Just starting out, so I have a few simple questions that I haven't been able to find answers to despite searches.
I want to have lots moteino-connected devices all talking to a single "base" that will be connected a computer. The base needs to get regular updates from the devices. Should have the devices report in on their own at the reporting interval? Will that risk collisions if two try to talk at the same time? Or should I have the base query the devices one at a time and wait for a response before going on to the next device?
If I have multiple networks near each other, each with a base and many devices on it, how do you avoid collisions between the networks? Will they just retry until the frequency is clear? Or should I take precautions to try to coordinate the networks to share nicely and interleave their requests?
Thanks in advance.
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The RFM69 lib uses a best effort carrier sense approach to avoid collisions, ie "listen before talk".
Depending how often you send packets, they will take around 10-15ms each, including ACKs which are empty packets (just the header).
Best way to separate networks is to use different frequencies, if they do not care at all between them. That way you can keep all other settings identical even network ID and encryption etc.
If you have to share the same channel frequency, then divide into different networks. That will use the same bandwidth.
Usually nodes only have to report data when an event happens. Or they can report data periodically (wake from sleep, measure something, transmit to base, sleep, repeat at X interval).
They can also easily listen if you are not battery powered, then they can report when base is asking something.
If you run from batteries then there is the LISTEN MODE (search forum) which toggles radio between sleep and listen to receive a package, the tradeoff is between sleep and active listening, that determines how hard you have to try to transmit before the node wakes and catches a wake request, and the battery life. Still very low overall consumption can be achieved with this mode.
So ... very many ways to approach a problem using these radios and the modes they support.
PS just curious why did you remove the other message?
Thanks much.