Raspberry Pi Publishing MQTT Messages to ESP8266

In this project you’ll create a standalone web server with a Raspberry Pi that can toggle two LEDs from an ESP8266 using MQTT protocol. You can replace those LEDs with any output (like a relay that controls a lamp).

In order to create the web server you will be using a Python microframework called Flask. Here’s the high level overview of the system:

First, watch the video demonstration

Recommended resources:

• You need a Raspberry Pi board – read Best Raspberry Pi Starter Kits
• Raspberry Pi Web Server using Flask to Control GPIOs
• Testing Mosquitto Broker and Client on Raspbbery Pi
• How to Install Mosquitto Broker on Raspberry Pi
• What is MQTT and How It Works
• Getting Started with Node-RED on Raspberry Pi

If you like home automation and you want to build a complete home automation system, I recommend downloading my home automation course.

Basic Raspberry Pi Setup

Before you continue reading this project, please make sure you have Raspbian Operating System installed in your Raspberry Pi.

You can read my Getting Started with the Raspberry Pi Guide to install Raspbian and complete the basic setup.

Run and install Mosquitto broker

The Raspberry Pi is going to interact with the ESP8266 with the MQTT protocol. Having Mosquitto broker installed, you need to have Mosquitto broker running on the background:

pi@raspberry:~ $ mosquitto -d

Python web server with Flask

We’re going to use a Python microframework called Flask to turn the Raspberry Pi into web server.

To install Flask, you’ll need to have pip installed. Run the following commands to update your Pi and install pip:

pi@raspberrypi ~ $ sudo apt-get update
pi@raspberrypi ~ $ sudo apt-get upgrade
pi@raspberrypi ~ $ sudo apt-get install python-pip python-flask

Then, you use pip to install Flask and its dependencies:

pi@raspberrypi ~ $ sudo pip install flask

Installing Python Paho-MQTT

The Paho-MQTT package provides a client class which enable applications to connect to an MQTT broker to publish messages, and to subscribe to topics and receive published messages. In this example, the Python web server is going to publish messages to the ESP8266 to turn the GPIOs on and off.

To install paho-mqtt run the following command:

pi@raspberrypi ~ $ sudo pip install paho-mqtt

Creating the Python Script

This is the core script of our application. It sets up the web server and when these buttons are pressed it publishes an MQTT message to the ESP8266.

To keep everything organized, start by creating a new folder:

pi@raspberrypi ~ $ mkdir web-server
pi@raspberrypi ~ $ cd web-server
pi@raspberrypi:~/web-server $

Create a new file called app.py.

pi@raspberrypi:~/web-server $ nano app.py

Copy and paste the following script to your Raspberry Pi

#
# Created by Rui Santos
# Complete project details: https://randomnerdtutorials.com
#

import paho.mqtt.client as mqtt
from flask import Flask, render_template, request
app = Flask(__name__)

mqttc=mqtt.Client()
mqttc.connect("localhost",1883,60)
mqttc.loop_start()

# Create a dictionary called pins to store the pin number, name, and pin state:
pins = {
   4 : {'name' : 'GPIO 4', 'board' : 'esp8266', 'topic' : 'esp8266/4', 'state' : 'False'},
   5 : {'name' : 'GPIO 5', 'board' : 'esp8266', 'topic' : 'esp8266/5', 'state' : 'False'}
   }

# Put the pin dictionary into the template data dictionary:
templateData = {
   'pins' : pins
   }

@app.route("/")
def main():
   # Pass the template data into the template main.html and return it to the user
   return render_template('main.html', **templateData)

# The function below is executed when someone requests a URL with the pin number and action in it:
@app.route("/<board>/<changePin>/<action>")

def action(board, changePin, action):
   # Convert the pin from the URL into an integer:
   changePin = int(changePin)
   # Get the device name for the pin being changed:
   devicePin = pins[changePin]['name']
   # If the action part of the URL is "on," execute the code indented below:
   if action == "1" and board == 'esp8266':
      mqttc.publish(pins[changePin]['topic'],"1")
      pins[changePin]['state'] = 'True'

   if action == "0" and board == 'esp8266':
      mqttc.publish(pins[changePin]['topic'],"0")
      pins[changePin]['state'] = 'False'

   # Along with the pin dictionary, put the message into the template data dictionary:
   templateData = {
      'pins' : pins
   }

   return render_template('main.html', **templateData)

if __name__ == "__main__":
   app.run(host='0.0.0.0', port=8181, debug=True)

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Creating the HTML File

Keeping HTML tags separated from your Python script is how you keep your project organized.

Flask uses a template engine called Jinja2 that you can use to send dynamic data from your Python script to your HTML file.

