Cheap WiFi modules

[Heckler]

Some very good information here...

5$ Arduino WiFi Module!? ESP8266 mini Tutorial/Re…:

If the link doesn't work , search YouTube for some of the text in the link above
The video is by "GreatScott!" and it's quite good.

[ardhuru]

A couple of days back, some guys ported a version of LUA (hadnt heard of that before), onto the ESP8266.

This replaces the stock firmware, and makes things much easier, apparently. Also lets you manipulate/read the ESP8266's own IO bits, enabling the module to be used as a standalone controller for simple tasks.

http://importhack.wordpress.com/2014...or-web-client/

Regards,

Anand

[richard]

getting the module to work smoothly is a bit of a challenge with the device talking duplex . have noticed that the response part that is required to verify action seems to always be preceded by two cr's (ascii 13) as circled in the attachments .
the latest firmware revision makes things a bit better by slowing to 9600 baud and giving the pic a bit more time to work
its all good fun
thanks to henrik for a good starting point

[Heckler]

Also, If you are trying to use Putty (terminal program) from your PC and some sort of usb.ftdi serial converter (caution!! 3v3 only) to communicate serially you have to enter CTRL+J to get the thing to take your command.

If you switch to something like "Termie.exe" it works without the CTRL+J.

Apparently putty has a problem properly sending either the carrage return or the line feed.

Also when using the CWJAP command you have to include the quote marks " when you enter your AP credentials.

I bought one of these off of amazon and it came configured to 9600 baud out of the box.

NOTE: another way to deal with the 3v3 requirment is to just power your PIC and the ESP module from a single lithium ion battery. No 3v3 to 5v0 converter needed

Question... how sensitive to over voltage is the 3v3 type devices? If I take my single lithium ion battery off the charger it usually has around 3.8 to 4.0v is that going to be destructive??

[Heckler]

henrik...

Thanks so much!! for your example.

I was able to connect to my ESP module via an FTDI/USB adapter and send the commands you listed in your example from a terminal program (termie.exe) and achieve the same results (after connecting to my device from a browser.

Now to sharpen up your code and program it into my favorite PIC

It's good simple examples like yours that can clear up a lot of confusion.

good stuff!!

[richard]

I guess now I have to learn html ,I think I need a <form or something \form> to get a value from the browser back to the pic .
any quick tips on how that works ,any simple example would be nice

[richard]

a single connection pbp3 version than can turn a led on/off ,report the led state ,and allow a byte var to updated over the web , its fairly robust but not perfect

had a bit of trouble getting the line extender _ to work with arraywrite so watch out for the looooong lines and its still just proof of concept nothing fancy

'*  Name    : UNTITLED.BAS                                      *
'*  Author  : [select VIEW...EDITOR OPTIONS]                    *
'*  Notice  : Copyright (c) 2014 [select VIEW...EDITOR OPTIONS] *
'*          : All Rights Reserved                               *
'*  Date    : 29/11/2014                                        *
'*  Version : 1.0                                               *
'*  Notes   :   [pic18f45k20                                                *
'*          :                                                 *
'****************************************************************
#CONFIG
  CONFIG  FOSC = INTIO67
  CONFIG  FCMEN = OFF
  CONFIG  IESO = OFF
  CONFIG  PWRT = OFF
  CONFIG  BOREN = SBORDIS
  CONFIG  BORV = 18
  CONFIG  WDTEN = ON
  CONFIG  WDTPS = 512
  CONFIG  CCP2MX = PORTC
  CONFIG  PBADEN = OFF
  CONFIG  LPT1OSC = OFF
  CONFIG  HFOFST = ON
  CONFIG  MCLRE = ON
  CONFIG  STVREN = ON
  CONFIG  LVP = OFF
  CONFIG  XINST = OFF
  CONFIG  DEBUG = OFF
  CONFIG  CP0 = OFF
  CONFIG  CP1 = OFF
  CONFIG  CP2 = OFF
  CONFIG  CP3 = OFF
  CONFIG  CPB = OFF
  CONFIG  CPD = OFF
  CONFIG  WRT0 = OFF
  CONFIG  WRT1 = OFF
  CONFIG  WRT2 = OFF
  CONFIG  WRT3 = OFF
  CONFIG  WRTC = OFF
  CONFIG  WRTB = OFF
  CONFIG  WRTD = OFF
  CONFIG  EBTR0 = OFF
  CONFIG  EBTR1 = OFF
  CONFIG  EBTR2 = OFF
  CONFIG  EBTR3 = OFF
  CONFIG  EBTRB = OFF
#ENDCONFIG


