Software Setup
Download and install the Arduino software (IDE), found at https://www.arduino.cc/en/Main/Software
In the Arduino IDE open the preferences dialog and enter the following URL as "Additional Boards Manger URL":
http://arduino.esp8266.com/stable/package_esp8266com_index.json
Go to "Tools" > "Board:" > "Boards Manager ...", search for "esp8266" and install "esp8266 by ESP8266 Community",
version 2.6.3 (or newer):
Now go to "Tools" > "Board:" and choose your ESP8266 board.
If you aren't sure which board you have, select "LOLIN(WEMOS) D1 R2 & mini".
Set CPU frequency to 80 MHz and Flash size to "4MB (FS:1MB OTA:~1019KB)", leave upload speed at 115200.
Set the "IwIP Variant" to "v2 Lower Memory".
Plug your board into a free USB port on your PC and select the detected COM port in the Arduino IDE.
Download these 2 libraries from Github (green "Clone or download" button) and extract to Arduino libraries folder.
(On Windows: "Documents\Arduino\libraries" or full path: "C:\Users\rama\Documents\Arduino\libraries")
https://github.com/me-no-dev/ESPAsyncTCP
https://github.com/me-no-dev/ESPAsyncWebServer
Go to "Sketch" > "Include Library" > "Manage Libraries ..." and install the following libraries by searching for them and installing:
- ESP8266-ping by @bluemurder (used to debug WiFi connection issues, have the ESP8266 ping your router)
https://github.com/bluemurder/ESP8266-ping
- download the current master .zip (https://github.com/ramapcsx2/gbs-control/archive/master.zip)
- (alternative): if using a Git client, checkout gbs-control (https://github.com/ramapcsx2/gbs-control.git)
Extract the zip archive and rename the folder to "gbs-control" (removing "-master"). - start the Arduino IDE by opening gbs-control.ino
You should be able to build the software by choosing "Sketch" > "Verify / Compile" (or clicking the tick mark in the tool bar).
With the ESP8266 board connected to your computer, and the correct COM port selected, you can now upload the software.
Do this via "Sketch" > "Upload" (hit "Ctrl + U" or by clicking the right arrow in the tool bar).
(This could take a while for the first compilation.)
Gbscontrol offers several options, all via an interactive web page that is served from the ESP8266 via WiFi.
Here is how you access this control panel in the default AP (Access Point) mode:
- Start up your ESP8266, the LED on the module should come on
- The ESP8266 opens up a new WiFi Network with the name "gbscontrol"
- Connect your PC or Smartphone to the gbscontrol network (default password: 'qqqqqqqq')
- Open http://gbscontrol (or http://gbscontrol:80) (or http://gbscontrol.local) in a browser
The control panel should load.
The next step is to connect the ESP8266 to your home network.
- Click on the System tab and then on "Connect to WiFi Network"
- Enter your home network SSID (you can scan for it) + password
- Click "Connect"
- The ESP8266 restarts and will be reachable via:
- IP (have a look at the debug output in the Arduino software)
- address "http://gbscontrol.local" (requires mDNS support from the operating system, sometimes the router provides support)
- address "http://gbscontrol:80", "http://gbscontrol" or just "gbscontrol"
Note: The ESP8266 remembers this network, so it will always try to connect to this network first.
If it can't connect, it will revert to AP mode.
If you ever want to delete the network information, you can do so by uploading the sketch in the
"Erase Flash:" > "Sketch + WiFi Settings" mode:
That's it!
Head over to the other Wiki pages if you want further information.
This setup guide has been lifted with permission from @toblum and his nice McLighting project ;)
https://github.com/toblum/McLighting/