Debug Local Control Issues

This guide covers common local control issues observed when the device and mobile app are on the same network.

App Routes Commands Through Cloud Instead of Local Network

Symptom

Local control is enabled on the device, but the phone app routes commands through the cloud instead of the local network.

Steps to debug

1. Confirm local control is enabled by verifying CONFIG_ESP_RMAKER_LOCAL_CTRL_AUTO_ENABLE is set and that the device log shows a line like the following. The value after name : is your device's node ID (the example ABCDEF123456 is illustrative only):

   esp_rmaker_local: esp_local_ctrl service started with name :ABCDEF123456

2. Check device discoverability on the local network. Local control uses mDNS to broadcast device information on the LAN. Use an mDNS discovery tool on the same network to verify the device is broadcasting (e.g., the Discovery app on iOS, or dns-sd on Linux). Alternatively, from a PC on the same LAN, run:

   ping ABCDEF123456.local

   Replace ABCDEF123456 with your own node ID from the log line above or from the RainMaker app. If the device IP resolves, mDNS is working.

3. Confirm the phone and the device are on the same LAN. Local control will not work if they are on different subnets or networks.