Setting Wifly up in a consumer fashion?

Wireless & IoT
1

I’m thinking about building a product/kit with a wifly module in it. I want the wifi setup for the end user to be as simple as possible. Unfortunately it appears setting wifi up on embedded devices is not terribly easy for and end user.

Can anyone let me know how possible this method might be?

  1. User receives product and plugs it in.

  2. Wifly boots and creates ad-hoc network

  3. User connects to wifly with computer by joining wifi ad-hoc network

  4. User enters a static IP # in their browser and is presented with a webpage that allow them to enter their home/office wifi network name and password into the wifly.

  5. Reboot wifly and have it join home/office network whose information was supplied in previous step.

Thoughts? Would it be possible to write the configuration file on the fly, or is it not possible? Is there an easier way to manage this?

Thanks!

John

2

I would never have the consumer have to got through that type of process. You don’t mention what the concept is to know what other methods of programming options there are. With a processor attached to the wifly, a webpage could live on the processor that is accessed by entering an IP on the LAN, and some simple buttons and text input fields could allow the user to make changes on a semi stylish web page. Other options include creating an application that could be given to the user or downloaded from your website. The application could have the buttons and text input fields setup and easy for the end user to enter information as needed. Having a page live on the processor is the simplest method, and the user doesn’t have to download anything. However, if you have an application they download, then you have the ability to update the application and repost it online. With an application, you could also very easily upload new firmware to your device’s processor. You really need to consider the end user experience, what is the simplest for them, yet what is the most flexible, expandable, scalable. I have included a photo of an app I created just for programming the wifly, it allows me to see the wifly as a complete set of parameters at a glance. Now, you would not want to give an end user something so technical, but at least you get the idea that you can create a nice looking app with the features and input that suits the needs of the product.