ESP32 with Ethernet, Firebase

[mej558]

Your previous suggests were helpful. I believe the source of my problems was that the heap was dropping too low and causing problems... Since freeing up memory everything has been running great for over a week on WiFi... Thanks.

This isn't necessarily a bug, but I would like to know if there are limitations using Ethernet that you are aware of so I am not chasing problems I simply can't fix...

Then next stage for me is to move from Wifi to wired Ethernet, however I am having problems. I don't know if

1. I've got Ethernet wrong?
2. there is some kind of restriction from Firebase?
3. if there is a restriction in the Firebase-ESP-Client library which would cause it not to work?

With Wifi I get no Token error and everything works great.

I expected a relatively simple replacement of Wifi with Ethernet... I would like your advice/opinion if there is a something I should know about.

I am using a Adafruit Ethernet Feather, which gets an ipaddress, http get's which does confirm connection to the Adafruit website, but seems to disconnect and not make a proper connection to Firebase RTDB?

The entire code in my program is large, but I have tried to include the relevant stuff... Your advice and help is much appreciated!

Serial Ouput:
2022-08-31 16:44:23 --> INITALIZE ETHERNET...
2022-08-31 16:44:24 --> DHCP assigned ethernet_ip_address:
2022-08-31 16:44:24 --> 192.168.86.15
2022-08-31 16:44:24 --> ---------
2022-08-31 16:44:24 --> Ethernet ip: 192.168.86.15
2022-08-31 16:44:24 --> WIFI ip:0.0.0.0
2022-08-31 16:44:24 --> Token info: type = id token, status = on request
2022-08-31 16:44:24 --> Token info: type = id token, status = error
2022-08-31 16:44:24 --> Token error: code: -4, message: connection lost
2022-08-31 16:44:24 --> USING FIREBASE CALLBACK FUNCTION
2022-08-31 16:44:24 --> stream begin error, connection lost
2022-08-31 16:44:24 -->
2022-08-31 16:44:24 --> Firebase Setup Complete!
2022-08-31 16:44:24 --> Use Firebase Callback: True!
2022-08-31 16:44:24 --> Free Heap Space: 275092
2022-08-31 16:44:27 --> BOOT TIME: 3 seconds
2022-08-31 16:44:27 --> Set data with timestamp... connection lost
2022-08-31 16:44:27 --> Setup Complete...

void firebase_Polling_Keep_Alive(int _period){
  // GET FIREBASE ALARM STATUS ---
  if (Firebase.ready() && (millis() - sendDataPrevMillis > _period || sendDataPrevMillis == 0)){
    sendDataPrevMillis = millis();
    ALARM_STATUS = getDb_status();
    if(getDb_status() == 0)
      setDb_status(0);
    Serial.printf("Keep Alive...\n");
  }
} //firebasePollingfunction

/**********************
 * FIREBASE SETUP
 * 
 * "The idToken generated by firebase lasts for one hour 
 * and if the client is still on my app and hits any 
 * route that needs idToken and if the idToken is expired 
 * then the server just throws an error as unauthenticated"
 **********************/
void firebase_setup(bool _useFirebaseCallback){
  auth.user.email = USER_EMAIL;
  auth.user.password = USER_PASSWORD;
  config.api_key = API_KEY;
  config.database_url = DATABASE_URL;
  config.token_status_callback = tokenStatusCallback;
  config.timeout.serverResponse = 10 * 1000;
  config.max_token_generation_retry = 5; //CALLBACK ONLY?

  //////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
  // Please make sure the device free Heap is not lower than 80 k for ESP32 and 10 k for ESP8266,
  // otherwise the SSL connection will fail.
  //////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
//  checkHeapSpace();

  fbdo.setResponseSize(2048); // Polling method
  
  Firebase.reconnectWiFi(true);
  Firebase.setDoubleDigits(5);
  
  // Initialize the library with the Firebase authen and config
  Firebase.begin(&config, &auth);

  /**************************************************************
   * USE FIREBASE CALLBACK
   **************************************************************/
  if( _useFirebaseCallback ){
    Serial.printf("USING FIREBASE CALLBACK FUNCTION\n");
    // Streaming (whenever data changes on a path)
    if (!Firebase.RTDB.beginStream(&stream, streamPath.c_str()))
      Serial.printf("stream begin error, %s\n\n", stream.errorReason().c_str());
  