  define OSC 64
  
   osccon=$70   '64 mhz
   
   trisb.7=0
   trisc.6=0
   trisc.1=0    'rst
   trisd.1=0
DEFINE HSER_RCSTA 90h ' Enable serial port & continuous receive
DEFINE HSER_TXSTA 24h ' Enable transmit, BRGH = 1
DEFINE HSER_CLROERR 1 ' Clear overflow automatically
DEFINE HSER_SPBRG 130 ' 9600 Baud @ 64MHz, -0.02%
SPBRGH = 6
BAUDCON.3 = 1         ' Enable 16 bit baudrate generator





  led var latd.1

    
  page var byte[294]      
  head var byte[85]    
  buff var byte[22]
  dummy VAR BYTE[15]
  Hits VAR BYTE 
  tmp var word
  myvar var byte
  ch var byte
 
 ASM       
content_z          = _head+77    
ch_z               = _page+76
hits_z             = _page+100 
my_z               = _page+151                                                                                                 
chk_z              = _page+226
ENDASM   
page[293]=0
head[84]=0
content_z   var byte EXT 
my_z        var byte EXT 
hits_z      var byte EXT 
ch_z        var byte EXT 
chk_z       var byte EXT 
PORTb.7=1       'debug out
OSCTUNE.6=1 
 PORTc.1=1      'rst
 pause 4000 
 Serout2 PORTb.7,84,["ready",13,10]
  
 ARRAYWRITE head,["HTTP/1.1 200 OK",13,10,"Content-Type: text/html",13,10,"Connection: close",13,10,"Content-Length: AAA",13,10,13,10]
 arraywrite page ,["<TITLE>PBP ESP8266 demo</TITLE><H1>Testing the ESP8266</H1><H3>You are ch :-B of 5 </H3>Page visits:CCC<form method=",$22,"post",$22,"><input  maxlength=",$22,"5",$22,"value=",$22,"DDD",$22,"name=",$22,"MyInput",$22," size=",$22,"5",$22,"><br><input type=",$22,"checkbox",$22," name=",$22,"led",$22,"value=",$22,"on",$22,"checked> led<br><input value=",$22,"Change MyInput",$22," type=",$22,"submit",$22,"></form>" ]
 

  

  tmp=293
  ARRAYWRITE content_z,3,,[dec3 tmp]
  tmp=tmp+84
  hits=0
  myvar=0
  led=0
  
Main:
    ' Issue a module reset
    HSEROUT["AT+RST", 13, 10]
    ' Module should respond with a bunch of data and finally 'ready'
    HSERIN[WAIT ("ready"), dummy[0]]

    HSEROUT["AT+CWMODE=3", 13, 10]
    PAUSE 100

    HSEROUT["AT+CWJAP=", 34, "ssid", 34, "," ,34, "password", 34, 13, 10]
    HSERIN[WAIT ("OK"), Dummy[0]]
      PORTc.1=1

    
     PORTc.1=0
    ' Allow multiple connections, module should respond with 'OK'
    HSEROUT["AT+CIPMUX=1", 13, 10]
    HSERIN[WAIT ("OK"), Dummy]
    
     pause 50
     PORTc.1=1
    ' Open port 80 (normal port for HTTP), module should respond with 'OK'
    HSEROUT["AT+CIPSERVER=1,80", 13, 10]
     HSERIN  [WAIT ("OK"), Dummy[0]]
    Serout2 PORTb.7,84,["run",13,10] 
 doop:     
   
