work. But it's good to hear, that you are getting closer.
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@gmccarthy There can be many reasons why hardware sometimes doesn't work. But it's good to hear, that you are getting closer.
@TheoL
Really having some strange problems - if I use the script from the link above its successful in sending and receiving data.I've now tried the pingpong script from mysensors and its failing. If I go back to the script above it works again.
Node1:
Ying NodeReady.
Init complete, id=200, parent=255, distance=255
T received - starting test...
Sending Ping to Yang Node
find parent
send: 200-200-255-255 s=255,c=3,t=7,pt=0,l=0,sg=0,st=bc:Node2:
Yang NodeReady.
Init complete, id=201, parent=255, distance=255 -
@TheoL
Really having some strange problems - if I use the script from the link above its successful in sending and receiving data.I've now tried the pingpong script from mysensors and its failing. If I go back to the script above it works again.
Node1:
Ying NodeReady.
Init complete, id=200, parent=255, distance=255
T received - starting test...
Sending Ping to Yang Node
find parent
send: 200-200-255-255 s=255,c=3,t=7,pt=0,l=0,sg=0,st=bc:Node2:
Yang NodeReady.
Init complete, id=201, parent=255, distance=255@gmccarthy that my friend is something @Hek might be able to help you.
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Hi!
I'm new to mysensors and trying to set up my first nodes.My test units are a UNO and a NANO, both with nRF24L01+ and 10uF caps. I'm getting a similiar outcome as @gmccarthy is getting:
-"pingpair" and "pingpair_dyn" (RF24 library) sketches runs OK, tested up to 30ft apart.
-Similar output when running mysensor's 1.5.4 "PingPongSensor", except for the "Init complete, id=20x, parent=255, distance=255" part, which is not displaying. As follows:Sender node:
Ying NodeReady.
T received - starting test...
Sending Ping to Yang Node
find parent
send: 200-200-255-255 s=255,c=3,t=7,pt=0,l=0,sg=0,st=bc:Receiver node:
Yang NodeReady.What I'm supposed to see on screen when running this sketch?
Thanks for your help!
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@gmccarthy said in Alternatives for nRF24L01+ ?:
So after a month or two of fiddling I've had enough of the unstable nRF24L01+.
Been trying all sorts of tricks to try and these things working - the range is useless and everything I try doesn't seem to help.
Tried nRF24L01+, nRF24L01+ PA, capacitor, making sure its a stable 3.3V, extending antenna on nRF24L01+, used tin foil to stop noise, change channel numbers, transfer speed, nothing seems to help. Trued multiple devices - no go.
They only seem to work right next to each other. Going through 2 rooms is impossible. Sometimes it works, then it loses comms for 30 mins.
Today I tried replacing gateway and sensor with PA - range is even worse
Thinking of tossing them all out and going XBee. Expensive but its bound to be rock stable.
Read through so many posts on how to extend the range and am wondering if I'm the only one having headaches.I have absolutely the same experience with my temperature sensors!
I use the DHT22 and the HTU21 sensors. Sometimes they are running for weeks and then stop working for a day or so and then start working again.Has somebody the same experience?
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@gmccarthy said in Alternatives for nRF24L01+ ?:
So after a month or two of fiddling I've had enough of the unstable nRF24L01+.
Been trying all sorts of tricks to try and these things working - the range is useless and everything I try doesn't seem to help.
Tried nRF24L01+, nRF24L01+ PA, capacitor, making sure its a stable 3.3V, extending antenna on nRF24L01+, used tin foil to stop noise, change channel numbers, transfer speed, nothing seems to help. Trued multiple devices - no go.
They only seem to work right next to each other. Going through 2 rooms is impossible. Sometimes it works, then it loses comms for 30 mins.
Today I tried replacing gateway and sensor with PA - range is even worse
Thinking of tossing them all out and going XBee. Expensive but its bound to be rock stable.
Read through so many posts on how to extend the range and am wondering if I'm the only one having headaches.I have absolutely the same experience with my temperature sensors!
I use the DHT22 and the HTU21 sensors. Sometimes they are running for weeks and then stop working for a day or so and then start working again.Has somebody the same experience?
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@gmccarthy said in Alternatives for nRF24L01+ ?:
So after a month or two of fiddling I've had enough of the unstable nRF24L01+.
Been trying all sorts of tricks to try and these things working - the range is useless and everything I try doesn't seem to help.
Tried nRF24L01+, nRF24L01+ PA, capacitor, making sure its a stable 3.3V, extending antenna on nRF24L01+, used tin foil to stop noise, change channel numbers, transfer speed, nothing seems to help. Trued multiple devices - no go.
They only seem to work right next to each other. Going through 2 rooms is impossible. Sometimes it works, then it loses comms for 30 mins.
Today I tried replacing gateway and sensor with PA - range is even worse
Thinking of tossing them all out and going XBee. Expensive but its bound to be rock stable.
Read through so many posts on how to extend the range and am wondering if I'm the only one having headaches.I have absolutely the same experience with my temperature sensors!
I use the DHT22 and the HTU21 sensors. Sometimes they are running for weeks and then stop working for a day or so and then start working again.Has somebody the same experience?
@ripperle said in Alternatives for nRF24L01+ ?:
Sometimes they are running for weeks and then stop working for a day or so and then start working again.
Has somebody the same experience?
This is a radio link quality problem.