Create a new folder called templates:

pi@raspberrypi:~/web-server $ mkdir templates
pi@raspberrypi:~/web-server $ cd templates
pi@raspberrypi:~/web-server/templates $

Create a new file called main.html.

pi@raspberrypi:~/web-server/templates $ nano main.html

Copy and paste the following template to your Pi:

<!DOCTYPE html>
<head>
   <title>RPi Web Server</title>
   <!-- Latest compiled and minified CSS -->
   <link rel="stylesheet" href="https://maxcdn.bootstrapcdn.com/bootstrap/3.3.6/css/bootstrap.min.css" integrity="sha384-1q8mTJOASx8j1Au+a5WDVnPi2lkFfwwEAa8hDDdjZlpLegxhjVME1fgjWPGmkzs7" crossorigin="anonymous">
   <!-- Optional theme -->
   <link rel="stylesheet" href="https://maxcdn.bootstrapcdn.com/bootstrap/3.3.6/css/bootstrap-theme.min.css" integrity="sha384-fLW2N01lMqjakBkx3l/M9EahuwpSfeNvV63J5ezn3uZzapT0u7EYsXMjQV+0En5r" crossorigin="anonymous">
   <!-- Latest compiled and minified JavaScript -->
   <script src="https://maxcdn.bootstrapcdn.com/bootstrap/3.3.6/js/bootstrap.min.js" integrity="sha384-0mSbJDEHialfmuBBQP6A4Qrprq5OVfW37PRR3j5ELqxss1yVqOtnepnHVP9aJ7xS" crossorigin="anonymous"></script>
   <meta name="viewport" content="width=device-width, initial-scale=1">
</head>

<body>
   <h1>RPi Web Server - ESP8266 MQTT</h1>
   {% for pin in pins %}
   <h2>{{ pins[pin].name }}
   {% if pins[pin].state == 'True' %}
      is currently <strong>on</strong></h2><div class="row"><div class="col-md-2">
      <a href="/esp8266/{{pin}}/0" class="btn btn-block btn-lg btn-default" role="button">Turn off</a></div></div>
   {% else %}
      is currently <strong>off</strong></h2><div class="row"><div class="col-md-2">
      <a href="/esp8266/{{pin}}/1" class="btn btn-block btn-lg btn-primary" role="button">Turn on</a></div></div>
   {% endif %}
   {% endfor %}
</body>
</html>

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Programming the ESP8266

For the ESP8266 to interact with the Raspberry Pi web server, you need to install PubSubClient library. This library provides a client for doing simple publish/subscribe messaging with a server that supports MQTT (basically allows your ESP8266 to talk with Python web server).

Uploading sketch

Finally, you can upload the full sketch to your ESP8266 (replace with your SSID, password and RPi IP address):

/*****
 
 All the resources for this project:
 https://randomnerdtutorials.com/
 
*****/

// Loading the ESP8266WiFi library and the PubSubClient library
#include <ESP8266WiFi.h>
#include <PubSubClient.h>

// Change the credentials below, so your ESP8266 connects to your router
const char* ssid = "YOUR_SSID";
const char* password = "YOUR_PASSWORD";

// Change the variable to your Raspberry Pi IP address, so it connects to your MQTT broker
const char* mqtt_server = "YOUR_RPi_IP_Address";

// Initializes the espClient
WiFiClient espClient;
PubSubClient client(espClient);

// Connect an LED to each GPIO of your ESP8266
const int ledGPIO5 = 5;
const int ledGPIO4 = 4;

// Don't change the function below. This functions connects your ESP8266 to your router
void setup_wifi() {
  delay(10);
  // We start by connecting to a WiFi network
  Serial.println();
  Serial.print("Connecting to ");
  Serial.println(ssid);
  WiFi.begin(ssid, password);
  while (WiFi.status() != WL_CONNECTED) {
    delay(500);
    Serial.print(".");
  }
  Serial.println("");
  Serial.print("WiFi connected - ESP IP address: ");
  Serial.println(WiFi.localIP());
}

// This functions is executed when some device publishes a message to a topic that your ESP8266 is subscribed to
// Change the function below to add logic to your program, so when a device publishes a message to a topic that 
// your ESP8266 is subscribed you can actually do something
void callback(String topic, byte* message, unsigned int length) {
  Serial.print("Message arrived on topic: ");
  Serial.print(topic);
  Serial.print(". Message: ");
  String messageTemp;
  
  for (int i = 0; i < length; i++) {
    Serial.print((char)message[i]);
    messageTemp += (char)message[i];
  }
  Serial.println();

