Access Point Mode

After successfully flashing the firmware onto your ESP32 for the first time, Xedge32 automatically configures the ESP32 to operate in Access Point Mode. The default name of this access point is xedge32.

Connecting to Xedge32

  1. Connecting to the Access Point:

    • On your device, connect to the xedge32 Wi-Fi network. The default password is 12345678 (can be changed).

  2. Accessing the Web Interface:

    • Open a web browser and navigate to http://xedge32.local.

    • Note: If you’re using a computer that does not support mDNS, you will not be able to access the URL http://xedge32.local. Instead, use the IP address http://192.168.190.0.

  3. Navigating to Xedge32 IDE:

    • Upon accessing http://xedge32.local, you’ll be greeted with a default 404 page. Here, click on the Xedge IDE link to proceed to the Xedge IDE Web Editor.

Access Point Mode Considerations

While in Access Point Mode, be aware that the web-based editor will be a basic HTML textarea, not the advanced Visual Studio Code-like editor you will see if your computer can access the Internet. If you prefer to keep your ESP32 in Access Point Mode for development, it’s recommended to use a computer that is connected to the ESP32 via Wi-Fi and simultaneously to the Internet through a wired connection, as shown in the figure below. This setup ensures that the advanced web-based code editor can be loaded from the Internet.

Xedge32 IDE Access Point Mode

Figure 1: Loading the advanced code editor when in Access Point Mode

Switching to Station Mode

Station Mode is the recommended mode for Xedge32, as it enables the full range of IoT features available in this tool. To switch from Access Point Mode to Station Mode, follow these steps:

  1. Accessing the Lua Shell:

    • Click the three dots (...) in the upper right corner of the Xedge editor.

    • Select Lua Shell to open the web-based LuaShell32.

  2. Programming Station Mode:

    • In LuaShell32, enter the following command to connect to your Wi-Fi network:

      esp32.netconnect("wifi", {ssid="your-Wi-Fi-SSID", pwd="password"})

      Replace your-Wi-Fi-SSID and password with your actual Wi-Fi credentials.

  3. Switching Modes:

    • The ESP32 will attempt to switch from Access Point Mode to Station Mode.

    • If the connection is successful, the ESP32 remains in Station Mode.

    • If the connection fails, the ESP32 reverts to Access Point Mode.

  4. Reconnecting the ESP32 when in Station Mode:

    • If your computer supports mDNS, reconnect with the ESP32 by navigating to http://xedge32.local/ or simply refresh the browser window.

    • If your computer does not support mDNS, find the ESP32’s new IP address assigned by your router. This is typically found on the router’s DHCP client list page, where the ESP32 should appear as xedge.

    Note: Upon switching from Access Point Mode to Station Mode, and if you are accessing the Xedge IDE via http://xedge32.local/. If your computer and the ESP32 are on the same network, when the ESP32 switches to AP Mode, the IDE will automatically reconnect to the ESP32. Initially, a ‘disconnect’ error will appear in the Xedge IDE console, followed by several ‘reconnect’ errors. After a short duration, a “connected” message will confirm successful reconnection.

Station Mode Considerations

Here are the best practices for navigating to your ESP32 when in Station Mode:

  • http://xedge32.local: You can navigate to http://xedge32.local/ if you are using the Pre-Compiled Firmware or have enabled mDNS when you compiled your own firmware. Note:

    • You can change the mdns name using esp32.execute(command).

    • mDNS can be slower than standard DNS. This is because mDNS typically requires additional time to resolve local network names into IP addresses. In some cases, this might lead to noticeable delays when accessing your device. Given the potential slower response times with mDNS, you may consider using the alternative methods to connect to your ESP32.

  • IP Address Assignment: The ESP32 gets an IP address from the network’s DHCP (Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol). Usually, your router will assign the same IP address each time the ESP32 reconnects to the network. You can bookmark this IP address in your web browser. That way, the next time you power on your ESP32, you can simply click the bookmark to connect to it.

  • Consistent IP Address with DHCP Reservations: If you want to make sure the ESP32 always uses the same IP address, most routers allow you to reserve that IP address specifically for your device using DHCP reservations. This ensures consistent IP address assignment for the ESP32.

  • Using Let’s Encrypt Plugin - SharkTrust: As an alternative, you can also enable a permanent URL for your ESP32 by activating the Let’s Encrypt plugin called SharkTrust through the Xedge’s configuration menu.

By following the above instructions, you can easily browse to your your ESP32 device without using a serial connection to discover the IP address assignment.

Switching Back to Access Point Mode

Important: In Station Mode, after at least one successful Station Mode Mode connection, the ESP32 will not automatically switch back to Access Point Mode, even if it fails to establish a connection. This behavior is intentional and serves as a security measure. To revert to Access Point Mode manually:

  • In LuaShell32, execute the following command:

    esp32.netconnect"wifi"

This command will switch the ESP32 back to Access Point Mode.