Author Topic: Mesh library for RFM69 (open source)  (Read 1940 times)

eddy6098

  • NewMember
  • *
  • Posts: 11
  • Country: de
Mesh library for RFM69 (open source)
« on: January 18, 2017, 11:03:12 AM »
Hi,

Is there any mesh networking library for RFM69 (open source) apart from Radio Head?
Regards,
Eddy

TrendSetter

  • NewMember
  • *
  • Posts: 7
Re: Mesh library for RFM69 (open source)
« Reply #1 on: January 18, 2017, 03:28:26 PM »
check out mysensors.org

Felix

  • Administrator
  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 6866
  • Country: us
    • LowPowerLab
Re: Mesh library for RFM69 (open source)
« Reply #2 on: January 18, 2017, 04:18:46 PM »
@eddy6098,
What are you hoping to get from a mesh library?

eddy6098

  • NewMember
  • *
  • Posts: 11
  • Country: de
Re: Mesh library for RFM69 (open source)
« Reply #3 on: January 19, 2017, 05:09:02 AM »
Hi Felix,

I am working for a smart washroom project.
We have sensors that can detect the door open and close events (as a start). Currently, planned to use the RFM69W modules(considered as clients) to send the information to the server (this could be a Rpi with RFM69 module to receive messages or a controller with WiFi and RFM69).

Considering 50 sensors communicating to the server, once the 50 sensors are up they would intially request for permanent address (node ID) from the server just like DHCP. I want the server to store information off all the ID's allocated and also allocate unique ID to new devices contacting it. There should be some kind of keep alive mechanism to tell that all the sensors are alive (talking to each other or something like this) and send notification to the server. Once the total devices reach 254 on that network we will install a new server (just an example). I want this new server to automatically start accepting sensors some how the information of the network ID and the server address should be given to the new sensors, we do not want to configure this network ID and node ID manually it should be automated. It should be taken care by the server automatically. I know mesh library basically helps in routing data through another node to reach its destination

We are looking for a solution. It would be great if you could share some ideas to approach this.

Regards,
Eddy

perky

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 873
  • Country: gb
Re: Mesh library for RFM69 (open source)
« Reply #4 on: January 19, 2017, 10:52:00 AM »
If you want the routing nodes to go to sleep to save battery power (so called sleeping routers) you're in for a disappointment I think, that's a bit of a hard nut to crack. I think all the open source libraries for this require the routers to be permanently powered up.
Mark.

joelucid

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 868
Re: Mesh library for RFM69 (open source)
« Reply #5 on: January 19, 2017, 03:29:23 PM »
Quote
Once the total devices reach 254 on that network we will install a new server (just an example).

You could use a two byte node address and serve many more nodes with one server. I have a hard time visualizing a washroom that couldn't be handled by one server.

Meshing only makes sense if the range isn't enough. Unlikely in a washroom.

eddy6098

  • NewMember
  • *
  • Posts: 11
  • Country: de
Re: Mesh library for RFM69 (open source)
« Reply #6 on: January 20, 2017, 08:14:11 AM »
@joelucid - So you mean the mesh library wont be of any help ? Is there any way I could automate the server like storing the node ID's, assigning network ID and communicatiing with other servers? 
Regards,
Eddy

Felix

  • Administrator
  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 6866
  • Country: us
    • LowPowerLab
Re: Mesh library for RFM69 (open source)
« Reply #7 on: January 20, 2017, 10:58:38 AM »
Eddy,
I don't think you need the complications of a mesh here.
I think meshing comes with a lot of complexity which I can never really justify except in very special scenarios. A mesh solves one problem but brings many others.
The sub-ghz radios give you the range you need which I think in most cases eliminates the need for a mesh.

ChemE

  • Sr. Member
  • ****
  • Posts: 419
  • Country: us
Re: Mesh library for RFM69 (open source)
« Reply #8 on: January 20, 2017, 11:56:30 AM »
From what I know, a mesh would make sense if your network spanned many kilometers.  If your planned sensor network is small enough such that any node is within 1km or so of the gateway, then there is no need to mesh.  As others have said, if you don't need to cover a massive footprint but do need to service 1000+ sensors, you can just add a second byte to subselect.  So say you have 2,000 sensors on your network.  8 of them have a nodeID of 255 then.  So the gateway broadcasts to nodeID 255 and 8 nodes awake and process the packet.  The first byte of the payload could be 1, 2, ... 8.  This lets the gateway talk to just one node and the other 7 can go back to sleep.  In this scheme each node will wake 8 times as often as if there only 255 nodes but it is simple enough to implement with the existing library.

WhiteHare

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 1300
  • Country: us
Re: Mesh library for RFM69 (open source)
« Reply #9 on: January 20, 2017, 12:23:46 PM »
What the heck is a smart washroom anyway?

Felix

  • Administrator
  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 6866
  • Country: us
    • LowPowerLab
Re: Mesh library for RFM69 (open source)
« Reply #10 on: January 20, 2017, 12:45:07 PM »
This @intenetofshit tweet from Internet CES 2016 is the closest I can think of:

https://twitter.com/internetofshit/status/817528404257800192