Wii Remote & Nunchuk Controller Address – No Fixed Address; Dynamic Bluetooth Pairing

The Wii Remote (Wiimote) and Nunchuk do not have a fixed "controller address" like a MAC or IP. They communicate via Bluetooth HID with dynamic connection handles assigned by the Wii console (host) at pairing time.

How the Connection Works

1. Discovery: Wii scans for Bluetooth devices in "discoverable" mode (SYNC button pressed on remote).
2. Pairing: Wii initiates Bluetooth HID pairing (PIN = "0000" or none). Assigns a Link Key stored in both devices.
3. Connection: On boot / button press, Wii pages the remote's BD_ADDR (Bluetooth Device Address — 48-bit MAC). Remote responds. ACL link established.
4. Channel Assignment: Wii assigns Player LED 1–4 (internal index). This is the only "address" visible to software.

Nunchuk Connection

• Wired to Wii Remote via I²C bus (4-pin connector: VCC, GND, SDA, SCL).
• No Bluetooth. No independent address.
• Wii Remote polls Nunchuk (accelerometer, joystick, Z/C buttons) at ~200 Hz and bundles data in its HID report to Wii.

What Developers / Homebrew See

• libogc / devkitPro: `WPAD_ScanPads()` → `WPAD_Data*` struct per channel (0–3). Channel = "address."
• Bluetooth Sniffer: See BD_ADDR (e.g., `00:1E:35:XX:XX:XX` — Nintendo OUI `00:1E:35` / `00:1F:32` / `00:21:47` / `00:22:4C` / `00:23:31` / `00:24:44` / `00:25:A0` / `00:26:59` / `00:27:09`).
• HID Report Descriptor: Standard HID + Nintendo extensions (accelerometer, IR camera, extension port).

Practical Takeaways

• No static IP/MAC to configure. Pairing is automatic via SYNC buttons.
• Max 4 remotes connected simultaneously (Bluetooth piconet limit).
• Nunchuk / Classic Controller / MotionPlus are extensions of the remote's channel.
• PC (Bluetooth Stack): Pair via Windows/macOS/Linux Bluetooth → shows as "Nintendo RVL-CNT-01" (HID). Use WiimoteHook, DolphinBar, CWiid for app access.

Think of it as: Wii = Central, Remote = Peripheral, Channel (1–4) = Logical Address.