iRackPilot Firmware

Complete firmware implementation for Raspberry Pi Pico W and Pico 2 W to enable IPMI server management through the iRackPilot iOS app.

Overview

The firmware provides:

• HTTP REST API for iOS app communication
• Full IPMI 2.0 Protocol support for server management
• WiFi Connectivity with automatic fallback to AP mode
• Remote Console/KVM framework
• Script Execution Engine for multiple languages
• Connection Management with retry and error handling

Quick Start

New to iRackPilot? Start here:

1. Flash MicroPython to your Pico device
2. Upload firmware files using Thonny or rshell
3. Configure WiFi in main.py
4. Connect from iOS app

📖 Installation Guides:

• QUICKSTART.md - Get started in 5 minutes
• INSTALLATION.md - Complete step-by-step guide with troubleshooting

Firmware Versions

• Pico W: firmware/pico-w/ - For Raspberry Pi Pico W
• Pico 2 W: firmware/pico-2-w/ - For Raspberry Pi Pico 2 W

Features

✅ Implemented

• HTTP REST API server
• WiFi connectivity (STA and AP modes)
• IPMI 2.0 protocol implementation
• Session establishment and authentication
• Device information retrieval
• Chassis power control
• Command execution
• Script execution (Python, DuckyScript)
• Connection retry logic
• Error handling

🚧 In Progress

• Full KVM console frame capture
• JavaScript engine integration
• Enhanced script sandboxing

📋 Planned

• Web-based configuration interface
• OTA firmware updates
• Advanced IPMI features
• Performance optimizations

IPMI Protocol Support

The firmware implements the full IPMI 2.0 protocol:

• RMCP (Remote Management Control Protocol)
• Session Management with authentication
• Device Commands:
  • Get Device ID
  • Get Chassis Status
  • Chassis Control (Power On/Off/Cycle)
  • Get System GUID
  • Sensor Reading
• Vendor Support: HP, Dell, Generic IPMI servers

Building UF2 Files

For instructions on creating UF2 firmware files, see BUILD_UF2.md.

Quick reference:

# Build firmware package
./build.sh pico-w

# Create UF2 from binary (if using C/C++)
python3 create_uf2.py firmware.bin firmware.uf2

API Reference

See PICO_FIRMWARE_REFERENCE.md for complete API documentation.

File Structure

firmware/
├── pico-w/              # Pico W firmware
│   ├── main.py          # Main entry point
│   ├── boot.py          # Boot script
│   ├── http_server.py   # HTTP server
│   ├── ipmi_client.py   # IPMI client
│   ├── ipmi_protocol.py # IPMI protocol
│   └── script_engine.py # Script execution
├── pico-2-w/            # Pico 2 W firmware (same structure)
├── build.sh             # Build script
├── create_uf2.py        # UF2 file creator
├── BUILD_UF2.md         # UF2 build guide
├── INSTALLATION.md      # Installation guide
└── README.md            # This file

Configuration

Edit main.py in your firmware directory:

# WiFi Configuration
WIFI_SSID = "YourWiFiNetwork"
WIFI_PASSWORD = "YourPassword"

# Server Configuration
HTTP_PORT = 8080  # Default: 8080

Troubleshooting

Connection Issues

• Verify WiFi credentials
• Check network connectivity
• Ensure port 8080 is accessible
• Check serial output for errors

IPMI Connection Fails

• Verify IPMI server credentials
• Check network connectivity between Pico and IPMI server
• Ensure IPMI is enabled on server
• Check firewall settings

Script Execution Errors

• Verify script syntax
• Check language support
• Review execution output

See INSTALLATION.md for more troubleshooting tips.

Development

Requirements

• MicroPython for Pico W/Pico 2 W
• Python 3.x (for build tools)
• Thonny IDE or rshell (for file upload)

Testing

1. Flash MicroPython to Pico
2. Upload firmware files
3. Test HTTP endpoints:

   curl http://<pico_ip>:8080/status

4. Test IPMI connection from iOS app

Contributing

When contributing firmware changes:

1. Test on both Pico W and Pico 2 W
2. Update documentation
3. Follow MicroPython coding standards
4. Add error handling for network operations

License

See main repository license.

Resources

• MicroPython Documentation
• Raspberry Pi Pico SDK
• IPMI 2.0 Specification
• UF2 Format Specification

Support

For support and questions:

• See Support Page
• Check Firmware Page
• Visit GitHub Repository