![\"MicroPython](\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/randomnerdtutorials.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/ESP-NOW-MicroPython-One-to-Many.jpg?resize=1200%2C675&quality=100&strip=all&ssl=1\")
<\/figure><\/div>\n\n\nUsing Arduino IDE?<\/strong> Follow this tutorial instead: ESP-NOW with ESP32: Send Data to Multiple Boards (one-to-many)<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n To follow this tutorial, you need MicroPython firmware installed on your ESP32 or ESP8266 boards. You also need an IDE to write and upload the code to your board. We suggest using Thonny IDE:<\/p>\n\n\n\n New to MicroPython?<\/strong> Check out our eBook: MicroPython Programming with ESP32 and ESP8266 eBook (2nd Edition)<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n ESP-NOW is a wireless communication protocol developed by Espressif that allows multiple ESP32 or ESP8266 boards to exchange small amounts of data without using Wi-Fi or Bluetooth. ESP-NOW does not require a full Wi-Fi connection (though the Wi-Fi controller must be turned on), making it ideal for low-power and low-latency applications like sensor networks, remote controls, or data exchange between boards.<\/p>\n\n\n ESP-NOW uses a connectionless communication model, meaning devices can send and receive data without connecting to a router or setting up an access point (unlike HTTP communication between boards). It supports unicast (sending data to a specific device using its MAC address) and broadcast (sending data to all nearby devices using a broadcast MAC address) messaging.<\/p>\n\n\n\n New to ESP-NOW?<\/strong> Read our getting started guide: MicroPython: ESP-NOW with ESP32 (Getting Started)<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n This tutorial shows how to set up an ESP32 board as an ESP-NOW main controller that sends commands to multiple ESP32 boards.<\/p>\n\n\n Here’s an overview of how the project works:<\/p>\n\n\n\n To follow the project in this tutorial, you’ll need the following parts:<\/p>\n\n\n\n You can use the preceding links or go directly to MakerAdvisor.com\/tools<\/a> to find all the parts for your projects at the best price!<\/p> To communicate via ESP-NOW, you need to know the MAC address of your boards. To get your board\u2019s MAC Address, you can copy the following code to Thonny IDE and run it on your board. <\/p>\n\n\n View raw code<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n After running the code, it should print the board’s MAC address on the shell.<\/p>\n\n\n Get the MAC address for all of your boards.<\/p>\n\n\n\n For example, in my case, I get:<\/p>\n\n\n\n The sender board will be connected to three pushbuttons. Each pushbutton will control one LED of a different ESP32.<\/p>\n\n\n Start by wiring three pushbuttons to the ESP32 sender board. We’ll connect the pushbuttons to GPIOs 21, 22, and 23. You can use any other suitable GPIOs (don’t forget to check out the ESP32 board pinout<\/a>).<\/p>\n\n\n\n We’ll use the ESP32 internal pull-down resistors. So, you don’t need to add resistors to the circuit.<\/p>\n\n\n Copy the following code to Thonny IDE.<\/p>\n\n\n View raw code<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n Make sure to modify the code with your receivers’ boards’ MAC addresses.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Let’s take a quick look at how the code works. Alternatively, you can skip to the next section.<\/p>\n\n\n\nPrerequisites – MicroPython Firmware<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
\n
Introducing ESP-NOW<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
![\"ESP-NOW](\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/randomnerdtutorials.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/01\/esp-now-logo.png?resize=300%2C75&quality=100&strip=all&ssl=1\"){kind=logo}
<\/figure><\/div>\n\n\nProject Overview<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
![\"ESP32](\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/randomnerdtutorials.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/ESP32-ESP-NOW-send-data-to-multiple-boards.png?resize=750%2C500&quality=100&strip=all&ssl=1\")
<\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n
Parts Required<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
\n
![](\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/randomnerdtutorials.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/10\/header-200.png?w=1200&quality=100&strip=all&ssl=1\")
<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\nESP32: Getting Board MAC Address<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
