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Tutorial Getting Started

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miswired edited this page Jan 30, 2026 · 2 revisions

Tutorial: Getting Started with Glitchy

Welcome to Glitchy! This tutorial will walk you through your first session with the device, from unboxing to connecting to the web interface.

Overview

  • Time: ~15 minutes
  • Prerequisites: None
  • What you'll learn:
    • How to power on Glitchy
    • How to connect to the WiFi network
    • How to access the web interface
    • Basic orientation of the control panel

What You'll Need

  • Glitchy board (ESP32-S3 with custom PCB)
  • Micro-USB cable (must support data, not charge-only)
  • Computer with WiFi
  • Web browser (Chrome, Firefox, Safari, or Edge)
  • SD card with web GUI files (should be pre-installed)

Step 1: Inspect Your Hardware

Before powering on, take a moment to familiarize yourself with the board layout.

Glitchy Board Overview

Identify these components:

  • ESP32-S3 module — The main processor
  • Micro-USB connector — For power and programming
  • SD card slot — Holds the web interface files
  • Screw terminals — For connecting to target devices
  • DIP switches — For configuring the sense resistor
  • Reset button (RST) — Reboots the device
  • Connection headers — For signal wires to target devices

Step 2: Check the SD Card

The SD card stores the web interface files that your browser will load. It should already be installed in the slot.

  1. Verify that an SD card is seated in the slot
  2. If you need to set up an SD card yourself:

Step 3: Power On

  1. Connect the micro-USB cable to Glitchy
  2. Connect the other end to your computer or a USB power adapter
  3. You should see the power LED illuminate

Tip: If nothing happens, try a different USB cable. Some cables are charge-only and do not carry data or provide sufficient power. Also try a USB port directly on your computer rather than a hub.

Step 4: Connect to WiFi

By default, Glitchy creates its own WiFi access point.

  1. On your computer, open your WiFi settings
  2. Look for a network named Glitchy
  3. Connect using the password: 123456789
  4. Your computer will likely warn that there is no internet connection — this is expected and normal. Dismiss the warning.

Note: If the network doesn't appear, wait about 30 seconds after powering on and refresh your WiFi list. If it still doesn't show up, press the RST button on the board and try again. Sometimes the board doesn't get a clean boot from the power cable.

Step 5: Open the Web Interface

  1. Open your web browser
  2. Navigate to: http://192.168.4.1
  3. The Glitchy control panel should load

Glitchy Welcome Screen

Troubleshooting: If the page hangs or won't load, close the tab, press the RST button on the board, reconnect to the WiFi, and try again. Make sure you are using http:// and not https://.

Step 6: Explore the Interface

The interface uses a dark-themed design with a navigation bar across the top. On mobile devices, the navigation collapses into a hamburger menu. Take a moment to explore the main pages:

  • Home — The landing page with two action cards: one for Power Glitching and one for Power Analysis. Each card has a brief description and a button to get started.
  • Glitch — The power glitching control page. The left side has a form for entering timing parameters (start length, end length, step delay, delay between attempts, and attempts per length). The right side shows test results, including a spinning animation while running and a success or failure indicator when complete.
  • Power Setup — Configuration for the analog front-end used in power analysis. Includes a toggle to enable or disable ADC streaming, and two real-time graphs showing the amplifier gain and bias point voltages. Use this page to calibrate the hardware before capturing traces.
  • Power Analysis — Capture and display power consumption traces. Click Start Analysis to have Glitchy press each key on the target and record the power signatures. The results are displayed as overlaid line graphs for comparison.
  • About — Shows firmware and web interface version numbers, licensing information, and project links.

You are now connected and ready to start using Glitchy.

What's Next?

Now that you're connected, choose your first experiment:

Next Step Description
Tutorial: First Power Glitch Perform your first voltage glitching attack on an Arduino
Tutorial: First Power Analysis Capture and analyze power consumption traces

Troubleshooting

Problem Solution
No LEDs or WiFi network Try a different USB cable or port. Some cables are charge-only.
WiFi network not appearing Wait 30 seconds, then press RST and try again.
"No internet" warning This is normal. Glitchy is a local network with no internet access.
Web page won't load Close the tab, press RST, reconnect WiFi, try again. Use http:// not https://.
Page loads but shows errors Verify the SD card has the correct GUI files and that firmware/GUI versions match.

For more help, see the Troubleshooting Guide.

See Also

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