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WiFi and Network Configuration With MicroPython
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.. todo::

    This article is still a work in progress.

    In this article I'll discuss how to get up and running MicroPython on the
    ESP8266 NodeMCU chip, and how to configure the WiFi and accesspoint on it
    using the Vial microserver's ``boot.py`` file.

    This article also discusses how to use the ``webrepl_cli.py`` command line
    tool to copy files into and out of the ESP.    

The NodeMCU is my favourite piece of hardware. It hosts a cheap ESP8266 chip
manufactured by the Chinese company, Esperif, and while it can run Lua and
Arduino C, I'm a Pythonista. 

After a little searching, I discovered that it can run a flavour of Python
for microprocessors called MicroPython.

Once you have a nodemcu, it is rather easy to flash MicroPython on the board.
Follow the instructions on the introduction
`page <http://docs.micropython.org/en/latest/esp8266/tutorial/intro.html#intro>`_
of the official documentation. 

The only modification I'd suggest while using the nodemcu is to use a baud
rate of 115200.

Once installed, open a ``tmux`` or ``screen`` session, and use the instrutions
`here. <http://docs.micropython.org/en/latest/esp8266/tutorial/repl.html#repl-over-the-serial-port>`_
This enables you to login to a REPL over the serial port.

You'll need to use tmux or screen because picocom cannot be exitted easily. It
is much simpler to kill the containing terminal session instead.

The first steps you'll need to now follow is to enable copying files to and from
the ESP using WiFi.

Login to the chip over the serial port and run this command.

``import webrepl_setup``

This will ask you for a password. Choose something simple.

Once you're done with this step, you can exit the REPL and copy files over the
network.

Connect to the ESP's WiFi (the password will be ``micropyth0N``). Then, clone the
`WebREPL gitub <https://github.com/micropython/webrepl>`_ project.

Ignore the interface for now, and use the ``webrepl_cli.py`` file to transfer
files.

``webrepl_cli.py --help``