Send data from DHT11 to ESP8266 using libraries

[tennisplayi]

I am trying to create a data collector for my garden. I currently have a DHT11 hooked up (will add more externals later) to my Arduino Uno and would like to send data to ThingSpeak through the ESP8266-01S.

I would like to use libraries to keep my coding simple. Thinking it through, I would need the ones below:

#include <SoftwareSerial.h> //will be used to connect the ESP8266 to the Uno
#include <WiFi.h> //will be used to connect to the internet
#include "DHT.h" //will be used to collect data from the DHT11
#include "ThingSpeak.h" //will be used to send data to ThingSpeak

I think I need to connect the SoftwareSerial to the WiFi since I need to be able to transmit data. Then once that is established I'd have to use that with ThingSpeak so it can send data to the proper channels.

I tried breaking everything down as simple as possible for me to just connect to the internet and send data out:

#include <SoftwareSerial.h>
#include <WiFi.h>
#include "ThingSpeak.h"

char ssid[] = "network";
char pass[] = "password";
int status = WL_IDLE_STATUS;

SoftwareSerial esp(2,3); // RX,TX

void setup() {
  Serial.begin(9600);
  esp.begin(9600); //SoftwareSerial

  Serial.print("Attempting to connect to internet ");
  WiFi.begin(ssid, pass); //so this starts the WiFi but how does it know to connect to esp?
    
    while (WiFi.status() != WL_CONNECTED) { //Obviously this code never gets me out of this loop
      delay(5000);
      Serial.print(".");
    }
  
    Serial.println("\nConnected.");
    
    ThingSpeak.begin(); //need to connect ThingSpeak to the ESP which should be connected to the internet. But how??
    
  delay(5000);
}

void loop() {
  //delay(5000);
  //use ThingSpeak to write to data out
}

Any suggestions? Thanks!

[Koepel]

My suggestion is to start with something that is easier.
For example a ESP32 board, and use good tutorials for the ESP32 + DHT11 and ESP32 + ThingSpeak.
Find the most common ESP32 board with a ESP-WROOM-32 module.