VESC WiFi Bridge

ESP32 TCP-to-UART bridge for VESC controllers with mDNS support.

Features

• WiFi Client and Access Point modes
• mDNS discovery (accessible as vesc-bridge.local)
• Optimized for real-time data
• HardwareSerial 2 on standard pins (RX: 16, TX: 17)

Installation

1. Download Arduino IDE
2. Install ESP32 board support: Instructions
3. Copy CircularBuffer folder to Arduino libraries: Documents/Arduino/libraries/
4. Configure in vesc_wifi.ino:
   • Line 12: mDNS hostname (default: "vesc-bridge")
   • Line 15-16: WiFi SSID and password
   • Line 17: TCP port (default: 65102)
   • Line 21: Set preferAPMode to true for AP mode (it creates it's own "wifi hotspot"), false for client mode (connect to existing network).
5. Upload to ESP32 (hold EN/RESET button if upload fails)

Hardware Connections

• VESC RX → ESP32 GPIO 17 (TX)
• VESC TX → ESP32 GPIO 16 (RX)
• VESC 5V → ESP32 VIN
• Optional: 10µF capacitor between V+ and GND for voltage stability

Usage

Client Mode (default): Connects to your WiFi network. Falls back to AP mode if connection fails.

Access Point Mode: Creates WiFi network with configured SSID.

Connection:

• Via mDNS: vesc-bridge.local:65102
• Via IP: Check Serial monitor for assigned IP address

Python Discovery Script

Use detect_vesc_bridge.py to discover the device:

python detect_vesc_bridge.py

Warning: Do not use for firmware updates. Use only for monitoring and configuration.