ESP8266 Community Forum

G'Day,
Can I directly communicate from an android app to an ESP8266?
I know I can use a router, but my application has to work when I'm out of mobile phone range (down a mine)
Tks

if you program the esp to act as AP, yes.
BUT: I stumbed over some incarnations of android that wouldn't (easily) accept this AP because there is no Internet access...

Yes you can, that's how a lot of people started their ESP-adventure: simply do a ping or directly connect to the default IP (192.168.4.1) of the ESP.
But it would be better to make the ESP IP configurable (you can use WiFi-manager for this).

As long as your Android app knows the IP of your ESP and you have set it up as AP, you're good to go.

[EDIT]
What schufti says is correct, but you can dismiss the "No internet access" warning after connecting to the ESP.

Tks, will give AP a go.
Grant