    // Assign a calback function to run when it detects changes on the database
    Firebase.RTDB.setStreamCallback(&stream, streamCallback, streamTimeoutCallback);
  }
}

int getDb_status(){
  /******************************************************************************
   * Firebase.ready() should be called repeatedly to handle authentication tasks. 
   ******************************************************************************/
//  Serial.printf("getDbAlarmStatus()\n");
  if (Firebase.ready() && Firebase.RTDB.getInt(&fbdo, dataPath))
  {
    int alarmCode = fbdo.to<int>();
    return(alarmCode);
  }else{
    return -1;  
  }
}


bool setDb_status(int _value){
  Serial.printf("resetDbAlarmStatus\n");
  if(Firebase.ready() && Firebase.RTDB.setInt(&fbdo, dataPath, _value)){
    Serial.printf("Set int... ok\n");
    checkHeapSpace();
    return true;
  }

  return false;
}



/**************************************************
 * FIREBASE CALLBACK FUNCTION WHEN DATA CHANGES
 **************************************************/
void streamCallback(FirebaseStream data){
  
  if(firebase_verbose){
    Serial.printf("stream path, %s\nevent path, %s\ndata type, %s\nevent type, %s\n\n",
              data.streamPath().c_str(),
              data.dataPath().c_str(),
              data.dataType().c_str(),
              data.eventType().c_str());
    printResult(data); //see addons/RTDBHelper.h
    Serial.println();
  }


  // Get the path that triggered the function
//  String streamPath = String(data.dataPath());

  // if the data returned is an integer, there was a change on the GPIO state on the following path /{gpio_number}
  if (data.dataTypeEnum() == fb_esp_rtdb_data_type_integer){
//    String gpio = streamPath.substring(1);
//    int state = data.intData();
    ALARM_STATUS = data.intData();

    if(firebase_verbose){
        Serial.print("RTDB Path: ");
        Serial.println(eventPath);
        Serial.print("Callback Alarm Status: ");
        Serial.println(ALARM_STATUS);
    }

//    digitalWrite(gpio.toInt(), state);
  }

  /* When it FIRST runs, it is triggered on the root (/) path and returns a JSON with all keys
  and values of that path. So, we can get all values from the database and updated the GPIO states*/
  if (data.dataTypeEnum() == fb_esp_rtdb_data_type_json){
    FirebaseJson json = data.to<FirebaseJson>();

    // To iterate all values in Json object
    size_t count = json.iteratorBegin();
    Serial.println("---------");
    
    for (size_t i = 0; i < count; i++){
        FirebaseJson::IteratorValue value = json.valueAt( i );
        int state = value.value.toInt();
        Serial.printf("Callback Name: %s, Value: %s, Type: %s\n", value.key.c_str(), value.value.c_str(), value.type == FirebaseJson::JSON_OBJECT ? "object" : "array");

    } //while loop
    Serial.println("---------");

    setDb_status(0);
    
    Serial.println();
    json.iteratorEnd(); // required for free the used memory in iteration (node data collection)
  }

  if(firebase_verbose){
    //This is the size of stream payload received (current and max value)
    //Max payload size is the payload size under the stream path since the stream connected
    //and read once and will not update until stream reconnection takes place.
    //This max value will be zero as no payload received in case of ESP8266 which
    //BearSSL reserved Rx buffer size is less than the actual stream payload.
    Serial.printf("Received stream payload size: %d (Max. %d)\n\n", data.payloadLength(), data.maxPayloadLength());
  }
}


/**************************************************
 * FIREBASE STREAM TIMEOUT
 **************************************************/
void streamTimeoutCallback(bool timeout){
  if (timeout)
    Serial.println("stream timeout, resuming...\n");

  //Error Code, Restart ESP32
  int countdown = 10;
  if (!stream.httpConnected()){
    Serial.printf("error code: %d, reason: %s\n\n", stream.httpCode(), stream.errorReason().c_str());
    Serial.printf("Restarting in: %d",countdown);
    if(countdown == 0){
      ESP.restart();
    }
  }
}

/***********************
 * WIRED ETHERNET SETUP
 ***********************/
// Create a MAC address for your controller below. (Newer Ethernet shields have a MAC address printed on a sticker on the shield)
byte mac[] = { 0xDE, 0xAD, 0xBE, 0xEF, 0xFE, 0xED };

// if you don't want to use DNS (and reduce your sketch size), use the numeric IP instead of the name for the server:
//IPAddress server(74,125,232,128);  // numeric IP for Google (no DNS)
//char server[] = "www.google.com";    // name address for Google (using DNS)
char ethernet_test_server[] = "wifitest.adafruit.com"; // name address for adafruit (using DNS) 52.207.219.136

// Set the static IP address to use if the DHCP fails to assign
// DNS Address
int oct_dns_1 = 192;
int oct_dns_2 = 168;
int oct_dns_3 = 86;
int oct_dns_4 = 1;
IPAddress my_ethernet_DNS(oct_dns_1, oct_dns_2, oct_dns_3, oct_dns_4);

