SparkFun ESP8266 Thing - Dev Board

The SparkFun ESP8266 Thing Dev Board is a development board that revolves around the ESP8266, a highly capable WiFi-enabled microcontroller. This board includes an integrated FTDI USB-to-Serial chip, making it incredibly user-friendly and easy to program. The ESP8266 is versatile, capable of programming LEDs, triggering relays, monitoring sensors, or even automating coffee makers. With its integrated WiFi controller, it is perfect for almost any Internet-connected project. The board breaks out all of the module’s pins, and the USB-to-serial converter eliminates the need for any peripheral components to program the chip. All you need is a USB cable, the Arduino board definitions, and you can start developing your Internet of Things (IoT) projects.

The SparkFun ESP8266 Thing Dev Board is called the “Thing” because it is the perfect foundation for your IoT project. It can do everything from turning on an LED to posting data and can be programmed just like any microcontroller. You can even program the Thing through the Arduino IDE by installing the ESP8266 Arduino addon.

The ESP8266 Thing Dev Board is a straightforward board with pins broken out to two parallel, breadboard-compatible rows. The USB connector is conveniently placed next to an optional power supply input, and an ON/OFF switch for controlling power to the ESP8266. LEDs on the board indicate power, charge, and status of the IC. The ESP8266’s maximum voltage is 3.6V, so the Thing has an onboard 3.3V regulator to deliver a safe, consistent voltage to the IC. The board includes footprints for a 2-pin JST, 2-pin 3.5mm screw terminal, or a simple 2.54mm-pitch 2-pin header. This board has 4Mbit SPI (512KB) on-board flash memory.

The Thing Dev Board includes a PCB trace antenna as a default WiFi antenna, which is cost-effective and highly efficient. If you need to connect a more sensitive antenna, or need to route outside an enclosure, a U.FL connector is also available on the board. Some soldering will be required to get the U.FL connector functioning, but instructions can be found in the Hookup Guide.

Features of the SparkFun ESP8266 Thing Dev Board include all module pins broken out, on-board FTDI USB-to-Serial, 802.11 b/g/n, Wi-Fi Direct (P2P), soft-AP, integrated TCP/IP protocol stack, integrated TR switch, balun, LNA, power amplifier and matching network, integrated PLLs, regulators, DCXO and power management units, integrated low power 32-bit CPU that could be used as an application processor, and +19.5dBm output power in 802.11b mode.