Compatibility with ESP32-P4 DevKit ? (TZ-1663)

[FnxQT]

Checklist

• Checked the issue tracker for similar issues to ensure this is not a duplicate.
• Provided a clear description of your suggestion.
• Included any relevant context or examples.

Issue or Suggestion Description

Hello,

Is this thread border router integration compatible with the ESP32-P4 DevKit ? It seems to have everything needed, the P4 as the main chip and the C6 for thread.

Thanks in advance for your help.

[chshu]

We will provide the P4 based Thread BR solution with two configurations:

• Ethernet based: P4 + Ethernet Module + C6/H2 (RCP)
• Wi-Fi based: P4 + C6 (Hosted Wi-Fi) + C6/H2 (RCP)

Plan to launch the demo example by the end of May.

[FnxQT]

Thank you for the information. However, if I understand correctly, there is no plan to support the ESP32-P4 DevKit (with the ethernet module and the C6) as a thread border router ? I mean it would be the ideal platform. Or can we expect to have a modular Ethernet based solution like : P4 + Ethernet Module + C6 (RCP)

If not possible, do you think another example hardware platform will be provided ?

[chshu]

@FnxQT The ESP32-P4-Function-EV-Board supports P4 + Ethernet Module + C6 (RCP).

[FnxQT]

@chshu So can you confirm to me that I just need to wait end of May for the openthread border router libs to release for the P4 and then I can use the ESP32-P4-Function-EV-Board as a border router between Ethernet and Thread ?

Thank you very much, I just want to be really sure I understand everything completely.

[chshu]

So can you confirm to me that I just need to wait end of May for the openthread border router libs to release for the P4 and then I can use the ESP32-P4-Function-EV-Board as a border router between Ethernet and Thread ?

Yes, it's the plan.

[chegewara]

Hi,
sorry, but i am lame. I am trying to build basic example on P4 and i am getting this error

ninja: error: '/home/chegewara/programming/esp-idf/esp32c5/components/openthread/lib/esp32p4/libopenthread_br.a', needed by 'esp_ot_br.elf', missing and no known rule to make it

I am using esp-idf master branch updated just now.

Thanks

[gytxxsy]

Hi, sorry, but i am lame. I am trying to build basic example on P4 and i am getting this error

ninja: error: '/home/chegewara/programming/esp-idf/esp32c5/components/openthread/lib/esp32p4/libopenthread_br.a', needed by 'esp_ot_br.elf', missing and no known rule to make it

I am using esp-idf master branch updated just now.

Thanks

Hello, we currently do not have ESP OpenThread code that supports P4. As discussed in this issue, the work is in progress.

[chegewara]

@FnxQT The ESP32-P4-Function-EV-Board supports P4 + Ethernet Module + C6 (RCP).

i thought this is suggesting its already implemented, sorry

[tanyanquan]

Hi @FnxQT and @chegewara , thank you very much for your patience. We are happy to let you know that we the P4 thread-lib is now ready, and you can try out using P4 as a Thread Border Router using the example in esp-idf from v5.3 onwards.

If you are using the ESP32-P4-Function-EV-Board, you can either use the built-in ESP32-C6-MINI-1 as RCP, or a standalone RCP device (as described in the README).

Option 1: built-in ESP32-C6-MINI-1 as RCP (Ethernet only)

1. Flash the ESP32-C6 with the ot_rcp firmware using ESP_PROG, instructions can be found here
2. Connect the TX and RX pins for the ESP32-C6 to the respective GPIO pins of the ESP32-P4 (default = 4 and 5)
3. Note that when the ESP32-C6 is being used as Thread RCP, only Ethernet connection is supported for Thread BR because ESP32-P4 does not have native Wi-Fi capability (therefore you will also see that CONFIG_OPENTHREAD_BR_AUTO_START is turned on in sdkconfig.defaults)
4. Note also that esp-thread-lib for ESP32-P4 is compiled with LwIP's PPP support turned on to support ESP-Hosted Wi-Fi (described below), so it is also turned on by default in sdkconfig.defaults

Option 2: standalone RCP device (Wi-Fi or Ethernet)

1. Follow the instructions here for adding ESP-Hosted support to the ot_br example, by using the built-in ESP32-C6-MINI-1 as Wi-Fi co-processor (the communication between ESP32-P4 and ESP32-C6 will be done using build-in SDIO connections, so no additional connections are required)
2. Use a standalone H2 or C6 flashed with ot_rcp example as Thread RCP (connected via UART to ESP32-P4)

We are currently preparing the basic_thread_border_router example found in this repo to support RCP auto-update for ESP32-C6 to simplify Option 1 Step 1 for the ESP32-P4-Function-EV-Board (i.e. no need to Flash the ESP32-C6 using ESP-PROG).

Do let us know if you face any issues and we will be happy to assist!

[zwx1995esp]

Hi @chegewara and @FnxQT Please have a try with these two options. I will close this issue but feel free to reopen if you encounter any issues.