Step 1: Powering Up

Time to wake up your MakerBuddy! Follow these steps in order.

LCD 1602 Connector

Step 2: Connecting to WiFi

Access Point (AP) Mode

A new (or reset) MakerBuddy doesn't know your Wi-Fi password yet. So it creates its own network, called an access point.

1. Find the Network: On your laptop or phone, open Wi-Fi settings. Look for MakerBuddy_XXXX. XXXX is the last 4 characters (0–9, A–F) of your board's MAC address. The LCD shows the full name.
2. Connect: The password for this network is 12345678. Your phone may say “No internet”. That is expected, so stay connected.
3. Auto-Launch: A setup page (a “Captive Portal”) may pop up. If not, open a browser and type: 192.168.4.1

WiFi Configuration

Now you are talking straight to MakerBuddy. Tell it which Wi-Fi to join.

• Device Name: a short name for your kit, like makerbuddy-07. Use letters, numbers and hyphens. Capitals become small letters and spaces become hyphens, so “My Kit” is saved as my-kit. Every kit in your class needs a different name.
• WiFi Network: keep Select WiFi Network and pick your Wi-Fi from the list. MakerBuddy only sees 2.4 GHz Wi-Fi. Not listed? Choose Enter SSID Manually and type the network name exactly.
• Password: type the Wi-Fi password carefully (press 👁 to check it). Ask a grown-up if you don't know it.
• Press Save & Connect. The page says Settings Saved! and the LCD says WiFi Saved! / Restarting...

Step 3: Verification

MakerBuddy restarts and joins your Wi-Fi. Switch your phone or laptop back to that same Wi-Fi.

Look at the LCD Screen:

• First it shows Connecting WiFi and a row of dots.
• Then, for 5 seconds, your Wi-Fi's name on top and the IP address (the board's number on the network) below, like 192.168.1.105. Write it down!
• Then Device Name: and the name you chose. Both screens come back every few seconds, between the sensor screens.
• Does it say “Not Connected to” or “Unable to connec” (the screen is one letter too narrow)? The password or network name was wrong. Hold the push button for more than 10 seconds until the LCD says WiFi Reset! / Restarting..., then start Step 2 again.
• Note: You can reach your board by this IP address or by its Device Name, which is easier to remember.

Step 4: The Interface

Open the MakerBuddy WebApp at app.makerbuddy.cc on a computer on the same Wi-Fi as your board. In Chrome, Firefox or Edge, a box says Better Experience Available! Install the free MakerBuddy extension (or add-on) and open it from the toolbar. Safari uses the page directly; on a phone or tablet, use the MakerBuddy mobile app. Under Connect to Device, type your Device Name (or IP address) and press 🔌 Connect.

Confirm it in the dashboard: open the ⚙️ Settings tab. The Device Information card shows your Device name, IP Address, Firmware and Uptime. (In the Chrome, Firefox or Edge extension, the tab is ⚙️ Settings & OTA and the box is Device Info.)

The Settings & OTA page confirms the connected device and its current firmware.

The Bridge Between Hardware and Humans

The dashboard is a web-based user interface: a web page that controls real hardware. Any phone or computer on the same Wi-Fi network can control MakerBuddy, without touching it.

How Web Browsers Talk to Hardware

When you click a control, your browser sends a tiny message to MakerBuddy over a WebSocket. That is a connection that stays open between your browser and the board (its address looks like ws://makerbuddy-07.local/ws). Turning the LED on sends a message like {"m":"L","s":1,"p":255,"b":0}, and the ESP32 acts on it within milliseconds. Messages also flow back: about every 2 seconds, MakerBuddy sends all its sensor readings in one message, and the cards update. A WebSocket starts as a normal web (HTTP) request and then stays open, so real internet technology controls a real thing: the Internet of Things.

User Interface (UI) vs User Experience (UX)

User Interface (UI) is what you see and touch: buttons, sliders, colors, text. User Experience (UX) is how easy and pleasant it feels. With good UX, you know what to do without a manual.

Sensors vs Actuators in the Interface

Sensor cards show data you can read but not change, like temperature or light level. They update by themselves about every 2 seconds. Actuator cards have controls like buttons, sliders or toggles, to switch things, change brightness or move motors. Sensors give input; actuators make output.

Figure 1: Sensor cards displaying real-time data from connected sensors

Figure 2: Actuator cards with interactive controls for outputs

Personalizing the Dashboard

The ⚙️ Settings tab (in the browser extension: ⚙️ Settings & OTA) also lets you choose which cards show. Under Dashboard Settings, the Sensor Cards Settings and Actuator Cards Settings tables give each card an Enabled checkbox plus Background Color and Accent Color. Keep every card enabled while you learn the kit. Later, hide unused cards to make a project dashboard easier to read.

Sensor card settings

Actuator card settings

Hands-On Activity: Dashboard Exploration

Activity Duration: 20-25 minutes

You are connected! Now explore the tool you will use all year.

Step-by-Step Instructions:

1. Access the Dashboard: open app.makerbuddy.cc (or the MakerBuddy extension), type your Device Name or IP address under Connect to Device and press 🔌 Connect.
2. Check Connection Status: at the top right you should see a green dot, the word Connected and Device: followed by your board's name. The 📊 Dashboard, 🎛️ Rule Engine and ⚙️ Settings tabs appear.
3. Identify Sensor Cards: Find all the sensor cards. They show data and have no controls, apart from a small ⓘ button (a wiring guide) and the ⚙️ Calibrate button on Soil Moisture. List them:
   • Temperature (DHT) and Humidity (two cards, from the DHT11)
   • Temperature (DS18B20) (the waterproof probe)
   • Light Level (the built-in light sensor)
   • Gas Level (MQ-2)
   • Soil Moisture
   • Potentiometer (the built-in knob)
   • Distance (HC-SR04)
   • Motion Sensor (PIR: 🚶 Motion or 😴 None)
   • Push Button (✋ Pressed or 👆 Released)
   Cards for parts not plugged in yet show 0.0, 999.0 or numbers that wander. That is normal.
4. Identify Actuator Cards: Find all the cards with controls:
   • LED Control (LED On/Off switch and Brightness (PWM) slider)
   • RGB LED (Red, Green and Blue sliders with number boxes)
   • Relay (Relay On/Off switch)
   • Potentiometer Mapping (None, LED PWM, RGB LED or Servo)
   • Servo Mapping (choose a sensor that moves the servo)
   • Servo Motor (Position (0° - 180°) slider)
   • Buzzer (🔊 Activate Buzzer: one half-second beep)
   • LCD Display (Default or Custom text, then 📝 Update)

Challenge

Key Takeaways