AutoConnect cannot allow the Sketch registers the **"Not-found"** handler (404-handler) to the ESP8266WebServer natively. AutoConnect traps Not-found handler of the ESP8266WebServer for its own page processing. If the Sketch overrides the Not-found handler, AutoConnect will miss the opportunity to control the HTTP session and becomes unresponsive to the menu.
Registering the Not-found handler is a different method than for ESP8266WebServer, use [AutoConnect::onNotFound](api.md#onnotfound). This restriction applies to the WebServer for ESP32 as well.
AutoConnect stores the credentials of the established WiFi connection in the flash of the ESP8266/ESP32 module and equips the class to access them from the Sketch. The Sketch can read, write, or erase the credentials using this class as the [AutoConnectCredential](credit.md#autoconnectcredential) individually. Refer to section [Saved credentials access](credit.md) for details.
!!! note "Where to store credentials in ESP32 with AutoConnect v1.0.0 or later"
Since v1.0.0, credentials are stored in nvs of ESP32. AutoConnect v1.0.0 or later accesses the credentials area using the **Preferences** class with the arduino esp-32 core. So in ESP32, the credentials are not in the EEPROM, it is in the namespace **AC_CREDT** of the nvs. See [Saved credentials access](credit.md) for details.
In ESP8266, it is saved in EEPROM as is conventionally done.
AutoConnect will change the WiFi mode depending on the situation. The [AutoConnect::begin](lsbegin.md) function starts WiFi mode in **STA** and starts the webserver if the connection is successful by the 1st-WiFi.begin. But if it will fail to connect with the least recently established access point, it will switch the WiFi mode to **AP_STA** and starts the DNS server to be able to launch a captive portal.
When the captive portal starts, **SoftAP** starts and STA disconnected. At this point, the station configuration information (it is known as the SDK's [station_config](https://github.com/esp8266/Arduino/blob/db75d2c448bfccc6dc308bdeb9fbd3efca7927ff/tools/sdk/include/user_interface.h#L249) structure) that the ESP module has stored on its own is discarded.
AutoConnect can connect to an access point again that has disconnected once, and its control is allowed by [*AutoConnectConfig::autoReconnect*](apiconfig.md#autoreconnect) that option specifies to attempt to reconnect to the past established access point using the saved credentials. If the [**autoReconnect**](apiconfig.md#autoreconnect) is enabled, AutoConnect will not launch SoftAP immediately even if 1st-WiFi.begin fails. When AutoConnect fails to connect WiFi, it will scan the WiFi signal to find out which access points it had connected to in the past. Then if it finds the saved BSSID in the broadcasts, AutoConnect will attempt to connect again applying the matched credential explicitly while still in STA mode. (AutoReconnect works well even with hidden SSID access points)
An [**autoRecconect**](apiconfig.md#autoreconnect) option is only available for [*AutoConnect::begin*](api.md#begin) without SSID and PASSWORD parameter.
The [*WiFiSTAClass::disconnect*](https://github.com/espressif/arduino-esp32/blob/a0f0bd930cfd2d607bf3d3288f46e2d265dd2e11/libraries/WiFi/src/WiFiSTA.h#L46) function implemented in the arduino-esp32 has extended parameters than the ESP8266's arduino-core. The second parameter of WiFi.disconnect on the arduino-esp32 core that does not exist in the [ESP8266WiFiSTAClass](https://github.com/esp8266/Arduino/blob/7e1bdb225da8ab337373517e6a86a99432921a86/libraries/ESP8266WiFi/src/ESP8266WiFiSTA.cpp#L296) has the effect of deleting the currently connected WiFi configuration and its default value is "false". On the ESP32 platform, even if WiFi.disconnect is executed, WiFi.begin() without the parameters in the next turn will try to connect to that AP. That is, automatic reconnection is implemented in arduino-esp32 already. Although this behavior appears seemingly competent, it is rather a disadvantage in scenes where you want to change the access point each time. When explicitly disconnecting WiFi from the Disconnect menu, AutoConnect will erase the AP connection settings saved by the arduino-esp32 core. AutoConnect's automatic reconnection is a mechanism independent from the automatic reconnection of the arduino-esp32 core.
