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feat(wifi): advertise the setup AP as a captive portal over DHCP #76

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Merged
jamro merged 1 commit into from
Oct 11, 2026
Merged

feat(wifi): advertise the setup AP as a captive portal over DHCP #76

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2 changes: 1 addition & 1 deletion docs/api.md
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Original file line number Diff line number Diff line change
Expand Up @@ -8,7 +8,7 @@ Optional auth: when an `access_token` is configured in settings, all JSON API ro

When WiFi credentials are not saved yet, control APIs (`/anim`, `/test/*`) return **503** `{"ok":false,"error":"wifi not configured"}`. Setup routes (`/`, `/config`, `/auth`, `/health`, `/settings`, `/setup/servo`, `/setup/led`, `/setup/audio`, `/setup/oled`) stay available on the setup AP.

If boot WiFi credentials are missing, the device opens setup AP mode (`TinyEngineer-XXXX`) and serves a five-step setup wizard at `/config` (servo calibration, OLED orientation, RGB LED, speaker test, then Wi-Fi). If saved credentials fail, it reopens setup AP mode. Hardware tests: [`docs/hardware/testing.md`](hardware/testing.md). How to wire this API into AI tools: [`integration.md`](integration.md).
If boot WiFi credentials are missing, the device opens setup AP mode (`TinyEngineer-XXXX`) and serves a five-step setup wizard at `/config` (servo calibration, OLED orientation, RGB LED, speaker test, then Wi-Fi). If saved credentials fail, it reopens setup AP mode. The setup AP acts as a captive portal: DHCP sends the portal URL (option 114) and DNS answers every name with the AP IP, so a phone that joins the network opens the wizard on its own. Hardware tests: [`docs/hardware/testing.md`](hardware/testing.md). How to wire this API into AI tools: [`integration.md`](integration.md).

Firmware answers mDNS A and AAAA (IPv6 link-local) so macOS does not wait 2–3s on a missing AAAA. If a client still pauses on the hostname, force IPv4 (`curl -4`). The IP on the OLED skips DNS entirely.

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28 changes: 15 additions & 13 deletions src/network/wifi_connect.cpp
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Original file line number Diff line number Diff line change
Expand Up @@ -97,7 +97,19 @@ void startMdns(const char* hostname) {
}
}

void startCaptiveDns() {
// Phones open the setup page on their own: DHCP option 114 names the portal
// URL, and the catch-all DNS sends connectivity probes to the web server.
void openSetupAp(wifi_mode_t mode) {
buildApSsid();

WiFi.persistent(false);
WiFi.mode(mode);
WiFi.softAP(apSsid);

if (!WiFi.AP.enableDhcpCaptivePortal()) {
serialLogPrintln("ERROR: DHCP captive portal option failed");
}

if (dnsStarted) {
return;
}
Expand Down Expand Up @@ -174,11 +186,7 @@ bool connectSta(
}

void startProvisioningAp() {
buildApSsid();

WiFi.persistent(false);
WiFi.mode(WIFI_AP);
WiFi.softAP(apSsid);
openSetupAp(WIFI_AP);

const IPAddress apIp = WiFi.softAPIP();
storeIp(apIp);
Expand All @@ -196,8 +204,6 @@ void startProvisioningAp() {
staConnected = false;
ipText[0] = '\0';

startCaptiveDns();

serialLogPrint("AP setup SSID: ");
serialLogPrintln(apSsid);
serialLogPrint("AP IP: ");
Expand Down Expand Up @@ -272,11 +278,7 @@ bool wifiTestCredentials(
serialLogPrintln("WIFI TEST (provisioning)");
serialLogPrintln("==========================");

buildApSsid();
WiFi.persistent(false);
WiFi.mode(WIFI_AP_STA);
WiFi.softAP(apSsid);
startCaptiveDns();
openSetupAp(WIFI_AP_STA);

if (!connectSta(ssid, password, hostname)) {
wifiRestoreProvisioningAp();
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