ESP32-C5 Marauder WiGLE wardriving upload board

ESP32 Marauder WiGLE Auto-Upload: Push Wardrive Logs Without a PC

PINGEQUA Lab · How-to · 6 min read · Updated 2026-07-17

The old wardrive loop ended with a chore: pull the microSD, find a computer, log into WiGLE, upload the CSV by hand. ESP32 Marauder's auto-upload kills that last step — the device uploads for you.

Quick answerESP32 Marauder can upload wardrive logs to WiGLE directly from the device — no PC, no card-pulling. You put your WiGLE API credentials in two text files on the SD card root — wigle_api_name.txt and wigle_api_token.txt — connect the Marauder to a Wi-Fi network with Join WiFi, and trigger the upload from the menu. It uses the saved credentials to push your wardrive_ logs straight to wigle.net. One caveat before you plan around it: the feature was merged as PR #1359 on 2026-07-07, but it is not in a stable release yet — today it ships only in nightly builds. On a Wi-Fi-native board like Scout Lite, that whole loop happens on the board itself.

What changed

Marauder has always written wardrive logs to the SD card as WigleWifi CSV, with a wardrive_ filename prefix, ready to upload to wigle.net. What it didn't do was upload them — that was on you, at a computer, later. PR #1359 changed that: Marauder can now connect to Wi-Fi and push wardrive logs directly to WiGLE — and, separately, to WDGoWars, an independent third-party wardriving game that accepts the same WigleWifi CSV format. It's one of the most-requested quality-of-life features in the project.

You still need three things: a WiGLE account with API credentials, a microSD card (the logs are still written there first), and a Wi-Fi network in range with internet so the board can reach wigle.net. Auto-upload replaces the manual step — it doesn't remove the SD card or the account.

Step by step: wardrive to WiGLE, no computer

  1. Get your WiGLE API credentials. Log in at wigle.net, open your Account page, and find your API Name and API Token (WiGLE uses these for authenticated API access).
  2. Drop two files on the SD card root. Create wigle_api_name.txt containing only your API Name, and wigle_api_token.txt containing only your API Token — no extra text, no quotes. (For WDGoWars — a separate, unaffiliated platform that accepts the same CSV — the file is wdg_key.txt.)
  3. Wardrive as usual. Insert the card, start Wardrive in Marauder, and drive/walk. Logs are saved with the wardrive_ prefix.
  4. Connect the Marauder to Wi-Fi. Run a Wi-Fi AP scan, then use Join WiFi (or the join CLI command) to connect to a network. The credentials are saved and reused, so you only do this once per network.
  5. Trigger the upload. Start the WiGLE upload from the menu. Marauder connects using your saved Wi-Fi and WiGLE credentials and pushes the logs; the upload runs in the background. Your networks count toward your WiGLE stats after processing.
Version check — read this before you flash: PR #1359 was merged on 2026-07-07T20:39:30Z, roughly 18 hours after v1.13.0 — the current stable release — was published the same day (2026-07-07T03:02:42Z). That means v1.13.0 does not contain auto-upload, and there is no stable v1.14.0 yet: the feature currently exists only in nightly / v1_14_0_beta prerelease builds. Community videos titled "1.14.0 Update" are demonstrating those nightlies, not a shipped stable version. If you want auto-upload today, you're opting into a nightly build, flashed over USB-C. On any stable build, the manual "pull the card and upload at wigle.net" path still works.

Where this shines: a board that's already on Wi-Fi

The catch with auto-upload is that something has to talk to Wi-Fi. On a wardriving rig, the ESP32 is the Wi-Fi radio — so it can both scan and, when you're done, join a network and upload. On Scout Lite, the ESP32-C5 that does your dual-band scanning is the same radio that uploads — so the full loop (scan → GPS-tag → upload) lives on one board over USB-C, with the microSD holding the log. If you run a separate ESP32 wardriving board, the same feature works as long as that board is on a Marauder build that includes auto-upload — today that means a nightly. New to the workflow? Start with the complete wardriving guide.

If the upload fails

Symptom Likely cause Fix
"Auth failed" / rejected Wrong API Name/Token Recopy from wigle.net Account into the two txt files, no extra characters
Can't connect Not joined to Wi-Fi (STA) Do an AP scan, then Join WiFi to a network with internet
Nothing uploads No wardrive_ logs on card Confirm you actually wardrove and the CSV is on the SD root
Re-uploads duplicates File renamed Marauder keys on filename + size; keep original names

Scout Lite — scan, tag, upload, all on-board

ESP32-C5 dual-band Wi-Fi 6 + onboard L86-M33 GPS + microSD, pre-flashed Marauder. The same radio that wardrives can join Wi-Fi and push your logs to WiGLE — no PC in the loop.

Get Scout Lite GPS module

FAQ

What firmware do I need for WiGLE auto-upload?
A build that includes PR #1359, which was merged on 2026-07-07. That is not a stable release yet: v1.13.0, the current stable version, was published hours before the merge and does not include it, and there is no stable v1.14.0. Today the feature ships only in nightly builds. On stable builds, manual upload by pulling the SD card still works.
Where do the WiGLE API credentials go?
In two plain text files on the SD card root: wigle_api_name.txt (your API Name) and wigle_api_token.txt (your API Token), each containing only that value. Get both from your WiGLE Account page.
Do I still need a microSD card and a WiGLE account?
Yes to both. Logs are still written to the SD card first, and uploading requires a WiGLE account's API credentials. Auto-upload only removes the manual computer step.
How does the board get online to upload?
The ESP32 joins a Wi-Fi network in station (STA) mode. Run an AP scan, then use Join WiFi (or the join CLI command); the credentials are saved and reused for future uploads.
Will it upload the same file twice?
Marauder tracks uploads by filename and size, so it avoids re-uploading the same log. Renaming a file makes it look new, so keep the original wardrive_ names.

Sources: justcallmekoko/ESP32Marauder PR #1359 "Enable direct upload to WDGWars and WiGLE", merged 2026-07-07T20:39:30Z (github.com) — SD config files wigle_api_name.txt/wigle_api_token.txt/wdg_key.txt and Join WiFi flow; ESP32Marauder release v1.13.0, published 2026-07-07T03:02:42Z (github.com) — current stable, predates that merge; v1.14.0 exists only as nightly prerelease builds per the releases API (github.com). ESP32Marauder Wardrive wiki — wardrive_ prefix / wigle.net (github.com); WiGLE API (api.wigle.net); WDGoWars (wdgwars.pl) — independent third-party platform accepting WigleWifi CSV. Scout Lite specs per PINGEQUA listing. Versions current as of 2026-07-17.

For authorized network research, security auditing and electronics education only. Only scan or assess networks you own or are explicitly permitted to test. Follow WiGLE's terms when uploading. End users are responsible for compliance with local law.

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