lua script to ping ip address and store result in variable

[AutoFrank 372]

Hi,

I was wondering if anybody had tried this before.

I am looking to ping a device on my home network to see if it is 'online' and then store something like an online/offline in a variable that I can display.

I use static IP's for all the devices I am looking to monitor

 

I was thinking about using the arp approach and see if the device is returned as part of the list

 

Has anybody tried this before .. or do people think it may be possible or is there another route ?

 

Thoughts appreciated

 

Thanks

Frank

Edited September 12, 2016 by autofrank

[petergebruers 1,261]

I don't think there is a 'ping' command available. However, you can try a http or tcp connect. Even if the device at the other end does not have a http or tcp sever. Just let it time out. To try that connection, the system has to 'arp' the IP address. If the device's tcp/ip stack is up and running, it'll answer the arp request and appear in the HC2 arp table. The only downside I immediately see is the fact that arp entries are cached (probably for 10 minutes) so it isn't very precise... If the device has any open TCP connection, you can try to use TCP in a virtual device:

Please login or register to see this code.

Not tested, but I've used this kind of code for other stuff.

[AutoFrank 372]

I don't think there is a 'ping' command available. However, you can try a http or tcp connect. Even if the device at the other end does not have a http or tcp sever. Just let it time out. To try that connection, the system has to 'arp' the IP address. If the device's tcp/ip stack is up and running, it'll answer the arp request and appear in the HC2 arp table. The only downside I immediately see is the fact that arp entries are cached (probably for 10 minutes) so it isn't very precise... If the device has any open TCP connection, you can try to use TCP in a virtual device:

Please login or register to see this code.

Not tested, but I've used this kind of code for other stuff.

 

 

Hi Peter,

 

That's interesting approach and sounds like it would work.

Perhaps I can get over the arp cache by executing the scene every minute and storing a result (or table of results) in a global variable 

 

I'll give it a shot and report back in case somebody else finds use in what I find out.

 

Thanks for taking the time to reply

 

-Frank