bool begin(const char* ssid, const char* passphraase, unsinged long timeout)
```
Starts establishing WiFi connection. Before establishing, start the Web server and DNS server for the captive portal. Then begins connection establishment in WIFI_STA mode. If connection can not established with the specified SSID and password, switch to WIFI_AP_STA mode and activate SoftAP.
<dlclass="apidl">
<dt>**Parameters**</dt>
<dd><spanclass="apidef">ssid</span>SSID to be connected.</dd>
<dd><spanclass="apidef">passphrase</span>Password for connection.</dd>
<dd><spanclass="apidef">timeout</span>A time out value in milliseconds for waiting connection.</dd>
<dt>**Return value**</dt>
<dd><spanclass="apidef">true</span>Connection established, AutoConnect service started with WIFI_STA mode.</dd>
<dd><spanclass="apidef">false</span>Could not connected, Captive portal started with WIFI_AP_STA mode.</dd>
<dd><spanclass="apidef">false</span>Configuration parameter is invalid, some values out of range.</dd>
</dl>
#### end
```cpp
void end()
```
Stops AutoConnect captive portal service. Release ESP8266WebServer and DNSServer.
!!! warning "Attention to end"
The end function releases the instance of ESP8266WebServer and DNSServer. It can not process them after the end function.
#### handleClient
```cpp
void handleClient()
```
Handling for the AutoConnect web interface. Invoke the handleClient of the parent web server to process client request of the AutoConnect WEB interface. No effects when the web server is not available.
#### handleRequest
```cpp
void handleRequest()
```
Handling for the AutoConnect menu request.
!!! warning "About used in combination with handleClient"
The handleRequest function is not supposed to use with AutoConnect::handleClient. It should be used with ESP8266::handleClient.
#### home
```cpp
void home(String uri)
```
Put a user site's home URI. The URI specified by home is linked from "HOME" in the AutoConnect portal menu.
<dlclass="apidl">
<dt>**Parameters**</dt>
<dd><spanclass="apidef">uri</span> A URI string of user site's home path.</dd>
</dl>
#### host
Returns the reference of the ESP8266WebServer which is allocated in AutoConnect automatically.
```cpp
ESP8266WebServer& host()
```
<dlclass="apidl">
<dt>**Return value**</dt>
<dd>A reference of the ESP8266WebServer.</dd>
</dl>
!!! note "&reference is not a pointer"
A reference cannot be re-assigned, and must be assigned at initialization. It's like as bind as alias.
```cpp
ESP8266WebServer& server = portal.host();
server.handleClient();
```
or
```cpp
portal.host().handleClient();
```
#### onDetect
```cpp
void onDetect(DetectExit_ft fn)
```
Register the function which will call from AutoConnect at the start of the captive portal.
<dlclass="apidl">
<dt>**Parameters**</dt>
<dd><spanclass="apidef">fn</span>Function called at the captive portal start.</dd>
<dd><spanclass="apidef">ap</span>SSID for SoftAP. The length should be up to 31. The default value is **esp8266ap**.</dd>
<dd><spanclass="apidef">password</span>Password for SodtAP. The length should be from 8 to up to 63. The default value is **12345678**.</dd>
</dl>
### <i class="fa fa-code"></i> Public member variables
#### apid
SoftAP's SSID.
<dlclass="apidl">
<dt>**Type**</dt>
<dd>String</dd>
</dl>
#### apip
Sets IP address for Soft AP in captive portal. When AutoConnect fails the initial WiFi.begin, it starts the captive portal with the IP address specified this.
Captive portal activation switch. False for disabling the captive portal. It prevents starting the captive portal even if the connection at the first *WiFi.begin* fails.
Sets the offset address of the credential storage area for EEPROM. This value must be between greater than 4 and less than flash sector size. (4096 by SDK)
The default value is 0.
<dlclass="apidl">
<dt>**Type**</dt>
<dd>uint16_t</dd>
</dl>
!!! warning "It will conflict with user data."
If the sketch leaves this offset at zero, it will conflict the storage area of credentials with the user sketch owned data. It needs to use the behind of credential area.
Espressif Systems had announced the [application note](https://www.espressif.com/sites/default/files/esp8266_wi-fi_channel_selection_guidelines.pdf) about Wi-Fi channel selection.
Sets gateway address for Soft AP in captive portal. When AutoConnect fails the initial WiFi.begin, it starts the captive portal with the IP address specified this.
<dd><spanclass="apidef"style="width:230px;">0</span>SSID will be appeared. This is the default.</dd>
<dd><spanclass="apidef"style="width:230px;">1</span>SSID will be hidden.</dd>
</dl>
#### homeUri
Sets the home path of user sketch. This path would be linked from 'HOME' in the AutoConnect menu.
<dlclass="apidl">
<dt>**Type**</dt>
<dd>String</dd>
</dl>
#### netmask
Sets subnet mask for Soft AP in captive portal. When AutoConnect fails the initial WiFi.begin, it starts the captive portal with the IP address specified this.
Portal.begin(); // Starts and behaves captive portal
```
## <i class="fa fa-gift"></i> Something extra
The library presents two PNG icons which can be used to embed a hyperlink to the AutoConnect menu.
- Bar type <imgsrc="data:image/png;base64,iVBORw0KGgoAAAANSUhEUgAAACAAAAAgCAYAAABzenr0AAAApklEQVRYR2NkGGDAOMD2M4w6YDQEkEMgEJggZwCxGI0T5mug+alAvBFkD7IDXtLBcpjfXgEZ4ugOeAETpHEIgIwHeVYC3QH+0CgAS9AQgCwHRcFmdAfQ0E7cRo9mw0EVAqPlAKhwEKVTVsBZDsyiQ2k4Wg6gxPKgyoZ0Sn+o1iCHQBBQaiYQi9DYJTjbAyAJWluOtz0wWg7QOOqxGz+aDUdDYMBDAACA0x4hs/MPrwAAAABJRU5ErkJggg=="title="AutoConnect menu"alt="AutoConnect menu"/>
- Cog type <imgsrc="data:image/png;base64,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"title="AutoConnect menu"alt="AutoConnect menu"/>
To reference the icon, use the **AUTOCONNECT_LINK** macro in the sketch. It expands into the string literal as an HTML ```<a></a>``` tag with PNG embedded of the AutoConnect menu hyperlinks. Icon type is specified by the parameter of the macro.
