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- This topic has 23 replies, 6 voices, and was last updated 7 years, 9 months ago by Bill B.
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November 7, 2015 at 20:18 #388tommyb10Participant
Hi!
I just purchased this wifi bridge i saw you recommend on the mavpilot page (https://www.sparkfun.com/products/13678)
Just wondering how to connect this one up compared to your current instructions using an xbee on the support page.
Looking forward to be able to use my ipad as a mission planner 😀
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November 7, 2015 at 21:37 #389Bill BKeymaster
I have one on order so I can do a write up on connecting it up to a 3DR Radio to make a long range bridge. Hopefully it comes soon.
If you need help in figuring it out or have questions I can help, just post here and I will do my best.
- This reply was modified 9 years, 1 month ago by Bill B.
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November 7, 2015 at 23:49 #391tommyb10Participant
Ah cheers! Actually after some research, I have managed to use my raspberry pi as an access point and hook it up that way 😀
On another note, do you have any plans on an iPad version of the app? Would make it much better if you could 😛 Cheers!
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November 8, 2015 at 22:01 #395Bill BKeymaster
I do have plans to make iPad version of the views. I focused on iPhone first since the Audio announcements are the killer feature when flying in the field.
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December 1, 2015 at 02:33 #422SteveParticipant
Hi, any news on the setup of the WiFi Module – ESP8266..?
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December 1, 2015 at 21:15 #423Bill BKeymaster
I just had a couple of the ESP8266 modules arrive. I have had this ESP-07 module (from DealExtreme
I have been playing around with different configurations. At the moment it’s been TCP only, and I’d like it to be UDP
I also had a Pixhawk WiFi Model from HobbyKing working. I wouldn’t recommend it as I cannot reconfigure the SSID or password. So if you have two nearby, it’s going to cause a access point switch and loss of connection.I’ll try and get a basic summary of what I did to get the ESP-07 working and modes. The configuration will be the same as the ESP-01 (but it requires different wiring setup)
- This reply was modified 9 years ago by Bill B.
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December 28, 2015 at 13:16 #439SteveParticipant
Cheers, a summary would be great.. Bought your App because I don’t have the time right now to figure everything out by myself as I did before- my baby girl keeps me too busy.. 🙂
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January 31, 2016 at 12:11 #471gmoyleParticipant
I was curios if you had a write up yet. Or even a preferred firmware to install on the esp8266. I have a couple adafruit huzzah esp8266 lying around. I thought they would be perfect for this. I bought your app but have been unable to make them work. I tried the esp-link firmware but was not successful in getting a connection. Perhaps a debug log/window or failed connection errors would be helpful in getting users setup.
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January 31, 2016 at 12:50 #472Bill BKeymaster
Try this one… https://pixhawk.org/peripherals/8266 I’ll get back with a more detail reply later today
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February 1, 2016 at 11:54 #473Bill BKeymaster
To make the ESP01 or other in that family work, you will need to reflash the FW (you cannot configure the standard FW to work as it doesn’t support a ‘pass through’ mode on the serial*
Download this image https://www.communistech.com/blog/files/esp8266/firmware-1.0.0.bin You will need to set Telem2 serial port on the Pixhawk to 921600 i.e. SERIAL2_BAUD = 921
Updated: there is a newer version https://www.communistech.com/blog/files/esp8266/firmware-1.0.11.bin available now.
You can do this by connecting using Mission Planner or APM Planner 2.0
MAV Pilot Settings are 192.168.4.1:14550 UDP
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February 5, 2016 at 06:23 #483AnonymousInactive
hi, basti here, new to the forum.
to setup an esp8266 for connection apm <-> MAVPilot, you need:
the esp module
a bidir 5-to-3.3V level converter (sparkfun)
a transparent serial-to-wifi-bridge firmware (https://github.com/beckdac/ESP8266-transparent-bridge)flash the module via 3.3 V ftdi (GPIO0 pin low for flash mode), adjust settings (ssid, baud etc.) via AT commands.
then solder level converter + stepdown and cable. plug into telemetry port, connect via wlan, fire up MAVPilot using TCP/IP on 192.168.4.1 port 23 and there you go.
cheers, basti.
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February 5, 2016 at 06:43 #484Bill BKeymaster
Welcome basti. I would recommended not using that FW image you posted. Use the one linked in this post https://www.communistech.com/blog/forums/topic/new-wifi-bridge/#post-473
The problem with that image is that it uses TCP. If you use the image I linked to it uses UDP. This is much better for two reasons.
