Getting Started

This guide takes you from an empty machine to your first remote wake-up. You need:

a Linux host with Docker and Docker Compose for the server,
an ESP32 development board (esp32dev) and a USB cable,
a device that supports Wake-on-LAN, in the same LAN as the ESP32.

Using the hosted app at app.netignite.dev? Skip steps 1 and 2, log in, and continue with step 3. Use app.netignite.dev, port 443 and SSL as the agent's server settings.

Start the server

Create a docker-compose.yml and start it:

docker-compose.yml

services:
  netignite-server:
    image: ghcr.io/netignite-project/server:latest
    container_name: netignite-server
    restart: unless-stopped
    ports:
      - "18232:18232"
    volumes:
      - /opt/netignite/data:/opt/netignite/data
      - /opt/netignite/config:/opt/netignite/config

Terminal

docker compose up -d

The server listens on port 18232. See Installation for details and other ways to run it.

Log in as admin

On first start, the server creates an admin account with a random password and writes it to data/initial_admin_credentials:

Terminal

sudo cat /opt/netignite/data/initial_admin_credentials

Open the dashboard and log in. The session cookie is only accepted over HTTPS or on localhost, so either open http://localhost:18232 on the server itself or put the server behind HTTPS first. Then change the password under Settings.

Create an agent

Go to Agents → Add New Agent, enter a name, choose the type Microcontroller and save. The agent page now shows the Connection ID and the Connection Secret. You need both for the next step. Copy the secret right away: it's shown only once. See Managing Agents.

Flash the ESP32 agent

Clone the Agent-ESP32 repository, copy src/config/config.sample.h to src/config/config.h and fill in your WiFi details, the server address, and the Connection ID and Secret:

config.h

#define C_CONTROL_SERVER_HOST "netignite.example.com"
#define C_CONTROL_SERVER_PORT (uint16_t) 443
#define C_CONTROL_SERVER_USE_SSL (bool) true

#define C_CONTROL_SERVER_AUTH_ID "1"
#define C_CONTROL_SERVER_AUTH_SECRET "your-connection-secret"

Then build and flash the firmware with PlatformIO. The ESP32 Agent page walks through every setting and command. When the agent shows as online in the dashboard, it is connected.

Add a device

Go to Devices → Add New Device and enter a name, the device type, its MAC address (for example AA:BB:CC:DD:EE:FF), the Wake-on-LAN port (9 unless you know otherwise) and the agent you just created. See Devices & Wake-on-LAN.

Power it on

Shut the device down, then press Power On on the dashboard. The agent sends the magic packet and the device starts.

Nothing happened? Check Troubleshooting.