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Sensor Net

Quick Start

This guide walks you through every stage — hardware, firmware, and monitor — so you have a live sensor network running as quickly as possible. For deeper detail on any step, follow the links to the relevant section of the docs.

  1. Gather your hardware

    A minimal three-node network requires the following components. See the Parts List for exact quantities and purchasing links.

    • 3× Heltec WiFi LoRa 32 V3 (~$18 each)
    • 1× TMP102 temperature breakout (~$5)
    • 1× BMP280 pressure breakout (~$4)
    • Jumper wires
    • Battery (optional)

    Parts Overview

  2. Install software prerequisites

    Install the tools needed for both the firmware and the monitor application before cloning any repositories.

    Firmware tools

    • PlatformIO — install the PlatformIO IDE extension in VS Code, or run pip install platformio for the CLI.
    • Git — verify with git --version. On macOS run xcode-select --install if it is missing.

    Monitor tools

    • Rust — curl --proto '=https' --tlsv1.2 -sSf https://sh.rustup.rs | sh
    • Bun — curl -fsSL https://bun.sh/install | bash
    • Tauri system dependencies (Linux only):
      Terminal window
      sudo apt update && sudo apt install libwebkit2gtk-4.1-dev build-essential \
        curl wget file libxdo-dev libssl-dev libayatana-appindicator3-dev librsvg2-dev

    Verify everything installed correctly:

    Terminal window
    git --version
    rustc --version
    bun --version

  3. Clone and verify the firmware repository

    Terminal window
    git clone https://github.com/AndrewLemons/sensor-net-firmware.git
    cd sensor-net-firmware

    Open the folder in VS Code. PlatformIO will automatically detect the project and download the ESP32 board support package. Confirm the toolchain builds cleanly:

    Terminal window
    cd firmware/node
    pio run

    A successful build ends with SUCCESS. See Firmware Setup for a full project layout reference.

  4. Assemble the hardware

    Wire each sensor breakout to its Heltec board using I2C. The receiver node needs no external wiring.

    Temperature node (TMP102)

    TMP102Heltec V3
    VCC3.3V
    GNDGND
    SDAGPIO 17
    SCLGPIO 18
    ADD0GND

    TMP102 Wiring

    Pressure node (BMP280)

    BMP280Heltec V3
    VIN3.3V
    GNDGND
    SDAGPIO 17
    SCLGPIO 18
    SDOGND

    BMP280 Wiring

    Full wiring diagrams and pin photos are in Hardware Assembly.

  5. Configure and flash each node

    Open firmware/node/include/config.h and set NODE_TYPE before each flash. Connect the board via USB-C, then run:

    Terminal window
    pio run -t upload

    Flash all three boards in order:

    NodeNODE_TYPE valueSensor attached
    ReceiverNODE_RECEIVERNone
    TemperatureNODE_TEMPERATURETMP102
    PressureNODE_PRESSUREBMP280

    After flashing each board, verify the serial output looks correct:

    Terminal window
    pio device monitor

    The receiver prints [REPORT] lines when it hears from sensor nodes. See Building & Flashing for troubleshooting upload failures.

  6. Clone and set up the monitor application

    Terminal window
    git clone https://github.com/AndrewLemons/sensor-net-monitor.git
    cd sensor-net-monitor
    bun install

    See Monitor Setup for a full project layout reference.

  7. Run the monitor and connect to the receiver

    Start the application in development mode:

    Terminal window
    bun run tauri dev

    Once the window opens:

    1. Plug the receiver node into your computer via USB.
    2. Click the refresh button (circular arrow) to scan for available ports.
    3. Select the receiver’s port (e.g. /dev/tty.usbmodemXXXX on macOS).
    4. Click Connect — the baud rate is 115200.
    5. The status indicator in the header turns green when data is flowing.

    Power on all sensor nodes. Within a few seconds you should see live temperature and pressure readings appear on the dashboard.

    Monitor Application

Next steps

Section titled “Next steps”

© 2026 Andrew Lemons