Setup the Wifi password for a many iPads with KeyboArduino.

If you are setting a lot of iPads (My record is 350), typing in the WiFi password adds a lot of work. I have seen two solutions:

When we deployed iPads at MS137 in Queens, I sucesfully managed another way! Also somewhat technical, but a lot more fun than Apple Configurator.

I programed an Arduino microcontroller to act as a keyboard. Once plugged into an iPad, it automatically types the password on the iPad.

This is possible for two reasons:

Simple, right? There are of course a few nuances that make this a little bit harder than one would think.

Here is a step-by-step guide to building your own KeyboArduino.

Once you are done, run the Arduino IDE.

This is the easy part! The code is really simple. Copy and paste this code into your Arduino IDE.

Plug in your Arduino microcontroller and in the Arduino IDE select the Upload button.

Now your Arduino is programmed!

This step is obscure. Because your Arduino can either be programmed using the USB or be a Keyboard (not both at the same time), we now need to change the Arduino behavior.

First, short the RESET and GND pins.

If all went well, your Mac will now recognize a new Keyboard!

If you followed the steps: you are done! If you are only reading this: you would be done if you followed the steps! Either way:

Unplug your Arduino from the computer, and connect the USB to the Lighting adaptor.

In step 4, we switched the Arduino to Keyboard mode. To re-program your Arduino you will need to switch it back to Programming mode. You will need to to this, for example, to change the wifi password.

Now you can program your Arduino again!

Ok, so setting all this up seems like a lot of work. I say, wait until you have to type a 30 character password 300 times on a soft keyboard!

The nerd in me really enjoyed building this and I smile every time my KeyboArduino types a password on an iPad.

I’m working on a simpler version that will skip Step 4 and work with Arduino boards other than the Uno. Hope to have some good news soon!

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