Esp-idf: [TW#23298] Esp_mesh_send doesn't sends message to external address (IDFGH-3215)

[ugallu]

I'm not sure it is an issue, or its working properly and I'm doing something wrong.
Esp_mesh_send doesn't sends message to external address.

Environment

• Development Kit: none
• Core (if using chip or module): ESP-WROOM32
• IDF version: 64b56be
• Development Env: VSCode
• Operating System: Ubuntu 16.04
• Power Supply: USB

Note: I'm using only one ESP.

Problem Description

Esp_mesh_send doesn't sends message to external address.

I'm using a modified version of the idf mesh example (https://github.com/espressif/esp-idf/tree/master/examples/mesh/internal_transceiver) to send a messsage to my server, without success.
I checked the API's esp_mesh_send part:
http://esp-idf.readthedocs.io/en/latest/api-reference/mesh/esp_mesh.html#_CPPv213esp_mesh_sendPK11mesh_addr_tPK11mesh_data_tiA_K10mesh_opt_ti
It says "if the packet is outgoing to external IP network such as an IP server address, translate IPv4:PORT known as “to”."
I tried to use MESH_PROTO_BIN, MESH_PROTO_JSON, MESH_PROTO_HTTP data types without any success.

Expected Behavior

It should send some message to an external server.

Actual Behavior

It doesn't sends anything.
I can ping the ESP32 and my port is open.

Current monitor log:

I (6193) mesh: [SCAN][ch:4]AP:1, otherID:0, idle:0, mAP:1, root:0, top mAP:0[Layer:0/1.ing]router found
I (6193) mesh: 916, [SCAN]init rc[30:ae:a4:1b:c4:55,-69], mine:0, voter:0
I (6203) mesh: [SCAN:13/13+extra+]rc[128][30:ae:a4:1b:c4:55,-69], self[30:ae:a4:1b:c4:54,-69,reason:0,votes:1,idle][mine:1,voter:1(1.00)percent:1.00][128,1,30:ae:a4:1b:c4:55]

I (6213) mesh: [DONE]connect to router:TP-LINK_7DFE, rssi:-69, 18:d6:c7:a7:7d:fe[layer:1], rc[30:ae:a4:1b:c4:55/-69]
I (12363) wifi: n:4 1, o:4 0, ap:4 1, sta:4 0, prof:4
I (13343) wifi: state: init -> auth (b0)
I (13353) wifi: state: auth -> assoc (0)
I (13363) wifi: state: assoc -> run (10)
I (13583) wifi: connected with TP-LINK_7DFE, channel 4
I (13593) wifi: pm start, type: 0

E (13593) event: invalid static ip
I (13593) mesh_main: <MESH_EVENT_PARENT_CONNECTED>layer:0-->1, parent:18:d6:c7:a7:7d:fe<ROOT>
I (13603) mesh_main: <MESH_EVENT_ROOT_ADDRESS>root address:30:ae:a4:1b:c4:55
E (13603) mesh_main: Routing table
W (13613) mesh_main: [#RX:1/1][L:1] parent:18:d6:c7:a7:7d:fe, receive from 30:ae:a4:1b:c4:54, size:1460, heap:187240, flag:0[err:0x0, proto:0, tos:0]
I (14573) mesh_main: <MESH_EVENT_ROOT_GOT_IP>sta ip: 192.168.0.217, mask: 255.255.255.0, gw: 192.168.0.1
I (14573) event: sta ip: 192.168.0.217, mask: 255.255.255.0, gw: 192.168.0.1
E (14623) mesh_main: Send to server

Steps to repropduce

• set SSID and PASSWORD for your wifi in menuconfig
• connect to the same network with your pc
• get IP with ifconfig
• start netcat in your PC nc -l -k -p 8089
• Clone my repo: https://github.com/ugallu/esp-mesh-socket
• Modify the IP number and port number at line 112,113.
• Make and Flash the program to the esp
• Check monitor and netcat. It should try to send a message when it got an IP.

Code to reproduce this issue

https://github.com/ugallu/esp-mesh-socket

[dongdong004]

If you want to send a message to external address, socket shoud be created by yourself. And using esp_mesh_recv_toDS() to receive packets destined to external IP network.

