Example: Display Internet connectivity status

This example shows how to use BlinkStick as an Internet connectivity status indicator.

Script works by checking connectivity to Google DNS server. When connection can be established, BlinkStick will light up green. When connection is not available, BlinkStick will start pulsing red and will turn green back again when connection is reestablished.

import socket
import time
from blinkstick import blinkstick

"""
This functions checks connection to Google DNS server
If DNS server is reachable on port 53, then it means that
the internet is up and running
"""
def internet_connected(host="8.8.8.8", port=53):
	"""
	Host: 8.8.8.8 (google-public-dns-a.google.com)
	OpenPort: 53/tcp
	Service: domain (DNS/TCP)
	"""
	try:
		socket.setdefaulttimeout(1)
		socket.socket(socket.AF_INET, socket.SOCK_STREAM).connect((host, port))
		return True
	except Exception as ex:
		pass

	return False

# Find first BlinkStick
led = blinkstick.find_first()

# Can't do anything if BlinkStick is not connected
if led is None:
	print "BlinkStick not found...\r\nExiting..."
else:
	try:
		# Store value of last state in this variable
		connected = False
		
		while (True):
			if internet_connected():
				# If previously internet was disconnected, then print message
				# and set BlinkStick to green
				if not connected:
					print "Internet is up!"
					connected = True
					led.set_color(name="green")

				# Wait for 1 second before checking for internet connectivity
				time.sleep(1)
			else:
				# If previously internet connected, then print message
				if connected:
					print "Internet is down..."
					connected = False

				# BlinkStick pulse API call lasts for 1 second so this acts
				# as delay before next check for internet is performed
				led.pulse(name="red")
	except KeyboardInterrupt:
		print "Exiting... Bye!"

	led.turn_off()