Getting started

What you’ll need

Purchase an M5Stack AtomS3R C126 and a Pyramid A167 speaker base separately. M5Stack calls the A167 “Echo Pyramid”; OpenAthan also refers to it as Voice Pyramid. These instructions and the browser installer currently support only this combination of parts.

You will need a computer with desktop Chrome or Edge, a USB-C data cable, and a 2.4 GHz WPA2/WPA3 personal Wi-Fi network. A charging-only cable will not work for USB setup. Enterprise networks and networks with a sign-in page are not supported.

1. Connect through the Atom

Attach the modules using their intended connector. Disconnect bottom power, then connect the computer to the Atom’s USB-C port. Use only this one cable during USB setup.

Close other serial tools and browser tabs using the device. On the installer page, choose your path and select the USB JTAG/serial device when prompted.

2. Install, or recover an existing device

A new installation replaces the device’s existing firmware and data. It is not a settings-preserving update. If OpenAthan is already installed, choose Fix Wi-Fi or password. Recovery preserves your prayer settings and playback history.

3. Save Wi-Fi and a device password

Select your home network or enter its name for a hidden network, then enter its Wi-Fi password. Next, create a separate, long device password. Your browser sends these credentials directly over USB; the website does not store them.

Remember the device password. You will use the username admin to sign into the device’s settings.

4. Move the power cable

When USB setup finishes, unplug the Atom’s USB cable. Connect only the Pyramid’s bottom USB-C power for normal speaker operation. Wait for Wi-Fi to reconnect.

5. Finish on the device

Keep your computer or phone on the same home network and open the device address shown by the installer, such as http://openathan-a1b2c3.local/. Each device has its own address. If the hostname does not work, try its displayed IP address.

Sign in, enter your location and timezone, choose a calculation method, and review the prayer times. Select Finish setup to enable the Athan. If the clock has not synchronized yet, Athan playback will wait.

Everyday use

Your speaker calculates prayer times and plays recordings stored on the device. The current build needs internet access to set its clock after a restart, before it can play the Athan. To open its settings, connect your phone or computer to the same home Wi-Fi. Keep the settings page on your trusted home network; do not make it accessible from the internet.

Other hardware

OpenAthan is designed to keep prayer calculations, scheduling, and settings independent of the hardware. Hardware adapters connect these functions to a device’s audio and controls, allowing contributors to develop lower-cost builds or add capabilities on other hardware.

Audio playback is required. Displays, status lights, buttons, touch controls, microphones, a hardware clock, and removable storage are optional capabilities. Standalone operation does not require Home Assistant.

Additional hardware integrations require development and testing. The reusable core and ESPHome integration provide a starting point; broader support for optional peripherals is still planned. The browser installer currently targets only our first reference build.

For implementation details, see:

• Firmware architecture and hardware adapters
• Scheduler controls and reuse