NRF24L01 nodes not always available

Artur

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Feb 27, 2016, 6:26:45 PM2/27/16

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Hi.

I'm trying to build small Souliss network.

At least I got nodes to work but they available randomly, sometimes both nodes work, sometimes only one or both are not working. Souliss app shows Health status as red or close to it when there is no communication (but sometimes Health is half green and no communication).

Any suggestions what can cause a problem?

Eth gateway - Arduino MEGA + Eth shield + NRF24L01, Node 1 - Uno + NRF24L01, node 2 - Mini RBoard + NRF24L01.

All NRF24L01 have at last 10uF + 100nF capacitors on board and they are connected by adapter board with voltage regulator (except Mini RBoard).

Artur

souliss_gateway.ino

souliss_node1_nrf24.ino

souliss_node2_nrf24.ino

Di Maio, Dario

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Feb 27, 2016, 6:29:22 PM2/27/16

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Hi Artur,

the nRF radios are known to be not reliable as solution, many have solved the problem with larger capacitor on the supply and better 3v3 regulator.

Dario.

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Artur

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Feb 28, 2016, 1:34:46 PM2/28/16

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Hi Dario.

Thanks for fast reply.

For me this looks like some kind of interference.

With only one node everything seems to be OK. Second node (no matter which one) causes problems.

I tried to power them from separate power sources.

Any advice about good radios? Is ESP8266 better, especially when all WIFI channels are taken (lots of routers)?

Artur

Di Maio, Dario

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Feb 28, 2016, 1:44:18 PM2/28/16

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Strange that more nodes have troubles, are they all near on a testing table? If so keep them at distance.

The ESP is very reliable.

Dario.

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Artur

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Feb 28, 2016, 2:33:00 PM2/28/16

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They was pretty close to each other. Now seems to be better, I must test this for some time.

I have two ESP but they needs more extra components to connect them to Arduino mini. Anyway I will try them soon.

Artur

Di Maio, Dario

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Feb 29, 2016, 12:29:59 PM2/29/16

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You can run Souliss directly on the ESP without an Arduino.

Dario.

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Artur

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Feb 29, 2016, 3:40:42 PM2/29/16

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You can run Souliss directly on the ESP without an Arduino.

Yes, I know. But not all libs may work on ESP.

Debug from gateway:

(vNet)<OUTPATH><|0x2> // OK?

(vNet)<MEDIA><|0x2>

(vNet)<OUT><DADDR><|0x6503><|0xC|0x17|0x6503|0x6501>

(vNet)<IN>(0x0)<|0x23|0x17|0x6501|0x6503|0x15|0x0|0x0|0x57|0x18|0x0|0x0|0x0|0x0|0x0|0x0|0x0|0x0|0x0|0x0|0x0|0x0|0x0|0x0|0x0|0x0|0x0|0x0|0x0|0x0|0x0|0x0|0x0|0x0>

(MaCaco)<IN><|0x15|0x0|0x0|0x57|0x18|0x>

(MaCaco)<OUT><|0x31|0x0|0x0|0x2|0x18|0x>

(vNet)<OUTPATH><|0x1> // no action on node

(vNet)<MEDIA><|0x1>

(vNet)<OUT><DADDR><|0x2F16><|0x23|0x17|0x2F16|0x73>

(vNet)<IN>(0x6C)<|0xC|0x17|0x73|0x2F16|0x33|0x0|0x0|0x2|0x1|0x2>

(MaCaco)<IN><|0x33|0x0|0x0|0x2|0x1|0x>

(MaCaco)<OUT><|0x14|0x0|0x0|0x27|0x1|0x>

What is 0x2F16.

Why other pipes numbers are not working? Something must be changed in NRF24 initialization?

Putting nodes in bigger distance did not help.

Artur

Di Maio, Dario

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Mar 1, 2016, 12:52:26 AM3/1/16

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Your log looks ok, that address is likely SoulissApp. You can see an incoming data update from 0x6503 that is then forwaeded to your user interface.

Souliss use only two pipes, one to send data and the other to receive data. There are no limits on number of nodes is only a matter of throughput.

Your communication looks fine, are you changing anything on timing for communication?
Generally people has troubles to get nRF to communicate, your is a very strange problem.

Dario.

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Artur Kozioł

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Mar 1, 2016, 6:46:46 AM3/1/16

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I didn't change anything in timings.
I tried to change pipes from 0 and 1 to 2, 3 (and others) but then is no communication.

Yesterday both nodes works pretty nice for long period of time.
Usually after longer time, communication with one or both nodes are lost. Often this happens after longer time of inactivity but not always.
Also communication is lost after connecting second node (fist was already working OK). Usually both nodes starts working after some time.

How to check that radio modules are working correctly (sending and receiving data, no errors on SPI... )?

I will try static addressing.
What I can try to change in RF24 driver?

Artur

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Di Maio, Dario

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Mar 1, 2016, 1:12:47 PM3/1/16

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I don't have any suggestion for you, nRF are not much reliable but you cannot do much about.

Dario.

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Artur Kozioł

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Mar 2, 2016, 3:39:27 PM3/2/16

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I copied some functions from current RF24 library to RF24 driver in Souliss. See attached files.

So far everything works better.

Can anyone test updated driver?

Artur

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RF24.cpp

RF24.h

Di Maio, Dario

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Mar 3, 2016, 1:25:38 AM3/3/16

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Hi Artur,

my self I have no way to test these code, but if you are getting a better behavior we can include this in the official library.

Could you please open a issue on github or make a pull-request? so that your contribution will not be lost within the emails of this ML.

Dario.

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hardiyan to

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Mar 9, 2016, 4:16:44 AM3/9/16

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Hi Arthur,

I still testing attached RF24 library with myRF24 souliss node from two days ago , I have one Souliss gateway Node RF24 also 2 peer Node RF24 and the node is working fine until now.

thanks.

Di Maio, Dario

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Mar 9, 2016, 4:56:07 PM3/9/16

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Good to know, hope that someone else can have a try, compared to few years ago there are very few people still using this radio.

Dario.

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Di Maio, Dario

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Mar 9, 2016, 4:57:07 PM3/9/16

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The code has been merged in this branch, https://github.com/souliss/souliss/tree/new_nRF24_AVR

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