Is possible to connect many ESP8266 (station mode) to one ESP (AP mode)?

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beyonlo
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Is possible to connect many ESP8266 (station mode) to one ESP (AP mode)?

Post by beyonlo » Sun Mar 06, 2016 12:02 pm

Hi all.

Is possible to connect *simultaneously* many ESP8266 (station mode) to one ESP8266 (ap mode)?

I mean, about 30-50 to ONE. If not, how many is possible?

Thank you.

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deshipu
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Re: Is possible to connect many ESP8266 (station mode) to one ESP (AP mode)?

Post by deshipu » Sun Mar 06, 2016 4:33 pm

You can connect multiple ones, but surely not 50 of them. With nodemcu the limit was about 4-5, but I'm not sure if that's something in hardware or software.

Then again, why would you keep them all connected at the same time? If they are sensors, it's better to make them sleep most of the time, and only connect to send data.

beyonlo
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Re: Is possible to connect many ESP8266 (station mode) to one ESP (AP mode)?

Post by beyonlo » Sun Mar 06, 2016 5:27 pm

Hello.
deshipu wrote:You can connect multiple ones, but surely not 50 of them. With nodemcu the limit was about 4-5, but I'm not sure if that's something in hardware or software.
1. Did you tested 5 simultaneously?
2. What happen for the next (six) when try to connected?
3. Anyone know why that limitation and if is possible to change?
Then again, why would you keep them all connected at the same time? If they are sensors, it's better to make them sleep most of the time, and only connect to send data.
Are there many applications or scenarios for that. Yes, you are right about sensors. And now that you told about it, what happend if I have 30 ESP8266 sensors, and around 10 wake up and try to connect simultaneously to ESP82266 AP? I think that last 5 to connecte will to try and down. So in my app I need to try again (loop) until send the data, right?

Thank you.

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deshipu
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Re: Is possible to connect many ESP8266 (station mode) to one ESP (AP mode)?

Post by deshipu » Sun Mar 06, 2016 6:47 pm

beyonlo wrote:And now that you told about it, what happend if I have 30 ESP8266 sensors, and around 10 wake up and try to connect simultaneously to ESP82266 AP? I think that last 5 to connecte will to try and down. So in my app I need to try again (loop) until send the data, right?
Well, usually you make them retry after waiting a random delay (so that they don't retry all at the same time), and make the delay two times longer each time they fail to connect.

beyonlo
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Re: Is possible to connect many ESP8266 (station mode) to one ESP (AP mode)?

Post by beyonlo » Sun Mar 06, 2016 7:55 pm

Hello deshipu.

All right.

Could you tell me about the question number 1?

Well, about the question number 3 we need to wait somebody that has the answer.

Thanks.

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deshipu
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Re: Is possible to connect many ESP8266 (station mode) to one ESP (AP mode)?

Post by deshipu » Mon Mar 07, 2016 8:09 am

No, I have personally not tested it, I know about the limitations from lurking on the #esp8266 channel on freenode.

pfalcon
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Re: Is possible to connect many ESP8266 (station mode) to one ESP (AP mode)?

Post by pfalcon » Tue Mar 08, 2016 7:14 am

Per the official Espressif documentation, ESP8266 in AP mode supports up to 4 clients, regardless whether they are other ESP8266 or other WiFi clients.
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beyonlo
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Re: Is possible to connect many ESP8266 (station mode) to one ESP (AP mode)?

Post by beyonlo » Tue Mar 08, 2016 12:00 pm

pfalcon wrote:Per the official Espressif documentation, ESP8266 in AP mode supports up to 4 clients, regardless whether they are other ESP8266 or other WiFi clients.
Please, could you point me what documentation are you talking about?

I checked this datasheet and found nothing about 4 clients limit. https://www.adafruit.com/images/product ... N_v4.3.pdf

Thank you.

mad474
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Re: Is possible to connect many ESP8266 (station mode) to one ESP (AP mode)?

Post by mad474 » Tue Mar 08, 2016 12:31 pm

beyonlo wrote:could you point me what documentation are you talking about?
http://lmgtfy.com/?q=esp8266+maximum+clients
top of the list IIRC

beyonlo
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Re: Is possible to connect many ESP8266 (station mode) to one ESP (AP mode)?

Post by beyonlo » Tue Mar 08, 2016 1:06 pm

mad474 wrote:
beyonlo wrote:could you point me what documentation are you talking about?
http://lmgtfy.com/?q=esp8266+maximum+clients
top of the list IIRC
That *url (top of list) is not an official Espressif documentation. That is just a forum topic - inside of espressif website.
*url -> http://bbs.espressif.com/viewtopic.php?t=1155

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