Drone Engage RPI Image Tools - WIFI Manager

RPI Image Tools Wifi Manager

This tool helps you connect your Raspberry Pi to your home Wi-Fi network (or any other Wi-Fi network). It also gives you the option to turn your Raspberry Pi into a temporary Wi-Fi hotspot.

First-Time Setup: Connecting via the ‘DE_ADMIN’ Wi-Fi

When you first install and run the Raspberry Pi image, it will automatically create a temporary Wi-Fi network named DE_ADMIN with the password droneengage.

Here’s how to connect using this temporary network:

On your laptop or another device, open your Wi-Fi settings. Look for and connect to the network named DE_ADMIN. When prompted, enter the password: droneengage. Once connected, open a web browser and go to the address: https://192.189.9.1:9090. This will open the Raspberry Pi image tools in your browser. Connecting to Your Home Wi-Fi Within the Raspberry Pi image tools (accessed via the steps above), you’ll find an option to connect your Raspberry Pi to your home Wi-Fi network. Simply select your network name (SSID) from the available list and enter your Wi-Fi password. When you connect your RPI board to your home wifi you can ping droneengage.local from command prompt to access it.

Important

Use ping droneengage.local from command prompt to get its IP.


Switching Back to Hotspot Mode (If Needed)

If you ever need to, you can switch your Raspberry Pi back into a Wi-Fi hotspot. This option will also be available within the Raspberry Pi image tools.

Note

Important: For DroneEngage to function correctly, your Raspberry Pi needs to be connected to either a Wi-Fi network or a GSM network. It cannot operate while in the temporary DE_ADMIN hotspot mode.


Troubleshooting Wi-Fi Connectivity

If you’ve entered an incorrect Wi-Fi password and can no longer access your Raspberry Pi, you have two solutions to regain access and update the password.

  • Solution 1: Using a Wired Connection (for RPI 4 & RPI 5)

If you are using a Raspberry Pi 4 or Raspberry Pi 5, you can resolve the issue by using a wired network connection.

  • Connect an Ethernet cable from your network to the Raspberry Pi.

  • Once connected, access the administration site.

  • Re-enter the correct Wi-Fi password on the administration page.

  • Solution 2: Using the SD Card (for RPI Zero 2 W or if LAN is Unavailable)

If an Ethernet cable is not an option or if you’re using a Raspberry Pi Zero 2 W, you can activate the access point by modifying the SD card.

  • Power off the Raspberry Pi and remove the SD card.

  • Insert the SD card into a computer.

  • Navigate to the boot folder on the SD card.

  • Create a new file in this folder and name it activate_ap.txt. The content of the file is irrelevant; only its existence is necessary.

  • Safely eject the SD card from your computer.

  • Reinsert the SD card into the Raspberry Pi and power it on. The DE_ADMIN access point will now be reactivated, allowing you to connect and update your Wi-Fi settings.