No HUB Communication

In this tutorial, we will set up communication between two nodes without using the HUB. One node will be the controller node and will be able to control a remote switch on the controlled node. This can be useful, for instance, to control a switch from a remote node with an interrupter as a fallback method if your main network is failing.

BOM: List of Materials

• 2 x ESP8266 compatible devices (e.g., WEMOS D1 MINI)

Flash the Controlled Node

First, we have to use the following config file and upload the firmware to the controlled node.

external_components:
  - source: github://persuader72/esphome@mm_dev
    components: [ meshmesh, meshmesh_direct, network, socket, ota ]

preferences:
    flash_write_interval: 30sec

esphome:
  name: controlled

ota:
  platform: esphome

esp8266:
  board: d1_mini_lite
  restore_from_flash : True
  framework:
    version: 3.1.2

logger:
  level: VERY_VERBOSE
  baud_rate: 115200

api:
  reboot_timeout: 0s

ota:
  platform: esphome

socket:
  implementation: meshmesh_esp8266

meshmesh:
  baud_rate: 0
  rx_buffer_size: 0
  tx_buffer_size: 0
  password: !secret meshmesh_password
  channel: 3

meshmesh_direct:

switch:
  - platform: gpio
    pin: D4
    id: blue_leds
    name: "Blue LEDS"

mdns:
  disabled: True

Flash the Controller Node

Next, we have to upload the firmware to the controller node, but before doing so, we have to find two arguments:

1. Node MAC address
2. Switch HASH number

Method 1: No HUB Available

In case we can't make a discovery on the network, we can keep note of the MAC address (1) and Switch hash (2) from the logs we get if we upload the firmware using a USB cable.

We have to keep note of those two values and put them in the corresponding fields of the substitutions section of the following configuration file.

external_components:
  - source: github://persuader72/esphome@mm_dev
    components: [ meshmesh, meshmesh_direct, network, socket, ota ]

preferences:
    flash_write_interval: 30sec

substitutions:
  remote_node_addr: 0x7559BE
  remote_switch_hash: 0x0642

esphome:
  name: testmesh2

ota:
  platform: esphome

esp8266:
  board: d1_mini_lite
  restore_from_flash : True
  framework:
    version: 3.1.2

logger:
  level: VERY_VERBOSE
  baud_rate: 115200

api:
  reboot_timeout: 0s

ota:
  platform: esphome

socket:
  implementation: meshmesh_esp8266

meshmesh:
  baud_rate: 0
  rx_buffer_size: 0
  tx_buffer_size: 0
  password: !secret meshmesh_password
  channel: 3

meshmesh_direct:

switch:
  - platform: gpio
    pin: D4
    id: my_switch
    name: "Blue LEDS"
  - platform: meshmesh
    id: remote_switch
    target: ${remote_switch_hash}
    address: ${remote_node_addr}

binary_sensor:
  - platform: gpio
    pin: D3
    name: "Control"
    on_press:
      then:
        - lambda: id(remote_switch)->toggle();

mdns:
  disabled: True

interval:
  - interval: 20sec
    then:
      - logger.log: "interval 1"
      - switch.toggle: my_switch
      - lambda: id(remote_switch)->toggle();
  - interval: 20sec
    startup_delay: 10sec
    then:
      - logger.log: "interval 2"
      - switch.toggle: my_switch
      - lambda: id(remote_switch)->toggle();

Next, we can build and upload the firmware to the controller node using the modified file.

Conclusion

In the end, if all goes well, we should see that the LEDs on both nodes are toggling with a period of 10 seconds. This action is controlled by the interval component of the controller node that toggles the local and remote LEDs.

Also, the D3 pin is configured as a binary sensor. In this way, it is possible to use an interrupter to control the remote switch.