By default, AutoConnect saves the credentials of the established connection to the flash. You can disable it with the [**autoSave**](apiconfig.md#autosave) parameter specified by [AutoConnectConfig](apiconfig.md).
See the [Saved credentials access](credit.md) chapter for details on accessing stored credentials.
The captive portal will only be activated if 1st-WiFi::begin fails. Sketch can detect with the [*AutoConnect::onDetect*](api.md#ondetect) function that the captive portal has started. For example, the Sketch can be written like as follows that turns on the LED at the start captive portal.
### <i class="fa fa-caret-right"></i> Captive portal starting control
Basically, the captive portal launch is subject to 1st-WiFi.begin result, but Sketch can control it. The Sketch can direct the following four actions by configuring AutoConnect with two parameters, [*AutoConnectConfig::immediateStart*](apiconfig.md#immediatestart) and [*AutoConnectConfig::autoRise*](apiconfig.md#autorise).
<td>Skip 1st-WiFi.begin<br>ESP module becomes SoftAP and the captive portal starts immediately.<br></td>
<td>Not attempt WiFi connection.<br>Only WebServer will start in STA mode.</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>false</td>
<td>Attempts WiFi connection in STA mode.<br>In some cases, the autoReconnect may restore the connection even if 1st-WiFiBeing fails.<br>If the connection is completely lost, the captive portal will be launched.<br><b>This is the default.</b></td>
<td>Attempts WiFi connection in STA mode.<br>In some cases, the autoReconnect may restore the connection even if 1st-WiFiBeing fails.<br>ESP module stays in STA mode and WebServer will start.</td>
Once AutoConnect has entered the captive portal state due to the above conditions, it will not exit until a WiFi connection can be established. (But that is the default behavior)
The Sketch can abort the [*AutoConnect::begin*](api.md#begin) by setting the captive portal timeout and returns control to Sketch. AutoConnect has two parameters for timeout control. One is a timeout value used when trying to connect to the specified AP. It behaves the same as general timeout control in connection attempt by WiFi.begin. This control is specified by the third parameter of [*AutoConnect::begin*](api.md#begin). The default value is macro defined by [**AUTOCONNECT_TIMEOUT**](https://github.com/Hieromon/AutoConnect/blob/master/src/AutoConnectDefs.h#L103) in AutoConnectDefs.h header file.
The other timeout control is for the captive portal itself. It is useful when you want to continue sketch execution with offline even if the WiFi connection is not possible. You can also combine it with the [**immediateStart**](#on-demand-start-the-captive-portal) option to create sketches with high mobility.
Also, if you want to stop AutoConnect completely when the captive portal is timed out, you need to call the [*AutoConnect::end*](api.md#end) function. It looks like the following code:
There is another option related to timeout in AutoConnectConfig. It can make use of the captive portal function even after a timeout. The [*AutoConnectConfig::retainPortal*](apiconfig.md#retainportal) option will not stop the SoftAP when the captive portal is timed out. If you enable the ratainPortal option, you can try to connect to the AP at any time while continuing to sketch execution with offline even after the captive portal timed-out. Compared to the above code specified no option with the following example code, the captive portal will remain available even after a timeout without changing the logic of the Sketch.
You can embed the ordinary page processed by the ESP8266WebServer request handler as an item into the AutoConnect menu. AutoConnect can capture the legacy web pages for ESP8266WebServer or WebServer of ESP32 and extends the menu containing these items.
In ordinary, the Sketch registers the request handler for the page depending on URI using the [ESP8266WebServer::on](https://github.com/esp8266/Arduino/tree/master/libraries/ESP8266WebServer#client-request-handlers) function. AutoConnect allows Sketch to bundle the registered legacy page into a menu. the Sketch is able to include its URI to a menu item using [*AutoConnect::append*](api.md#append) function that creates internally an [**AutoConnectAux**](acintro.md) depended on its URI and integrates into the menu.
The following code has a mixture of both AutoConnectAux and the legacy web page. An AutoConnectAux page is menued automatically with the [*AutoConnect::join*](api.md#join) or [*AutoConnect::load*](api.md#load) function. Similarly, a legacy page is integrated by the [*AutoConnect::append*](api.md#append) function.
