Cant get this running on Pi4 either in docker or baremetal using USB PLM

[Maxxell]

I followed the 'bare metal' instructions on the Quick Start page, and I get through it all without errors. I even see in HA MQTT the devices listed in my config.yaml. However, all those devices always say 'Unavailable'.

When I followed docker-based instructions: https://jordanrounds.com/insteon-mqtt-home-assistant/
And I swap in my local directories and my local cryptic dev/serial/by-id code (that i found via ssh in my Pi4). The container launches and runs, but I find this in the logs:

2022-03-24 10:19:53.359 ERROR Serial: Serial read error from /dev/ttyUSB0
NotADirectoryError: [Errno 20] Not a directory: ‘/config/data/4c.14.7b.json’
2022-03-24 10:19:59.374 ERROR Base: Handler timed out - no more retries (0 sent)
2022-03-24 10:19:59.375 ERROR Modem: Unable to get modem address, using address in config 4c.14.7b

I tried the "baremetal" quickstart instructions but I cant get the 'final' step of "start the server". I consistently get:

FileNotFoundError: [Errno 2] No such file or directory: 'config.yaml
I put my customized config.yaml everywhere I could think it might want to look.

I would prefer the docker method, but either docker or baremetal is good enough for now. Can anyone help me figure out what is going wrong?

[krkeegan]

First and foremost you need to solve the communication issue with the PLM. If the dev address is indeed correct, then you should check that the user has access to the device.

[krkeegan]

From that it looks like we can create a serial connection to the PLM, but the PLM never responds.

All I can think of is to double check that the path /dev/ttyUSB0 is correct. If you changed the baud rate, I would change it back to the default and see if you get any other response.

Other than that I have no ideas.

[Maxxell]

Any suggestions on how to confirm the path is correct? I do find that /dev/ttyUSB0 exists when I rummage through the file structure via SSH. Is that the right answer? I have a 2413U PowerLinc modem plugged into one of the USB2.0 ports on the Pi. The only other thing in USB on that Pi is an SSD (in lieu of SD card). Is it possible that the SSD is ttyUSB0 and I need ttyUSB1 or something like that? Is there anything else you can recommend to get the right response from the PLM?

Should I try unplugging the PLM from USB and seeing whether something disappears from /dev/ folder?

I already have wireguard (baremetal) and pihole (container) running on this Pi4. Is there reason to think anything from those would conflict?

[kpfleming]

SSDs don't provide tty devices, so that's not going to affect the device naming/numbering. If you unplug the PLM, you should see /dev/ttyUSB0 disappear within seconds, so that will be a good confirmation that you have the proper path.

[TD22057]

It's my understanding that in general you should never use /dev/ttyUSB for anything. The order devices get added to the bus is not fixed and they can move around when the computer is restarted. There are multiple ways to get around this. Lots of OS's have a /dev/serial/by-id where it will be constant. You can also tell the OS to use a fixed path - there are lots of tutorials on line for that. https://unix.stackexchange.com/questions/66901/how-to-bind-usb-device-under-a-static-name
I'm not sure that's the problem you're having but it would eliminate one potential issue.

[Maxxell]

@kpfleming I unplugged the PLM and indeed the /dev/ttyUSB0 promptly disappeared when I look in via SSH.

@TD22057 I was under the impression that the container needs to have something mapped as /dev/ttyUSB0. My docker-compose includes this line:
devices:
- /dev/serial/by-id/usb-FTDI_FT232R_USB_UART_A906XNCX-if00-port0:/dev/ttyUSB0

Notably, the path detailed above disappears and reappears when I unplug and reinsert the PLM.

When I reinserted the USBPLM I put it into USB 3.0 port but it didn't help. Latest Log includes some language that seem like the USB Serial connection is working...
2022-03-29 11:07:14.071 DEBUG poll: Link connection attempt Serial /dev/ttyUSB0
2022-03-29 11:07:14.077 INFO Serial: Serial device opened /dev/ttyUSB0
2022-03-29 11:07:14.077 DEBUG poll: Link connection success Serial /dev/ttyUSB0
2022-03-29 11:07:14.078 DEBUG poll: Link added: Serial /dev/ttyUSB0

But a few lines later...
2022-03-29 11:07:14.103 ERROR Serial: Serial read error from /dev/ttyUSB0
NotADirectoryError: [Errno 20] Not a directory: '/config/data/4c.14.7b.json'
2022-03-29 11:07:20.113 ERROR Base: Handler timed out - no more retries (0 sent)
2022-03-29 11:07:20.115 ERROR Modem: Unable to get modem address, using address in config 4c.14.7b

