core: Unifi direct error, Unifi does not return list of connected clients

The problem

Lots of errors are coming from the Ubiquiti UniFi AP component in my set up. Something is wrong in how the module operates.

It seems that the code logs into the UAP and processes the results of the mca-dump | tr -d “\n” command. I have 4 UAPs and dumped the JSON from each of them then tested the code used in the component. The following JSON output breaks the module.

{ "architecture": "mips", "board_rev": 17, "bootid": 1, "bootrom_version": "unifi-enlarge-buf.-1-g63fe9b5d-dirty", "cfgversion": "895fac54d8ea4d11", "connect_request_ip": "192.168.1.107", "connect_request_port": "36530", "default": false, "discovery_response": false, "dualboot": true, "hash_id": "019c47e264300b13", "hostname": "Garage", "inform_as_notif": true, "inform_url": "http://172.16.1.2:8080/inform", "ip": "192.168.1.107", "isolated": false, "kernel_version": "4.4.153", "locating": false, "mac": "78:8a:20:29:14:01", "manufacturer_id": 2, "model": "U7LR", "model_display": "UAP-AC-LR", "netmask": "255.255.255.0", "notif_payload": "", "notif_reason": "cmd", "required_version": "3.4.1", "selfrun_beacon": true, "serial": "788A20211111", "state": 2, "time": 1588757968, "time_ms": 2, "uptime": 9407959, "version": "4.0.80.10875"}

The module is expecting the command to return details of the connected devices. I suspect Unifi have issued a firmware update and this is no longer happening. Some of my devices return the correct data, some don’t, so this change might be related to the hardware revision perhaps.

The effect of this is that the device tracker no longer works / is no longer reliable. At my home I use the device tracker in automatons which sometimes didn’t fire. I suspect this is the case.

I’m not sure this component can be reliably fixed using the mca-dump command. At the very least raise a user readable error message at this point in the code https://github.com/home-assistant/core/blob/f1d3c0d19b4065a1f6ec80ecdc080380f728196c/homeassistant/components/unifi_direct/device_tracker.py#L126 if UNIFI_SSID_TABLE can’t be found.

Environment

arch | armv7l dev | false docker | false hassio | false os_name | Linux os_version | 4.19.97-v7+ python_version | 3.7.3 timezone | Europe/London version | 0.109.4 virtualenv | true

Affected and Unaffected is the same: 4.0.80.10875

• Home Assistant Core release with the issue: 0.109.4
• Last working Home Assistant Core release (if known): Unknown
• Operating environment (Home Assistant/Supervised/Docker/venv): venv
• Integration causing this issue: unifi_direct
• Link to integration documentation on our website: https://www.home-assistant.io/integrations/unifi_direct/

Problem-relevant configuration.yaml

Traceback/Error logs

2020-05-06 10:15:45 ERROR (SyncWorker_1) [homeassistant.components.unifi_direct.device_tracker] Failed to decode response from AP.
2020-05-06 10:16:06 ERROR (SyncWorker_12) [homeassistant.components.unifi_direct.device_tracker] Failed to decode response from AP.
2020-05-06 10:16:06 ERROR (SyncWorker_7) [homeassistant.components.unifi_direct.device_tracker] Failed to decode response from AP.
2020-05-06 10:16:27 ERROR (SyncWorker_0) [homeassistant.components.unifi_direct.device_tracker] Failed to decode response from AP.
2020-05-06 10:16:48 ERROR (SyncWorker_5) [homeassistant.components.unifi_direct.device_tracker] Failed to decode response from AP.
2020-05-06 10:17:09 ERROR (SyncWorker_12) [homeassistant.components.unifi_direct.device_tracker] Failed to decode response from AP.
2020-05-06 10:17:09 ERROR (SyncWorker_2) [homeassistant.components.unifi_direct.device_tracker] Failed to decode response from AP.
2020-05-06 10:17:09 ERROR (SyncWorker_11) [homeassistant.components.unifi_direct.device_tracker] Failed to decode response from AP.
2020-05-06 10:17:51 ERROR (SyncWorker_3) [homeassistant.components.unifi_direct.device_tracker] Failed to decode response from AP.
2020-05-06 10:18:54 ERROR (SyncWorker_18) [homeassistant.components.unifi_direct.device_tracker] Failed to decode response from AP.
2020-05-06 10:18:54 ERROR (SyncWorker_14) [homeassistant.components.unifi_direct.device_tracker] Failed to decode response from AP.
2020-05-06 10:18:54 ERROR (SyncWorker_3) [homeassistant.components.unifi_direct.device_tracker] Failed to decode response from AP.
2020-05-06 10:19:15 ERROR (SyncWorker_13) [homeassistant.components.unifi_direct.device_tracker] Failed to decode response from AP.
2020-05-06 10:19:36 ERROR (SyncWorker_15) [homeassistant.components.unifi_direct.device_tracker] Failed to decode response from AP.
2020-05-06 10:19:36 ERROR (SyncWorker_8) [homeassistant.components.unifi_direct.device_tracker] Failed to decode response from AP.

Additional information