# Rui Santos & Sara Santos - Random Nerd Tutorials\r\n# Complete project details at https:\/\/RandomNerdTutorials.com\/micropython-esp-now-esp32\/\r\n \r\nimport network\r\n\r\nwlan = network.WLAN(network.STA_IF)\r\nwlan.active(True)\r\n\r\n# Get MAC address (returns bytes)\r\nmac = wlan.config('mac')\r\n\r\n# Convert to human-readable format\r\nmac_address = ':'.join('%02x' % b for b in mac)\r\n\r\nprint("MAC Address:", mac_address)<\/code><\/pre>\n\t![\"Thonny](\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/randomnerdtutorials.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/thonny-ide-get-board-mac-address.png?resize=707%2C298&quality=100&strip=all&ssl=1\")
<\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n
Preparing the ESP32 Sender Board<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
![\"ESP32](\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/randomnerdtutorials.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/ESP32-ESP-NOW-Controller.jpg?resize=750%2C422&quality=100&strip=all&ssl=1\")
<\/figure><\/div>\n\n\nWiring the Circuit<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
![\"ESP32](\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/randomnerdtutorials.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/ESP32-three-pushbuttons_bb.png?resize=908%2C826&quality=100&strip=all&ssl=1\")
<\/figure><\/div>\n\n\nESP32 ESP-NOW Controller – The Sender Code<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
# Rui Santos & Sara Santos - Random Nerd Tutorials\n# Complete project details at https:\/\/RandomNerdTutorials.com\/micropython-esp-now-esp32-one-to-many\/\n\nimport network\nimport aioespnow\nimport asyncio\nfrom machine import Pin\n\n# Initialize Wi-Fi in station mode\nsta = network.WLAN(network.STA_IF)\nsta.active(True)\nsta.disconnect()\n\n# Initialize AIOESPNow\ne = aioespnow.AIOESPNow()\ntry:\n e.active(True)\nexcept OSError as err:\n print("Failed to initialize AIOESPNow:", err)\n raise\n\n# Define pins for pushbuttons\nbutton1_pin = Pin(21, Pin.IN, Pin.PULL_UP) # Button for Board 1\nbutton2_pin = Pin(22, Pin.IN, Pin.PULL_UP) # Button for Board 2\nbutton3_pin = Pin(23, Pin.IN, Pin.PULL_UP) # Button for Board 3\n\n# Define MAC addresses for receiving boards\nboard1_mac = b'\\xff\\xff\\xff\\xff\\xff\\xff' # MAC address for Board 1\nboard2_mac = b'\\xff\\xff\\xff\\xff\\xff\\xff' # MAC address for Board 2\nboard3_mac = b'\\xff\\xff\\xff\\xff\\xff\\xff' # MAC address for Board 3\n\n# Build dictionary with pin and MAC variables\nboards = {\n 1: {"pin": button1_pin, "mac": board1_mac},\n 2: {"pin": button2_pin, "mac": board2_mac},\n 3: {"pin": button3_pin, "mac": board3_mac}\n}\n\n# Add peers\nfor board_num, info in boards.items():\n try:\n e.add_peer(info["mac"])\n print(f"Added Board {board_num} peer: {info['mac']}")\n except OSError as err:\n print(f"Failed to add Board {board_num} peer: {err}")\n raise\n\n# Async function to monitor buttons and send toggle commands\nasync def monitor_buttons(e):\n # Track LED states (True = ON, False = OFF)\n led_states = {1: False, 2: False, 3: False}\n \n while True:\n for board_num, info in boards.items():\n button = info["pin"]\n if button.value() == 0: # Button pressed (active low)\n led_states[board_num] = not led_states[board_num] # Toggle LED\n command = "LED_ON" if led_states[board_num] else "LED_OFF"\n if await e.asend(info["mac"], command, sync=True):\n print(f"Board {board_num}: {command}")\n else:\n print(f"Board {board_num}: Failed to send")\n await asyncio.sleep(0.3) # Debounce delay\n \n await asyncio.sleep(0.1) # Short loop delay\n\n# Main async function\nasync def main(e):\n await monitor_buttons(e)\n\n# Run the async program\ntry:\n asyncio.run(main(e))\nexcept KeyboardInterrupt:\n print("Stopping...")\n e.active(False)\n sta.active(False)\n<\/code><\/pre>\n\tHow Does the Code Work?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Importing Libraries<\/h4>\n\n\n\n
![\"Thonny](\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/randomnerdtutorials.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/01\/save-micropython-device-thonny-ide.png?resize=220%2C202&quality=100&strip=all&ssl=1\")
<\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n![\"Save](\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/randomnerdtutorials.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/save-micropython-device-main-py.png?resize=545%2C327&quality=100&strip=all&ssl=1\")
<\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n![\"Three](\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/randomnerdtutorials.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/Three-ESP32-ESP-NOW-Receiver-Boards.jpg?resize=750%2C422&quality=100&strip=all&ssl=1\")
<\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n![\"ESP32](\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/randomnerdtutorials.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/ESP32-LED-GPIO2_bb.png?resize=724%2C797&quality=100&strip=all&ssl=1\")
<\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n![\"One](\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/randomnerdtutorials.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/One-ESP32-Controls-Multiple-Boards.jpg?resize=750%2C422&quality=100&strip=all&ssl=1\")
<\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n