ESP8266 gives unreadable characters on Serial terminal -SOLVED

Projects Programming
1

I am using softwareSerial library with an ATMEGA1284p based stand alone board (Mighty Core) to connect to an ESP8266-1 module.

I have all input from the module directed to Serial port for debugging.
For some reason I get the following :

OK
AT+RST

OK
WIFI DR⸮⸮⸮ʪ⸮(UH⸮
ets Jan 8 2013,rst ca]⸮Y'& ⸮⸮сj⸮⸮⸮⸮B⸮b⸮Jj

l+⸮⸮⸮⸮т⸮⸮⸮⸮⸮⸮bb⸮⸮⸮⸮⸮⸮⸮b⸮⸮⸮⸮
tail8
chks][⸮•⸮j
loaf 0x&⸮V⸮⸮⸮bb⸮⸮⸮⸮⸮⸮b⸮⸮⸮⸮⸮⸮j
tail8
⸮⸮⸮
02⸮⸮
⸮!j
2⸮Z
⸮⸮

My first thought was that the baud rate was wrong. But this wasn't the case as I have verified that the ESP module talk on 115200.

Any ideas?

2

A couple of things.

Are you using a seperate 3.3v supply or just the arduino?

Have you tried flashing the latest firmware for the ESP? Dont always have to do it these days but i was having trouble recently and it definatly helped.

Do you have usb-serial you can use first before trying to communicate with arduino?

I also found softwareserial not so good at 115200. you could try using the serial pins 1&2 at that speed. just ensure you drop your voltage down.

3

I am using an adapter pcb which converts all voltages to 3.3v
The ESP module comminicates fine when connected directly with the pc via an ftdi board.
ESP1 onky has tx rx accessible. .not sure if I can upload new firmware. .
Unfortunately the hw serial ports are beeing used and i have to use software serial....

4

Jonkers71 is right about software serial. There is no way that it will work at 115200 baud. 38400 is the fastest that I have gotten reliable serial with software serial. You will need a FTDI connected to the ESP to change its baud rate (using AT command) or use hardware serial for the ESP.

5

Ok...so how do u change the baud rate assuming direct serial connection to PC terminal?

6

Just use serial monitor still and a list of useful commands can be found here
esp8266-at-command-reference

and good instructions/tutorial on how to flash.
update-the-firmware-in-your-esp8266-wi-fi-module

7

Updated instructions on how to flash an ESP-01 module to v2.0.0 of the SDK is found at https://www.allaboutcircuits.com/projects/flashing-the-ESP-01-firmware-to-SDK-v2.0.0-is-easier-now/

The instructions will work for v2.1.0
This latest version of the firmware will allow control of the GPIO pins via AT commands.

8

This latest version of the firmware will allow control of the GPIO pins via AT commands.

But the GPIO pins are nit accessible on this module version...

9

Watcher:
But the GPIO pins are nit accessible on this module version...

The ESP-01 has 2 GPIO pins.

10

Ooos..yes you are right ieee488!

11

Reducing the baud rate to 9600 solved the problem.

Thanks for your support!