2.4 GHzWi-Fi & ESP32
Devices on the network you already have.
Wi-Fi is the shortest path from a device to a browser and to your systems. With ESP32 we build devices with a local web interface, MQTT and over-the-air updates - RiNGY is one, running on school networks.
In short
Wi-Fi, ESP32 and working offline
Wi-Fi gives speed and a direct link to the local network and the internet, with no gateway in between. The price is power: a device that is always online is usually mains-powered.
ESP32 is the Espressif family of microcontrollers with built-in 2.4 GHz Wi-Fi, most of them with Bluetooth LE as well. With ESP-IDF and FreeRTOS they run a web server, HTTPS, MQTT and over-the-air updates in two slots.
What matters is what happens when the network is gone. RiNGY keeps the timetable and the exact time on board and goes on ringing without the internet for up to 14 days. That is how we design every Wi-Fi device: work locally first; the network is a bonus.
When
When Wi-Fi is the right choice
Choose Wi-Fi when
- There is a socket near the device
- You need a web interface from any browser on the network
- There is a lot of data, or it never stops
- There is a Wi-Fi network and you want no gateway
It's not for you if
- The device is on a battery and must last for years
- There is no network on site - see LoRaWAN
- The network is 5 GHz only or has a captive portal - check first
| Technology | Rate | Power | Infrastructure |
|---|---|---|---|
| Wi-Fi, 802.11 b/g/n | up to 150 Mbit/s | Usually mains | The existing network |
| Ethernet | 100 Mbit/s and up | Mains or PoE | A cable to every device |
| Bluetooth LE | 1-2 Mbit/s | Battery for years | A phone or a gateway |
| Thread | 250 kbit/s | Battery for years | A border router |
What we build
Devices with Wi-Fi
Examples of devices we design - and one that already works.
01
Devices with a web interface
Open the address in a browser and configure everything - no app, no cloud. That is how RiNGY works.
02
On-site displays
Screens on the shop floor, at reception or in the street, showing live data.
03
Gateways
They collect data from Bluetooth LE sensors or from machines and pass it on over Wi-Fi.
04
Connected equipment
Remote control of relays, pumps and lighting, with local logic when the network drops.
Parts
Chips and modules
A certified module such as ESP32-WROOM brings radio certification ready-made; a chip-down design pays off at larger quantities.
- ESP32-S3
- Dual-core with PSRAM - for displays and web UIs (RiNGY)
- ESP32-C3 / ESP32-C6
- Smaller and cheaper; C6 adds Wi-Fi 6 and 802.15.4
- ESP32-WROOM modules
- With radio certification ready-made
Questions about Wi-Fi and ESP32
Does it work with 5 GHz networks?
Most ESP32 parts are 2.4 GHz only. If the network is 5 GHz only, we plan another chip or an extra access point - RiNGY, for example, needs 2.4 GHz.
What happens if the network goes down?
The device carries on with its local logic and data, and when the network returns it reconnects and sends what it has stored.
How is the firmware updated?
Over the air, in two slots: the new version is written next to the old one, and if it fails to start, the device returns to the working one.
Is a device on the network secure?
We design it with HTTPS, separate accounts and no remote access from our side - as RiNGY is. Security starts with what is not open at all.