Hey all,
I know this one is a bit old now but seemed to rank high and was one of the first places I found.
I have found the same issues and have figured out some of the basics now. You can find:
- my on going notes - http://blog.andrewbyrnedesign.com/esp13-wifi-shield/
- A helpful post - Getting started with ESP8266-ESP13. Part 1 – welcome
- And all the serial commands that you can use to communicate with the esp13
ESP8266 - AT Command Reference · room-15
the UNO is really just for power and a serial connection. I suggest to everyone starting with this board to go back to the basics. ignore dip switches and buttons and just make the board communicate. Work up from there 