//Assigned ethernet_ip_addressAddress
int oct_ip_1 = 192;
int oct_ip_2 = 168;
int oct_ip_3 = 86;
int oct_ip_4 = 177;
IPAddress ethernet_ip_address(oct_ip_1, oct_ip_2, oct_ip_3, oct_ip_4);

// Variables to measure the speed
unsigned long beginMicros, endMicros;
unsigned long byteCount = 0;
bool printWebData = true;  // set to false for better speed measurement

// Initialize the Ethernet client library
// with the IP address and port of the server
// that you want to connect to (port 80 is default for HTTP):
EthernetClient client;

/***********************
 * Wired Ethernet
 ***********************/
bool ethernet_setup(){
    // You can use Ethernet.init(pin) to configure the CS pin
  Ethernet.init(ETHERNET_CS);  // CCU ESP32 to match potential CCU CS pin

  if (Ethernet.begin(mac) == 0) {
    Serial.printf("Failed to configure Ethernet using DHCP\n");
    delay(20);
    // Check for Ethernet hardware present
    if (Ethernet.hardwareStatus() == EthernetNoHardware) {
      Serial.println("Ethernet shield was not found.  Sorry, can't run without hardware. :(");
      delay(20);
//      while (true) {
//        delay(1); // do nothing, no point running without Ethernet hardware
//      }
    }
    if (Ethernet.linkStatus() == LinkOFF) {
      Serial.println("Ethernet cable is not connected.");
    }
    // try to congifure using ethernet_ip_address address instead of DHCP:
    Ethernet.begin(mac, ethernet_ip_address, my_ethernet_DNS);
  } else {
    Serial.print("DHCP assigned ethernet_ip_address: ");
    delay(20);
    Serial.println(Ethernet.localIP());
    delay(20);
  }

  return true;
  
  // give the Ethernet shield a second to initialize:
  delay(2000);
  Serial.print("connecting to: ");
  delay(20);
  Serial.println(ethernet_test_server);
  delay(20);

  // if you get a connection, report back via serial:
  if (client.connect(ethernet_test_server, 80)) {
    Serial.print("connected to: ");
    delay(20);
    Serial.println(client.remoteIP());
    delay(20);


    
    // Make a HTTP request:
    // wifitest.adafruit.com/testwifi/index.html
//    client.println("GET /testwifi/index.html HTTP/1.1\n");
    client.println("GET /testwifi/index.html");
    delay(20);
    client.println("Host: wifitest.adafruit.com");
    delay(20);

    client.println("Connection: close");
    delay(20);

        
  } 
  else {
    // if you didn't get a connection to the ethernet_test_server:
    Serial.println("connection failed");
    delay(20);
  }
  
  beginMicros = micros();

  return false;
}

void incommingBytes(){
  // if there are incoming bytes available
  // from the ethernet_test_server, read them and print them:
  int len = client.available();
  if (len > 0) {
    byte buffer[80];
    if (len > 80) len = 80;
    client.read(buffer, len);
    if (printWebData) {
      Serial.write(buffer, len); // show in the serial monitor (slows some boards)
    }
    byteCount = byteCount + len;
  }

  // if the ethernet_test_server's disconnected, stop the client:
  if (!client.connected()) {
    endMicros = micros();
    Serial.println();
    Serial.println("disconnecting.");
    client.stop();
    Serial.print("Received ");
    Serial.print(byteCount);
    Serial.print(" bytes in ");
    float seconds = (float)(endMicros - beginMicros) / 1000000.0;
    Serial.print(seconds, 4);
    float rate = (float)byteCount / seconds / 1000.0;
    Serial.print(", rate = ");
    Serial.print(rate);
    Serial.print(" kbytes/second");
    Serial.println();
  }
}

[mobizt]

You should read the issue template before open the issue.

If this is not issue it should go to discussion.

[mej558]

Sorry, Thanks for moving it to the right place.

[mobizt]

The library supports ethernet modules both MAC and PHY which supported by ESP32 and ESP8266 Core SDK which the supported ethernet modules you can read this on the readme.

Your ethernet module is not natively supported by ESP32 core. In this case you need to setup the external basic Client (EthernetClient) to work with other SSL client libraries and use it with this library.

The "basic Client" means Network Interface Clients that work without SSL encryption/decryption e.g. WiFiClient, GSMClient and EthernetClient.

The Firebase server accepts only SSL protocol connection via port 443 which you can't use your Ethernet Client to connect to Firebase server without SSL engine library.

SSL library was used to handle SSL encryption/decryption your data from basic Client before sending and after receiving to/from server.

This Firebase library allows you to use external SSL Client to work with your ESP32 and ESP8266.

This example showed how to use external SSL Client (WiFiClient with SSL) with this Firebase library.