     PORTc.1=0
    ' Here we need to wait for a client to connect and request data.
    ' When that happens the module will outout the HTTP header on the
    ' UART, we'll trig on the GET keyword.
    HSERIN[WAIT("+IPD"),str Dummy\6]    ;get ch number
    ch_z=dummy[1]
   
    HSERIN 100 , novar,[WAIT("MyInput="),str Dummy\5\10]   'parse input data if any
    Serout2 PORTb.7,84,[#dummy[0],",",#dummy[1],",",#dummy[2],13,10]
    myvar= (dummy[0]-$30)*100 + (dummy[1]-$30)*10 +(dummy[2]-$30)     ' the myvar input  field needs 3 chars  and leading 0's for padding  this could be better done
    if dummy[4]= "l"  then 
    led  =1
    else
    led=0
    endif
 novar:   
    Hits = Hits + 1                ' update web array
    ARRAYWRITE my_z,3,,[dec3 myvar]
    ARRAYWRITE hits_z,3,,[dec3 hits] 
    if led then 
      ARRAYWRITE chk_z,7,,["checked"]
    else
       ARRAYWRITE chk_z,7,,["       "]
     endif
     
     
    ' Prepare to send  bytes
    HSEROUT["AT+CIPSEND=0,",#(tmp+2), 13, 10]          
    HSERIN[WAIT (">"), Dummy[0]]
    ' Send the actual data
    HSEROUT[str head,str page ,13, 10]
  
      HSERIN[WAIT (" OK"), Dummy[0]]
    '
 
Goto doop

[HenrikOlsson]

Richard,
I haven't had time or motivation (read need) to play more with my modules as I'm currently working on some other stuff but I wanted to really thank you for your continued efforts and for sharing with the rest of us, keep up the good work!

Thanks!

/Henrik.

[richard]

some slight improvements and a clean up , got rid of those pesky leading 0's for the data field and a half hearted attempt at multi ch servicing
I was hoping to get something to fit in a 12f1822 but a 16f1825 is a possibility I might get a IOT yet

still to do :-
1. figure out how to detect that the server function on the esp8266 has crashed , it still pings . it reports all the at+xxxx? status requests as good and still alive, but it wont serve web pages
2. detect when it reboots itself when things go awry
3. a reboot it when it dies

'*  Name    : UNTITLED.BAS                                      *
'*  Author  : [select VIEW...EDITOR OPTIONS]                    *
'*  Notice  : Copyright (c) 2014 [select VIEW...EDITOR OPTIONS] *
'*          : All Rights Reserved                               *
'*  Date    : 29/11/2014                                        *
'*  Version : 1.0                                               *
'*  Notes   :   [pic18f45k20                                                *
'*          :                                                 *
'****************************************************************
#CONFIG
  CONFIG  FOSC = INTIO67
  CONFIG  FCMEN = OFF
  CONFIG  IESO = OFF
  CONFIG  PWRT = OFF
  CONFIG  BOREN = SBORDIS
  CONFIG  BORV = 18
  CONFIG  WDTEN = ON
  CONFIG  WDTPS = 512
  CONFIG  CCP2MX = PORTC
  CONFIG  PBADEN = OFF
  CONFIG  LPT1OSC = OFF
  CONFIG  HFOFST = ON
  CONFIG  MCLRE = ON
  CONFIG  STVREN = ON
  CONFIG  LVP = OFF
  CONFIG  XINST = OFF
  CONFIG  DEBUG = OFF
  CONFIG  CP0 = OFF
  CONFIG  CP1 = OFF
  CONFIG  CP2 = OFF
  CONFIG  CP3 = OFF
  CONFIG  CPB = OFF
  CONFIG  CPD = OFF
  CONFIG  WRT0 = OFF
  CONFIG  WRT1 = OFF
  CONFIG  WRT2 = OFF
  CONFIG  WRT3 = OFF
  CONFIG  WRTC = OFF
  CONFIG  WRTB = OFF
  CONFIG  WRTD = OFF
  CONFIG  EBTR0 = OFF
  CONFIG  EBTR1 = OFF
  CONFIG  EBTR2 = OFF
  CONFIG  EBTR3 = OFF
  CONFIG  EBTRB = OFF
#ENDCONFIG


