esp32_nat_router

Overview

The ESP32 NAT Router is a firmware project that transforms the ESP32 microcontroller into a fully functional NAT router with advanced networking capabilities. It features WiFi routing, VPN support via WireGuard, DHCP reservations, port forwarding, firewall functionality, and packet capture. A significant aspect is its MCP Bridge implementation (currently in BETA), which enables control of the router through AI assistants like Claude via the Model Context Protocol. The project provides multiple hardware variants including support for Ethernet, dual-band WiFi, and various LED/OLED display options.

Try asking AI

After installing, here are 5 things you can ask your AI assistant:

• get_network_status

  Retrieve current network status and router information

  Try:What's the current status of my ESP32 NAT router?Try:Show me network statistics and client connections
• set_firewall_rule

  Add or modify firewall rules to control network access

  Try:Block a specific device from accessing the internetTry:Add a rule to allow only certain websites
• port_forward

  Configure port forwarding to expose internal devices to the internet

  Try:Set up port forwarding for my security cameraTry:Forward port 8080 to my home server
• start_packet_capture

  Begin capturing network packets for analysis

  Try:Start capturing network traffic to WiresharkTry:Begin packet capture on the wireless interface
• configure_vpn

  Set up WireGuard VPN tunnel configuration

  Try:Configure WireGuard VPN connection to my office networkTry:Add a new VPN server to the router configuration
• list_clients

  Show all connected clients with their details

  Try:List all devices connected to my networkTry:Show MAC addresses and IP assignments of connected clients
• reboot_device

  Reboot the ESP32 router

  Try:Restart the ESP32 NAT routerTry:Reboot the device to apply new settings
• backup_configuration

  Export current router configuration

  Try:Save my current router configurationTry:Backup the settings to a file
• restore_configuration

  Restore router configuration from a backup

  Try:Restore my router configuration from the backupTry:Load saved settings onto the router
• dhcp_reservation

  Set up static IP assignments for specific devices

  Try:Assign a fixed IP to my printerTry:Set DHCP reservation for my security camera
• update_firmware

  Perform OTA firmware update

  Try:Update the router firmware to the latest versionTry:Install the new beta firmware
• mqtt_publish_stats

  Publish router statistics to MQTT server

  Try:Send network statistics to my Home Assistant via MQTTTry:Publish client connection data to MQTT broker

Note: Tools were inferred from the feature descriptions in the README, particularly from the 'Key Features' section and the documentation table. The actual MCP tool names and signatures are not explicitly documented in the provided text.

Comparable tools

Installation

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "esp32-nat-router": {
      "command": "npx",
      "args": ["@martin-ger/esp32-nat-router-mcp"]
    }
  }
}

FAQ

What MCP tools does this server provide?

The server provides MCP tools for network management, including device status monitoring, firewall rule configuration, DHCP reservation management, and port forwarding setup. It allows AI assistants to interact with the router's features programmatically.

What are the hardware requirements?

The project supports various ESP32 boards including ESP32, ESP32-C3, ESP32-C5, ESP32-C6, ESP32-S3, and WT32-ETH01. For Ethernet functionality, a W32-ET01 board with LAN8720 PHY is required. The maximum number of WiFi clients depends on the ESP32 model (8 for ESP32, 5 for ESP32-C3).

On Hacker News

Recent discussion from the developer community.

• Esp32-nat-router: a firmware to use the ESP32 as WiFi NAT router▲ 3
  Story by lnyan · 2021-07-29

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