For your case I recommend this SSL Client library which is just WiFiClientSecure ESP32 Core library modification version to use with network interfaces Clients.

The Arduino Ethernet.h library has limited buffer for data transmission and cannot work properly with SSL Client which required larger buffer.

You must install Ethernet library that provided large buffer as this EthernetLarge library.

To setup SSL Client to ready to use with this Firebase library, you can define the basic Client and SSL Client in your sketch as.

// If you're already installed EthernetLarge library, you can include Ethernet.h as usual
#include "Ethernet.h"

// If you're already installed SSLClient library
#include "SSLClient.h"

EthernetClient basic_client;

SSLClient ssl_client(&basic_client);

After you initiate the Ethernet with Ethernet.init and Ethernet.begin, the ssl_client is now ready to use with this Firebase library.

The complete example code

#include "Ethernet.h"
#include "SSLClient.h"
#include <Firebase_ESP_Client.h>

EthernetClient basic_client;

SSLClient ssl_client(&basic_client);

#include <addons/TokenHelper.h>

#include <addons/RTDBHelper.h>

#define API_KEY "API_KEY"

#define DATABASE_URL "URL" //<databaseName>.firebaseio.com or <databaseName>.<region>.firebasedatabase.app


#define USER_EMAIL "USER_EMAIL"
#define USER_PASSWORD "USER_PASSWORD"


FirebaseData fbdo;

FirebaseAuth auth;
FirebaseConfig config;

unsigned long sendDataPrevMillis = 0;

unsigned long count = 0;


void ethernet_setup()
{
    // You can use Ethernet.init(pin) to configure the CS pin
    Ethernet.init(ETHERNET_CS); // CCU ESP32 to match potential CCU CS pin

    if (Ethernet.begin(mac) == 0)
    {
        Serial.printf("Failed to configure Ethernet using DHCP\n");
        delay(20);
        // Check for Ethernet hardware present
        if (Ethernet.hardwareStatus() == EthernetNoHardware)
        {
            Serial.println("Ethernet shield was not found.  Sorry, can't run without hardware. :(");
            delay(20);
            //      while (true) {
            //        delay(1); // do nothing, no point running without Ethernet hardware
            //      }
        }
        if (Ethernet.linkStatus() == LinkOFF)
        {
            Serial.println("Ethernet cable is not connected.");
        }
        // try to congifure using ethernet_ip_address address instead of DHCP:
        Ethernet.begin(mac, ethernet_ip_address, my_ethernet_DNS);
    }
    else
    {
        Serial.print("DHCP assigned ethernet_ip_address: ");
        delay(20);
        Serial.println(Ethernet.localIP());
        delay(20);
    }

}


// Define the callback function to handle server status acknowledgement
void networkStatusRequestCallback()
{
    // Set the network status
    fbdo.setNetworkStatus(Ethernet.linkStatus() == LinkON);
}

// Define the callback function to handle server connection
void tcpConnectionRequestCallback(const char *host, int port)
{

    Serial.print("Connecting to server via external Client... ");
    if (!ssl_client.connect(host, port))
    {
        Serial.println("failed.");
        return;
    }
    Serial.println("success.");
}

void setup()
{

    Serial.begin(115200);

    ethernet_setup();

    Serial_Printf("Firebase Client v%s\n\n", FIREBASE_CLIENT_VERSION);

    config.api_key = API_KEY;

    auth.user.email = USER_EMAIL;
    auth.user.password = USER_PASSWORD;

    config.database_url = DATABASE_URL;

    config.token_status_callback = tokenStatusCallback; // see addons/TokenHelper.h

    fbdo.setExternalClient(&ssl_client);

    fbdo.setExternalClientCallbacks(tcpConnectionRequestCallback, ethernet_setup, networkStatusRequestCallback);

    Firebase.begin(&config, &auth);
}

void loop()
{

    // Firebase.ready() should be called repeatedly to handle authentication tasks.

    if (Firebase.ready() && (millis() - sendDataPrevMillis > 15000 || sendDataPrevMillis == 0))
    {
        sendDataPrevMillis = millis();

        Serial_Printf("Set bool... %s\n", Firebase.RTDB.setBool(&fbdo, F("/test/bool"), count % 2 == 0) ? "ok" : fbdo.errorReason().c_str());

        count++;
    }
}

[mobizt]

I have checked later that Adafruit recommend Ethernet2 library, but EthernetLarge library works with WiZnet W5500 in your ethernet module too.

[mej558]

Thank you so much! I started to get the idea there was something more to my problem... Would you expect I would have an easier time of it if I bought an Ethernet board based on the LAN8720? I don't mind doing that if the examples sketches are designed to work with that chip. Thanks again!