Replace xAP with MQTT?

[Steve Q]

I seem to remember seeing a post about using MQTT to replace an xAP 1-wire network. Is this possible? I have an aging 1-wire/xAP network running on a dedicated Windows XP computer. I need to replace this setup with something a bit more modern. If possible, I would like to use the existing sensors and wiring. Suggestions would be greatly appreciated. Note: I already have MQTT up and running on HS3.

Steve Q

[Michael McSharry]

Pete has implemented some 1-wire temp sensors with Sonoff/Tasmota. I expect to venture into this area as well. For some of the unusual devices such as AAG Baro I do not expect to do a port. I do expect to do DS2423 counter. Want to do hub (DS2409), but it may be difficult to support a multilevel topology. More likely I will just use multiple Sonoff rather than a hub.

Not certain about the various DIO (DS2405/6/8) as I do not have any in use. Same lack of use for DS2450 & DS2438 analog devices. It is MQTT as the communication protocol.

I could replace xAP with MQTT in the current xapmcs1wire, but little advantage there as the obsolete part are the libraries supporting 1-wire in .NET.

[Pete]

Original plan here I was using a RPI (attic ZWave) with Node Red / OWFS 1-Wire stuff. This works with any 1-wire device that works in OWFS.

Shrinking this down now to two 1-Wire configured SonOff WiFi basic modules.

Here just starting to switch over to using a SonOff WiFi basic for 1-wire sensors.

My old 1-wire AAG, Midon, Hobby Boards and Maxim DS18B20 1-WIre DS18x20 termperture sensors work fine.

The old combo 1-wire boards with Humidity sensors do not work with Tasmota. (just the temperature pieces work).

Been testing here on my #2 GDO combo SonOffice Wifi Basic module in the basement for over a month and it is doing fine.

Just starting two new builds using WiFi basic modules. Build = putting tiny 1-Wire terminals on the case of the SonOff Basic WiFi module.

(IE: GPIO for DHT22 and DS18B20, Ground and VCC ==> 4 terminals)

Purchased new DHT22 combo sensors, cabled DS18B20 sensors and Maxim DS18B20 sensor chips.

One SonOff basic WiFi module will be sitting in the basement covering basement, outdoors and main floor sensors.

Second SonOff basic WiFi module will be sitting in attic covering attic and second floor sensors.

Here is a HS3 variable picture of the GDO device (with temperature sensor) and first test basic SonOff device.



Will start a new topic header for this project with hardware lists and modification pictures. Will keep these easy peasy and not use GPIO 4 here for new sensors.
Easy to daisy chain these sensors with one resistor per set of sensors. (4.7kΩ pull up between VCC and DQ). These will be mounted at the terminal end.

xxxxxx

[Steve Q]

It has been 5+ years since I have worked with xAP. I will have to relearn a lot of stuff. My current setup has been running 24/7 on a dedicated Acer Netbook (Windows XP) for at least 4 years. Below are some screen shots of my 34 mcsxap1wire.exe devices. The only thing I have done for the past 4 years is restart the computer after power outages. These 1 wire devices are used by HS3 to control and monitor my HVAC system. Everything works extremely well.

But the Acer/Windows XP environment can fail at any time. I would like to get prepared for this.

Steve Q

[Pete]

The SonOff WiFi basic is $4. Not sure about the limits of how many 1-Wire temperature devices you can connect to it. You would be going to a hybrid wireless / wired system.

If it is just DS18B20 sensors then this is easy peasy. You only need one resistor (DQ-VCC) for multiple sensors. I put the resistor right on terminals.

[Steve Q]

Michael, will mcsaxp1wire run on Windows 10? I think I tried it years ago with some success but I abandoned it in favor of XP. Not sure why. Do you think it would be worthwhile to move the 1 wire stuff to a micro computer?

Pete, I have multiple Sonoff basics already setup that I could use.

[Michael McSharry]

I have run it on XP and W7 so should work on W10. Just need to get the dependent libraries onto a W10 computer. I have seen 1-wire file system implemented on something like RPi, but was slow and did not have the application-specific features of xapmcs1wire. I see from your screenshots that you have a variety of device types so most of the micro (e.g. ESP8266/Arduino) implementations may be lacking out-of-the box as the focus I have seen there is temperature sensors, but have seen a few other devices in my earlier searches.

[Steve Q]

Thanks Michael. I am using one of these Dell 3050 to run HS3. It has plenty of power and speed. I will install xapmcs1wire and DS9490 and see what happens.

[Steve Q]

Michael, I installed xapmcs1wire.exe on my Windows 10 Dell 3050 mini computer. It seems to be running and communicating with the mcsxap plugin for HS3. But I cannot get the xapmcs1wire web page to display on any browser. I seem to remember this problem in the past. Any suggestions?

[Michael McSharry]

Michael, I installed xapmcs1wire.exe on my Windows 10 Dell 3050 mini computer. It seems to be running and communicating with the mcsxap plugin for HS3. But I cannot get the xapmcs1wire web page to display on any browser. I seem to remember this problem in the past. Any suggestions?

If you do not give it an explicit URL it will not respond. Assume 192.168.0.10 is the IP of the dell, then the URL will be http://192.168.0.10:8014/stat. http://localhost:8014/stat will also work if browser is on local computer. This assume the browser port is the default 8014.

[Steve Q]

Thanks, I have tried http://192.168.1.13:8015/stat on chrome, edge, and safari. Yes, Port is 8015. All browsers return “timed out”error.

Note the tray icon for xapmcs1wire is active. So it appears to be running.

[Steve Q]

I have also tried running xapmcs1wire on my desktop Win 10 computer. Same thing, web page won’t open? Perhaps I am missing a file or something. Maybe I should download and reinstall? Is it still available for download?

[Steve Q]

Xapmcs1wire runs OK on my Win 7 Pro Dell Laptop.

[Steve Q]

OK, I got it working. Xapmcs1wire will run on Windows 10 if its properties are set to the windows 7 compatibility mode. The web page will open with explorer or chrome.

[Steve Q]

Although Xapmcs1wire is running in Windows 10, it refuses to communicate with the DS9790 or the DS9490 1-wire adapters. My Windows 10 computers are 64 bit machines. I can only install the 64 bit drivers for the Maxim 1-wire devices. The Maxim 1-wire viewer is working properly for both the DS9790(serial) and the DS9490(USB) adapters on my Windows 10 64 bit computer. Xapmcs1wire (neither VB nor net) will not communicate with my 1-wire devices.

Michael, any suggestions?