OTA - Upload code wirelessly to Arduino board that has no easy physical access

Development Boards Arduino
1

Dear Sparkfun -

I’m looking for a Arduino compatible board where I can upload new program code wirelessly (OTA). I would like to make changes to my outdoor Christmas lights program that uses the FASTLED library without getting out a ladder to attach a long USB cable.

I’ve tried the Arduino Nano 33 IOT and several ESP32/ESP8266 boards and invariably I clobber the wireless code in some way and the Arduino IDE looses the wireless connection for uploading. My preference would be a board where the wireless code for the OTA link is not running on the same processor as my code.

Even something as simple as a well documented WiFi or Bluetooth virtual serial link that has DTR support so the Arduino upload starts without physical intervention. I would prefer a solution that uploads directly from the Arduino (Windows) GUI without Python helper programs. If needed , it’s pretty easy for me to figure out the IP address assigned by my wireless router once a board connects. Any suggestions how to get the OTA upload capabilities I’m looking for?

Thank you.

Ken Brown

2

You’re probably after something like an ESP32 https://www.sparkfun.com/products/18074

Check out this post https://learn.sparkfun.com/tutorials/es … 1615791300 that describes OTA updating one, and the hookup guide for the product might also be helpful https://learn.sparkfun.com/tutorials/sp … 1615791300

3

Mr. Russell -

I have read through that ESP32 tutorial before. It seems to me its talking about setting up a web server on the ESP32 so a code update can done from a browser.

Three things.

  1. There is so much code in the sketch to implement the web server, I’m afraid my FASTLED code will get lost! And the critical timing might be impaired.

  2. I’m concerned that when I’m tweaking my code to twinkle my outdoor Christmas lights just so, I’ll eventually do something that will break the code supporting the WiFi connection and I’ll have to get out the ladder and long USB cable.

  3. It would be simpler for me if I could upload directly from the Arduino GUI. I’m not particularly concerned about security. I’m only blinking Christmas lights.

I’d really prefer something where the wireless programming connection does not depend on what I’m doing with my sketch with the FASTLED code.

But thank you for your interest.

Does Sparkfun sell any wireless serial links (WiFi or Bluetooth), with DTR support?