CURL https Post - Binary Sensor - Command line not working - works from HA Terminal

Configuration
1

I have created a binary sensor to test if a web server is responding. I am using the command_line / binary_sensor hierarchy as follows:

  • binary_sensor:
    command: ‘curl -v --stderr - https://192.168.nn.nn:nn01 | grep -e xxCERTNAMExx > /dev/null && (echo server_is_up) || (echo server_is_down)’
    name: “serverxxxisrunning”
    device_class: running
    payload_on: “server_is_up”
    payload_off: “server_is_down”
    scan_interval: 60
    command_timeout: 15

Note: I am only getting back mostly the SSL/TLS handshake and this is all I want. I am grepping on the Server Cert Name to know the server is running without having to log in.

If I run this from the HA terminal directly, it works and the SSL handshake completes, and the command returns “server_is_up”.

As a sensor, the status never goes to running, implying it does not ever see a “server_is_up” returned.

When I was using http and grepping on clear text web page returned, it worked. Now that I am using https and grepping on the cert in the SSL exchange, it does not work.

So:

  • https / grep the SSL handshake works from the HA terminal - full successful SSL handshake also dumped if I dont pipe it to the grep
  • https / grep the SSL handshake sensor config does NOT work
  • http / grep clear web text works with this sensor config

Is curl https somehow not supported in the sensor ?

Is curl https somehow done differently when run by HA ?

Is there a way to step by step debug the running of the binary sensor ?

Any other suggestions ?

Brendan

2

“Implying” is not a debugging method known for it’s efficiency :wink:

I would create a similar sensor (so which will have a string state) with just curl -v --stderr - https://192.168.nn.nn:nn01 | grep Connected as a start to see where how far it goes, and progress from there… If you don’t have “* Connected to [...]” here, you know it’s an environmental issue rather than a code one.