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Although separate Separate Vertex clusters are two different lighting systems, we still have some ways but you are still able to send information between their Node-REDs. In this way, we can e.g. trigger the lighting on groups that are them. For example, turning on a luminaire group that is placed in a different cluster than the wall panel is. We do that by using or a sensor. For this purpose, we use the TCP/IP protocol and dedicated Node-RED nodes (TCP).

Prerequisites

• Vertex clusters have to must be physically connected within the same LAN network to allow for sending data between Node-REDs.

• Vertex controllers still must be in the same network e.g. Vertex IP’s IPs should be 10.0.6.XX.
  Example: We are sending You want to send a command from Vertex 2 which is in cluster 1 to Vertex 3 which is in Cluster 2. You should set IPs e.g. 10.0.6.50 for Vertex 2 and 10.0.6.85 for Vertex 3.

Flow

Sending messages via TCP

[{"id":"a4cf968d.6ffd3","type":"tcp out","z":"7f5faf37.f5792","host":"10.0.6.50","port":"4700","beserver":"client","base64":false,"end":false,"name":"","x":670,"y":260,"wires":[]},{"id":"e4a930e4.fc40b","type":"inject","z":"7f5faf37.f5792","name":"","topic":"","payload":"100","payloadType":"num","repeat":"","crontab":"","once":false,"onceDelay":0.1,"x":240,"y":260,"wires":[["a4cf968d.6ffd3"]]},{"id":"a05052d2.74551","type":"inject","z":"7f5faf37.f5792","name":"","topic":"","payload":"0","payloadType":"num","repeat":"","crontab":"","once":false,"onceDelay":0.1,"x":240,"y":300,"wires":[["a4cf968d.6ffd3"]]}]

Receiving messages via TCP

[{"id":"1100c93d.3afbc7","type":"tcp in","z":"fd4e3895.5784f8","name":"","server":"server","host":"","port":"4700","datamode":"stream","datatype":"utf8","newline":"","topic":"","base64":false,"x":180,"y":480,"wires":[["58b48c45.9aae4c","fbb070f0.34c948"]]},{"id":"58b48c45.9aae4c","type":"debug","z":"fd4e3895.5784f8","name":"","active":true,"tosidebar":true,"console":false,"tostatus":false,"complete":"false","statusVal":"","statusType":"auto","x":380,"y":540,"wires":[]},{"id":"fbb070f0.34c948","type":"vertex action","z":"fd4e3895.5784f8","name":"","typeButton":"directv","bPayload":{"action":"setbrightness","group":"99b17e88a1df372900ab36b205b10059","param":0,"priority":"254"},"bState":"","defaultpriority":true,"x":550,"y":480,"wires":[["76a1a1a4.fcbf88"]]},{"id":"76a1a1a4.fcbf88","type":"vertex cluster","z":"fd4e3895.5784f8","userouting":false,"rate":5,"x":810,"y":480,"wires":[]}]

Instructions

Configure the TCP connection -

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sending messages

1. Open the Node-RED for the Vertex that will be sending data to another cluster.

2. In the Node Palette, find the TCP out node.
   

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3. Enter the node and select Type as Connect to and select port e.g. 4700. As a host, enter the Vertex IP

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1. which receives information.
   

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4. Use Connect two inject nodes to the tcp out node for sending two different messages to the other cluster.

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Configure the TCP connection -

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receiving messages

1. In the Node Palette, find the TCP in node.

2. Enter the node and select Type as Listen on port 4700. Then,

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1. select Output as a stream of String payload(s).
   

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3. Add the debug node and connect it with the output of tcp in node. By doing so, you will see the messages flowing from the other cluster.

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4. Add vertex action and vertex cluster nodes. Configure vertex action in some way e.g. set Direct value mode and action as Set brightness (scale percent).

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Test the connection

1. Send payload to the other cluster by clicking the button in the inject node. Then notice the messages caught by the debug node.
   

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2. Observe the luminaire group which you wanted to trigger. Does the light turn on/off?
3. Try to send via TCP messages from other nodes e.g. dali2devs common.

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