  define OSC 64
  
   osccon=$70   '64 mhz
   
   trisb.7=0
   trisc.6=0
  
   trisd.1=0
DEFINE HSER_RCSTA 90h ' Enable serial port & continuous receive
DEFINE HSER_TXSTA 24h ' Enable transmit, BRGH = 1
DEFINE HSER_CLROERR 1 ' Clear overflow automatically
DEFINE HSER_SPBRG 130 ' 9600 Baud @ 64MHz, -0.02%
SPBRGH = 6
BAUDCON.3 = 1         ' Enable 16 bit baudrate generator





  led var latd.1

    
  page var byte[294]      
  head var byte[85]    
  'buff var byte[22]
  dummy VAR BYTE[15]
  Hits VAR BYTE 
  tmp var word
  myvar var byte
  ch var byte
 
 ASM       
content_z          = _head+77    
ch_z               = _page+76
hits_z             = _page+100 
my_z               = _page+151                                                                                                 
chk_z              = _page+226
ENDASM   
page[293]=0
head[84]=0
content_z   var byte EXT 
my_z        var byte EXT 
hits_z      var byte EXT 
ch_z        var byte EXT 
chk_z       var byte EXT 
PORTb.7=1       'debug out
OSCTUNE.6=1 
 
 pause 4000 
 Serout2 PORTb.7,84,["ready",13,10]
  
 ARRAYWRITE head,["HTTP/1.1 200 OK",13,10,"Content-Type: text/html",13,10,"Connection: close",13,10,"Content-Length: AAA",13,10,13,10]
 arraywrite page ,["<TITLE>PBP ESP8266 demo</TITLE><H1>Testing the ESP8266</H1><H3>You are ch :-B of 5 </H3>Page visits:CCC<form method=",$22,"post",$22,"><input  maxlength=",$22,"5",$22,"value=",$22,"DDD",$22,"name=",$22,"MyInput",$22," size=",$22,"5",$22,"><br><input type=",$22,"checkbox",$22," name=",$22,"led",$22,"value=",$22,"on",$22,"checked> led<br><input value=",$22,"Change MyInput",$22," type=",$22,"submit",$22,"></form>" ]
 

' to test the  ext vars line up ok
'  Serout2 PORTb.7,84,["content ",str content_z \3  ,13,10]    'AAA
'  Serout2 PORTb.7,84,["my      ",str my_z \3  ,13,10]        ,DDD
'  Serout2 PORTb.7,84,["hits    ",str hits_z \3  ,13,10]       'CCC
'  Serout2 PORTb.7,84,["ch      ",str ch_z \2  ,13,10]        'B
'  Serout2 PORTb.7,84,["chk     ",str chk_z \7  ,13,10]        'checked
'  for hits= 0 to 10
'  Serout2 PORTb.7,84,[#hits,"page z  ",page[282+hits]  ,13,10]
'  next
'  for hits= 0 to 10
'  Serout2 PORTb.7,84,["head z  ",head[73+hits]  ,13,10]
'  next
  tmp=293
  ARRAYWRITE content_z,3,,[dec3 tmp]
  tmp=tmp+84
  hits=0
  myvar=0
  led=0
  
Main:
    ' Issue a module reset
    HSEROUT["AT+RST", 13, 10]
    ' Module should respond with a bunch of data and finally 'ready'
    HSERIN[WAIT ("ready"), dummy[0]]

