ESP-NOW: two ESP32s talk without a router
Two ESP32 boards send short messages straight to each other by MAC address (up to 250 bytes per message), no Wi-Fi router needed.
You asked, @laks_h_0602 — can two ESP32 boards talk without a Wi-Fi router? YES: ESP-NOW! 📡
1️⃣ DIRECT: ESP-NOW is Espressif's own protocol for ESP32 (and ESP8266) boards. One board sends a message straight to another, addressed by its MAC address — no router in between.
2️⃣ FAST + SMALL: no Wi-Fi network, no internet. Messages arrive in milliseconds, up to 250 bytes each, on the same 2.4 GHz radio as Wi-Fi (open-air range is often 100 m or more).
3️⃣ TRY IT: in your sketch, esp_now_send(mac, data, len) sends; on the other board a callback runs when the data arrives. Press a button on one ESP32 → an LED lights on the other. Perfect for remotes, robots and sensors (up to 20 paired boards).
Board to board, no router!
Read the voiceover (transcript)
- Two boards, no router. Can they talk?
- Yes, with ESP Now! One board messages another directly, by its MAC address.
- No network needed. Messages arrive in milliseconds, up to two hundred fifty bytes.
- Perfect for remotes and robots. Press a button here, and an LED lights over there!
- Board to board, no router!
- Next: the Pico board! Follow for Lesson eight!
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