Initial Setup & WiFi

Initial Setup & Wi-Fi Configuration

When ESP-MeteoPlaneRadar boots up for the very first time (or whenever it cannot connect to a previously configured Wi-Fi network), it automatically enters SoftAP Provisioning Mode with an integrated Captive Portal and on-screen QR code.

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📱 Quick Setup (Smartphone QR Code)

1. Power On: Connect the device via USB-C. The display will show the setup screen with a large QR code.
2. Scan the QR Code: Open the Camera app on your smartphone and scan the QR code displayed on the screen.
3. Join Wi-Fi: Your phone will prompt you to connect to the open Wi-Fi network named:
   • SSID: MeteoPlaneRadar
   • Password: (None / Open)
4. Captive Portal: Most mobile operating systems (iOS and Android) will automatically open the configuration portal. If it does not open automatically, open your browser and navigate to:
   • http://192.168.4.1

Note

Language on First Boot: The initial setup screen and Captive Portal default to English (Scan with your phone:, Waiting for your network...). Once you save your settings and select your preferred language (Slovak, English, or Czech), any subsequent setup screens will automatically display in your chosen language.

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💻 Manual Setup via Browser

If connecting from a laptop or desktop:

1. Search for available Wi-Fi networks and connect to MeteoPlaneRadar.
2. Open any web browser and go to:

   http://192.168.4.1
   

3. You will see the Wi-Fi Setup & Configuration portal.

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⚙️ Connecting to your Home Network

1. In the captive portal, click or tap Scan Networks (or select your home Wi-Fi SSID from the dropdown list).
2. Enter your Wi-Fi password.
3. (Optional) You can also configure your home coordinates (Latitude and Longitude) right away, or leave them as default and adjust them later.
4. Tap Save & Connect.
5. The device will save credentials into persistent non-volatile storage (NVS), exit AP mode, and connect to your home Wi-Fi router.

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🌐 Accessing the Device on your Local Network

Once connected, the device's display will briefly show the assigned IP address and transition directly into the Radar view.

You can now reach the web dashboard from any device on your local network using:

Option A: Local mDNS Hostname

Navigate to:

http://meteoplaneradar.local

(Supported natively on Windows 10/11, macOS, iOS, iPadOS, and modern Linux/Android distributions).

Option B: Local IP Address

If mDNS is not supported by your router or client, check the IP address displayed on the device's Diagnostics / Settings screen (or through your router's DHCP client list), for example:

http://192.168.1.145

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🔄 Wi-Fi Auto-Reconnection & Fail-Safe

• Loss of Connection: If your router restarts or Wi-Fi temporarily drops, the device does not crash or reboot. It attempts background reconnections every 15 seconds while continuing to run internal display loops.
• Persistent Network Loss: If connection cannot be established after extended retries, the device safely reverts back to SoftAP mode so you can reconfigure it.
• Factory Resetting Wi-Fi: You can reset Wi-Fi credentials anytime by opening the Web Dashboard (Settings -> Reset Wi-Fi) or through the on-screen Settings menu.