There are many issues with the above and as a novice I got caught by every one, wasting days. So here is what I did to go from irritation to success. Follow this and you’ll have it all working in no time.
I used windows 10, and Samsung phone, AZ delivery ESP32-WROOM-32 from AZ Delivery (ESP32’s are not all the same).
Step 1: The Setup
Have your phone ready and in connections > Wi-Fi. Once the programming is over you have limited time to connect.
Start your ‘computer manager’ either; right click on My PC and select it or type computer management in the windows search box. Select device manager and expand the ports option (COM & LPT). this is so you can see if the COM port of the ESP32 starts up.
Connect your ESP32 using a DATA CABLE to the PC via a powered USB port and you should see the device manager flash a couple of times and then reveal an extra com port, note the COM number.
If not then; either get the com port driver for CP210x / CP340, or try a different DATA CABLE - BEWARE the charge only cable. install.wled.me will tell you where to get the latest drivers from (option 2 No device found.
Step 2: The install
From install.wled.me install 0.15.0-b1, select plain . you will be asked to select the port, choose the one that you have seen appear in the list and hit connect. If you then get the box that says change WiFi select ERASE USER DATA. This takes 2-3 minutes to erase and install version 0.15.0.
Add Wi-Fi credentials and ignore any cannot connect message.
On the phone wait a few seconds for WLED-AP to appear as a Wi-Fi network and click on that
when prompted to connect hit the connect bar at the top of your phone screen and you will be connected to WLED. At this point if you run out of time you need to power off/on the ESP32 and wait with your phone till WLED-AP shows. Then try to connect and if it now asks for a password try wled1234 (that’s the default password)
Go to config> Wi-Fi Setup and change “AP opens:” to always hit save and connect. after 20 seconds or so you should be connected back to the WLED boot screen (colour wheel).
To test all is ok bounce the power and login the same way as before, if you don’t get prompted to sign in or it asks for a password try again (you were too quick). you should now have the ability to login anytime.
Step 3: Personalisation
Back into Wi-Fi settings and now change the AP SSID and password hit save, wait to see if the phone auto connects - it should present the WLED boot page. Bounce the power again and see if you can connect again this time it will ask for the password and then prompt you to connect to your SSID. From that point on you shouldn’t need to put in the password again (on that phone).
if you want a fixed IP back into Wi-Fi settings set it up including the DNS (defaults to spyware (google) - not a good idea to leave that) save and wait for it to reconnect. Lookup private DNS if not sure.
Hardware. a PSU a ESP32 and a led strip - nothing else is needed for a short run I got 4M of 144 LED/M with nothing else (POWER INJECTION HOWEVER CRITICAL TO SAFETY).
[NOTE: HIGH RISK OF FIRE HERE. AT 45W PER STRIP THATS POTENTIALLY 15A. THAT WILL TURN A THIN WIRE INTO A LIGHT BULB]. AVOID WAGO FOR POWER INSTEAD SOLDER WIRES TOGETHER AND SHRINK WRAP. IF WAGO IS A MUST USE THE 32A VARIETY.
Chose a well regulated PSU and make sure its negative ground is connected to the ESP chips GND. Use a Crimping tool
Take a wire from the GPIO (i used 16) to the green wire on the strip (make sure this is what it says in the led setup)
Take a red with from the PSU positive terminal to the red wire on the strip
Connect a phone charger to the ESP32.
turn on the 12V psu (WS2815)
Login via the phone again, make a couple of changes to the led setup and bingo you are up.