The [*AutoConnect::append*](api.md#append) function also has the third parameter that directly specifies the request handler. It has similar efficacy to calling the append and `ESP8266WebSever::on` at once. [^1]
[^1]: However, the pages registered this way remain legacy. Therefore, the AutoConnect menu bar is not appeared.
!!! note "An instance of ESP8266WebServer/WebServer is needed"
When calling the append function with request handler parameters, an instance of the WebServer as the registration destination must exist.
AutoConnect can instantiate and host a WebServer internally, but in that case, the point in time to call the [AutoConnct::append](api.md#append) function with a request handler parameter must be after [AutoConnect::begin](api.md#begin).
You can change the label text for each menu item but cannot change them at run time. There are two ways to change the label text, both of which require coding the label literal.
You can change the label of the AutoConnect menu item by rewriting the default label literal in [AutoConnectLabels.h](https://github.com/Hieromon/AutoConnect/blob/master/src/AutoConnectLabels.h) macros. However, changing menu items literal influences all the Sketch's build scenes.
The mistake that many people make is to use PlatformIO's build_flags to try to redefine any literal at compile time.<br>
The AutoConnect library statically contains the label literals which are embedded as binary data when compiling the library code. The label literals will not change without compiling the library source.<br>
And PlatformIO is a build system. Library sources will not be compiled unless AutoConnectLabels.h is updated.
Another way to change the label literal is to provide a header file that defines the label literals, as mentioned in [Appendix](changelabel.md#change-the-items-label-text). You can also use this method to display label text and fixed text in the local language on the AutoConnect page. See [Change the item's label text](changelabel.md#change-the-items-label-text) section for details.
With [mDNS library](https://github.com/esp8266/Arduino/tree/master/libraries/ESP8266mDNS), you can access to ESP8266 by name instead of IP address after connection. The Sketch can start the MDNS responder after [*AutoConnect::begin*](api.md#begin).
### <i class="fa fa-caret-right"></i> Connects depending on the WiFi signal strength
When the ESP module found the multiple available access points (ie. AutoConnect has connected in the past), the default behavior AutoConnect will attempt to connect to the least recent one. However, If the ESP module can operate properly with any access point, it is advantageous to establish a connection with the best one of the reception sensitivity.
The [*AutoConnectConfig::principle*](apiconfig.md#principle) parameter has the connection disposition, and specifying **AC_PRINCIPLE_RSSI** will attempt to connect to one of the highest RSSI value among multiple available access points. Also You can expect stable WiFi connection by specifying the lower limit of signal strength using [*AutoConnectConfig::minRSSI*](apiconfig.md#minrssi).
Combining these two parameters allows you to filter the destination AP when multiple available access points are found.
[*AutoConnectConfig::principle*](apiconfig.md#principle) affects the behavior of both 1st-WiFi.begin and [**autoReconnect**](advancedusage.md#automatic-reconnect). If you specify **AC_PRINCIPLE_RECENT** for the [**principle**](apiconfig.md#principle), it will try according to the conventional connection rules, but if you specify **AC_PRINCIPLE_RSSI**, it will try to connect to the access point that is sending the strongest WiFi signal at that time instead of the last accessed AP. Also, the static IPs will be restored from a saved credential instead of AutoConnectConfig. (The values specified by AutoConnectConfig is ignored)
You can output AutoConnect monitor messages to the **Serial**. A monitor message activation switch is in an include header file [AutoConnectDefs.h](https://github.com/Hieromon/AutoConnect/blob/master/src/AutoConnectDefs.h) of library source. Define [**AC_DEBUG**](https://github.com/Hieromon/AutoConnect/blob/master/src/AutoConnectDefs.h#L14) macro to output the monitor messages.[^2]
[*AutoConnect::onConnect*](api.md#onconnect) allows the Sketch to detect a WiFi connection to a router. The Sketch uses [*AutoConnect::onConnect*](api.md#onconnect) to register a function to call when WiFi connected.
