4 ms·

How do you connect them? I would actually love to have a few PoE powered and connected ESP's since you have to power these things anyway.

by sgt 4y ago

milsorgen 4y ago
Why via a wifi mesh of course: https://www.espressif.com/en/products/sdks/esp-wifi-mesh/overview https://www.espressif.com/en/products/sdks/esp-wifi-mesh/ove...
- sgt 4y ago
  That's really cool. I'd start with star topology first though, with just 4-5 devices. In my use case it's just gardening stuff.
sen 4y ago
Depending on the project, but either find a nearby USB port (I have home temperature sensors powered off the back of my TV, and other projects off USB ports around the house) or use battery power. Batteries can last months on ESP32s if you set them up right. They have great deep-sleep modes and can use practically nothing unless they're actively needed.
5e92cb50239222b 4y ago
I use old phone chargers accumulated over the years. It's been 3 or 4 years since I started doing that and they don't seem to mind at all.
dragontamer 4y ago
Why use ESP32 if you're powering with PoE? Might as well use an "Ethernet-on-board" like Teensy 4.1, and then use a PoE splitter (ex: https://www.adafruit.com/product/3239 https://www.adafruit.com/product/3239) to power it. Why pay for WiFi power (which is rather expensive) when you literally are sending Ethernet communication wires to your uC ? https://www.pjrc.com/store/teensy41.html https://www.pjrc.com/store/teensy41.html
- blutack 4y ago
  I use these https://www.olimex.com/Products/IoT/ESP32/ESP32-POE/open-source-hardware https://www.olimex.com/Products/IoT/ESP32/ESP32-POE/open-sou... - they support proper PoE as opposed to the dodgy passive stuff you usually end up with with splitters. Personally I'd take an ESP32 over a teensy 4.1 unless you specifically need the extra GPIOs or something. The teensy's are great hardware, but you're stuck with either Arduino or hand rolling. You don't pay for WiFi power if the RF amp is off, and ESP-IDF for me is far better to work with than the Arduino software ecosystem especially once the complexity starts going up. Also, if you just want to make widgets and not learn embedded development esp-home is brilliant.
  - zackees 4y ago
    [dead]

How do you connect them? I would actually love to have a few PoE powered and connected ESP's since you have to power these things anyway.

by sgt 4y ago

How do you connect them? I would actually love to have a few PoE powered and connected ESP's since you have to power these things anyway.

milsorgen 4y ago

Why via a wifi mesh of course: https://www.espressif.com/en/products/sdks/esp-wifi-mesh/overview https://www.espressif.com/en/products/sdks/esp-wifi-mesh/ove...

sgt 4y ago
That's really cool. I'd start with star topology first though, with just 4-5 devices. In my use case it's just gardening stuff.

sen 4y ago

Depending on the project, but either find a nearby USB port (I have home temperature sensors powered off the back of my TV, and other projects off USB ports around the house) or use battery power. Batteries can last months on ESP32s if you set them up right. They have great deep-sleep modes and can use practically nothing unless they're actively needed.

5e92cb50239222b 4y ago

I use old phone chargers accumulated over the years. It's been 3 or 4 years since I started doing that and they don't seem to mind at all.

dragontamer 4y ago

Why use ESP32 if you're powering with PoE? Might as well use an "Ethernet-on-board" like Teensy 4.1, and then use a PoE splitter (ex: https://www.adafruit.com/product/3239 https://www.adafruit.com/product/3239) to power it. Why pay for WiFi power (which is rather expensive) when you literally are sending Ethernet communication wires to your uC ? https://www.pjrc.com/store/teensy41.html https://www.pjrc.com/store/teensy41.html

blutack 4y ago
I use these https://www.olimex.com/Products/IoT/ESP32/ESP32-POE/open-source-hardware https://www.olimex.com/Products/IoT/ESP32/ESP32-POE/open-sou... - they support proper PoE as opposed to the dodgy passive stuff you usually end up with with splitters. Personally I'd take an ESP32 over a teensy 4.1 unless you specifically need the extra GPIOs or something. The teensy's are great hardware, but you're stuck with either Arduino or hand rolling. You don't pay for WiFi power if the RF amp is off, and ESP-IDF for me is far better to work with than the Arduino software ecosystem especially once the complexity starts going up. Also, if you just want to make widgets and not learn embedded development esp-home is brilliant.
- zackees 4y ago
  [dead]