Building the Mini AP v4 - nlimper/Mini-AP-v4 GitHub Wiki

Collect all the parts

  • 3d printed case
  • ESP32-S3
  • ESP32-C6
  • PCB
  • TFT screen

Mount the ESP32-S3

Use a fine solder wire, and a fine tip on your soldering iron. Flux can help too. Align the ESP32-S3 module with the pads, and double check if everything is still aligned after soldering one pad. Then, solder the other pads. Make sure all pins at the three sides are connected, and there are no shorts between pins. If there are shorts, flux and/or solder wick will help. The 9 bottom pads don't need to be soldered. Take extra care for the pins directly adjacent to the antenna: these ground pads need a little more heat before the solder flows.

Mount the ESP32-C6

Same procedure for the ESP32-C6, which only has two sides.

Flashing the firmware of the ESP32-S3

Now, use metal tweezers to short the two pads of S3-IO0, while connecting the PCB with a USB-C cable to your computer (this is only needed the first time you upload the firmware. After the firmware is successfully written once, you can always upload new firmware without using S3-IO0). The ESP32-S3 will be in download mode. Visit http://install.openepaperlink.de, choose 'mini AP v4', connect, and choose the right COM-port. Then, click 'install'. The procedure will take a few minutes. If your browser complains about a non-responding web page, just click 'wait'.

Mounting everything in the case

Remove the protective plastic from the TFT display (using the blue tab), and place it in the top part of the case. Hold the PCB under the hooks at the top (the side nearest to the display), and while ensuring the display is still in the recessed part, press down the bottom side of the PCB, clicking it in place. It's a bit of a tight fit. Ensure you don't crush the display.

Connecting the display

Lift the dark gray locking mechanism of the display connector. Insert the display cable to the end stop, and press down the dark gray locking to make it flush with the white connector part.

Turn the case, connect it via USB. If all went well, you have a working display!

Closing the case

The case is a bit of a tight fit. Press down the corners one by one.

Flashing the ESP32-C6

Connect the AP with a USB cable to your computer. Use one of two methods to enter WiFi credentials:

  • Connect to the 'OpenEpaperLink' WiFi SSID with your phone, and visit http://192.168.4.1/setup to enter your WiFi credentials

or

  • Wait until the AP flashes Red, Yellow, Red. Visit http://install.openepaperlink.de, choose 'Mini AP v4', connect. Choose 'connect to WiFi' menu option, and select your network and enter the credentials.

After connecting, the display on the AP shows the assigned IP address. Visit the ip-address using your browser to go to the main interface for managing the Access Point. It will say 'failed' because the ESP32-C6 is not flashed yet. Click the 'settings' tag (gear icon), 'update', 'update ESP32-C6'. The firmware will be downloaded and flashed to the ESP32-C6.

If the flashing is unsuccessful because it cannot connect to the ESP32-C6, check your soldering of the C6 and S3, as there might be an open connection or a short. You can open the case without damaging it, using the two little slots at the short side of the case.

After that, your access point is ready to use. Congratulations!