ESP8266 WiFi module not connecting to Blynk

Solved
,
1

Hello, I am having trouble connecting my ESP8266 to the Blynk App on my phone WITHOUT the need of an internet connection. The scope of my personal use project is to wirelessly control a drone I custom-built, and to be able to connect to the ESP8266’s own Wi-Fi network and run Blynk directly from my drone on there instead of through my home Wi-Fi network. Here is my setup and my code, I’m trying to format this post in the best way possible. Sorry for any inconveniences in advance. I’m very new to this, and appreciate all the help I can get!

-Hardware: My hardware is an ESP8266-01S. It is connected on my breadboard with an adapter. (I purchased the breadboard adapter for more comfort). It is connected to my Arduino Nano, which I am using to program it.

-Smartphone OS: Android.

-Server: I don’t know which one to use…

-Blynk Library version: The latest one made by the community downloaded within Arduino IDE itself.

-Here is my code: (I am not showing my ssid and password here for privacy and security reasons, but I did include my auth token!)


#define BLYNK_PRINT Serial
#include <Blynk.h>
#include <ESP8266WiFi.h>
#include <BlynkSimpleEsp8266_SSL.h>
char auth[] = "jBwhYKNsPYGhVDp6lFL_1Y9q4VKSJZUi";
char ssid[] = "YourNetworkName";
char pass[] = "YourPassword";
void setup()
{
  Blynk.begin(auth, ssid, pass);
  Serial.begin(9600);
  WiFi.mode(WIFI_AP);
  WiFi.softAP(ssid, pass);
  WiFi.begin(ssid, pass);
}

void loop()
{
  Blynk.run();
}
2

You’ll need to create a standalone local server and either connect it to a router, or have the server acting as a WiFi hotspot.

I’d also doubt if the ESP-01 has sufficient GPIO pins available to make it the best choice of MCU.

Pete.

3

Can you please help me figure out how to upload a standalone local server, like you mentioned, onto the ESP-01 so that it can act like a Wi-Fi hotspot without the need of any router or internet connection? Also, the ESP-01 has 16 GPIO pins.

4

You can’t run Blynk server on an ESP-01.
You need something like a Raspberry Pi or Windows laptop.
Here’s the link to download the server software:

In my vocabulary, an ESP-01 looks like this…

image
image768×623 42.1 KB

and only has 4 GPIOs broken-out, although more are available if you want to do some micro soldering.

Pete.

5

Ok, this is very good advice. However, I know you said that it cannot be run on the ESP8266 and I’m not saying you’re wrong, but I have watched videos of people flying drones out in parks using the ESP8266 from the Blynk App. In those videos, either a tutorial wasn’t included, or they were incomplete and only showed the end result and skipped over any code examples. I have searched far and wide and know this can be done because I’m sure there is a way, but everything I’ve come across so far either was incomplete or conflicted with another source. Also, all 16 GPIO pins can be activated and used through software, I looked up a spec sheet.

6

They probably used Bluetooth rather than WiFi.

I’m fully aware of that, but addressing the GPIOs via software isn’t much use if you can’t physically connect to the pins because they aren’t broken-out to connections on the board. Yes, you can solder wires onto the ESP8266 itself, but have you actually tried that?
I have quite a bit of experience of soldering components of this size, and it’s not easy.
However, you seem to know more about this than an me, so I’ll leave you to it.

Good luck!

Pete.

7

Thanks for trying, Pete, I really appreciate it. But, they were using Wi-Fi in those videos because they showed their Blynk app working over WiFi and they were connected to the Drone’s own network. However, I don’t think I should close this topic just yet in case someone else has another idea they would like to share. I am fully open to any input anybody many have in order to get this to work. I am willing to work with anyone on this together, just let me know if someone finds a way. Thanks!

-On a side note-

I have a Parrot AR Drone 2.0 Power Edition, and it is controlled via Wi-Fi. It may or may not be possible with an ESP8266, but I’m sure it can be done with Blynk without the use of a router or the internet.

8

I have no intention of closing the topic, I was simply saying that I’ve provided advice that seems to be falling on deaf ears, so I’ll step away from this one and we’ll see if anyone else has any advice to offer that you’re prepared to take on board.

If you have examples that you’re trying ti mimic then maybe posting links to these videos would be a good way to help other community members understand what it is that you’ve seen and are trying to emulate.

Pete.

1 Like
9

I have figured out what I am trying to do, but I have decided to just use my home Wi-Fi network for now and I was able to connect my module to Blynk. I think we can end this topic here.