ESP32 Automatically Build a Thread Network

[im22361]

Hello,

I am new to ESP32 and OpenThread.
I have followed the steps by OpenThread about how to Build a Thread Network with the ESP32H2 and ESP Thread Border Router Board
(https://openthread.io/codelabs/esp-openthread-hardware#3).
I was able to connect my ESP Thread Border Router to my ESP32C6. However, I wanted to know if it was possible to automate this process and not have to type the commands in the CLI everytime.
Is there a variable that needs to be set? or would I need to run a script to go through the Thread CLI command?
I would like to be able to power up my ESP32s and have them automatically connect to each other.
Any support would be greatly appreciated

[jwhui]

You can modify the application code to call the appropriate OT APIs for starting Thread. For example, if an Active Operational Dataset exists, call otIp6SetEnabled() and otThreadSetEnabled().

[im22361]

Thank you for this.
I added those functions and now the ESP32C6 automatically starts up, however it is always a Leader rather than a child or router. I have to then manually type: ifconfig down, ifconfig up and thread start, so that it is Child.

Can you please advise ?

[jwhui]

The ifconfig and thread commands simply call the same APIs. You might need to adjust when those APIs are called.

openthread/src/cli/cli.cpp

Line 3159 in 3ebc3d3

SuccessOrExit(error = otIp6SetEnabled(GetInstancePtr(), true));

openthread/src/cli/cli.cpp

Line 6972 in 3ebc3d3

error = otThreadSetEnabled(GetInstancePtr(), true);

[niwayo787]

can you help me to automate the thread border router? I couldn't find a possible method and having trouble with it, do I want to edit the ot_rcp code or esp_ot_br code? i am using esp32s3 and esp32h2 router board. i have automated the ot_cli code and it works perfectly. Any support would be greatly appreciated.

[chshu]

Please follow this instruction to enable the auto start mode: https://docs.espressif.com/projects/esp-thread-br/en/latest/dev-guide/build_and_run.html#wi-fi-based-thread-border-router, it will join the pre-configured Wi-Fi network and form a Thread network automatically.