• Here's the brief of esp_mesh_recv_toDS()

  * @brief     receive a packet targeted to external IP network
  *            root uses this API to receive packets destined to external IP network
  *            root forwards the received packets to the final destination via socket.
  *            if no socket connection is ready to send out the received packets and this esp_mesh_recv_toDS()
  *            hasn't been called by applications, packets from the whole mesh network will be pending in toDS queue.
  *            Use esp_mesh_get_rx_pending() to check the number of packets available in the queue waiting
  *            to be received by applications in case of running out of memory in root.
  *            Use esp_mesh_set_xon_qsize() could configure the RX queue size, default:72. If this size is too large,
  *            and esp_mesh_recv_toDS() isn't called in time, there is a risk that a great deal of memory is occupied
  *            by the pending packets. If this size is too small, it will impact the efficiency on upstream. How to
  *            decide this value depends on the specific application scenarios.

• More examples may help you in https://github.com/espressif/esp-mdf

[negativekelvin]

Will there be official border router implementation?

[dongdong004]

@negativekelvin

```
"that's not included in mesh"
"normal router is able to establish a connection between mesh networks."

[ghost]

@ugallu did you get this working? I am finding esp_mesh_send is hanging when trying to send data to an external IP.

[ugallu]

I made a workaround. I sent data from nodes to root via
esp_err_t err = esp_mesh_send(NULL, &data, 0, NULL, 0);
and on the root, I got the message with esp_mesh_recv.
Then I opened a standard socket to my server (or simply to netcat) and sent it with the socket's write method (this maybe can help, I called write(socket, message, messageLength), instead of read: https://github.com/espressif/ESP8266_RTOS_SDK/issues/46)
Please send a message if you get further.

[dongdong004]

@JerrysGarage @ugallu

You could refer to the examples in https://github.com/espressif/esp-mdf
The lastest esp-idf master is not fully tested on ESP-MESH.
You'd better use esp-mdf submodule before v3.1 release.

[ghost]

@ugallu Do you have an example you could share?
I am trying to send a JSON from a Leaf to a Server. At this point I do not have an intermediate node however I will in the final application.

Right now I am getting stuck just sending a JSON object from the Leaf to the Root.

On the Leaf I run the:

mesh_data_t data_out;
char buffer[50] = "{\"Hello\":\"World\"}";
data_out.data = (uint8_t*)buffer;
data_out.size = strlen(buffer);
data_out.proto = MESH_PROTO_JSON;
data_out.tos = MESH_TOS_P2P;
err = esp_mesh_send(NULL, &data_out, MESH_DATA_P2P, NULL , 0);

On the Root I run:

int flag = MESH_DATA_TODS;
for(int table_index = 1;table_index<route_table_size;table_index++)
{
mesh_data_t data_in;
data_in.data = malloc(RX_SIZE*sizeof(char));
memset(data_in.data, 0, RX_SIZE);

err = esp_mesh_recv(&route_table[table_index], &data_in, 10000, &flag, NULL, 0);
free(data_in.data)
}

After the leaf node freezes when esp_mesh_send is called. The root node calls esp_mesh_recv and polls until the timeout is up.

It seems like I am not using the esp_mesh_send. I am able to get the root node to send and receive a packet to itself, just not other nodes.

@dongdong004 I have looked at the examples in esp-mdf but havn't found an example that simply sends a JSON object from leaf->root->server. Do you know of one?

Thanks for help!

[ugallu]

I think you use the receiving API a bit off.
The first parameter needs a pointer, and the api will write the address of the sender to the allocated variable. Then you can process this address.

