MQTT node disconnected

[thecoder]

My flow shows the MQTT nodes as disconnected, I'm running mosquitto. It runs on port 1883 and the MQTT nodes are configured to connect in localhost on port 1883

When I run Node-red "node-red", I get this error at the terminal:

11 Nov 09:54:42 - [info] Starting flows
ReferenceError: URL is not defined
    at Object.connect (/usr/local/lib/node_modules/node-red/node_modules/mqtt/lib/connect/index.js:64:18)
    at MQTTBrokerNode.connect (/usr/local/lib/node_modules/node-red/node_modules/@node-red/nodes/core/network/10-mqtt.js:245:40)
    at MQTTBrokerNode.register (/usr/local/lib/node_modules/node-red/node_modules/@node-red/nodes/core/network/10-mqtt.js:221:22)
    at new MQTTInNode (/usr/local/lib/node_modules/node-red/node_modules/@node-red/nodes/core/network/10-mqtt.js:421:33)
    at Object.createNode (/usr/local/lib/node_modules/node-red/node_modules/@node-red/runtime/lib/flows/util.js:493:31)
    at Flow.start (/usr/local/lib/node_modules/node-red/node_modules/@node-red/runtime/lib/flows/Flow.js:194:48)
    at start (/usr/local/lib/node_modules/node-red/node_modules/@node-red/runtime/lib/flows/index.js:345:33)
    at <anonymous>
    at process._tickCallback (internal/process/next_tick.js:188:7)

Should I remove mosquitto and install it again?

[Colin]

@thecoder

Should I remove mosquitto and install it again?

No, that won't help.
Start node-red in a terminal and post the full log here, from the start up to the error message please.

[thecoder]

user@user-VirtualBox:~$ node-red
11 Nov 11:03:37 - [info] 

Welcome to Node-RED
===================

11 Nov 11:03:37 - [info] Node-RED version: v1.2.3
11 Nov 11:03:37 - [info] Node.js  version: v8.10.0
11 Nov 11:03:37 - [info] Linux 5.4.0-52-generic x64 LE
11 Nov 11:03:37 - [info] Loading palette nodes
11 Nov 11:03:39 - [info] Settings file  : /home/user/.node-red/settings.js
11 Nov 11:03:39 - [info] Context store  : 'default' [module=memory]
11 Nov 11:03:39 - [info] User directory : /home/user/.node-red
11 Nov 11:03:39 - [warn] Projects disabled : editorTheme.projects.enabled=false
11 Nov 11:03:39 - [info] Flows file     : /home/user/.node-red/flows_user-VirtualBox.json
11 Nov 11:03:39 - [info] Server now running at http://127.0.0.1:1880/
11 Nov 11:03:39 - [warn] 

---------------------------------------------------------------------
Your flow credentials file is encrypted using a system-generated key.

If the system-generated key is lost for any reason, your credentials
file will not be recoverable, you will have to delete it and re-enter
your credentials.

You should set your own key using the 'credentialSecret' option in
your settings file. Node-RED will then re-encrypt your credentials
file using your chosen key the next time you deploy a change.
---------------------------------------------------------------------

11 Nov 11:03:39 - [info] Starting flows
ReferenceError: URL is not defined
    at Object.connect (/usr/local/lib/node_modules/node-red/node_modules/mqtt/lib/connect/index.js:64:18)
    at MQTTBrokerNode.connect (/usr/local/lib/node_modules/node-red/node_modules/@node-red/nodes/core/network/10-mqtt.js:245:40)
    at MQTTBrokerNode.register (/usr/local/lib/node_modules/node-red/node_modules/@node-red/nodes/core/network/10-mqtt.js:221:22)
    at new MQTTInNode (/usr/local/lib/node_modules/node-red/node_modules/@node-red/nodes/core/network/10-mqtt.js:421:33)
    at Object.createNode (/usr/local/lib/node_modules/node-red/node_modules/@node-red/runtime/lib/flows/util.js:493:31)
    at Flow.start (/usr/local/lib/node_modules/node-red/node_modules/@node-red/runtime/lib/flows/Flow.js:194:48)
    at start (/usr/local/lib/node_modules/node-red/node_modules/@node-red/runtime/lib/flows/index.js:345:33)
    at <anonymous>
    at process._tickCallback (internal/process/next_tick.js:188:7)
11 Nov 11:03:39 - [info] Started flows
(node:1588) DeprecationWarning: createSession: Create Session object directly instead

This is the log from the terminal

[Colin]

The problem is almost certainly the ancient version of nodejs you are using. Version 8.10 is nearly three years old and the latest release of 8.x (8.17.x I think) has been out of support for some months. At least upgrade to 8.17 and preferably to 12.x.

If you are using a Debian based OS such as Ubuntu then you can upgrade using the pi/Debian/Ubuntu script recommended in the node red docs. https://nodered.org/docs/getting-started/raspberrypi

[Steve-Mcl]

@thecoder

URL is not defined

This might be an issue with latest MQTT.js - there has been lots of activity on that project recently.

You could try modifying package.json in .node-red and setting mqtt version to an earlier version (see versions here) then run npm install

I would try 4.1.0 or 2.18.8

[Colin]

Isn't it the mqtt library installed with the node-red core that is giving the problem? If so then that is installed globally. Running, from the .node-red folder,
npm list mqtt
will show if it is installed locally (in .node-red/node_modules), or
npm list -g mqtt
will show if it is installed globally, and will show the version. I get

npm list -g mqtt
/usr/lib
└─┬ node-red@1.2.3
  └─┬ @node-red/nodes@1.2.3
    └── mqtt@4.2.4 

[thecoder]

I got this inside .node-red

user@user-VirtualBox:~/.node-red$ npm list mqtt
node-red-project@0.0.1 /home/user/.node-red
└── (empty)

user@user-VirtualBox:~/.node-red$ mqtt list -g mqtt

Command 'mqtt' not found, did you mean:

  command 'mutt' from snap mutt (1-14-7-rel)
  command 'mutt' from deb mutt
  command 'mtt' from deb xawtv

See 'snap info <snapname>' for additional versions.

However, node-red works

[Steve-Mcl]

Try adding -g to that npm command.

[thecoder]

user@user-VirtualBox:~/.node-red$ npm -g list mqtt
/home/user/.nvm/versions/node/v14.4.0/lib
└── (empty)

[Colin]

@thecoder

mqtt list -g mqtt

Sorry, typo on my part, should have been npm list -g mqtt (which is actually the command I ran). I will correct my post.

[Colin]

@thecoder

/home/user/.nvm/versions/node/v14.4.0/lib

You shouldn't be using nvm unless you know what you are doing. I suggest uninstalling that, uninstalling nodejs and npm and running the script I suggested. I still think the fundamental problem is the nodejs version.

[thecoder]

Should I uninsall npm? It is part of the command you've provided me.

About installing the latest version of nodejs, I cannot upgrade from 8 to 12 (or later versions). I've followed many tutorial but it doesn't work.

[Colin]

Yes uninstall npm nodejs npm and (assuming you are running a Debian based distribution, then run the script.

[thecoder]

It is ubuntu 18.04

[Steve-Mcl]

@thecoder

ubuntu

ubuntu is debian based - run the installer as described in the docs.

[Colin]

@Colin

uninstall npm nodejs npm

Blasted phone! Try again: nvm, nodejs, npm