Here’s a pretty tricky piece of consumer electronics reverse engineering. [Joe Fitz] came across the Nikon WU-1a. It’s a dongle that plugs into a Nikon D3200 camera, producing a WiFi connection which can be picked up and controlled from a smart phone. The app shows you the current image from the viewfinder, allows you to snap the picture, then pulls down the picture afterwards. The problem is that the same functionality for his D800 camera will cost him $1200, when this dongle can be had for $60. That’s a powerful incentive to find a way to use the WU-1a with his camera model. This is more than just rerouting some wires. It involves sniffing the USB traffic and drilling down in the datasheets for the chips used in the hardware. We’re not certain, but he may have even rolled new firmware for the dongle.
Details are a bit scarce right now. Your best bet is to watch the video embedded after the break. There is also a set of slides which [Joe] put together for a talk at this weekend’s BsidesPDX. It will give you a general overview of the process he went through. But he also started a forum thread and we hope to learn much more from that as the conversation gets going.
real hack
MOAR real hacks like this please! Nice work :)
Now that’s what I’m talking ’bout!
Very nice hack, but wouldn’t is be possible to just use a $5 USB cable to accomplish the same thing? I know it is with my Canon.
That wouldn’t be wireless by many standards…
no, if you can make $5 USB cable do the same wirelessly , I’m definitely going to say that yes it is way better. but for now I’ll stick with his hack.
$5 cable no, but a $22 TP-Link router yes
Now THAT’s what real hacking is.
Hey,
Sorry for the scarce details. No firmware mod needed, just had to trick the wu-1a to boot normally with 3v on pin 6 while camera is attached, as well as supply the 5v VBUS to both camera and device….
Will post code and schematic later this week….
-joe
nice man thanks for making my trip to hackaday worth wile for once.
Hi joe..
Can you put up a step by step
guide as how to hack the dongle??
Joe could you please help me with the proper scematics and steps?
Am trying to make wu-1a work with nikon D7000.
I’ll really be thankful.
He’s unlikely to see this, this is a dead thread and will scroll out of notice in a few minutes. Try following the links in the article about. From one, I got to
http://joefitz.com/Nikon_Hacking.html
which is his own page on the subject, complete with an email link, try contacting him there.
I wonder if this could be adapted to other Nikons cameras that support PTP (such as the 5100).
wait, so is wu-1a the smallest Wifi AP with host port on earth?
with USB host port
Damn slides didnt work for me the first time, figured out link was dead, turns out Google docs doesnt work with Opera? :/
looking at them now in FF
WOW it is a PTP-PTPIP bridge
too bad it has nikon specific firmware and broadcome BCM4336 SDIO wifi part (no docs?, cant easily write own firmware, would need to reverse SPI protocol?)
I know this might sound a bit stupid, but would this hack work for my Nikon D40 too?
I’ve used attached USB to my MacBook to do HDR and adjust ISO settings on-the-hoof (great for photographing a Lightning storm), but it would be better if I could do it Wireless.
I am not sure if underline setup will work
Connecting a USB Based Wifi Dongle which is Powered by it’s own internal Battery through USB OTG cable in DSLR.
Using LR as tethered software and connected to USB Dongle SSID.
Will this setup will work or has anyone tested it.
So, I have been trying my own hack with this device. I can use this dongle with my phone, but the Nikon app really sucks. It seems that Nikon doesn’t have any desktop software to tether wirelessly with the thing. This really sucks! I have been trying to sniff out its communication and write my own control and handshake on a desktop and not phone app. My problem thus far is that I can only connect one device, and it only will associate with a device that has the app. The android Emulator won’t install 3rd party apps so I am not sure how to move forward, Anyone else tried this?
I’m definitely going to say that yes it is way better. but for now I’ll stick with his hack. I’ve used attached USB to my MacBook to do HDR and adjust ISO settings on-the-hoof (great for photographing a Lightning storm), but it would be better if I could do it Wireless.
Any news? I’m very interested in tethering pictures to my computer without a cable. I got the WU-1a and a Nikon D7100 but the mobile restriction really suc….. and a WT-5 is too expensive for a non-professional user. Best regards.
Hi, I have been stuck with my BlackBerry 10 and a wu1a for my nikon d3300. Please help!! Just lost $40 buying the wu-1a adapter!! Pls help!!
Hi,
I just bought a new wu-1a and my phone is new BlackBerry 10. But the device is not getting connected. I installed WMU from android using snap. Guess the problem is IP conflict!! Can you guide me?! It’s a $40 loss if not solved!!