##### <palign="center">[***In loving memory of Gay Holman, an extraordinary woman.***](https://www.facebook.com/CFECI/posts/2967989419953119) #####
Farm Data Relay System is an easy way to communicate with remote IoT devices without relying on WiFi or LoRaWAN infrastructure. It establishes a series of inexpensive, low-power access points and repeaters to provide ESP-NOW and LoRa coverage for remote devices. FDRS can be used to transport sensor readings and control messages in situations where it would be too cumbersome to provide full WiFi/LoRaWAN coverage. While the system was designed with farming in mind, FDRS could alse be beneficial in a classroom, home, or research setting.
Farm Data Relay System is an easy way to communicate with remote IoT devices without relying on WiFi or LoRaWAN infrastructure. It establishes a series of inexpensive, low-power access points and repeaters to provide ESP-NOW and LoRa coverage for remote devices. FDRS can be used to transport sensor readings and control messages in situations where it would be too cumbersome to provide full WiFi/LoRaWAN coverage. While the system was designed with farming in mind, FDRS could also be beneficial in a classroom, home, or research setting.
Devices are classified into two types: **Gateways** and **Nodes**. Gateways comprise the infrastructure of the network, moving data along pre-directed routes and providing coverage to all devices. Nodes allow the user to exchange data with a gateway. Each gateway is identified with an 8-bit physical hex address (MAC), while nodes use 16-bit integers to identify datapoints as they move through the system.
@ -27,7 +27,7 @@ If you are having fun with FDRS, **[please consider supporting me](https://www.b
3. The first sketch you'll want to try is the **1_UART_Gateway.ino** example. This device will listen for incoming ESP-NOW packets, then route them to the serial port (and vice versa). Next, flash the **ESPNOW_Sensor.ino** example to see how to send data to the gateway.
4. To use MQTT: Connect the a second gateway to the first via the Rx and Tx pins (crossed), and flash it with the **0_MQTT_Gateway.ino** example. If your WiFi and MQTT configurations are correct, data will be published to the topic 'fdrs/data'.
4. To use MQTT: Connect the second gateway to the first via the Rx and Tx pins (crossed), and flash it with the **0_MQTT_Gateway.ino** example. If your WiFi and MQTT configurations are correct, data will be published to the topic 'fdrs/data'.
5. To extend your range, try the **2_ESPNOW_Repeater.ino** or **3_LoRa_Repeater.ino**. Just change the *GTWY_MAC* of your sensor to the address of your new repeater.
@ -44,9 +44,9 @@ Nodes can be described as *sensors, controllers, or both*:
Gateways are modular and configurable microcontroller devices that can perform a variety of useful functions including collecting, distributing, and relaying wireless data. They provide a flexible and cohesive interface between various wired and wireless protocols, and are generally arranged in a line or star topology. As a general rule, the gateway that uses MQTT always has the address 0x00, and ESP-NOW and LoRa gateways start at 0x01.
In its most common usage, an FDRS gateway is deployed as an access point for remote ESP-NOW and LoRa user nodes. If it receives a packet from an unknown ESP-NOW or LoRa address, the gateway assumes that these are sensor readings and passes them downstream towards the front-end. The gateway will also broadcast backets coming *from* the front-end out to any controller nodes that are registered/listening.
In its most common usage, an FDRS gateway is deployed as an access point for remote ESP-NOW and LoRa user nodes. If it receives a packet from an unknown ESP-NOW or LoRa address, the gateway assumes that these are sensor readings and passes them downstream towards the front-end. The gateway will also broadcast packets coming *from* the front-end out to any controller nodes that are registered/listening.
Gateways can also be configured as simple repeaters; passing data from one neighbor directly to another neighbor or vice versa. This can create a data wormhole that will carry packets upstream or downsteam ad infinitum. You can configure your gateways to share data headed upstream with connected peers, thus providing them with any data being sent from the front-end.
Gateways can also be configured as simple repeaters; passing data from one neighbor directly to another neighbor or vice versa. This can create a data wormhole that will carry packets upstream or downstream ad infinitum. You can configure your gateways to share data headed upstream with connected peers, thus providing them with any data being sent from the front-end.
## Front-end
The front-end is where all data is entered or consumed by another application. This could be anything from a microcontroller communicating through UART and displaying data on a screen to a server/database platform logging the data via MQTT.
@ -70,7 +70,7 @@ Thanks to [**LilyGo**](https://www.lilygo.cc/) for sending me new [LoRa32 module
It is a great honor to have been [featured on **Hackaday**](https://hackaday.com/2022/07/02/farm-data-relay-system/) and [**hackster.io!**](https://www.hackster.io/news/timm-bogner-s-farm-data-relay-system-uses-esp8266-esp32-nodes-and-gateways-for-sensor-networks-b87a75c69f46)
I started this project with instructions from [**Random Nerd Tutorials**](https://randomnerdtutorials.com/). If you are a beginner and trying to learn more about microcontrollers, I highly reccomend starting there.
I started this project with instructions from [**Random Nerd Tutorials**](https://randomnerdtutorials.com/). If you are a beginner and trying to learn more about microcontrollers, I highly recommend starting there.
**LoRa radio parameters are generally configured in the 'src/fdrs_globals.h' file.** The following values may be set in the gateway configuration file if the user wishes to override the global value:
@ -108,11 +116,6 @@ LoRa sync word. Can be used to distinguish different networks. Note that 0x34 is
#### ```#define LORA_INTERVAL n```
Interval between LoRa buffer releases. Must be longer than transmission time-on-air.
WiFi and MQTT parameters are generally configured in the 'src/fdrs_globals.h' file. The following values may be set in the gateway configuration file if the user wishes to override the global value:
#### ```#define WIFI_SSID "cccc"``` and ``` WIFI_PASS "cccc" ```
DBG("Transmitting LoRa message of size "+String(sizeof(pkt))+" bytes with CRC 0x"+String(calcCRC,HEX)+" to destination 0x"+String(*destMAC,HEX));
// printLoraPacket(pkt,sizeof(pkt));
intstate=radio.startTransmit(pkt,sizeof(pkt));
intstate=radio.transmit(pkt,sizeof(pkt));
transmitFlag=true;
if(state==RADIOLIB_ERR_NONE)
{
@ -454,7 +461,7 @@ crcResult getLoRa()
}
else
{
DBG("Incoming LoRa packet of "+String(packetSize)+" bytes received from address 0x"+String(sourceMAC,HEX)+" destined for node address 0x"+String(destMAC,HEX));
// DBG("Incoming LoRa packet of " + String(packetSize) + " bytes received from address 0x" + String(sourceMAC, HEX) + " destined for node address 0x" + String(destMAC, HEX));
Timm Bogner
8 months ago