meshtastic/docs/getting-started/flashing-esp32.md

id	title	sidebar_label
flashing-esp32	Flashing ESP32 devices firmware	ESP32 devices

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Prerequisites

Check Data Cable

Plug your device into your computer using a USB cable and then do the following: :::important You may need to install a driver from Silicon Labs for the CP210X USB to UART bridge

Some newer boards may require the drivers for the CH9102 or Direct Download for Windows 7. :::

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Connect your Meshtastic device to your USB port, open a Terminal and enter the following command:

lsusb

You should see something like: ID 10c4:ea60 Silicon Labs CP210x UART Bridge for CP210X or ID 1a86:55d4 QinHeng Electronics USB Single Serial for CH9102

Navigate to Apple Menu  > About This Mac > System Report... > Hardware > USB. You should see something like CP210X USB to UART Bridge Controller. If not download the appropriate drivers

Navigate to Device Manager > Ports (COM & LPT). You should see something like Silicon Labs CP210X USB to UART Bridge (COM5). If not download the appropriate drivers

Download Latest Firmware

Firmware can be downloaded from the Firmware page. Your initial installation has to happen over USB from your Mac, Windows, or Linux PC. Once our software is installed, all future software updates happen over Bluetooth from your phone.

:::note The T-Beam 0.7 board is an earlier version of the T-Beam board, and due to changes in the design in subsequent iterations this board uses a specific firmware file different from the other T-Beam boards.

firmware-tbeam0.7-1.x.x.bin is the correct firmware. firmware-tbeam-1.x.x.bin is incompatible. For all other T-Beam boards firmware-tbeam-1.x.x.bin is the correct selection. :::

Command Line Interface Instructions

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Install Prerequisite Software

Check if you have python3 and pip installed with the following command

python3 --version
pip3 --version

If python3 is not installed, install with

sudo apt-get update
sudo apt-get install python3

If pip is not installed, install with

sudo apt-get install python3-pip

Install esptool

pip3 install --upgrade esptool

Install Prerequisite Software

OS X comes with Python 2.7 installed, but not pip. The following uses Homebrew to install python3 which includes pip3. On MacOS you will use pip3 instead > of pip.

:::note Check if you have Homebrew installed with the following command

brew -v

If it's not installed, follow the instructions on the Homebrew website before continuing. :::

Check if you have python3 and pip installed with the following command

python3 --version
pip3 --version

If python3 is not installed, install with Install Python3

brew install python3

Confirm pip3 was installed alongside python3

pip3 -v

Install esptool

pip3 install --upgrade esptool

• Download and install Python. When installing, make sure to click Add Python X.Y to PATH.
• Download and install Gitbash (or other appropriate shell) and run all subsequent commands from that shell.

:::note Confirm installation of python & pip with the following commands.

py --version

pip --version

:::

Install esptool

pip install --upgrade esptool

Confirm Communication With Chip

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:::important On Windows, you must explicitly declare esptools as a .py script. Use esptools.py chip_id. :::

Connect the radio to your computer using a data USB cable. Confirm your device is talking to your computer using the following command:

esptool chip_id

# You should see a result similar to this:
mydir$ esptool chip_id
esptool.py v2.6
Found 2 serial ports
Serial port /dev/ttyUSB0
Connecting....
Detecting chip type... ESP32
Chip is ESP32D0WDQ6 (revision 1)
Features: WiFi, BT, Dual Core, 240MHz, VRef calibration in efuse, Coding Scheme None
MAC: 24:6f:28:b5:36:71
Uploading stub...
Running stub...
Stub running...
Warning: ESP32 has no Chip ID. Reading MAC instead.
MAC: 24:6f:28:b5:36:71
Hard resetting via RTS pin...

Navigate to Firmware

cd into the directory where you unzipped the latest release. For example:

cd ~/Downloads/firmware/

Install/Update Firmware

Install or Update the device that you have by using the following commands according to your operating system:

:::caution Be very careful to install the correct load for your board. In particular the popular 'T-BEAM' radio from TTGO is not called 'TTGO-Lora' (that is a different board). So don't install the 'TTGO-Lora' build on a TBEAM, it won't work correctly. :::

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Install

./device-install.sh -f firmware-BOARD-VERSION.bin

Update

./device-update.sh -f firmware-BOARD-VERSION.bin

Install

./device-install.sh -f firmware-BOARD-VERSION.bin

Update

./device-update.sh -f firmware-BOARD-VERSION.bin

Install

./device-install.bat -f firmware-BOARD-VERSION.bin

Update

./device-update.bat -f firmware-BOARD-VERSION.bin

Select Firmware

Browse to the previously downloaded firmware and select the correct firmware based on the board type and frequency.

:::caution Be very careful to install the correct load for your board. In particular the popular 'T-BEAM' radio from TTGO is not called 'TTGO-Lora' (that is a different board). So don't install the 'TTGO-Lora' build on a TBEAM, it won't work correctly. If you flash the incorrect firmware: It may appear to flash correctly, but if your device has a screen it might stay blank. On-board radio peripherals might be damaged because of GPIO pin direction, but you should just try to flash with the correct version. :::

Flash Firmware

Select Flash ESP. It may take a minute or two. Once complete, "Done! Flashing is complete!" will be shown.

Over the Air Update Instructions

OTA updates are only currently available on Android.