// the rx_buf is a static global array
mesh_data_t data;
int flag = 0;
data.data = rx_buf;
data.size = RX_SIZE;

is_running = true;
while (is_running) {
    data.size = RX_SIZE;
    err = esp_mesh_recv(&from, &data, portMAX_DELAY, &flag, NULL, 0);
    if (err != ESP_OK || !data.size) {
        ESP_LOGE(MESH_TAG, "err:0x%x, size:%d", err, data.size);
        continue;
    }        
    ESP_LOGW(MESH_TAG, "GOT MESSAGE FROM NODE "MACSTR" :%s", MAC2STR(from.addr), data.data);
}

I created a branch named send2Root in my repo for you with a working and tested (I have only one esp32 at home, so I sent from root to root, but I think it should work) example:
https://github.com/ugallu/esp-mesh-socket/blob/send2Root/main/mesh_main.c

_ps: I would use as few dynamic memory allocation as possible.
And be sure you use the correct esp-idf, I currently use this:
https://github.com/espressif/esp-idf/tree/a2556229aa6f55b16b171e3325ee9ab1943e8552
with upgraded submodules (git submodule update --init --recursive)_

[dongdong004]

@JerrysGarage

• root receive to DS： https://github.com/espressif/esp-mdf/blob/master/components/protocol_stacks/mdf_wifi_mesh/mdf_wifi_mesh.c#L376
• node send data： https://github.com/espressif/esp-mdf/blob/master/components/protocol_stacks/mdf_wifi_mesh/mdf_wifi_mesh.c#L210

• Use the esp-idf @ugallu said.

[ghost]

Thank you both! What is the best way for a node to get the address dest_addr for Root?

[ugallu]

Its NULL, if you need it just for sending message.
From the esp_mesh_send API: to: the address of the final destination of the packet (1)if the packet is to root, just set “to” to NULL and set flag to zero

[ghost]

NULL works for me when using esp_mesh_send however when using the mdf_wifi_mesh_send function, the first line is MDF_PARAM_CHECK(dest_addr); which prevents me from passing a NULL.

[dongdong004]

• If you use esp_mesh_recv_toDS , you needn't know the address of root, just set dest_addr as ip+port and set flag to MESH_DATA_TODS https://github.com/ugallu/esp-mesh-socket/blob/master/main/mesh_main.c#L112
• Root address : NULL or
  MESH_EVENT_ROOT_ADDRESS, /**< the root address is obtained. It is posted by mesh stack automatically. */
• esp_mesh_send: https://esp-idf.readthedocs.io/en/latest/api-reference/mesh/esp_mesh.html#_CPPv213esp_mesh_sendPK11mesh_addr_tPK11mesh_data_tiA_K10mesh_opt_ti

[ghost]

@dongdong004 @ugallu Got it working, Thanks for all the help!

[danylook]

hi JerrysGarage
could you explain me how you did it? that what im looking for my project.
Regards
Daniel

[danylook]

hi @JerrysGarage
could you explain me how you did it? that what im looking for my project.
Regards
Daniel

[vcmorini]

@JerrysGarage

• root receive to DS： https://github.com/espressif/esp-mdf/blob/master/components/protocol_stacks/mdf_wifi_mesh/mdf_wifi_mesh.c#L376
• node send data： https://github.com/espressif/esp-mdf/blob/master/components/protocol_stacks/mdf_wifi_mesh/mdf_wifi_mesh.c#L210
• Use the esp-idf @ugallu said.

Hi @dongdong004 , could you please update the "node send data" example? (:

[dongdong004]

Hi @dongdong004 , could you please update the "node send data" example? (:

Hi @vcmorini,

• esp-mdf:
  
  
  
  • https://github.com/espressif/esp-mdf
  
  
• esp_mesh_send:
  
  
  
  • https://github.com/espressif/esp-mdf/blob/master/components/mwifi/mwifi.c#L631
  
  
• esp_mesh_recv_toDS
  
  
  
  • https://github.com/espressif/esp-mdf/blob/master/components/mwifi/mwifi.c#L1275
  
  
• older links:
  
  
  
  • https://github.com/espressif/esp-mdf/blob/2044576f90eb39be94e52b470442e3ae715d99a8/components/protocol_stacks/mdf_wifi_mesh/mdf_wifi_mesh.c#L286
  
  
  • https://github.com/espressif/esp-mdf/blob/2044576f90eb39be94e52b470442e3ae715d99a8/components/protocol_stacks/mdf_wifi_mesh/mdf_wifi_mesh.c#L464