Pi4 New setup... odd MQTT issues

1

New to Hassio. Mostly new to open source tools. though have some experience (have an rpi3 retropie and had another on Jessi as an in car tuner for a home built Megasquirt).

I set this all up to use MQTT with a NodeMCU for WS2812b control, I do see many other opportunities but this is the first.

I followed all instructions by ‘The Hookup’ 3 part videos.

First issue is that the MQTT doesn’t have any connected devices. At the add on page when it starts. it does see the NodeMCU both via IP and the username I setup. There is also an SSL error about no certificates, but that needed is set to false. I can also see the device via Fing.

Next is that nothing is showing up on the main dashboard and I’ve tried loading into groups.yaml both directly and through a variety of methods (almost always verified configuration - those that don’t I try another avenue).

I also cannot get the app to connect. It can’t find the Home Assistant when my phone is on wifi.

Any help would be appreciated. I’m not at home now so can’t get to the code/screenshots, but will try to get that soon.

2

I’m hoping this was posted in the right spot… I didn’t see it in the categories now that I’m at home (was published from my phone while on the road).

Here is the config.yaml:

# Configure a default setup of Home Assistant (frontend, api, etc)
default_config:

# Uncomment this if you are using SSL/TLS, running in Docker container, etc.
# http:
#   base_url: (link redacted for new user limit)

# Text to speech
tts:
  - platform: google_translate

group: !include groups.yaml


automation: !include automations.yaml
script: !include scripts.yaml
scene: !include scenes.yaml



##This version of the holiday lights code does not require the node red portion
##The "W" slider under the main "holiday LED" light modifies each effect
##The "W" slider under "Glitter" light modifies the frequency of glitter, the RGB selection changes the color of the glitter
##The "W" slider under "Lightning" switch modifies the frequency of lightning.
##You must replace the [MQTT_CLIENT_ID] with the USER_MQTT_CLIENT_NAME you specified in the arduino USER CONFIGURATION section
sensor:
  - platform: mqtt
    name: "Current LED"
    state_topic: "[LightTest]/locator"

light:
  - platform: mqtt
    name: "LightTest"
    command_topic: "[LightTest]/power"
    state_topic: "[LightTest]/powerState"
    brightness_command_topic: "[LightTest]/brightness"
    brightness_state_topic: "[LightTest]/brightnessState"
    brightness_scale: 255
    white_value_command_topic: "[LightTest]/modifier"
    white_value_state_topic: "[LightTest]/modifierState"
    white_value_scale: 500
    effect_command_topic: "[LightTest]/effect"
    effect_state_topic: "[LightTest]/effectState"
    effect_list:
      - Color_Chase
      - Color_Glitter
      - Single_Race
      - Double_Crash
      - Rainbow
      - Blocked_Colors
      - BPM
      - Twinkle
      - Fire
      - Fill_Solid
      - Spooky_Eyes
      - LED_Locator
    retain: true
  - platform: mqtt
    name: "Color 1"
    command_topic: "[LightTest]/ColorPower"
    state_topic: "[LightTest]/powerState"
    rgb_command_topic: "[LightTest]/color1"
    rgb_state_topic: "[LightTest]/color1State"
    retain: true
  - platform: mqtt
    name: "Color 2"
    command_topic: "[LightTest]/ColorPower"
    state_topic: "[LightTest]/powerState"
    rgb_command_topic: "[LightTest]/color2"
    rgb_state_topic: "[LightTest]/color2State"
    retain: true
  - platform: mqtt
    name: "Color 3"
    command_topic: "[LightTest]/ColorPower"
    state_topic: "[LightTest]/powerState"
    rgb_command_topic: "[LightTest]/color3"
    rgb_state_topic: "[LightTest]/color3State"
    retain: true
  - platform: mqtt
    name: "Glitter"
    state_topic: "[LightTest]/glitter/state"
    command_topic: "[LightTest]/addEffects"
    payload_on: "Glitter On"
    payload_off: "Glitter Off"
    rgb_command_topic: "[LightTest]/glitterColor"
    rgb_state_topic: "[LightTest]/glitterColorState"
    white_value_command_topic: "[LightTest]/glitterChance"
    white_value_state_topic: "[LightTest]/glitterChanceState"
    white_value_scale: 255
    retain: true
  - platform: mqtt
    name: "Lightning"
    state_topic: "[LightTest]/lightning/state"
    command_topic: "[LightTest]/addEffects"
    payload_on: "Lightning On"
    payload_off: "Lightning Off"
    white_value_command_topic: "[LightTest]/lightningChance"
    white_value_state_topic: "[LightTest]/lightningChanceState"
    white_value_scale: 500
    retain: true

here is the groups.yaml:

LightTest:
    name: LightTest
    entities:    
      - light.holiday_lights
      - light.color_1
      - light.color_2
      - light.color_3
      - light.glitter
      - light.lightning
      - sensor.current_led

here is the top of the ESP8266 code (username/password redacted):

#define USER_SSID                 "(redacted)"
#define USER_PASSWORD             "(redacted)"
#define USER_MQTT_SERVER          "192.168.1.149"
#define USER_MQTT_PORT            1883
#define USER_MQTT_USERNAME        "Kristy_Thomas_MQTT"
#define USER_MQTT_PASSWORD        "(redacted)"
#define USER_MQTT_CLIENT_NAME     "LightTest"           // Used to define MQTT topics, MQTT Client ID, and ArduinoOTA

Mosquito Broker configuration (password redacted):

{
  "logins": [
    {
      "username": "Kristy_Thomas_MQTT",
      "password": "(redacted)"
    }
  ],
  "anonymous": false,
  "customize": {
    "active": false,
    "folder": "mosquitto"
  },
  "certfile": "fullchain.pem",
  "keyfile": "privkey.pem",
  "require_certificate": false
}

The summary shows it identifies the IP address/username above, however,there is NOTHING under:
Configuration - Devices
Configuration - Integration - Mosquito Broker (this integration has no devices)

The overview page only shows the local weather (even though I’ve updated the groups.yaml - and even tried to add a lighting by clicking the +, however that forced the pi to restart and nothing showed up)

3

Spent nearly another 2 hours to get nowhere.

It seems that all turorials/instructions are outdated or just don’t work.

Example - the Mosquito broker instructions (from the add on page) says to create a user. On mine. the orange plus to add a user does absolutely nothing.

So then I follow drzzs video showing the old configuration.yaml code for including the MQTT username/password - which the configuration is valid, yet does nothing.

Maybe I’m doing something silly or missing something stupid. Any help, at all, would be nice.