Problem With Email Notifications

Discussions about Z-Way software and Z-Wave technology in general
Wavezoid
Posts: 10
Joined: 15 Nov 2021 03:55

Problem With Email Notifications

Post by Wavezoid »

I spent the last several days setting up Z-Way on a Raspberry Pi 3 B with a Z-Wave card.

I started with a fresh installation of the full image found on the z-wave.me website on a new SD card. My RPI is connected via wifi (This was quite a challenge!). I have updated Z-Way to 3.2.1

It has been quite a learning experience. For the most part, things are working but I am still having some issues.

Email notifications aren't working:

The only Z-Wave device connected is a Fibaro motion detector. It is working as it should. I want the system to send me, the administrator, an email whenever motion is detected. In the widget for the motion sensor, I have told it to send me an email (the address is correct) when the motion sensor is turned on. However, when motion is detected, no email is sent and I see an error in the Event log. The error is: "NotificationChannelEmail error"

In the list of Active Apps, there is an app called "Send Email Notification" (grey icon). However, if I click on the name of the app or the settings icon, I receive an error saying "An unexpected error occurred during loading data. Try to reload the page." I am unable to do anything with this app besides start it and stop it. I stopped this app. Does this app work? Is there something I need to do to correct this problem? I don't see this app listed with Local Apps.

From the list of Local Apps, I added the app called "Notifications by Email" (blue and white icon) and set it up correctly but still no email notifications.

in the log file (/var/log/z-way-server.log) I found this for each time the error occurred:

Code: Select all

[2021-11-15 00:03:59.870] [I] [core] Notification: device-info (device-OnOff): {"dev":"Fibaro motion","l":"on","location":0}
[2021-11-15 00:04:04.891] [I] [core] NotificationChannelEmail Sending a message to ******@********.com (redacted)
[2021-11-15 00:04:08.324] [D] [zway] Job 0x3b: deleted from queue
[2021-11-15 00:04:10.225] [I] [core] NotificationChannelEmail error: {"status":-1,"statusText":"Timeout was reached"}
[2021-11-15 00:04:10.227] [I] [core] Notification: error (module): NotificationChannelEmail error
Is this an issue on my end? Is the z-wave.me email service currently working? I would really appreciate some help with this.
Last edited by Wavezoid on 16 Nov 2021 01:27, edited 1 time in total.
himac
Posts: 4
Joined: 25 Oct 2019 08:37

Re: Problem With Email Notifications

Post by himac »

HI, I detected the same problem. At least I will code a python script which periodically checks the status of the sensor. But that makes no sence when there is a potential function included in Z-Way - an essential one. I will continue investigating it.
Wavezoid
Posts: 10
Joined: 15 Nov 2021 03:55

Re: Problem With Email Notifications

Post by Wavezoid »

Thanks for your reply.

If anyone could confirm that email notifications are working on their device, that might rule out a problem with the z-wave.me mailing system.

Also, I just set up the mobile app on my android phone and set Z-way to notfiy me via the app of motion detection and it doesn't work either. However, an error is not generated in the Event list. Here is the error I found in the /var/log/z-way-server.log:

Code: Select all

[2021-11-15 22:17:44.979] [I] [core] (Mobile App Support) Notification send failed: {"status":-1,"statusText":"Timeout was reached"}
It isn't just email notifications that aren't working.
User avatar
PoltoS
Posts: 7565
Joined: 26 Jan 2011 19:36

Re: Problem With Email Notifications

Post by PoltoS »

make sure your Pi has access to the internet
Wavezoid
Posts: 10
Joined: 15 Nov 2021 03:55

Re: Problem With Email Notifications

Post by Wavezoid »

Yes, the Pi has internet access via Wifi.

I can confirm it has a working connection because 'sudo apt-get update -y & sudo apt-get upgrade -y' works perfectly
User avatar
PoltoS
Posts: 7565
Joined: 26 Jan 2011 19:36

Re: Problem With Email Notifications

Post by PoltoS »

Can you check with "tcpdump" to see what happens on notification send?
Wavezoid
Posts: 10
Joined: 15 Nov 2021 03:55

Re: Problem With Email Notifications

Post by Wavezoid »

Thanks for the suggestion. I have installed tcpdump and I'm monitoring the ip address of the rpi.

There are lots of packets being sent but I'll have to figure out what they mean.
User avatar
PoltoS
Posts: 7565
Joined: 26 Jan 2011 19:36

Re: Problem With Email Notifications

Post by PoltoS »

If you record it with tcpdump -w <file> you can then load it with wireshark and use the GUI to filter and analyse.
Wavezoid
Posts: 10
Joined: 15 Nov 2021 03:55

Re: Problem With Email Notifications

Post by Wavezoid »

Great idea. I'll do that and report back.
Wavezoid
Posts: 10
Joined: 15 Nov 2021 03:55

Re: Problem With Email Notifications

Post by Wavezoid »

I did an experiment. I re-installed the Z-Wave/Raspbian Buster image. I connected the RPI with an ethernet cable. I updated Z-wave to 3.2.2 and connected my Fibaro motion detector. I set up email notifications for the "on" event and I am now receiving emails!

Apparently, the method I used to connect the RPI to Wifi broke something with the email notification function. As I said previously, everything in Z-Wave was working except email notifications.

In order to connect to Wifi, I mainly followed the recommendations in this thread: https://forum.z-wave.me/viewtopic.php?t=25402.

It appears that either/both the dnsmasq and hostapd services are required for email notifications to work.

Fortunately, the user 'feuersee' posted another method for connecting to wifi here: https://forum.z-wave.me/viewtopic.php?p=91791#p91791

I just followed this and everything is working perfectly. I'm grateful for this, but I really wish setting up wifi wasn't such a mystery.

Thanks for your help with this.
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