ESP8266.ping does not work as expected

Posted on Sun 26th, June 2016

• #1

Filip
Hi All,
I'm simply trying to send a ping request to my router with ESP8266.ping function, my callback gets called but the result is always negative as if my router is not alive but it is. I have the latest nodeMCU board with espruino 1v85. Any idea?

The code I'm running :
```
var ESP8266=require("ESP8266");

ESP8266.ping("192.168.1.1", function(e){

  console.log(e);

});
```
and the result :
```
{ "totalCount": 0, "totalBytes": 0, "totalTime": 0, "respTime": 0, 
  "seqNo": 0, "timeoutCount": 0, "bytes": 0, "error": -1 }
```
• #2

Wilberforce

Have you connect to wifi first? What ip address did you get?
• #3

Filip
yes I'm connected to wifi see the require("Wifi").getIP() result below. I'm able to ping to my board from my PC but not the other way around.
```
{ "ip": "192.168.1.29", "netmask": "255.255.255.0", "gw": "192.168.1.1", "mac": "5c:cf:7f:80:0c:86"
 }
```
• #4

Wilberforce

I'm using 1v85.tve_master_124390c Copyright 2016 G.Williams with the 1.5.4 SDK, on a NodeMCU board.

I'm getting the same behaviour.

I wonder if this is related to the router model?

• #5

MaBe

running on ESP8266-12E
mem:{"free":1557,"usage":143,"total":1700,"history":22}
version:1v85.MaBe_master_d1aeb8f
git_commit:d1aeb8f9f8f692e1c987597624137b546173c08d

tested with .1 (router) and .52 (mac book) - so this works fine for my configuration


>var ESP8266=require("ESP8266");
=function () { [native code] }
>
=undefined
>var Wifi = require("Wifi")
=function () { [native code] }
>Wifi.getIP();
={
  "ip": "192.168.194.64",
  "netmask": "255.255.255.0",
  "gw": "192.168.194.1",
  "mac": "5c:cf:7f:05:c1:00"
 }
>
=undefined
>ESP8266.setLog(2);
=undefined
>ESP8266.ping("192.168.194.1", function(e){ console.log(e);});
=undefined
>456182> Received a ping response!
{ "totalCount": 0, "totalBytes": 0, "totalTime": 0, "respTime": 6,
  "seqNo": 56, "timeoutCount": 0, "bytes": 32, "error": 0 }
>457274> Received a ping response!
{ "totalCount": 0, "totalBytes": 0, "totalTime": 0, "respTime": 1,
  "seqNo": 57, "timeoutCount": 0, "bytes": 32, "error": 0 }
>458425> Received a ping response!
{ "totalCount": 0, "totalBytes": 0, "totalTime": 0, "respTime": 1,
  "seqNo": 58, "timeoutCount": 0, "bytes": 32, "error": 0 }
>459499> Received a ping response!
{ "totalCount": 0, "totalBytes": 0, "totalTime": 0, "respTime": 1,
  "seqNo": 59, "timeoutCount": 0, "bytes": 32, "error": 0 }
>460602> Received a ping response!
{ "totalCount": 0, "totalBytes": 0, "totalTime": 0, "respTime": 4,
  "seqNo": 60, "timeoutCount": 0, "bytes": 32, "error": 0 }
>461723> ping 5, timeout 0, total payload 160 bytes, 5547 ms

ESP8266.ping("192.168.194.52", function(e){ console.log(e);});
=undefined
>750842> Received a ping response!
{ "totalCount": 0, "totalBytes": 0, "totalTime": 0, "respTime": 2,
  "seqNo": 61, "timeoutCount": 0, "bytes": 32, "error": 0 }
>751924> Received a ping response!
{ "totalCount": 0, "totalBytes": 0, "totalTime": 0, "respTime": 1,
  "seqNo": 62, "timeoutCount": 0, "bytes": 32, "error": 0 }
>753100> Received a ping response!
{ "totalCount": 0, "totalBytes": 0, "totalTime": 0, "respTime": 1,
  "seqNo": 63, "timeoutCount": 0, "bytes": 32, "error": 0 }
>754175> Received a ping response!
{ "totalCount": 0, "totalBytes": 0, "totalTime": 0, "respTime": 1,
  "seqNo": 64, "timeoutCount": 0, "bytes": 32, "error": 0 }
>755300> Received a ping response!
{ "totalCount": 0, "totalBytes": 0, "totalTime": 0, "respTime": 2,
  "seqNo": 65, "timeoutCount": 0, "bytes": 32, "error": 0 }
>756423> ping 5, timeout 0, total payload 160 bytes, 5582 ms

