EX-CommandStation

Makerfabs ESP8266 - Update AT Version with an Arduino Mega

Propeller Beanie Engineer Hat

Unfortunately many of the Espressif ESP8266 based WiFi Boards that are available for sale routinely come with versions of the firmware that simply do not work with EX‑CommandStation. The only boards guaranteed to work out of the box are the ones designed in a partnership between DCC-EX and Makerfabs. The board are the EX-WifiShield 8266 available through our reseller network, and the Makerfabs ESP8266 WiFi Shield . If you have a Makerfabs shield that was made between May 2023 and October 2023, your board may have faulty firmware.

Warning

The instructions on this page have been proven to work on Linux PCs, so will probably work on macOS PCs (Apple), however attempts to get them to work on Microsoft Windows PCs have so far been unsuccessful.

Introduction

Out of the box, the small run of MakerFabs ESP8266 shields made in late 2023 mentioned above shipped with a broken firmware on the chips from the Expressif factory that Makerfabs use in their production. This version is unstable when used with DCC-EX as well as other applications. To flash version 1.7.4 onto the board follow these instructions. Do NOT use these instructions to update any EX-WiFiShield 8266 boards since they do not need updating. Known good boards have the DCC-EX logo on the bottom and are stamped with v1.1 or later. The joint DCC-EX/Makerfabs board have a much easier process to update them should they ever need new firmware in the future.

Requirements

  • The WiFi Shield itself - The previous version of the one shown here: https://www.makerfabs.com/esp8266-wifi-shield.html

  • An Arduino Uno or Arduino mega

  • 2x female to male jumper wires
    (or the two small, simple jumpers/plugs that came with the WiFi shield)

  • 3x male to male jumper wire

  • A Windows, iOS or Linux PC

  • The esptool app

  • The 1.7.4 firmware image (as a single file)

How To

Step 1. Get esptool

The esptool can be download separately, but the easiest way to get it is to use our EX‑Installer which will automatically download it if you select the appropriate options.

1.1. If you have not already installed the EX‑Installer, download the EX-Installer app.

1.2. Use the EX-Installer and run it

  • For Microsoft Windows:

  • Open the Windows File Manager

  • Find the folder in which the EX-Installer-Win64.exe or EX-Installer-Win32.exe was saved.
    Generally this will default to downloading to the downloads folder but your browser may be configured differently.

  • Run EX-Installer-Win64.exe (or EX-Installer-Win32.exe)

    Note: depending on the configuration of your computer the ‘.exe’ may or may not appear. This is not of concern.

  • For Apple macOS:

  • Open a terminal window and navigate to the that folder that you downloaded the file to. e.g.:
    cd Downloads

  • Enter the following command to tell the OS that it is an executable:
    chmod +x EX-Installer-macOS

  • Run the installer with the following command:
    ./EX-Installer-macOS

  • For Linux:

  • Right-click on the file, go to Properties, then the Permissions tab, and check “Allow executing file as program”

  • Open a terminal window and navigate to that folder

  • Run the installer with the following command:
    ./EX-Installer-Linux64

1.3 Select the options as if you are installing on a ESP32 until it fails (if you do not have an ESP32).

  • Connect your Arduino Mega to the PC with a USB cable

  • On the “Manage the Arduino CLI” page make sure the Expressif ESP32 option is enabled

  • Click Select your device

  • Select ESP32 Dev Kit

  • Click Select product to install

1.4. Now the esptool will be installed on your computer
It is important to be aware of where will be, as this is needed in later steps. (ESPTOOL)

Windows:
C:\Users\<userName>\AppData\Local\Arduino15\packages\esp32\tools\esptool_py\4.5.1\esptool.exe
Mac:
~/Library/Arduino15/packages/esp32/tools/esptool_py/4.5.1/esptool_py
Linux:
~/.arduino15/packages/esp32/tools/esptool_py/4.5.1/esptool.py

Step 2. Get the 1.7.4 as a whole image

2.1 Open https://cdn.discordapp.com/attachments/735194734611398676/1171788863539261461/ESP8266_1MB_AT1_7.bin?ex=655df46b&is=654b7f6b&hm=dae2e165ba51eef1808caa5462e2b2a7887c1e2bc7b47f0bb1f933fe6cda83c7&

This should give you a file called ESP8266_1MB_AT1_7.bin size 1MB md5sum b3019e7e85bdc0878324118b8e002236

Step 3. Prepare the hardware

3.1. Disconnect the Arduino Mega from the PC

3.2. Put the Makerfabs ESP8266 WiFi shield on the Arduino Mega (if it is not already)

3.3 Connect the jumpers so that:

  • the RX of the ESP8266 is connected to the RX/D0 of the Arduino, and

  • the TX of the ESP8266 is connected to the TX/D1 of the Arduino

3.4 Connect the RST (Reset) of the Arduino to GND on the Arduino

3.5 Prepare two jumper wires to GND (loose ends)

Stacked Mega and WiFi Shield - Jumpers

Stacked Mega and Wifi Shield - Jumpers.
Note: White and Black wires will be loose are this point

Alternate

Stacked Mega and WiFi Shield - Simple Jumpers

Stacked Mega and Wifi Shield - Using the small, simple jumpers/plugs that came with the shield.
Note: the White and Black wires will be loose are this point

Step 4. Connect your computer

4.1 Connect your Arduino Mega to the PC with a USB cable

4.2 Use the “Select your device” page of the EX-Installer to connect to the Arduino

4.3 Remember the USB serial port name/number (PORTNAME) from your selection

4.4 Open the Device Monitor by clicking on View Device Monitor

4.5 Reset the ESP8266 by “touching” one of the jumper wires to Reset pad on the ESP8266

The Reset pad is the top pad on the left, closest to the resister labelled R6.