For example, as the following Sketch, this can be combined with [*AutoConnectConfig::retainPortal*](apiconfig.md#retainportal) to stop **SoftAP** in a **loop()**. It avoids blocking in the captive portal state by AutoConnect and allows the loop to run even without a WiFi connection.
// Here, the Sketch can execute without WiFi connection.
// It avoids blocking the state by the captive portal even if the captive portal is available.
portal.handleClient();
}
```
!!! note "It is not an event"
AutoConnect::onConnect has the same effect on the Sketch as the [WiFi.onStationModeConnected](https://arduino-esp8266.readthedocs.io/en/latest/esp8266wifi/generic-class.html#onevent), but AutoConnect does not use the event. Sketch can use `WiFi.onEvent` independently of AutoConnect.
It can also prevent the captive portal from starting even if the connection at the 1st-WiFi.begin fails. In this case, [*AutoConnect::begin*](api.md#begin) behaves same as *WiFi.begin*.
You can change SoftAP's SSID and password programmatically when the captive portal starts up. By using chip specific ID of esp8266/esp32 you can make SSID of SoftAP unique. SSID and password for SoftAP is [*AutoConnectConfig::apid*](apiconfig.md#apid) and [*AutoConnectConfig::psk*](apiconfig.md#psk).
The [default behavior](lsbegin.md) of [*AutoConnect::begin*](api.md#begin) gives priority to connect to the least recently established access point. In general, We expect this behavior in most situations, but will intentionally launch the captive portal on some occasion.
You can use this template if the ESP module does not connect to WiFi at an ordinal situation and need to establish by a manual trigger. In this case, it is desirable that AutoConnect not start until an external switch fires. This behavior is similar to the [WiFiManager's startConfigPortal](https://github.com/tzapu/WiFiManager#on-demand-configuration-portal) function.
[*AutoConnectConfig::immediateStart*](apiconfig.md#immediatestart) is an option to launch the portal by the SoftAP immediately without attempting 1st-WiFi.begin. Also, by setting the [*AutoConnectConfig::autoRise*](apiconfig.md#autorise) option to false, it is possible to suppress unintended automatic pop-ups of the portal screen when connecting to an ESP module SSID.
To implement this, execute AutoConnect::config within the **setup()** function as usual, and handle AutoConnect::begin inside the **loop()** function.
The above example does not connect to WiFi until TRIGGER\_PIN goes LOW. When TRIGGER\_PIN goes LOW, the captive portal starts and you can connect to WiFi. Even if you reset the module, it will not automatically reconnect.
The following template is useful for controlling the registration of unknown access points. In this case, the ESP module establishes a WiFi connection using WiFi.begin natively without relying on AutoConnect.
Known access point credentials are saved by AutoConnect, to the ESP module can use the saved credentials to handle WiFi.begin natively. This means that you can explicitly register available access points when needed, and the ESP module will not use unknown access points under normal situations.
```cpp
AutoConnect* portal = nullptr;
bool detectSwitch() {
/*
Returns true if an external switch to configure is active.
Constructing an AutoConnect object variable without parameters then creates and starts an ESP8266WebServer/WebServer inside the AutoConnect. This object variable could be referred by [*AutoConnect::host*](api.md#host) function to access ESP8266WebServer/WebServer instance as like below.
The Sketch can handle URL requests using ESP8266WebServer or WebServer that AutoConnect started internally. ESP8266WebServer/WebServer instantiated dynamically by AutoConnect can be referred to by [*AutoConnect::host*](api.md#host) function. The Sketch can use the '**on**' function, '**send**' function, '**client**' function and others by ESP8266WebServer/WebServer reference of its return value.
In ordinary, the URL handler will respond to the request from the client by sending some HTML. It will dynamically generate the HTML to respond to based on the sensing data etc. for the changing scene, but it contains elements of variable values in the middle of the HTML fixed string. Therefore, sketches tend to be in a tangled that repeats the logic for data handling and string splicing in turn, which tends to be less readable and maintainable.
[PageBuilder](https://github.com/Hieromon/PageBuilder) library is an HTML assembly aid. it can handle predefined HTML like the template and simplify an HTML string assemble logic, and also the generated HTML send automatically.
An example sketch used with the PageBuilder as follows and it explains how it aids for the HTML generating. Details for [Github repository](https://github.com/Hieromon/PageBuilder).
