ESP8266 Community Forum

Hallo,
I am building an IoT network solution based on ESP8266 ESP-03 modules ( with ceramin antenna on board ).

I want all of devices to be synchronized do the network in a handy way simmilar to AeonTec's Z-Stick i.e.:

1. You have an USB dongle with push button.
2. You have a network host device
3. You have any number of network devices based on ESP8266 you want to connect to your host
4. You plug a dongle into a host device
5. The host device puts a network key onto the stick
6. You unplug it ( it's battery powered ) and walk around to any new network device you want to include
7. Once close to a new network device you push the dongles button
8. The dongle connects to devices AP and sends the network access key
9. The device connects to hosts network using the key it just received from dongle
10. You go back to the point 7 and continue with all new devices left

Because of security it is important thatn an USB dongle must have a very limmited range ( 10-20 centimeters or so ) so it can connect to any network only if it is very close to an AP.

Do you have any idea for how to limit ESP-03 range to several centimeters? Also ESP8266 datasheet says it supports "Automatic beacon monitoring / scanning" which sounds just like a thing... do you know what that is and how to make this feature work?

Thanks a lot!

Another solution to this is to just have the device come up in host AP mode.
Walk around with your cell phone and find.
Use an app or a web page to poke your protected network credentials into over SSL.

But what if some hijacks a node?
No harm, it won't show up on your protected network.
Just go hit the reset button and wipe out the info the hijacker loaded into it.

If you want to be even more secure.
During manufacturing print a sticker with a random pass code on it
Program this pass code into the flash.
When it comes up in open host AP mode, require this pass code to change the network credentials.

In other words - you don't need a dongle. Just use a cell phone.