Open & Open-Source IoT Wireless (not WiFi) Networks

An experiment disconnected...

RF24Ethernet - TCP/IP & IoT mesh networking for nrf24l01 and compatible radio modules using Arduino (AVR) and Raspberry Pi/ARM(Linux) devices

Goals

Bring the reliability of TCP/IP and potential of mesh networking/IoT to even the smallest of Arduino devices
Enable self-sustaining wireless sensor networks that seamlessly link together using standard protocols & networking
Simplify & automate it
Experiment with/document a model for completely open-source communication

News

2026: RF24Ethernet now supports the lwIP stack. Most devices with processors ≥ 50MHz will automatically use lwIP.
- Devices like ESP32 and ESP8266 already use lwIP internally for WiFi, so the separate lwIP Arduino library is not required on those platforms.
- On other supported platforms, users may need to install lwIP using the Arduino Library Manager.
2026: RF24Ethernet now supports direct TCP/IP communication without the need for a Raspberry Pi gateway. Two or more devices running RF24Ethernet can now connect directly.

See the releases' descriptions on the library's release page for a list of changes.

See version history for more about the lineage of RF24Ethernet.

Configuration and Setup

The hardest part of setting up is getting the first radio module connected properly.

Scroll to the bottom of the RF24 radio documentation for pin connections.

Once you have done that, see the Configuration and Setup page for general installation and configuration information.

Detailed Overview

See the Overview page.

Building a Network - Customizing your RF24 TCP/IP network

See the Building a network page.

Home Automation with MQTT and Node-Red

See the Project Setup Info at Arduino Project Hub.

About Troubleshooting

The RF24 libraries are divided into layers, generally according to the OSI model, which allows specialized testing and troubleshooting of individual layers.

See the Troubleshooting section for general troubleshooting steps.

Table of Contents