You can adjust the AutoConnect behave at run-time using [AutoConnectConfig](apiconfig.md). AutoConnectConfig is a class that has only AutoConnect configuration settings. You define the behavior of AutoConnect using AutoConnectConfig member variables and give it to AutoConnect via the [*AutoConnect::config*](api.md#config) function.
AutoConnectConfig allows the Sketch controls the behavior of follows:
The Sketch may use authentication to protect custom web pages and prevent unauthorized access. AutoConnect has implemented HTTP authentication based on the [ESP8266WebServer::authenticate](https://github.com/esp8266/Arduino/tree/master/libraries/ESP8266WebServer#authentication) function that allows applied to several scopes.
[*AutoConnectConfig::auth*](apiconfig.md#auth) setting allows the Sketch to HTTP authenticate with "[**BASIC**](https://tools.ietf.org/html/rfc2617#section-2)" or "[**DIGEST**](https://tools.ietf.org/html/rfc2617#section-3)" scheme. [*AutoConnectConfig::authScope*](apiconfig.md#authscope) specifies the scope covered by authentication which is the whole range for all pages of the Sketch, custom web pages, or AutoConnect pages. [*AutoConnectConfig::username*](apiconfig.md#username) and [*AutoConnectConfig::password*](apiconfig.md#password) specifies credential as user-id/password pairs.
The Sketch enables HTTP authentication with the [*AutoConnectConfig::auth*](apiconfig.md#auth) setting, also specifies the authentication scheme:
- **AC_AUTH_NONE**
AutoConnect pages and custom web pages do not require authentication. Not protected from all HTTP access. This is the default.
- **AC_AUTH_DIGEST**
Protect AutoConnect pages and custom web pages with DIGEST authentication.
- **AC_AUTH_BASIC**
Protect AutoConnect pages and custom web pages with BASIC authentication.
Note that the authentication scope specified in [*AutoConnectConfig::authScope*](apiconfig.md#authscope) is different from the protection scope shown by [**Realm**](https://tools.ietf.org/html/rfc7235#section-2.2) for HTTP authentication. AutoConnect assumes only one Realm and defines it as [**AUTOCONNECT_AUTH_REALM**](https://github.com/Hieromon/AutoConnect/blob/master/src/AutoConnectDefs.h#L239) in AutoConnectDefs.h header file. Instead, the Sketch will be able to expand or narrow the range of authentication by [*AutoConnectConfig::authScope*](apiconfig.md#authscope) setting, which can be either as follows:
- **AC_AUTHSCOPE_PORTAL**
Require authentication to access for all AutoConnect pages, including custom web pages.
- **AC_AUTHSCOPE_AUX**
Require authentication to access for all custom web pages, excepting AutoConnect pages. This is the Default.
- **AC_AUTHSCOPE_PARTIAL**
Authenticate only specific custom web pages which are specified by [*AutoConnectAux::authentication*](apiaux.md#authentication) function or JSON.
!!! info "PageBuilder v1.4.0 or later needed"
[PageBuilder](https://github.com/Hieromon/PageBuilder) v1.4.1 or later is required to use HTTP authentication with AutoConnect.
**HOME** for returning to the user's sketch homepage will display at the bottom of the AutoConnect menu. It could be set using the [*AutoConnect::home*](api.md#home) function.
The Sketch HOME path is closely related to the [bootUri](apiconfig.md#booturi) that specifies the access path on module restart. AutoConnect has the following three parameters concerning control the URIs:
The **ROOT** URI of AutoConnect. It is defined in [AutoConnectDefs.h](https://github.com/Hieromon/AutoConnect/blob/master/src/AutoConnectDefs.h#L69) file and is assigned to [AutoConnect statistics screen](menu.md#where-the-from) by default.
