The ESP8266 is a system on a chip (SOC) Wi-Fi microchip for Internet of Things (IoT) applications produced by Espressif Systems. Given its low cost, small size and adaptability with embedded devices, the ESP8266 is now used extensively across IoT devices. Although it’s now been succeeded by the newer generation ESP32 microcontroller chip, the ESP8266 is still a popular choice for IoT developers and manufacturers. In this article, we’ll explain the main features of ESP8266 modules and development boards and their application within the world of IoT. Our full-stack demos give you access to the Nabto Platform so you can try it now. We specialize in secure, low-latency, P2P connectivity. Get the demo app to try it. Get App Demo The ESP8266 module enables microcontrollers to connect to 2.4 GHz Wi-Fi, using IEEE 802.11 bgn. It can be used with ESP-AT firmware to provide Wi-Fi connectivity to external host MCUs, or it can be used as a self-sufficient MCU by running an RTOS-based SDK. The module has a full TCP/IP stack and provides the ability for data processing, reads and controls of GPIOs. This is based on the ESP-12 module, which we discuss below. ESP8266 has many applications when it comes to the IoT. Here are just some of the functions the chip is used for: The ESP8266 modules are commonly found in the following IoT devices: As discussed above, the ESP8266 is just the name of the chip. There are essentially three formats you can buy this in: *Many international markets require shielded Wi-Fi devices, as Wi-Fi produces considerable Radio Frequency Interference (RFI), and shielding minimizes this interference. This should, therefore, be a key consideration for all developers and embedded-device manufacturers. Some of the largest manufacturers of ESP8266 modules and development boards are: The Espressif Systems esp8266 is available in the following modules: Model Antennae Dimensions GPIO & ADC Pins Flash LEDs Shielded ESP-WROOM-02 PCB trace 18 × 20 18 2 MiB No Yes ESP-WROOM-02D PCB trace 18 × 20 18 2 MiB No Yes ESP-WROOM-02U U.FL socket 18 × 20 18 2 MiB No Yes ESP-WROOM-S2 PCB trace 16 × 23 20 2 MiB No Yes Current Ai-Thinker esp8266 modules are the following: Model Antennae Dimensions GPIO & ADC Pins Flash LEDs Shielded ESP-01S PCB trace 14.4 × 24.7 6 1 MiB Yes No ESP-01M PCB trace 18 × 18 16 1 MiB No Yes ESP-07S U.FL socket 17 × 16 14 4 MiB No Yes ESP-08S None 17 × 16 10 4 MiB No Yes ESP-12F PCB trace 24 × 16 20 4 MiB Yes Yes ESP-12S PCB trace 24 × 16 14 4 MiB Yes Yes Older and discontinued models include: ESP-01, ESP-02, ESP-03, ESP-04, ESP-05, ESP-06, ESP-7, ESP-08, ESP-09, ESP-10, ESP-11, ESP-12, ESP-12E, and ESP-13 and ESP-14. Model Antennae Firmware GPIO & ADC Pins USB Flash NodeMCU PCB trace Espressif Non-OS SDK, using Lua scripting language 14 USB to serial interface 1 MiB Current WeMos boards are the following: Model Antennae Firmware GPIO & ADC Pins USB Flash D1 R2 PCB trace Compatible with MicroPython, Arduino, nodemcu 12 Micro-USB socket 1 MiB D1 mini PCB trace Compatible with MicroPython, Arduino, nodemcu 12 Micro-USB socket 4 MiB D1 mini Lite PCB trace Compatible with MicroPython, Arduino, nodemcu 12 Micro-USB socket 1 MiB D1 mini Pro Ceramic and U.FL socket Compatible with MicroPython, Arduino, nodemcu 12 Micro-USB socket 16 MiB The current Adafruit 8266 board is the following: Model Antennae Firmware GPIO & ADC Pins USB Flash Huzzah ESP8266 Breakout PCB trace NodeMCU’s Lua interpreter or Arduino IDE 14 USB to serial interface 1 MiB The current Olimex 8266 boards are the following: Model Antennae GPIO & ADC Pins USB Flash MOD-WIFI-ESP8266 PCB trace 2 USB to serial interface 2 MiB MOD-WIFI-ESP8266-DEV PCB trace 20 USB to serial interface 2 MiB There is now a wide range of software development kits (SDKs) available, enabling developers to program the chip directly without using a separate MCU. Espressif provides two official SDKs for use with ESP8266, which are: Aside from the Espressif options, there are plenty of commercial and open-source SDKs on the market, including: As the above comparisons show, there are many options available with ESP8266 IoT boards and modules. To help you with your decision making, we’ve summarized some of the most popular below. The ESP-01 is one of the biggest selling IoT Wi-Fi modules on the market. It’s widely used in smart home and networking projects. The default AT firmware enables it to be used in combination with an Arduino. However, you can easily update the firmware with a USB-to-ESP-01 adaptor module. A common complaint with this board is that the pin posts make it difficult to plug it directly into a breadboard, but this can be easily overcome by building or buying an adaptor module. There are two versions available, one with 500kb of flash and