• #6

Filip

The following is my output. It still does not work despite the fact that I'm connected to different router right now. Obviously there is bug somewhere, which is very discouraging

>var ESP8266=require("ESP8266");
=function () { [native code] }
>var Wifi = require("Wifi")
=function () { [native code] }
>Wifi.getIP();
={
  "ip": "192.168.2.203",
  "netmask": "255.255.255.0",
  "gw": "192.168.2.1",
  "mac": "5c:cf:7f:80:0c:86"
 }
>ESP8266.setLog(2);
=undefined
> 60000> Thu Jan 01 00:01:00 1970, heap: 10600
ESP8266.ping("192.168.2.1", function(e){ console.log(e);});
=undefined
>111956> Received a ping response!
{ "totalCount": 0, "totalBytes": 0, "totalTime": 0, "respTime": 0,
  "seqNo": 0, "timeoutCount": 0, "bytes": 0, "error": -1 }
>113081> Received a ping response!
{ "totalCount": 0, "totalBytes": 0, "totalTime": 0, "respTime": 0,
  "seqNo": 0, "timeoutCount": 0, "bytes": 0, "error": -1 }
>114256> Received a ping response!
{ "totalCount": 0, "totalBytes": 0, "totalTime": 0, "respTime": 0,
  "seqNo": 0, "timeoutCount": 0, "bytes": 0, "error": -1 }
>115406> Received a ping response!
{ "totalCount": 0, "totalBytes": 0, "totalTime": 0, "respTime": 0,
  "seqNo": 0, "timeoutCount": 0, "bytes": 0, "error": -1 }
>116531> Received a ping response!
116532> ping 5, timeout 5, total payload 0 bytes, 5703 ms 
{ "totalCount": 0, "totalBytes": 0, "totalTime": 0, "respTime": 0,
  "seqNo": 0, "timeoutCount": 0, "bytes": 0, "error": -1 }
>120000> Thu Jan 01 00:02:00 1970, heap: 10600

• #7

MaBe

additionally

>require("ESP8266").getState();
={
  "sdkVersion": "1.5.0",
  "cpuFrequency": 160, "freeHeap": 8968, "maxCon": 10,
  "flashMap": "4MB:512/512",
  "flashKB": 4096,
  "flashChip": "0xe0 0x4016"
 }
>

• #8

MaBe

also works for me with sdk 1.5.4

>require("ESP8266").getState();
={
  "sdkVersion": "1.5.4(baaeaebb)",
  "cpuFrequency": 160, "freeHeap": 9144, "maxCon": 10,
  "flashMap": "4MB:512/512",
  "flashKB": 4096,
  "flashChip": "0xe0 0x4016"
 }
>var ESP8266=require("ESP8266");
=function () { [native code] }
>var Wifi = require("Wifi")
=function () { [native code] }
>Wifi.getIP();
={
  "ip": "192.168.194.64",
  "netmask": "255.255.255.0",
  "gw": "192.168.194.1",
  "mac": "5c:cf:7f:05:c1:00"
 }
>ESP8266.setLog(2);
=undefined
>ESP8266.ping("192.168.2.1", function(e){ console.log(e);});
=undefined
>140681> Received a ping response!
{ "totalCount": 0, "totalBytes": 0, "totalTime": 0, "respTime": 5,
  "seqNo": 1, "timeoutCount": 0, "bytes": 32, "error": 0 }
>141775> Received a ping response!
{ "totalCount": 0, "totalBytes": 0, "totalTime": 0, "respTime": 2,
  "seqNo": 2, "timeoutCount": 0, "bytes": 32, "error": 0 }
>142824> Received a ping response!
{ "totalCount": 0, "totalBytes": 0, "totalTime": 0, "respTime": 1,
  "seqNo": 3, "timeoutCount": 0, "bytes": 32, "error": 0 }
>144024> Received a ping response!
{ "totalCount": 0, "totalBytes": 0, "totalTime": 0, "respTime": 1,
  "seqNo": 4, "timeoutCount": 0, "bytes": 32, "error": 0 }
>145149> Received a ping response!
{ "totalCount": 0, "totalBytes": 0, "totalTime": 0, "respTime": 1,
  "seqNo": 5, "timeoutCount": 0, "bytes": 32, "error": 0 }
>146322> ping 5, timeout 0, total payload 160 bytes, 5646 ms

