[Feature Request]: Refactor getMacAddr function

[alexbegoon]

Platform

ESP32

Description

Hi,

I would like to propose a refactor of the getMacAddr function to retrieve the MAC address in MAC-48 format for compatibility with IEEE 802.15.4.

Specifically, I suggest changing this function from:

void getMacAddr(uint8_t *dmac)
{
    assert(esp_efuse_mac_get_default(dmac) == ESP_OK);
}

to

void getMacAddr(uint8_t *dmac)
{
    assert(esp_base_mac_addr_get(dmac) == ESP_OK);
}

This change will help eliminate node ID conflicts by ensuring that the MAC address used is always in the MAC-48 format, which is required for devices utilizing IEEE 802.15.4.

Example

I have two ESP32-C6 targets, and their MAC addresses lead to identical NodeIDs:

1st device:

MAC: 11:22:33:44:55:66:77:88
BASE MAC: 11:22:33:66:77:88
MAC_EXT: 44:55
2nd device:

MAC: 11:22:33:44:55:66:77:89
BASE MAC: 11:22:33:66:77:89
MAC_EXT: 44:55
As a result, both devices have the same ID: !33445566.

[GUVWAF]

We can't change this for all ESP32 boards, as they would get new node numbers after a factory reset and thus would look like two nodes in the database. It would probably be fine to do this for ESP32-C6, but are those really your MAC addresses? They look too nice to be true, to be honest.

[alexbegoon]

I can't provide the real MAC addresses from these two devices, but this illustrates the real-life problem with these targets. I currently have at least five sitting on my desk, and they all have the same node ID.

From the esp-idf docs

esp_efuse_mac_get_default(uint8_t *mac)

Return base MAC address which is factory-programmed by Espressif in EFUSE.

Parameters
mac -- base MAC address, length: 6 bytes/8 bytes. length: 6 bytes for MAC-48 8 bytes for EUI-64(used for IEEE 802.15.4, if CONFIG_SOC_IEEE802154_SUPPORTED=y)

Some manufacturers are placing MAC_EXT in the middle of the BASE MAC, and that’s the issue.

[GUVWAF]

Okay, fair. I think it would be OK to change it like this for ESP32-C6 specifically.

[GUVWAF]

Closed by #5208.