Networking in CircuitPython

Connect to the internet with microcontrollers

by Anne Barela and

published August 14, 2024, last edited June 04, 2025

posted in Internet of Things - IOT/ Wireless CircuitPython Programming/ MicroPython / CircuitPython Breakout Boards/ WiFi

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Beginner

Project guide

NTP Time Example

Network Time Protocol allows for getting the time from specific time servers on a local network or internet.

Example CircuitPython Code

The example code below assumes you have a settings.toml file in the CIRCUITPY root directory which contains the SSID and password for the local WiFi network, as discussed earlier in this guide.

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# SPDX-FileCopyrightText: 2022 Scott Shawcroft for Adafruit Industries
# SPDX-License-Identifier: MIT

"""Print out time based on NTP."""

import os
import time

import socketpool
import wifi

import adafruit_ntp

# Get wifi AP credentials from a settings.toml file
wifi_ssid = os.getenv("CIRCUITPY_WIFI_SSID")
wifi_password = os.getenv("CIRCUITPY_WIFI_PASSWORD")
if wifi_ssid is None:
    print("WiFi credentials are kept in settings.toml, please add them there!")
    raise ValueError("SSID not found in environment variables")

try:
    wifi.radio.connect(wifi_ssid, wifi_password)
except ConnectionError:
    print("Failed to connect to WiFi with provided credentials")
    raise

pool = socketpool.SocketPool(wifi.radio)
ntp = adafruit_ntp.NTP(pool, tz_offset=0, cache_seconds=3600)

while True:
    print(ntp.datetime)
    time.sleep(1)

# SPDX-FileCopyrightText: 2022 Scott Shawcroft for Adafruit Industries
# SPDX-License-Identifier: MIT

"""Print out time based on NTP."""

import os
import time

import socketpool
import wifi

import adafruit_ntp

# Get wifi AP credentials from a settings.toml file
wifi_ssid = os.getenv("CIRCUITPY_WIFI_SSID")
wifi_password = os.getenv("CIRCUITPY_WIFI_PASSWORD")
if wifi_ssid is None:
    print("WiFi credentials are kept in settings.toml, please add them there!")
    raise ValueError("SSID not found in environment variables")

try:
    wifi.radio.connect(wifi_ssid, wifi_password)
except ConnectionError:
    print("Failed to connect to WiFi with provided credentials")
    raise

pool = socketpool.SocketPool(wifi.radio)
ntp = adafruit_ntp.NTP(pool, tz_offset=0, cache_seconds=3600)

while True:
    print(ntp.datetime)
    time.sleep(1)

Example for Wiznet5k

The following code looks for a WiFi capable chip. It it doesn't find one, it looks for the WizNet 5k library and sets up the microcontroller to Ethernet SPI connection.

This code uses the adafruit_ntp and adafruit_connection_manager modules.

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# SPDX-FileCopyrightText: 2024 Justin Myers for Adafruit Industries
# SPDX-FileCopyrightText: 2024 anecdata for Adafruit Industries
#
# SPDX-License-Identifier: Unlicense

"""Print out time based on NTP, using connection manager"""

import adafruit_connection_manager

import adafruit_ntp

# determine which radio is available
try:
    import os

    import wifi

    # adjust method to get credentials as necessary...
    wifi_ssid = os.getenv("CIRCUITPY_WIFI_SSID")
    wifi_password = os.getenv("CIRCUITPY_WIFI_PASSWORD")
    radio = wifi.radio
    while not radio.connected:
        radio.connect(wifi_ssid, wifi_password)
except ImportError:
    import board
    from adafruit_wiznet5k.adafruit_wiznet5k import WIZNET5K
    from digitalio import DigitalInOut

    # adjust with busio.SPI() as necessary...
    spi = board.SPI()
    # adjust pin for the specific board...
    eth_cs = DigitalInOut(board.D10)
    radio = WIZNET5K(spi, eth_cs)

# get the socket pool from connection manager
socket = adafruit_connection_manager.get_radio_socketpool(radio)

# adjust tz_offset for locale, only ping NTP server every hour
ntp = adafruit_ntp.NTP(socket, tz_offset=-5, cache_seconds=3600)

print(ntp.datetime)

# SPDX-FileCopyrightText: 2024 Justin Myers for Adafruit Industries
# SPDX-FileCopyrightText: 2024 anecdata for Adafruit Industries
#
# SPDX-License-Identifier: Unlicense

"""Print out time based on NTP, using connection manager"""

import adafruit_connection_manager

import adafruit_ntp

# determine which radio is available
try:
    import os

    import wifi

    # adjust method to get credentials as necessary...
    wifi_ssid = os.getenv("CIRCUITPY_WIFI_SSID")
    wifi_password = os.getenv("CIRCUITPY_WIFI_PASSWORD")
    radio = wifi.radio
    while not radio.connected:
        radio.connect(wifi_ssid, wifi_password)
except ImportError:
    import board
    from adafruit_wiznet5k.adafruit_wiznet5k import WIZNET5K
    from digitalio import DigitalInOut

    # adjust with busio.SPI() as necessary...
    spi = board.SPI()
    # adjust pin for the specific board...
    eth_cs = DigitalInOut(board.D10)
    radio = WIZNET5K(spi, eth_cs)

# get the socket pool from connection manager
socket = adafruit_connection_manager.get_radio_socketpool(radio)

# adjust tz_offset for locale, only ping NTP server every hour
ntp = adafruit_ntp.NTP(socket, tz_offset=-5, cache_seconds=3600)

print(ntp.datetime)