• #9

MaBe

ESP on 192.168.194.65, Macbook on 192.168.194.52

ESP pings Macbook and Macbook captures packages with tcpdump

tcpdump -s 1550 -w x.pcap -v host 192.168.194.64
tcpdump: data link type PKTAP
tcpdump: listening on pktap, link-type PKTAP (Packet Tap), capture size 1550 bytes
10 packets captured
87 packets received by filter
0 packets dropped by kernel

tcpdump -XX -nnr x.pcap | grep ICMP
reading from PCAP-NG file x.pcap
17:13:10.851201 IP 192.168.194.64 > 0.0.0.0: ICMP echo request, id 44975, seq 11, length 40
17:13:10.851227 IP 192.168.194.52 > 192.168.194.64: ICMP echo reply, id 44975, seq 11, length 40
17:13:11.772757 IP 192.168.194.64 > 0.0.0.0: ICMP echo request, id 44975, seq 12, length 40
17:13:11.772777 IP 192.168.194.52 > 192.168.194.64: ICMP echo reply, id 44975, seq 12, length 40
17:13:13.001780 IP 192.168.194.64 > 0.0.0.0: ICMP echo request, id 44975, seq 13, length 40
17:13:13.001813 IP 192.168.194.52 > 192.168.194.64: ICMP echo reply, id 44975, seq 13, length 40
17:13:13.933726 IP 192.168.194.64 > 0.0.0.0: ICMP echo request, id 44975, seq 14, length 40
17:13:13.933756 IP 192.168.194.52 > 192.168.194.64: ICMP echo reply, id 44975, seq 14, length 40
17:13:15.107559 IP 192.168.194.64 > 0.0.0.0: ICMP echo request, id 44975, seq 15, length 40
17:13:15.107585 IP 192.168.194.52 > 192.168.194.64: ICMP echo reply, id 44975, seq 15, length 40

funny .....
• #10

tve

Yup, there's a clear bug where the ping always goes to 0.0.0.0. Some devices evidently respond to that.

• #11

MaBe

@tve take it and let you get payed for your great work on Esprunino for ESPs at Bug Bounty


>require("ESP8266").getState()
={
  "sdkVersion": "1.5.4(baaeaebb)",
  "cpuFrequency": 160, "freeHeap": 8960, "maxCon": 10,
  "flashMap": "4MB:512/512",
  "flashKB": 4096,
  "flashChip": "0xe0 0x4016"
 }

>ESP8266.ping("192.168.194.52");
 23417> >> ping ip: 192.168.194.52 : 14
=undefined
> 23423> Received a ping response!
 24523> Received a ping response!
 25623> Received a ping response!
 26723> Received a ping response!
 27773> Received a ping response!
 28922> ping 5, timeout 0, total payload 160 bytes, 5504 ms

• #12

tve

The bug is in the esp8266 espruino code...
• #13

MaBe

hmm - I will start searching now - good exercise for me ;-)
• #14

MaBe

comment this line and you get this:

tcpdump -XX -nnr x.pcap | grep ICMP
reading from PCAP-NG file x.pcap
21:00:53.676020 IP 192.168.194.64 > 192.168.194.52: ICMP echo request, id 44975, seq 1, length 40
21:00:53.676059 IP 192.168.194.52 > 192.168.194.64: ICMP echo reply, id 44975, seq 1, length 40
21:00:54.791637 IP 192.168.194.64 > 192.168.194.52: ICMP echo request, id 44975, seq 2, length 40
21:00:54.791662 IP 192.168.194.52 > 192.168.194.64: ICMP echo reply, id 44975, seq 2, length 40

@tve please check
• #15

DrAzzy

@MaBe - the BugBounty link doesn't work. URL comes out hopelessly mangled.
• #16

MaBe

@DrAzzy - updated the link

but as tve mentioned:

The bug is in the esp8266 espruino code...
• #17

MaBe

created pull request #874

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ESP8266.ping does not work as expected

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