Question about using the Onion Omega2+ with the Arduino Uno

I recently got an Arduino Uno starter kit from my wife for Xmas, and have been chipping away at the examples with moderate success. I'm very interested in IOT type applications, however, and understand that I'm going to need to buy some additional hardware in order to build IOT enabled devices.

I've been looking at the Onion Omega2+ .. which can apparently interface and communicate with the Arduino Uno. My specific question regarding that is ... can I get away with buying just the chip, and would I be able to interface it with the Arduino Uno --- WITHOUT having to do any soldering? Or should I buy the Mini Dock for the Omega2+ to save myself the aggravation? I ask because I really do NOT want to have to do any soldering at all ... as that would require that I buy even more equipment.

I saw some YouTube videos that demonstrate (poorly) how you can stick the Onion Omega2+ chip on a breadboard and interface it with the Arduino Uno. But they don't elaborate at all on the wiring/schematics .. or hint at the complexity involved.

I'm inquiring because I don't want to completely abandon my Arduino Uno in favor of some other, new shiny object. I'd like to leverage what I already have (if possible) .. and maybe also save a few bucks =)

Thanks,

• Yvan

To me, the Omega2+ is too powerful to waste being a wifi enabler for the Arduino Uno.
Omega2+ is a PC.

If you want wifi for the Arduino Uno, get a wifi shield.

Could you recommend a good Wifi shield, then? It seems that the official shield that used to be sold by Arduino is now discontinued, and I've been having a hard time trusting Amazon reviews for the shields I've come across so far.

Thanks,

• Yvan

ygagnon:
Could you recommend a good Wifi shield, then? It seems that the official shield that used to be sold by Arduino is now discontinued, and I've been having a hard time trusting Amazon reviews for the shields I've come across so far.

Thanks,

• Yvan

If you want something very cheap an ESP-01 module.
By default the Arduino communicates with it using AT commands.
ESP-01 module
ESP-01 adapter for Arduino
https://www.ebay.com/itm/ESP-01S-ESP8266-Serial-Wi-Fi-Wireless-Module-ESP-01-Adapter-for-Arduino/201711916394

There are also specialized boards based Arduino Uno with wifi built-in.

You can even just use the Omega2+ by itself and forget about the Arduino.

Do the ESP-01 module and adapter still require any soldering? Or does the adapter eliminate all of that and allow me to just patch into it using a breadboard?

• Yvan

ygagnon:
Do the ESP-01 module and adapter still require any soldering? Or does the adapter eliminate all of that and allow me to just patch into it using a breadboard?

• Yvan

No soldering.
Your Arduino kit should have come with jumpers to connect the adapter to the Arduino or to a breadboard.

So are you saying that I can hook this thing up directly to the Arduino .. without even having to involve the breadboard (or resistors, etc)?

Also .. I'm not sure what you mean by "jumpers". Do you mean "male header pins", by any chance? I just want to make sure I'm not missing any parts.

Thanks,

• Yvan

You will need a voltage divider for the RX pin on the ESP-01 adapter so you will to need involve a solderless breadboard.

http://www.martyncurrey.com/arduino-to-esp8266-serial-commincation/
shows the voltage divider in the circuit

Here's a photo of the connection of the Arduino Uno and the ESP-01 adapter but without the voltage divider.

1280×720 147 KB

You will need to buy a 3.3V 1A AC adapter to power the ESP-01 module+adapter.
You cannot use the Arduino Uno's 3.3V output!

Jumpers came in various genders: male-male, male-female, female-female

You should learn to solder. It will make your circuits more robust if done properly.

You will need to buy a 3.3V 1A AC adapter to power the ESP-01 module+adapter.
You cannot use the Arduino Uno's 3.3V output!

So .. I'd have to provide power to the arduino using USB (which I'm already accustomed to doing) .. but also provide power to the ESP-01 module+adapter using a separate 3.3V power adapter?

Would providing power to the arduino using a lithium ion battery side-step this requirement (as shown in the photo .. where the ESP-01 appears to be powered up) ?

(It looks like I'd need to buy some more jumper wires, too .. as my starter kit only came with 2 of them.)

• Yvan

ygagnon:

You will need to buy a 3.3V 1A AC adapter to power the ESP-01 module+adapter.
You cannot use the Arduino Uno's 3.3V output!

So .. I'd have to provide power to the arduino using USB (which I'm already accustomed to doing) .. but also provide power to the ESP-01 module+adapter using a separate 3.3V power adapter?

Would providing power to the arduino using a lithium ion battery side-step this requirement (as shown in the photo .. where the ESP-01 appears to be powered up) ?

(It looks like I'd need to buy some more jumper wires, too .. as my starter kit only came with 2 of them.)

• Yvan

I have no experience using a battery with the Arduino Uno plus the ESP-01.

Remember that the Arduino Uno needs 5V.

Here is discussion on the ESP-01 current draw. Current consumption analytics on ESP8266 for battery users - Everything ESP8266

If I were you, I would sit back and consider whether you really want to go this route, or
maybe go with

1. https://www.sparkfun.com/products/13711
   everything on one board and uses Arduino IDE

2. Omega2+

3. NodeMCU dev kit NodeMcu -- An open-source firmware based on ESP8266 wifi-soc.

4. something else

Ok .. one last question. What about a WiFi shield for the Arduino Uno? I know they exist, but I'm not sure which one is most recommended (if any).

Also .. if I decide to get a Wifi sheild for he Uno .. would I need to provide power to it separately? Or will the power that I provide to the UNO over USB also provide power to the Wifi shield?

• Yvan

Nevermind guys. I just bought an Onion Omega2+.