# Problem with nodes when internet not working. Discussion
**URL:** https://discourse.nodered.org/t/problem-with-nodes-when-internet-not-working-discussion/97453
**Category:** General
**Created:** [6 June 2025 22:32 UTC](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/problem-with-nodes-when-internet-not-working-discussion/97453 "2025-06-06T22:32:46Z")
**Posts on this page:** 6
**Page:** 1
### Author:  [@Trying\_to\_learn](https://discourse.nodered.org/u/Trying_to_learn)
#### Post date: [6 June 2025 22:32 UTC](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/problem-with-nodes-when-internet-not-working-discussion/97453/1 "2025-06-06T22:32:47Z")
Folks, this is a weird/wild/rogue scenario that just happened to me and was really bad.
It is the unexpected things that happen that really test out setup and check if we did everything right.
This is one such case where it all fell apart - **BADLY!**
# _Back story_
I'm not sure if it is laziness or learning/using technology.
I have the google voice node in/on ONE of my machines to give me notifications now and then.
I have PiHole as my DNS/DHCP serve.
(Another machine)
I also have a few instances of `open-weather` to either tell me the weather or get it and determine if it is worth watering the plants.
## _What happened_
The other day I did something stupid and PiHole crashed.
As it is the DHCP and DNS that meant afore mentioned nodes couldn't _Talk to daddy_.
This - as I was told - was why te CPU load went from 12% to 70% and NR kept resetting.
## _A lot of messing around later_
I started NR is safe mode and disabled the google voice command then DEPLOYED.
All was good again. Kind of.
I have built - yes, actually built - a second network so I could get help to find out what is/was happening and fix things: all be it slowly.
I have gone to all relevant machines and disabled the calling of such nodes.
But I admit I've left the google voice one DISABLED. Just to be sure.
What _SAFEGUARDS_ can be put in place so if something _CATASTROPHIC_ happens and nodes are needing (ne: DEMANDING) an uplink which is no longer there.......
They will really throw a tantrum and bring the computer down....
Well, make NR keep restarting every minute or so.
It would be nice if this was somehow automatically automated.
Thoughts?
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### Author:  [@TotallyInformation](https://discourse.nodered.org/u/TotallyInformation)
#### Post date: [7 June 2025 12:58 UTC](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/problem-with-nodes-when-internet-not-working-discussion/97453/2 "2025-06-07T12:58:31Z")
Not sure if this could realistically be automated. There are just so many different potential issues and differing user requirements.
For me, if a node brought down a device, perhaps due to excessive CPU, or Node-RED as a whole, **_FOR ANY REASON_** - that would be a bug, it either must be fixed or I would stop using the node.
_Lesson to learn_: If using external services, run tests to see what happens when that service can't be reached.
If I _really_ needed to rely on an external service and the node couldn't cut it, I would hand-craft a function node using an appropriate node.js library. I would include more error checks.
Do you really need a Google service to provide voice output? I'm sure I remember doing this with a local Linux tool years ago. Personally, I mostly don't want my server's making noises - that would be reserved for the server itself coming to a horrible end. π
> [@Trying\_to\_learn](#):
>
> They will really throw a tantrum and bring the computer down....
Like I say - always test. Then if they do behave that way, it is a BUG that either needs fixing, or if the author can't/won't fix it, it has to go away.
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### Author:  [@Sean-McG](https://discourse.nodered.org/u/Sean-McG)
#### Post date: [7 June 2025 14:26 UTC](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/problem-with-nodes-when-internet-not-working-discussion/97453/3 "2025-06-07T14:26:00Z")
@Trying_to_learn Sound advice from Julian above.
If you only have a problem with the TTS node (and you really want tts) then you have a few options.
1. Open an issue with the developer on GitHub
2. Try to mitigate the issue yourself, e.g. perhaps if the internet is down, don't send messages to the node.
3. Look for an alternative node or other local option.
In short any nodes that require internet access should handle a failure gracefully, without you needing to do anything.
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### Author:  [@dceejay](https://discourse.nodered.org/u/dceejay)
#### Post date: [7 June 2025 18:09 UTC](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/problem-with-nodes-when-internet-not-working-discussion/97453/4 "2025-06-07T18:09:25Z")
Yes to all the above. The wrinkle with TTS being where do you want the sound to come out? The server ? Or the browser ? If the server then you can possibly use things like espeak via exec. If via the browser then you may be able to use one of the audio nodes.
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### Author:  [@Trying\_to\_learn](https://discourse.nodered.org/u/Trying_to_learn)
#### Post date: [7 June 2025 21:06 UTC](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/problem-with-nodes-when-internet-not-working-discussion/97453/5 "2025-06-07T21:06:51Z")
This comes from a very recent post of mine....
> [@Sudden severe failure of entire flow on machine](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/sudden-severe-failure-of-entire-flow-on-machine/97428):
>
> Hey folks. Bad new where I am: One of my machines now won't run the old NR flow it did a couple of days ago. Situation - bigger picture: RasPi 3B+ running Buster. It is my NTP server, MQTT broker and a WAP. Weirdly, it loads, starts and runs, but keeps restarting NR. (NOT rebooting!) I tweaked something (wrongly) with the NTP stuff and realised it wasn't needed. Alas between doing it and realising it: all hell broke loose. Where the machine usually runs at 12% CPU load, it maxed out atβ¦
(Wave to @Sean-McG)
# So here's the existing way I was thinking I would mitigate such failures:
Quick walk through the machines:
TimePi - NTP, Voice, open weather.
TelePi - overall monitor of all machines.
BedPi - DHCP/DNS server. Real world controller.
_TimePi_
Voice flow
`wait` node. 30 seconds delay all messages.
(stuff)
`tts node`
play ~~sound~~ voice - local speaker
end signal
loop back to `wait` node to send next message
(Else where on same flow)
`status` node watching the `tts` node
notes status.
`switch` node to detect _problems_ (aka if NOT **OK** )
`change` node - sets things up
signals to `wait` node to dump all queued messages
blocks any more messages getting through.
Which I actually did test and it worked. In my given situation at the time.
Granted there is also the `open weather` node on that machine too.
So, I stupidly lost my DHCP and DNS machine. (ANOTHER machine)
So the network was DOWN.
The machines were sending through messages indicating this.
(Not too many. I have `filter` nodes to stop the same message coming through twice.)
## So at this stage:
I saw the DHCP machine die. BedPi βΉ
Then the machine with the voice load went from 12% to like 70%.
Not too bad, but worrying.
It stayed there and I WAS getting (voice) messages. So not sure how bad the crash was or not.
I quickly went in and tried to stop all the logging.
Suddenly on TimePi
`no response from server`
Soon after dashboard refresh. NR had restarted. π
Started again, repeat.
Tried copying old versions to the machine. No change.
Steve then suggested disabling the `tts` node.
BINGO!
That was it.
(Lost a bit of work, but....)
Now the `open weather` node is only used (automatically) once a day.
In the morning to give the weather at that time.
It wasn't morning and wasn't being called.
I could post extracts from the `voice` flow if _you_ want.
But I think the main part would be the failure part.
The rest is kind of all over the place because there are a few other things happen between the reception of the message and it going to the `tts` node.
Nothing critical to this.
(Ok, I can have the messages prefixed with a notification bell/sound. If it is detected, that sound is played prior to the voice being heard)
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### Author:  [@system](https://discourse.nodered.org/u/system)
#### Post date: [5 September 2025 21:06 UTC](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/problem-with-nodes-when-internet-not-working-discussion/97453/6 "2025-09-05T21:06:54Z")
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