ESP32 Bit Pirate

ESP32-S3 Ethernet and W5500 debugging

Test W5500 Ethernet links and TCP services with ESP32

ESP32 Bit Pirate turns a compatible ESP32-S3 board plus a W5500 module into an Ethernet debugging workbench. Use it to wire SPI plus IRQ, get DHCP, check link status, ping hosts, test HTTP, scan ports, open TCP sessions and debug Modbus TCP.

Start with W5500 wiring Connect Ethernet and check DHCP
Ethernet debugging visual with an ESP32 board, W5500 module, LAN cable and network status

Quick Ethernet workflow

Start with the W5500 hardware path, then prove DHCP and link status before testing application services.

  1. 01

    Wire CS, SCK, MISO, MOSI, IRQ, ground and optional reset for the W5500 module.

  2. 02

    Connect the Ethernet cable to an authorized LAN with DHCP or a known network configuration.

  3. 03

    Enter Ethernet mode and run configuration so the firmware knows the selected SPI and IRQ pins.

  4. 04

    Check status, ping a known host and compare results with Wi-Fi only when needed.

  5. 05

    Move into HTTP, port scan, raw TCP or Modbus TCP workflows after basic reachability is proven.

mode ethernet
config
connect
status
ping 192.168.1.1
discovery 3000
nmap 192.168.1.10 -p 80,502
http get http://192.168.1.10/status

Example CLI flow. See the Ethernet wiki for exact syntax, W5500 setup prompts, DHCP behavior and firmware-specific options.

Ethernet workflows covered by ESP32 Bit Pirate

Use this overview to choose the right W5500 or wired network workflow before opening a detailed recipe.

Wire

W5500 module setup

Connect SPI, chip select, required IRQ, ground and optional reset before opening Ethernet mode.

DHCP

Link and IP status

Check whether the module has link, DHCP, gateway and DNS before testing higher-level services.

Ping

Reachability baseline

Ping known local targets so routing and basic LAN connectivity are proven first.

HTTP

Local endpoint checks

Use a wired path to test known IoT HTTP endpoints when Wi-Fi behavior is uncertain.

nmap

Authorized port checks

Check selected TCP or UDP ports on hosts you own or are explicitly allowed to test.

TCP

Raw service sessions

Open nc, telnet or Modbus TCP sessions after link, IP and ports are confirmed.

W5500 hardware and LAN reminders

These checks keep the workflow practical without repeating the detailed recipe pages.

SPI

Check SCK, MISO, MOSI and chip select before assuming DHCP or Ethernet mode is broken.

IRQ

The W5500 interrupt signal is required by the firmware setup. Map IRQ to an available input GPIO; reset remains optional.

Power

Use a stable module supply and a real Ethernet cable before debugging link status.

Network

DHCP, firewall rules, VLANs and client isolation can all change what the ESP32 can reach.

Authorization

Run discovery, port checks and TCP tests only on networks and hosts you own or are allowed to test.

Detailed Ethernet recipes

These pages are the task-level W5500 and wired network workflows. This overview keeps the protocol-level guidance here, while each recipe covers setup, commands and troubleshooting in detail.

Useful Ethernet references

This page is a protocol overview. Use the site index for the full web experience, or GitHub for source code, firmware documentation and the Ethernet command reference.

Flash ESP32 Bit Pirate

Flash a supported ESP32-S3 board before testing Ethernet mode from the browser.

Open Web Flasher

Ethernet command reference

Open the maintained firmware wiki for W5500 setup, connect/status, ping, discovery, HTTP, nmap and TCP workflows.

Open Ethernet command reference

SPI protocol overview

W5500 uses SPI plus extra control signals, so SPI wiring checks are useful before debugging network behavior.

Open SPI debugging guide

Wi-Fi protocol overview

Compare wired Ethernet with Wi-Fi when you need to separate radio instability from network service behavior.

Open Wi-Fi debugging guide

ESP32 Bit Pirate GitHub

Check firmware source, issues and releases that affect Ethernet support.

Open GitHub repository

Ethernet debugging FAQ

Short answers for common questions before moving into a detailed workflow.

Can ESP32 Bit Pirate use a W5500 Ethernet module?

Yes. Ethernet mode works with a W5500 module connected through SPI plus the required chip-select, interrupt and optional reset signals.

Can ESP32 Bit Pirate get DHCP and test Ethernet reachability?

Yes. Ethernet mode can check link status, get an IP address through DHCP, display status, ping hosts and discover local devices on an authorized LAN.

Can ESP32 Bit Pirate test HTTP, TCP ports and Modbus TCP over Ethernet?

Yes. After the W5500 link is connected, the same network workflows can test authorized HTTP endpoints, port checks, raw TCP sessions and Modbus TCP services.