This should first produce gibberish and then “ready”.

Note: The GPIO0 (used in later steps) is “hold down”, but the Reset is only “touch”.

4.6 Close the device monitor and installer (Important).

Step 5. Flash with esptool

Make sure the Installer has been closed before continuing.

5.1 open a command prompt

For Windows

  • click Start Menu

  • Type cmd and press the Enter key

  • Go to the folder you downloaded the ESP8266_1MB_AT1_7.bin file to (normally ‘Downloads’) by entering:

    c: Enter
    cd \user\<username>\downloads Enter
    (Replace <username> with your username on the PC)

For Apple macOS

  • Click the Launchpad icon in the Dock, type Terminal in the search field, then click Terminal or
    In the Finder , open the /Applications/Utilities folder, then double-click Terminal.

  • Go to the folder you downloaded the ESP8266_1MB_AT1_7.bin file to by entering:

    cd ~\Downloads Enter

For Linux

  • On Ubuntu, you can hit ctrl+alt+T together to open a terminal.
    Or right-click anywhere on the desktop and select Open in Terminal which will open the terminal with the desktop folder selected.
    Or press the Windows key and type terminal

  • Go to the folder you downloaded the ESP8266_1MB_AT1_7.bin file to by entering:

    cd ~\Downloads Enter

5.2 Prepare the long command line. (but don’t press Enter yet)

For ESPTOOL and PORTNAME insert values from the steps above

ESPTOOL --baud 38400 --port PORTNAME write_flash --erase-all --flash_freq 40m --flash_mode dout --flash_size 1MB 0x0 ESP8266_1MB_AT1_7.bin

For Example for Windows PCs : (if the Arduino is connected on COM3)
C:\Users\<userName>\AppData\Local\Arduino15\packages\esp32\tools\esptool_py\4.5.1\esptool --baud 38400 --port COM3 write_flash --erase-all --flash_freq 40m --flash_mode dout --flash_size 1MB 0x0 ESP8266_1MB_AT1_7.bin
Note: that <username> needs to be replaced with ‘your’ user name on the PC.

If the program is python (iOS or Linux) you need to prepend python3 like this: (If the Arduino is connect on /dev/ttyUSB0)
python3 ~/.arduino15/packages/esp32/tools/esptool_py/4.5.1/esptool.py  --baud 38400 --port /dev/ttyUSB0 write_flash --erase-all --flash_freq 40m --flash_mode dout --flash_size 1MB 0x0 ESP8266_1MB_AT1_7.bin

5.3 Locate the Reset and GPIO0 pads on the ESP8266.

The GPIO0 pad is the fourth pad from the bottom on the right, next to the “P” in “ESP-12F”.
The Reset pad is the top pad on the left, closest to the resister labelled “R6”.

5.4 Press enter on the above command line.

You should see connecting and dots and dashes.

5.5 Take one GND jumper and HOLD (keep holding) to GPIO0 pad

Note: The GPIO0 pin is the fourth pin from the bottom on the right, next to the “P” in “ESP-12F”. See picture below.

GPIO0 ESP8266

GPIO0 ESP8266

If you loose contact on the GPIO0 you need to Reset again and start over.

5.6 Take other GND jumper and TOUCH Reset pad (While still holding the other jumper to GPIO0 pad)

The Reset pad is the top pad on the left, closest to the resister labelled “R6”.

Note: The GPIO0 is “hold down” but the Reset is “touch”.

5.7 Now you should see text and “Writing….(xx %)”. Keep holding the GPIO0 jumper until you see “Hash of data verified”.

If you loose contact on the GPIO0 you need to Reset again and start over.

Step 6. Check that flash was successful

6.1 Connect according to 4.x above

6.2 Type AT+GMR and Send`

6.2 Your shield should answer with the new 1.7.4 version number.

Step 7. Prepare your EX-CommandStation

7.1. Disconnect the Arduino Mega from the PC

7.2 Remove Arduino RST (Reset) to GND jumper

7.3 Remove TX-TX and RX-RX jumpers

7.4 Assemble your EX-CommandStation setup including the Motor Shield and WiFi shield

7.5 Connect the TX to RX and RX to TX pins as per the initial assembly instructions for the EX‑CommandStation

  • Esp TX -> arduino RX1

  • Esp RX -> arduino RX1

Remember: The wires are crossed.

Install the Jumper wires

Install the jumper wires

7.6 If you have not already done so, run the EX‑Installer and configure your EX‑CommandStation to use the WiFi shield.
Note: this is not necessary if it was done before you started flashing the WiFi firmware. i.e. Flashing the firmware does not upset the software you loaded on the Arduino.

You should now be able to set your EX-CommandStation to use, and if all went well it should work.