"Full" log below:
2022-03-29 11:07:13.062 DEBUG poll: Link added: Serial None
2022-03-29 11:07:13.063 DEBUG poll: Link added: MQTT 127.0.0.1:1883
2022-03-29 11:07:13.064 DEBUG poll: Polling link added: <insteon_mqtt.network.Stack.Stack object at 0x7f83dab1f0>
2022-03-29 11:07:13.064 DEBUG poll: Polling link added: <insteon_mqtt.network.TimedCall.TimedCall object at 0x7f83dab280>
2022-03-29 11:07:13.065 INFO Modem: Loading configuration data
2022-03-29 11:07:13.065 INFO Modem: Modem address set to 4c.14.7b
2022-03-29 11:07:13.066 INFO Modem: Requesting the modem address.
2022-03-29 11:07:13.066 INFO Protocol: Write message to modem: OutModemInfo
2022-03-29 11:07:13.067 DEBUG Protocol: Write bytes to modem: 0260
2022-03-29 11:07:14.068 DEBUG poll: Link connection attempt MQTT 192.168.4.81:1883
2022-03-29 11:07:14.070 DEBUG Mqtt: Sending CONNECT (u1, p1, wr1, wq0, wf1, c0, k30) client_id=b'insteon-mqtt'
2022-03-29 11:07:14.070 INFO Mqtt: MQTT device opened 192.168.4.81 1883 with keepalive=30
2022-03-29 11:07:14.071 DEBUG poll: Link connection success MQTT 192.168.4.81:1883
2022-03-29 11:07:14.071 DEBUG poll: Link added: MQTT 192.168.4.81:1883
2022-03-29 11:07:14.071 DEBUG poll: Link connection attempt Serial /dev/ttyUSB0
2022-03-29 11:07:14.077 INFO Serial: Serial device opened /dev/ttyUSB0
2022-03-29 11:07:14.077 DEBUG poll: Link connection success Serial /dev/ttyUSB0
2022-03-29 11:07:14.078 DEBUG poll: Link added: Serial /dev/ttyUSB0
2022-03-29 11:07:14.078 DEBUG Mqtt: Received CONNACK (1, 0)
2022-03-29 11:07:14.079 DEBUG Mqtt: Sending SUBSCRIBE (d0, m1) [(b'insteon/command/+', 1)]
2022-03-29 11:07:14.079 DEBUG Mqtt: MQTT subscribe insteon/command/+ qos=1
2022-03-29 11:07:14.079 DEBUG Mqtt: Sending SUBSCRIBE (d0, m2) [(b'homeassistant/status', 1)]
2022-03-29 11:07:14.080 DEBUG Mqtt: MQTT subscribe homeassistant/status qos=1
2022-03-29 11:07:14.080 DEBUG Mqtt: Sending PUBLISH (d0, q0, r1, m3), 'b'insteon/availability'', ... (6 bytes)
2022-03-29 11:07:14.080 DEBUG Serial: Wrote 2 bytes to serial /dev/ttyUSB0
2022-03-29 11:07:14.081 DEBUG Mqtt: MQTT writing
2022-03-29 11:07:14.082 DEBUG Mqtt: Received SUBACK
2022-03-29 11:07:14.082 DEBUG Mqtt: Received SUBACK
2022-03-29 11:07:14.101 INFO Protocol: Read 0x60: OutModemInfo ack: True
2022-03-29 11:07:14.102 DEBUG Protocol: Passing msg to write handler: ModemInfo handler
2022-03-29 11:07:14.102 INFO Modem: Modem address set to 4c.14.7b
2022-03-29 11:07:14.103 INFO Modem: Modem 4c.14.7b (modem) database loaded 0 entries
2022-03-29 11:07:14.103 DEBUG Modem: ModemDb:
GroupMap

2022-03-29 11:07:14.103 ERROR Serial: Serial read error from /dev/ttyUSB0
Traceback (most recent call last):
File "/usr/local/lib/python3.9/site-packages/insteon_mqtt/network/Serial.py", line 181, in read_from_link
self.signal_read.emit(self, data)
File "/usr/local/lib/python3.9/site-packages/insteon_mqtt/Signal.py", line 47, in emit
slot(*args, **kwargs)
File "/usr/local/lib/python3.9/site-packages/insteon_mqtt/Protocol.py", line 385, in _data_read
self._process_msg(msg)
File "/usr/local/lib/python3.9/site-packages/insteon_mqtt/Protocol.py", line 465, in _process_msg
status = handler.msg_received(self, msg)
File "/usr/local/lib/python3.9/site-packages/insteon_mqtt/handler/ModemInfo.py", line 50, in msg_received
self.on_done(True, "Modem get info success", msg)
File "/usr/local/lib/python3.9/site-packages/insteon_mqtt/Modem.py", line 223, in load_config_step2
self.db.set_info(dev_cat, sub_cat, firmware)
File "/usr/local/lib/python3.9/site-packages/insteon_mqtt/db/Modem.py", line 155, in set_info
self.save()
File "/usr/local/lib/python3.9/site-packages/insteon_mqtt/db/Modem.py", line 192, in save
with open(self.save_path, "w") as f:
NotADirectoryError: [Errno 20] Not a directory: '/config/data/4c.14.7b.json'
2022-03-29 11:07:20.113 ERROR Base: Handler timed out - no more retries (0 sent)
2022-03-29 11:07:20.115 ERROR Modem: Unable to get modem address, using address in config 4c.14.7b
2022-03-29 11:07:20.116 INFO Modem: Modem 4c.14.7b (modem) database loaded 0 entries
2022-03-29 11:07:20.117 DEBUG Modem: ModemDb:
GroupMap

[truncated as the rest seems to discuss declaring the devices listed in my config.yaml to MQTT (which seems to be working)]

[Maxxell]

SOLVED

I think I wasn't exiting the virtual environments properly (I'm not a Linux expert - just a hobbyist learning as I go) and I suspect one of my earlier attempts was still 'connected' to the PLM preventing later efforts. So I went in and deleted every insteon-mqtt folder I had created to try things along the way. I believe that deleting the folders cleared out the virtual environments, so then I went back and ran through the docker-compose process and got no errors in the logs!

Sure enough, now Home Assistant is getting the proper wet/dry signal from my insteon leak sensors via MQTT. (Actually going through both ISY and MQTT to HomeAssistant so hooray for redundancy)