Set up a bridge board in one go
Pick the board, set its network, plug it into this computer. The page writes the right firmware, sets the WiFi and puts the board on your connection. Nothing to install.
- 1Read or choose the board
- 2Connection and network
- 3Plug in and flash
- 4Board comes online
Which board are you setting up?
Read this board first
Plug the board into this computer and press the button. The page asks the board what it runs now, then reads the chip itself, and suggests the kind. Nothing is written. Or pick the kind yourself below.
More: SuperMini card only
Common ESP32 boards
- ESP32 DevKit V1, 30 pins (ESP32-WROOM-32 module, CH340 or CP2102 USB chip) and ESP32 DevKitC, 38 pins: right for ESP32 + C3 SuperMini. The pin order is different on the two boards, so wire by the printed labels (D18 or 18, D23 or 23, VIN or 5V…), never by position.
- ESP32-WROVER, or any ESP32 board with PSRAM: GPIO16 and GPIO17 belong to the PSRAM, so there is no D16 (RX2) reset wire to the card.
- Boards with 2 MB flash: not supported. Every bridge firmware needs at least 4 MB. “Read this board” shows the size.
- ESP32-S3 with native USB (two USB-C sockets): ESP32-S3 · USB digital audio. It needs 16 MB flash.
- ESP32-S2 boards: no longer supported here. For USB digital audio use an ESP32-S3.
- ESP32-C3 SuperMini: only as the WiFi card of an ESP32 + C3 SuperMini board, never as the main board.
- Other ESP32-C3 and ESP32-C6 boards: not supported as the main board.
WiFi for the board
The board joins this network as soon as it is flashed. It has a 2.4 GHz radio only, so a 5 GHz-only network will not appear.
After flashing, the board scans and lists the networks it can see. You choose one there and enter its password — nothing to type now.
A browser cannot read which WiFi this computer is on, so the list offers what the system can tell: the network your boards report from this computer’s internet connection, the one this connection’s board already uses, networks the board can see, and ones used here before. Or choose Type a network name.
Which connection is this board for?
The board registers under this connection, so calls for it come to this board.
Plug in and flash
First · check the wires
Plug the ESP32’s USB into this computer with the SuperMini wired to it. If the ESP32 already has our firmware, it tests every wire to the card before anything is written. A new ESP32 has none yet: flash it below and the wires are tested right after.
Wiring
| ESP32 | SuperMini | What it carries |
|---|---|---|
| GND | G | ground, first wire in |
| VIN (5 V) | 5V | power; the card makes its own 3.3 V. Never 3V3. |
| D18 | 6 | SPI clock |
| D23 | 7 | SPI data, ESP32 to card |
| D19 | 2 | SPI data, card to ESP32 |
| D5 | 10 | chip select |
| D27 | 3 | handshake: card is ready |
| D4 | 4 | data ready: card has data |
| The four below are what let the ESP32 WRITE the card | ||
| The eight wires above run the pair once the card has firmware. They cannot put firmware ON it: the C3's ROM takes a download only over its UART0 or its own USB, never over SPI. Fit these four and a blank SuperMini is written through the ESP32, with nothing ever plugged into the card. | ||
| D22 | 20 | flash pipe: ESP32 to the card’s RX |
| D21 | 21 | flash pipe: the card’s TX back to the ESP32 |
| D33 | 9 | BOOT strap: holds the card in download mode while it resets |
| D16 (RX2) | RST | reset. Fit it and the write is hands-free; leave it out and the card’s own RST button has to be tapped once |
Bringing the board online
Keep it plugged into this computer until every line is ticked.
The SuperMini card
The card is written through the ESP32, over the link they already share. Leave the cable where it is — on the ESP32. The card is never plugged into this computer.
Write the card over the link
The board fetches the card’s firmware itself and sends it across the link. It takes about a minute, then both chips restart together.
Details for support
ready