    HSEROUT["AT+CWMODE=3", 13, 10]
    PAUSE 100

    HSEROUT["AT+CWJAP=", 34, "ssid", 34, "," ,34, "password", 34, 13, 10]
    HSERIN[WAIT ("OK"), Dummy[0]]
      PORTc.1=1

    
     
    ' Allow multiple connections, module should respond with 'OK'
    HSEROUT["AT+CIPMUX=1", 13, 10]
    HSERIN[WAIT ("OK"), Dummy]
    
     pause 50
    
    ' Open port 80 (normal port for HTTP), module should respond with 'OK'
    HSEROUT["AT+CIPSERVER=1,80", 13, 10]
     HSERIN  [WAIT ("OK"), Dummy[0]]
    Serout2 PORTb.7,84,["run",13,10] 
 doop:     
   
    
    ' Here we need to wait for a client to connect and request data.
    ' When that happens the module will outout the HTTP header on the
    ' UART, we'll trig on the GET keyword.
    HSERIN[WAIT("+IPD"),str Dummy\6]    ;get ch number
    ch_z=dummy[1]
   
    HSERIN 100 , novar,[WAIT("MyInput="),str Dummy\5\10]   'parse input data if any
    'Serout2 PORTb.7,84,[#dummy[0],",",#dummy[1],",",#dummy[2],13,10]
    myvar= 0
    if (dummy[0]>$2f)&&(dummy[0]<$3a) then myvar= (dummy[0]-$30)
    if (dummy[1]>$2f)&&(dummy[1]<$3a) then myvar= myvar*10 +(dummy[1]-$30) 
    if (dummy[2]>$2f)&&(dummy[2]<$3a) then myvar= myvar*10 +(dummy[2]-$30)                 
    if dummy[4]= "l"  then 
    led  =1
    else
    led=0
    endif
 novar:   
    Hits = Hits + 1                ' update web array
    ARRAYWRITE my_z,3,,["   "]
    ARRAYWRITE my_z,3,,[dec myvar]
    ARRAYWRITE hits_z,3,,[dec3 hits] 
    if led then 
      ARRAYWRITE chk_z,7,,["checked"]
    else
       ARRAYWRITE chk_z,7,,["       "]
     endif
     
     
    ' Prepare to send  bytes
    HSEROUT["AT+CIPSEND=",ch_z,",",#(tmp+2), 13, 10]          
    HSERIN[WAIT (">"), Dummy[0]]
    ' Send the actual data
    HSEROUT[str head,str page ,13, 10]
  
      HSERIN[WAIT (" OK"), Dummy[0]]
    '
 
Goto doop

[richard]

after playing with Elapsed_INT-18.bas for demon I decided to add it to the esp8266 demo for a bit of time stamping
also added a hardware rst to the esp module that activates at the slightest hint of trouble (often unnecessarily ), its a bit brutal but I can find no other way
it also now can report what state it was in before it needs a kick in the ass
enjoy

[Charlie]

I've been using an 18f1330 at 32 MHz, but I'm having a lot of trouble with reliable communications at 9600 BAUD. The ESP8266 does not seem to offer slower speed, and I'm losing bytes occasionally. The code is using DT_INTS-18 to try to clear the buffer as fast as possible. Do I really need to move to a device that supports 64 MHz? Is anybody having this thing work reliably at 32 MHz or less?

[Ioannis]

Post your code. Guesses cannot help you.

Ioannis

[Charlie]

Never mind. It's not an issue of speed - it's an issue of RAM. The 18F1330 only has 256 bytes. This is not nearly enough for the array size you need for sufficient buffer depth.
Digging in the bin for something bigger now.

[gunayburak]

Is there anyone who can communicate with Pushingbox api service using this chip ? I can send datas to thingspeak and update it but since pushingbox is on a shared hosting I know things are different for it .. But how ? Anyone can give an aid ?