Replace your gateway radio with this PA/LNA module from CDEbyte, make sure script is compiled with #define MY_RF24_PA_LEVEL RF24_PA_MAX and it should solve your problems, it has worked for anyone else who tried.
https://www.aliexpress.com/item/E01-ML01DP5-Ebyte-2-4GHz-20dBm-2100m-nRF24L01-SPI-Wireless-transceiver-module/32638720689.html -
Agreed, I have the same from CDEBYTE on my RPI3 and it has been working flawlessly for over a month. I personally like the RFM69 better because you have more options to work with, but NRF24 from cdebyte are working ok, at least for me.
Those CDEbyte modules work great for me too. So it becomes:
- short distance (or feeling lucky) : use the cheap nRF24L01+ clones
- long distance and you can use mains: use a nodemcu or equivalent
- long distance and you need battery powered: use the CDEbyte modules
Or, scrap it all, and use an NRF5 module for everything. I'm still hesitant to jump in - but that may be the future of mysensors. There is a huge forum on that.
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I would agree that the range on regular nRF24L01+ modules tends to be... less than stellar. The ones with the PA+LNA though seem OK.
The existing nRF5's have better range than regular nRF24L01's, and those with PA+LNA have good range. The nRF52840, which should soon be available,supposedly has fantastic range at not much Tx power.
RFM69 has good range, especially at high Tx power.
LoRa currently has the best range, and the Ra-01 modules are very cheap. LoRa's range comes at a price though: lower bitrates.
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@ripperle I gave up with them and used a nodemcu with a esp8266 wifi module. Have been running without a hitch for months now.
@gmccarthy said in Alternatives for nRF24L01+ ?:
@ripperle I gave up with them and used a nodemcu with a esp8266 wifi module. Have been running without a hitch for months now.
My sensors are battery powered (I also did many test with stable power supplys and had the same connection problems after a few days or weeks...)
@Nca78 said in Alternatives for nRF24L01+ ?:
@ripperle said in Alternatives for nRF24L01+ ?:
Sometimes they are running for weeks and then stop working for a day or so and then start working again.
Has somebody the same experience?
This is a radio link quality problem.
Replace your gateway radio with this PA/LNA module from CDEbyte, make sure script is compiled with #define MY_RF24_PA_LEVEL RF24_PA_MAX and it should solve your problems, it has worked for anyone else who tried.
https://www.aliexpress.com/item/E01-ML01DP5-Ebyte-2-4GHz-20dBm-2100m-nRF24L01-SPI-Wireless-transceiver-module/32638720689.htmlI already upgraded the gateway with a PA/LNA
But not with the MY_RF24_PA_LEVEL RF24_PA_MAX option... Although I ordered 2 PA/LNA transmitter from CDEByte... Let see if it works...By the way, my bathroom sensor (staple power supply, no battery 1 room away from gateway) stopped working a few days ago after many weeks without any problems... Yesterday it come back to life by itself and works... SOOOOOO STRANGE...
I dont understand, why a sensor works for weeks or months without problems and then stop working for a day or 2...
Thanks for your advises...
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Maybe try a watchdog?
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@gmccarthy said in Alternatives for nRF24L01+ ?:
@ripperle I gave up with them and used a nodemcu with a esp8266 wifi module. Have been running without a hitch for months now.
My sensors are battery powered (I also did many test with stable power supplys and had the same connection problems after a few days or weeks...)
@Nca78 said in Alternatives for nRF24L01+ ?:
@ripperle said in Alternatives for nRF24L01+ ?:
Sometimes they are running for weeks and then stop working for a day or so and then start working again.
Has somebody the same experience?
This is a radio link quality problem.
Replace your gateway radio with this PA/LNA module from CDEbyte, make sure script is compiled with #define MY_RF24_PA_LEVEL RF24_PA_MAX and it should solve your problems, it has worked for anyone else who tried.
https://www.aliexpress.com/item/E01-ML01DP5-Ebyte-2-4GHz-20dBm-2100m-nRF24L01-SPI-Wireless-transceiver-module/32638720689.htmlI already upgraded the gateway with a PA/LNA
But not with the MY_RF24_PA_LEVEL RF24_PA_MAX option... Although I ordered 2 PA/LNA transmitter from CDEByte... Let see if it works...By the way, my bathroom sensor (staple power supply, no battery 1 room away from gateway) stopped working a few days ago after many weeks without any problems... Yesterday it come back to life by itself and works... SOOOOOO STRANGE...
I dont understand, why a sensor works for weeks or months without problems and then stop working for a day or 2...
Thanks for your advises...
@ripperle said in Alternatives for nRF24L01+ ?:
I dont understand, why a sensor works for weeks or months without problems and then stop working for a day or 2...
Thanks for your advises...
After x failed attempts to send messages MySensors will consider the radio link broken. Then when you will want to send a message it will need time to re-establish this link, and if your connection is not of good quality it takes some time, more than the time allowed in the settings to do that job. Then your node is invisible to the gateway.
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@ripperle said in Alternatives for nRF24L01+ ?:
Sometimes they are running for weeks and then stop working for a day or so and then start working again.
Has somebody the same experience?
This is a radio link quality problem.
Replace your gateway radio with this PA/LNA module from CDEbyte, make sure script is compiled with #define MY_RF24_PA_LEVEL RF24_PA_MAX and it should solve your problems, it has worked for anyone else who tried.
https://www.aliexpress.com/item/E01-ML01DP5-Ebyte-2-4GHz-20dBm-2100m-nRF24L01-SPI-Wireless-transceiver-module/32638720689.html -
@Nca78 I am about to order a few of the suggested modules (PA/LNA module from CDEbyte) from aliexpress. My first deal ever on aliexpress. What about antenna? Will I have to order it separately?