1) If you use TCP, iOS decides that the link is a ‘broadband WiFi Link’ and will route all data requests to that access point, this means map tiles will not download. UDP doesn’t have this issue.
2) In a lossy environment the link may become saturated with TCP retry packets. UDP doesn’t have this issue.I’ll post the info to the firmware as a Support page in the coming days.
I assume you means this Level convertor https://www.sparkfun.com/products/12009
Can you post a diagram?
Thx for posting. 🙂
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February 5, 2016 at 07:20 #485Bill BKeymaster
I should also add that if you have a ESP8266-01 you can use this adapter http://www.dx.com/p/esp8266-serial-wi-fi-wireless-esp-01-adapter-module-3-3v-5v-compatible-for-arduino-403053
or you can use this module. http://www.dx.com/p/esp-07-esp8266-serial-wi-f-wireless-module-w-built-in-antenna-compatible-with-3-3v-5v-for-arduino-400559
These modules have the 5V/3.3 regulator/level converter built in.
You need need a FTDI cable/adapter like https://www.sparkfun.com/products/12977 to program. I’ll post a diagram on how to wire later to the DealXtreme source adapter.
BLACK <-> GND
RED <-> Vcc (5V)
LIGHT GREEN <-> TX
YELLOW <-> RX
GREEN <-> Not Connected
BROWN <-> Not Connected
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February 5, 2016 at 09:04 #486AnonymousInactive
thanks bill,
as i’m just getting started with the adapters as well as your super cool app, i sure didn’t go the easiest way. tcp does work, but with the exact drawbacks you explained. i was going to set the esp up as an udp-bridge in the next step, so thanks a lot for the fw you linked.
the sparkfun-item you linked is the exact level converter i used. i combined it with a 5-to-3.3V stepdown reg giving reference for the hv and lv sides, rx/tx are simply connected to the signal pads on each side. it does work alright as well, but the 5V-ready modules sure are much more convenient.
so thanks a lot and keep going! if you need betatesters i’d sure be pleased!
cheers, basti.
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February 5, 2016 at 09:46 #487
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February 5, 2016 at 10:41 #489AnonymousInactive
thanks bill!
i’ll set up udp tonight and give it a go.
basti.
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February 6, 2016 at 11:46 #499AnonymousInactive
so i did some tinkering.
the readymade “pixracer” udp fw .bin would not let me connect to the http-console to adjust uart baudrate, so i chose to use the repository to build one to my needs (apm, 57600 on uart) with atom/platformIO. wasn’t a peace of cake for me as a non-coder, but it finally worked.
still dealing with uart-link-stability-issues due to the level-converter-setup, making it hard to successfully request the parameter list, but that just needs some soldering.do you get access to the http-command-console with that .bin you linked?
cheers, basti.
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February 7, 2016 at 15:09 #502AnonymousInactive
finally got it working well now! i swapped the sparkfun level-converter for a simple 1k/1k8 divider on rx. the 3.3V from tx work fine on apm’s rx without any conversion.
building firmwares with http-console enabled works fine as well. with a stable udp connection the in-app map updates work just as they should.thanks for your help, basti.
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February 28, 2017 at 07:49 #636iamwallyParticipant
Hi guys! Kinda new around here. Trying to learn more about esp8266 so I can build working long range telemetry bridge. I want to use esp8266 as an iOS to 3dr radio interface for long range 915mhz telemetry to apm. I have been trying to use mavesp firmware but haven’t had too much success. I think I might be doing something wrong with programming. I had no trouble at all building a bluetooth to 3dr radio interface for android but getting iOS to work is giving me grief! Any help or advice would be greatly appreciated. I have ESP-01’s and I am expecting a few esp-07’s shortly.
Thanks,
John
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March 1, 2017 at 11:08 #638iamwallyParticipant
Ok a bit of an update. I got it working! Hooray! I used the instructions I found here:
https://spikey.si/ardupilotmega-telemetry2wifi-bridge/
It works but it is tcp and I think udp is preferred or better. So now I am trying to figure out how to make it udp. Any ideas?
Thanks,
John
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March 1, 2017 at 14:23 #639Bill BKeymaster
UDP is better, but when creating a bridge TCP works ok, since packet loss is minimal. The the real problem with TCP is with high packet loss can destroy the TCP link due to the number of retries with resultant connection loss, then required reconnection. UDP just drops the missed packets making it more reliable (no connection loss, the app will retry commands at the app level, not at the network level)
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