the other with 1Mbit of flash. This module was developed to provide Wi-Fi connectivity for MCUs such as Raspberry Pi and PIC and other Wi-Fi projects. It, therefore, does not have GPIOS. It fits into a breadboard without any problems, but there are some complaints about being stuck with the factory set firmware unless you’re prepared to do some serious modifications. This is a more fully featured module with 11 GPIO pins, an ADC, 4Mbits of flash, and 10-bit resolution. However, the module is not breadboard friendly, meaning you’ll need to use an adaptor. There are two versions available, ESP-12F, which has 20 GPIOS and ESP-12S, which has 14. This board has the ESP-12E module and comes with 4 Mbits of flash and features a row of pins on each side of the breadboard. The board comes with four communication interfaces: SPI, I2C, UART, and I2S, with 16 GPIO and one ADC. The RAM is 160KB, divided into 64KB for instruction and 96KB for data. This microcontroller operates at a logic level of 3.3V and is clocked at 80MHz. It comes programmed with the Lua Interpreter, which makes programming simple, with no boot loading required. Alternatively, you can use the Arduino IDE to program it. There is an onboard CP2104 USB-to-serial converter, therefore you can simply plug it into your computer and upload your code. The board is also lightweight and small, so it’s useful for projects with space constraints. The WeMos D1 Mini was designed to be one of the smallest possible development boards for the ESP8266 module. It has a micro USB connection and compatibility with several firmware options. We’ve published a range of IoT resources for our community, including:Set up a simulated IoT Video surveillance device on your PC in minutes.
What is the ESP8266?
ESP8266 Specifications
ESP8266 Functions
ESP8266 Applications
Chip versus Modules versus Development Boards
Manufacturers of Modules and Boards
ESP8266 Modules
Espressif Systems
● Ai-Thinker
ESP8266 Development Boards/Dev Kits
● ESP8266 Opensource Community
● WeMos
● Adafruit
● Olimex
SDKs
Which is the best ESP8266 Module or Development Board for IoT?
Popular ESP8266 Modules
Ai-Thinker ESP-01
Ai-Thinker ESP-05
Ai-Thinker ESP-12
Popular ESP8266 Boards
Espressif NodeMCU module V1.0
Adafruit Huzzah ESP8266 Breakout
WeMos D1 Mini
Read Our Other Resources
FAQs
What is the use of ESP8266 in IoT? ›
The ESP8266 module enables microcontrollers to connect to 2.4 GHz Wi-Fi, using IEEE 802.11 bgn. It can be used with ESP-AT firmware to provide Wi-Fi connectivity to external host MCUs, or it can be used as a self-sufficient MCU by running an RTOS-based SDK.
What is the difference between ESP32 and ESP8266? ›Both chips belong to 32-bit processors. ESP32 is a dual-core 160MHz to 240MHz CPU processor, while ESP8266 is a single-core processor with an operating frequency of 80MHz. Both WiFi modules come with GPIO and support various protocols such as SPI, I2C, and UART.
How do I know if ESP8266 is connected to the Internet? ›To see if it works, open the Wi-Fi settings on your computer, look for a network called "ESP8266 Access Point", enter the password "thereisnospoon", and connect to it. Then open a terminal, and ping to 192.168. 4.1 (this is the default IP address of our ESP AP). You'll see that the ESP responds to your pings.
Which of the following is a common application of ESP8266 in IoT? ›The ESP8266 module is widely used in IoT applications due to its small form factor and built-in Wi-Fi capabilities. It can be integrated into various devices and systems to enable wireless communication and connectivity, allowing them to interact with each other and the internet.
Does ESP8266 have built in Wi-Fi? ›The ESP8266 has a built in WiFi interface that supports 802.11 b/g/n 2.4 GHz networking. 5GHz frequencies are not supported. The ESP8266 can be setup to be an access point or to join an existing Wireless LAN.
What are disadvantages of ESP8266? ›Advantages: ESP8266 allows wireless control of the prosthetic hand, making it more convenient for users. Disadvantages: The range of ESP8266 may be limited, and it requires a Wi-Fi network for communication.
What is the best programming language for ESP8266? ›So c/c++ is best for coding ESP8266.
How to use ESP8266 AT commands? ›Fundamental AT commands
To set the module as a station, enter AT+CWMODE=1 . To set as an access point, enter AT+CWMODE=2 . As both, enter AT+CWMODE=3 . To check the current mode the ESP8266 is in, use AT+CWMODE? .
Open your router page from any browser and login using router login details. Go to Port Forwarding page of your router (depends on router, in my case it was I WAN Settings). Enable Port Forwarding and provide necessary details like Local Server IP Address (static IP Address of ESP8266), Port Number, etc.