| The definition of **HOME** | Behavior | Specified by | Default value | Possible value |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| **ROOT** of AutoConnect | Default for AC_ONBOOTURI_ROOT | `#define AUTOCONNECT_URI` in `AutoConnectDefs.h` | `/_ac` | URI string |
| **HOME** for Application-specific | Listed on the **menu list** as **HOME**<br>Also, It may be linked from the **menu title** and is **redundant** with the HOME menu item.<br>eg. Case of bootURI = AC_ONBOOTURI_HOME | AutoConnectConfig::homeURI | `/` | URI string |
| Which page **loads** at the boot time, ROOT or HOME | Appears after module reboot by **RESET** button with AutoConnect menu | AutoConnectConfig::bootURI | AC_ONBOOTURI_ROOT | AC_ONBOOTURI_HOME |
| Which page **appears** at the captive portal, ROOT or HOME | Auto pop-up | AutoConnectConfig::bootURI | AC_ONBOOTURI_ROOT | AC_ONBOOTURI_HOME |
### <i class="fa fa-caret-right"></i> Built-in OTA update feature
AutoConnect features a built-in OTA function to update ESP module firmware. You can easily make the Sketch that equips OTA and able to operate with the AutoConnect menu.
### <i class="fa fa-caret-right"></i> Change menu title
Although the default menu title is **AutoConnect**, you can change the title by setting [*AutoConnectConfig::title*](apiconfig.md#title). To set the menu title properly, you must set before calling [*AutoConnect::begin*](api.md#begin).
```cpp hl_lines="6 7"
AutoConnect Portal;
AutoConnectConfig Config;
void setup() {
// Set menu title
Config.title = "FSBrowser";
Portal.config(Config);
Portal.begin();
}
```
Executing the above sketch will rewrite the menu title for the **FSBrowser** as the below.
### <i class="fa fa-caret-right"></i> Change SSID and Password for SoftAP
An **esp8266ap** is default SSID name for SoftAP of captive portal and password is **12345678** for ESP8266. Similarly, **esp32ap** and **12345678** for ESP32. You can change both by setting [apid](apiconfig.md#apid) and [psk](apiconfig.md#psk).
You can also assign no password to SoftAP launched as a captive portal. Assigning a null string as `String("")` to [*AutoConnectConfig::psk*](apiconfig.md#psk) does not require a password when connecting to SoftAP.
AutoConnect will activate SoftAP at failed the 1st-WiFi.begin. It SoftAP settings are stored in [**AutoConnectConfig**](apiconfig.md#autoconnectconfig) as the following parameters. The Sketch could be configured SoftAP using these parameters, refer the [AutoConnectConfig API](apiconfig.md#public-member-variables) for details.
Appropriately specifying the WiFi channel to use for ESP8266 and ESP32 is essential for a stable connection with the access point. AutoConnect remembers the WiFi channel with a credential of the access point once connected and reuses it.
The default channel when a captive portal starts and AutoConnect itself becomes an access point is the [*AutoConnectConfig::channel*](apiconfig.md#channel) member. If this channel is different from the channel of the access point you will attempt to connect, WiFi.begin may fail. The cause is that the ESP module shares the same channel in AP mode and STA mode. If the connection attempt is not stable, specifying a proper channel using AutoConnectConfig::channel may result in a stable connection.
### <i class="fa fa-caret-right"></i> Move the saving area of EEPROM for the credentials
By default, the credentials saving area is occupied from the beginning of EEPROM area. [ESP8266 Arduino core document](http://arduino-esp8266.readthedocs.io/en/latest/filesystem.html?highlight=eeprom#flash-layout) says that:
> The following diagram illustrates flash layout used in Arduino environment:
> Sketch OTA update File system EEPROM WiFi config (SDK)
> ```
and
> EEPROM library uses one sector of flash located [just after the SPIFFS](http://arduino-esp8266.readthedocs.io/en/latest/libraries.html?highlight=SPIFFS#eeprom).
Also, in ESP32 arduino core 1.0.2 earlier, the placement of the EEPROM area of ESP32 is described in the [partition table](https://github.com/espressif/arduino-esp32/blob/master/tools/partitions/default.csv). So in the default state, the credential storage area used by AutoConnect conflicts with data owned by the user sketch. It will be destroyed together saved data in EEPROM by user sketch and AutoConnect each other. But you can move the storage area to avoid this.
The [**boundaryOffset**](apiconfig.md#boundaryoffset) in [AutoConnectConfig](apiconfig.md) specifies the start offset of the credentials storage area. The default value is 0.
