Cannot get Sensebender_GW / W5100 to connect to router.

[JohnRob]

Hi,

I've built a gateway using:
Sensebender GW
W5100 Ethernet board (the small board, not the arduino shield)
RFM69HW 915Mhz.

At the moment I have no sensor nodes. My plan was to get the gateway talking to the router, then add a potientiometer to the gateway (simple analog read of the wiper) to wring out the connection to my VeraPlus.

I connected it up and making a few modifications to the example code "GatewayW5100.ino". Downloaded the code to the GW board and could not get it to connect to my router.

I setup a MAC IP reservation on my router.
I triple checked the MAC address.

the result was:
No connection shown on my router

Serial monitor showed:
0;255;3;0;9;MCO:BGN:STP
0;255;3;0;9;MCO:BGN:INIT OK,TSP=1

I don't know where to look next. Is there a documentation that will decipher the debug info shown in the serial port monitor?

Thanks
JohnRob

my code: (I annotated any changes from the downloaded code)

/**
 * 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) 2013-2015 Sensnology AB
 * Full contributor list: https://github.com/mysensors/Arduino/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 Tomas Hozza <thozza@gmail.com>
 *
 *
 * DESCRIPTION
 * The EthernetGateway sends data received from sensors to the ethernet link.
 * The gateway also accepts input on ethernet interface, which is then sent out to the radio network.
 *
 * The GW code is designed for Arduino 328p / 16MHz.  ATmega168 does not have enough memory to run this program.
 *
 * LED purposes:
 * - To use the feature, uncomment MY_DEFAULT_xxx_LED_PIN in the sketch below
 * - RX (green) - blink fast on radio message recieved. In inclusion mode will blink fast only on presentation recieved
 * - TX (yellow) - blink fast on radio message transmitted. In inclusion mode will blink slowly
 * - ERR (red) - fast blink on error during transmission error or recieve crc error
 *
 * See http://www.mysensors.org/build/ethernet_gateway for wiring instructions.
 *
 */

// Enable debug prints to serial monitor
#define MY_DEBUG

// Enable and select radio type attached
//#define MY_RADIO_NRF24
#define MY_RADIO_RFM69            // enabled

#define MY_RFM69_FREQUENCY RF69_915MHZ      // <-- added, info from forum
#define MY_IS_RFM69HW                       // <-- added, info from forum

// Enable gateway ethernet module type
#define MY_GATEWAY_W5100

// W5100 Ethernet module SPI enable (optional if using a shield/module that manages SPI_EN signal)
#define MY_W5100_SPI_EN 4                               //<   <---- enabled this line after not response without

// Enable Soft SPI for NRF radio (note different radio wiring is required)
// The W5100 ethernet module seems to have a hard time co-operate with
// radio on the same spi bus.
#if !defined(MY_W5100_SPI_EN) && !defined(ARDUINO_ARCH_SAMD)
#define MY_SOFTSPI
#define MY_SOFT_SPI_SCK_PIN 14
#define MY_SOFT_SPI_MISO_PIN 16
#define MY_SOFT_SPI_MOSI_PIN 15
#endif

// When W5100 is connected we have to move CE/CSN pins for NRF radio
#ifndef MY_RF24_CE_PIN
#define MY_RF24_CE_PIN 5
#endif
#ifndef MY_RF24_CS_PIN
#define MY_RF24_CS_PIN 6
#endif

// Enable to UDP
//#define MY_USE_UDP

#define MY_IP_ADDRESS 192,xxx,xxx,xx7   // If this is disabled, DHCP is used to retrieve address    <-- changed to reserved IP 
// Renewal period if using DHCP
//#define MY_IP_RENEWAL_INTERVAL 60000
// The port to keep open on node server mode / or port to contact in client mode
#define MY_PORT 5003

// 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, 254

// The MAC address can be anything you want but should be unique on your network.
// Newer boards have a MAC address printed on the underside of the PCB, which you can (optionally) use.
// Note that most of the Ardunio examples use  "DEAD BEEF FEED" for the MAC address.
#define MY_MAC_ADDRESS 0xFE, 0xED, 0xDE, 0xAD, 0xBE, 0xEF                   //<-- changed to not be default.

// 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  3

// Set blinking period
#define MY_DEFAULT_LED_BLINK_PERIOD 300

// Flash leds on rx/tx/err
// Uncomment to override default HW configurations
//#define MY_DEFAULT_ERR_LED_PIN 7  // Error led pin
//#define MY_DEFAULT_RX_LED_PIN  8  // Receive led pin
//#define MY_DEFAULT_TX_LED_PIN  9  // Transmit led pin


#if defined(MY_USE_UDP)
#include <EthernetUdp.h>
#endif
#include <Ethernet.h>
#include <MySensors.h>


void setup()
{
}

void loop()
{
}```

[tbowmo]

Have you tried a simple network sketch? For example "Examples/Ethernet/WebServer" ? This is to prove that the ethernet module is up and running on your hardware

If that is succesful, then proceed to the MySensors sketch shown above, if not you should have a look at the hardware / router setup.

[zboblamont]

@johnrob Deciphering the messages is via the log parser, https://www.mysensors.org/build/parser

[JohnRob]

Many thanks for both replies.

I tried the Ethernet/Webserver and found the hardware OK. The issue appears to be the operator not knowing what to expect from the Gateway.

I found the response parser, however I'm still too much a novice to put the message information to good use.

[tomkxy]

@johnrob said in Cannot get Sensebender_GW / W5100 to connect to router.:

From what I see you probably should try to define an IP address in your sketch...

#define MY_IP_ADDRESS 192,xxx,xxx,xx7

[JohnRob]

@tomkxy,

I can't say exactly what is happening but the router does not show the MySensors gateway in the DHCP Client list. However, both the Webserver example and the Sensebender_GW are running through the router.

1. The webserver example output can be seen by directing Chrome to the Webserver IP address.

2. The Sensebender_GW can connect to my VeraPlus which is connected to the LAN.

I have a feeling that the MySensor code is designed to connect - send payload - disconnect. However I don't currently know how to test this or if its even a possibility.

For me right now, the lack of Router listing is not an issue as I still have a ways to go to setup my 1st sensor -> VeraPlus network.

[gohan]

@johnrob if you don't comment out the ip address define, it is normal that the gw doesn't show up on the dhcp list

[JohnRob]

@gohan,

Thanks I see that now. After I commented out the IP address the router assigned (dhcp) an address.

All seems to be working now. I still have to wait to get my sensor board going to test the actual communication. I had been hoping to perform the initial test of data from the gateway Analog input to my VeraPlus, however I don't know how to include a sensor on the gateway.

JohnRob

[gohan]

It works the same as a node, just don't use delay and sleep in code but use only wait() at the end of loop if you don't want to flood the controller