Wi-Fi Expander
Getting Setup
Read the PDF version here: Wifi Quick Start
Connect to MetaModule
- Power off your system.
- Connect one end of the included 8-pin cable to the header labelled "WiFi" on the MetaModule, and the other end to the 8-pin header on the Wi-Fi Expander.
- Make sure the red stripe is up on both ends of the cable.
- Connect the included 10-pin power cable to Eurorack power with the red stripe down.
- Power on your case. The Wi-Fi Expander button will turn light blue.
Connecting to a Wi-Fi network (Provisioning)
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1. Download the ESP BLE Provisioning app on a phone or tablet
- iOS: App Store
- Android: Google Play Store
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2. Open to ESP BLE Provisioning app
At some point the app will ask for permission to use the camera and/or Bluetooth. Click "OK" or "Allow".
If you do not allow access to the camera and Bluetooth, then you MUST go to your iOS or Android Settings and allow access.
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3. Tap the gear icon (upper-left) on iOS or the three dots (upper-right) on Android
This will open the settings page.
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4. Turn off Encrypted Communication
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5. Tap "Provision Device"
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6. Tap "I don't have a QR code"
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7. In the PREFIX box, remove the text “PROV_” (if present), and type “4MS”
On Android, tap “Change” first.
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8. Tap the Refresh icon or “Scan Again”
Then tap the 4MS device that appears
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9. Select your Wi-Fi network from the list
Enter your Wi-Fi password when asked.
After a moment, the light on the Wi-Fi Expander will turn green.
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10. On the MetaModule, go to
Settings > Info
Look for the Wi-Fi IP address
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11. On your computer, open a browser window and type in the IP address
Hint: the IP address starts with
http://
, not withhttps://
After connecting to a Wi-Fi network, you can choose to delete the ESP BLE Provisioning app. However, if you anticipate needing to change Wi-Fi networks, you may want to leave it installed.
Using the Wi-Fi Expander with VCV Rack
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1. Install the 4ms plugin for VCV Rack, version 2.0.9 or later
You can update or install from the VCV Rack Library when v2.0.9 is available.
Or download from the Github Releases and then follow these instructions to install manually
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3. Select the volume you want to transfer to
Right-click on the MetaModule in VCV Rack and choose a volume from the "Wi-Fi sends to:" submenu.
Note that the Internal drive has very limited space (2MB max), so it's recommended to store patches on USB or Card if possible.
Note: sending to sub-folders is not yet supported. Use a web browser if you need to do that.
Changing Wi-Fi networks
Power on with the button held down. Release it when it turns red. The light will turn off and then turn light blue. You can then perform the steps at the top of this page.
Wi-Fi Expander Troubleshooting
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Cannot get the ESP BLE Provisioning app to see the Wi-Fi Expander module:
- Did you disable Secure Communication in the app settings?
- Did you erase the prefix text "PROV" and replace it with "4MS"?
- Did you give the app permission to use the camera? Even though the Wi-Fi Expander doesn't have a QR code, the app will still not function unless you give it permission to use the camera.
- Did you give the app permission to use Bluetooth?
- Go to your phone's settings and verify it has Bluetooth and camera permissions
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Cannot see my hotspot in the list of Wi-Fi networks:
- If you are creating a personal Wi-Fi network (aka "hotspot"), then it's possible you will need to run the ESP BLE Provisioning app on a different device. The app may not be able to see the hotspot network created on the same device that it's running on.
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My browser won't load the Wi-Fi Expander's page
- Your computer must be on the same network as the Wi-Fi expander. Make sure whatever Wi-Fi network you entered into the ESP BLE app is the same as the network your computer is connected to.
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I don't have a Wi-Fi button on my VCV Rack MetaModule hub
- You need to install the 4ms plugin v2.0.9 or later
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I can't send a patch over Wi-Fi using VCV Rack
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Verify the IP address is correct: compare it carefully with what's displayed on the MetaModule Settings > Info page. Don't forget to type the "http://" at the start.
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Try typing the IP address into a browser to make sure you have the right address
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Your computer has to be on the same Wi-Fi network as the MetaModule Wi-Fi Expander.
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Are you trying to transfer to a volume (Card or USB) that's not inserted into the MetaModule? Go to Load Patch on the MetaModule and make sure the volume you're trying to transfer to is actually detected.
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If you are transferring to the Internal drive, it's possible you ran out of space. Delete some patches.
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There is a limit of 1MB for patch files transferred to USB or Card, and 256kB for the Internal drive. Most modules store very little (only a few bytes, if anything) but some modules store 64kB or more. Try saving the .yml patch file to your computer and then looking at how large it is.
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