!!! info "The boundaryOffset ignored with AutoConnect v1.0.0 later on ESP32 arduino core 1.0.3 later"
For ESP32 arduino core 1.0.3 and later, AutoConnect will store credentials to Preferences in the nvs. Since it is defined as the namespace dedicated to AutoConnect and separated from the area used for user sketches. Therefore, the [boundaryOffset](apiconfig.md#boundaryoffset) is ignored with the combination of AutoConnect v1.0.0 or later and the arduino-esp32 1.0.3 or later.
The [*AutoConnectConfig::boundaryOffset*](apiconfig.md#boundaryoffset) setting allows AutoConnect to write its data to EEPROM while preserving custom configuration data. Similarly, when a Sketch writes its own data to EEPROM, it must preserve the data written by AutoConnect.
The EEPROM library for ESP8266 erases the entire flash sector when it writes to any part of the sector. Therefore, when writing data to EEPROM with a sketch that handles the custom data, it is necessary to call `EEPROM.begin` using a total amount of a custom data size and the saved credentials size.
The following code shows how to use the [*AutoConnect::getEEPROMUsedSize*](api.md#geteepromusedsize) function to store custom configuration settings in EEPROM without conflicting with AutoConnect's use of that storage.
```cpp hl_lines="13 21"
AutoConnect portal;
AutoConnectConfig config;
// Defines the custom data should be stored in EEPROM.
typedef struct {
char data1[8];
char data2[8];
char data3[8];
} EEPROM_CONFIG_t;
EEPROM_CONFIG_t eepromConfig;
...
// Declares to reserve the EEPROM_CONFIG_t area for a Sketch using.
config.boundaryOffset = sizeof(eepromConfig);
portal.config(config);
...
strcpy(eepromComfig.data1, "data1");
strcpy(eepromComfig.data2, "data2");
strcpy(eepromComfig.data3, "data3");
// Use getEEPROMUsedSize to access the EEPROM with the appropriate region size.
A home path of AutoConnect is **/\_ac** by default. You can access from the browser with http://IPADDRESS/\_ac. You can change the home path by revising [**AUTOCONNECT_URI**](https://github.com/Hieromon/AutoConnect/blob/master/src/AutoConnectDefs.h#L69) macro in AutoConnectDefs.h header file.
It is also possible to assign static IP Address to ESP8266/ESP32 in STA mode. By default DHCP is enabled and it becomes the IP address assigned by the DHCP server with *WiFi.begin*.
[*AutoConnectConfig::hostName*](apiconfig.md#hostname) assigns the station DHCP hostname which complies with [RFC952](https://tools.ietf.org/html/rfc952). It must satisfy the following constraints.
### <i class="fa fa-caret-right"></i> Ticker for WiFi status
Flicker signal can be output from the ESP8266/ESP32 module according to WiFi connection status. If you connect the LED to the signal output pin, you can know the WiFi connection status during behavior inside AutoConnect::begin through the LED blink.
[*AutoConnectConfig::ticker*](apiconfig.md#ticker) option specifies flicker signal output. The following sketch is an example of flashing the active-high LED connected to pin #16 according to WiFi connection during the AutoConnect::begin.
The flicker cycle length is defined by some macros in [AutoConnectDefs.h](https://github.com/Hieromon/AutoConnect/blob/master/src/AutoConnectDefs.h) header file.
[*AutoConnectConfig::tickerPort*](apiconfig.md#tickerport) specifies a port that outputs the flicker signal. If you are using an LED-equipped ESP module board, you can assign a LED pin to the tick-port for the WiFi connection monitoring without the external LED. The default pin is arduino valiant's **LED\_BUILTIN**. You can refer to the Arduino IDE's variant information to find out which pin actually on the module assign to **LED\_BUILTIN**.[^4]
[*AutoConnectConfig::tickerOn*](apiconfig.md#tickeron) specifies the active logic level of the flicker signal. This value indicates the active signal level when driving the ticker. For example, if the LED connected to tickPort lights by LOW, the tickerOn is **LOW**. The logic level of LED_BUILTIN for popular modules are as follows:
