ESP8266

The ESP8266EX is a low-cost Wi-Fi chip with full TCP/IP stack and MCU (Micro Controller Unit). The ESP8266EX is an high integration wireless SOCs, designed for space and power constrained mobile platform designers. It provides the capability to embed Wi-Fi functionality within other systems, or to function as a standalone application, with the low cost, and minimal space requirement. It is among the most integrated WiFi chip in the industry; it integrates the antenna switches, RF balun, power amplifier, low noise receive amplifier, filters, power management modules, requiring minimal external circuitry. The ESP8266EX also integrates an enhanced version of Tensilica’s L106 Diamond series 32-bit processor, with on-chip SRAM, besides the Wi-Fi functionalities, ESP8266EX has a number of interfaces – I2C, SPI, SDIO and also a number of free GPIO pins. . ESP8266EX is often integrated with external sensors and other application specific devices through its GPIOs pins. The board can be easily integrated with an Arduino Mega, to provide Wi-Fi connectivity to the Arduino board and it can be programmed via one of the Arduino Mega serial ports, using a set of AT commands.

OLIMEX ESP8266-EVB

ESP8266-EVB is an evaluation board for the highly-integrated WIFI SoC ESP8266EX, featuring a relay, some buttons, a power supply, and a GPIOs header.  It can be used for projects in home automation, smart plugs and lights, mesh networks, industrial wireless control, baby monitors, IP cameras, sensor networks, wearable electronics and many others. This board has a universal extension connector, UEXT, which allowing to add a peripheral module easily. The UEXT can provide I2C, RS232, SPI and power to the external device. The board can be powered with an external 5 Vcc power supply through a barrel Jack.

The Board can be programmed with the ARDUINO IDE, since the IDE supports the ESP8266 hardware, gratly simplifying the programming of this little and inexpensive board.

The board is Open Source and the schematics and PCB layout (Eagle and PDF) are available.

Board features:

  • Includes MOD-WIFI-ESP8266-DEV
  • Relay 220VAC/10A with connector and status LED
  • Big button for easier acc
    ess to UART mode
  • Power jack for +5V external power supply
  • UEXT connector
  • Row of 16 pin holes at 0.1″ step with all ESP8266 signals accessible; male-male 16-pin connector included
  • 4 mounting holes
  • Dimensions: (2.25 x 2)” ~ (57 x 50)mm

MOD-WIFI-ESP8266-DEV features:

  • Main chip: EPS8266EX
  • 2MB (16Mb) SPI flash memory
  • Power LED
  • User-programmable LED
  • SMT jumpers for different boot modes (FLASH, UART, SDO)
  • PCB antenna
  • UEXT pads for easier access to UART interface
  • Pads for a U.FL antenna connector (if you want to use external antenna)
  • 22 pin holes for easier access to processor pins
  • OSHW desgn
  • Dimensions: (1.3 x 0.9)” ~ (33 x 23)mm