  // Feel free to add more if statements to control more GPIOs with MQTT

  // If a message is received on the topic home/office/esp1/gpio2, you check if the message is either 1 or 0. Turns the ESP GPIO according to the message
  if(topic=="esp8266/4"){
      Serial.print("Changing GPIO 4 to ");
      if(messageTemp == "1"){
        digitalWrite(ledGPIO4, HIGH);
        Serial.print("On");
      }
      else if(messageTemp == "0"){
        digitalWrite(ledGPIO4, LOW);
        Serial.print("Off");
      }
  }
  if(topic=="esp8266/5"){
      Serial.print("Changing GPIO 5 to ");
      if(messageTemp == "1"){
        digitalWrite(ledGPIO5, HIGH);
        Serial.print("On");
      }
      else if(messageTemp == "0"){
        digitalWrite(ledGPIO5, LOW);
        Serial.print("Off");
      }
  }
  Serial.println();
}

// This functions reconnects your ESP8266 to your MQTT broker
// Change the function below if you want to subscribe to more topics with your ESP8266 
void reconnect() {
  // Loop until we're reconnected
  while (!client.connected()) {
    Serial.print("Attempting MQTT connection...");
    // Attempt to connect
     /*
     YOU  NEED TO CHANGE THIS NEXT LINE, IF YOU'RE HAVING PROBLEMS WITH MQTT MULTIPLE CONNECTIONS
     To change the ESP device ID, you will have to give a unique name to the ESP8266.
     Here's how it looks like now:
       if (client.connect("ESP8266Client")) {
     If you want more devices connected to the MQTT broker, you can do it like this:
       if (client.connect("ESPOffice")) {
     Then, for the other ESP:
       if (client.connect("ESPGarage")) {
      That should solve your MQTT multiple connections problem

     THE SECTION IN loop() function should match your device name
    */
    if (client.connect("ESP8266Client")) {
      Serial.println("connected");  
      // Subscribe or resubscribe to a topic
      // You can subscribe to more topics (to control more LEDs in this example)
      client.subscribe("esp8266/4");
      client.subscribe("esp8266/5");
    } else {
      Serial.print("failed, rc=");
      Serial.print(client.state());
      Serial.println(" try again in 5 seconds");
      // Wait 5 seconds before retrying
      delay(5000);
    }
  }
}

// The setup function sets your ESP GPIOs to Outputs, starts the serial communication at a baud rate of 115200
// Sets your mqtt broker and sets the callback function
// The callback function is what receives messages and actually controls the LEDs
void setup() {
  pinMode(ledGPIO4, OUTPUT);
  pinMode(ledGPIO5, OUTPUT);
  
  Serial.begin(115200);
  setup_wifi();
  client.setServer(mqtt_server, 1883);
  client.setCallback(callback);
}

// For this project, you don't need to change anything in the loop function. 
// Basically it ensures that you ESP is connected to your broker
void loop() {
  if (!client.connected()) {
    reconnect();
  }
  if(!client.loop())
     /*
     YOU  NEED TO CHANGE THIS NEXT LINE, IF YOU'RE HAVING PROBLEMS WITH MQTT MULTIPLE CONNECTIONS
     To change the ESP device ID, you will have to give a unique name to the ESP8266.
     Here's how it looks like now:
       client.connect("ESP8266Client");
     If you want more devices connected to the MQTT broker, you can do it like this:
       client.connect("ESPOffice");
     Then, for the other ESP:
       client.connect("ESPGarage");
      That should solve your MQTT multiple connections problem

     THE SECTION IN recionnect() function should match your device name
    */
    client.connect("ESP8266Client");
}

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Schematics

The schematics for this project are very straightforward. Simply connect two LEDs with two resistors to your ESP8266 as shown in the figure below.

You can use the preceding links or go directly to MakerAdvisor.com/tools to find all the parts for your projects at the best price!

Launching the Web Server

To launch your Raspberry Pi web server move to the folder that contains the file app.py:

pi@raspberrypi:~/web-server/templates $ cd ..

Then, run the following command:

pi@raspberrypi:~/web-server $ sudo python app.py

Your web server should start immediately on port :8181!

Demonstration

Open your Raspberry Pi address in your browser by entering its IP address, in my case: http://192.168.1.98:8181

Note: you must enter your IP address followed by :8181

Here’s a video demo of the web server in action:

Wrapping up

In the next blog post, we will publish sensor readings with the ESP8266 to the Python web server.

Like home automation? Learn more about Node-RED, Raspberry Pi, ESP8266 and Arduino with my course: Build a Home Automation System for $100.

Do you have any questions? Leave a comment down below!

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