Smallest arduino (or other) board with WiFi

Hello all!
I have a project in my mind (see the attachment for the main idea).

I want to find the smallest Arduino board (or another kind of board) that has WiFi capabilities so I can:

  • Assign a unique ID to each board
  • Use a controller to scan for all the boards in the area
  • Send commands to each one, or all together

Each board will only light up one or two LEDs.

I saw wino-board but I'm not 100% sure that it can fulfill all my needs.
Any advice, please!? :smiley:

Thank you and stay safe!

3AgL3_DJ:
I saw wino-board but I'm not 100% sure that it can fulfill all my needs

Can you please provide a link? I've never heard of that one. :slight_smile:

OP image:

ESP-01? I imagine any board with WiFi will bring its unique i.d. by virtue of its mac address. That wino board will probably do what you want - at a cost of about ten times that of the ESP-01.

aarg:
Can you please provide a link? I've never heard of that one. :slight_smile:

I just found out about it a few hours ago.

Nick_Pyner:
ESP-01? I imagine any board with WiFi will bring its unique i.d. by virtue of its mac address. That wino board will probably do what you want - at a cost of about ten times that of the ESP-01.

Is this the same as ESP8266?
But can I do what I wrote with this ESP-01?

Yes, it is a form of ESP8266, but you have to get the good oil from some geek in New Zealand to find that out. What this is and what it does are details that the wino crowd are none too forthcoming about. That, and the price, probably account its absence of users on this forum, even after several years.

I'm not a WiFi expert, but you seem to simply want a network of four devices - one to control three others. This sounds pretty normal, and I believe all the devices can be ESP-01. The ESP-01 has only two i/o pins - which is all you need. I believe the serial pins can be configured for additional GPIO.

https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=1&cad=rja&uact=8&ved=2ahUKEwjplteuxqbdAhVOdt4KHR4YBAkQFjAAegQIABAB&url=https%3A%2F%2Ftttapa.github.io%2FESP8266%2FChap01%2520-%2520ESP8266.html&usg=AOvVaw23hIXXZyWgotEobOyFW4fI

not sure, maybe a mkr wifi 1010?

For an ESP8266 board that's a little more capable, with a voltage regulator and USB-to-serial adapter, the Lolin D1 Mini might be an option. Genuine stock is at Lolin's store at lolin.aliexpress.com, but clones are widely available. I don't know for sure, but I assume any part using the ESP8266 would do what you want to do.

I am a big user of ESP units, including the -01, Wemos D1 Mini and the NodeMCU. Never heard of Wino.
The problem with the ESP-01 module is that you have to provide a stable 3.3V supply. It's easier to just use the Wemos D1 Mini.

If you have WiFi, this would be fairly easy to do using the MQTT protocol.

I like the combination of the ESP-01 with its USB module, which contains the regulator.

It is more "cubic" than the WeMOS D1 Mini and plugs directly into a USB "phone charger" or in my case, mounts to the end of a "Times Square" MAX7219 display.

The ESP-01 also suits the "button" project (using the improved version with CH_PD) where it is powered by two alkaline cells.

Just as well I have a few on hand as the viral doubling in prices means I would be waiting until matters settle before buying more! :astonished:

Paul__B:
I like the combination of the ESP-01 with its USB module, which contains the regulator.

That's neat, I haven't seen that before. I guess that round thingy is a fat capacitor, installed on a spacer to provide some structural support. Because OP was looking for the "smallest package", I assumed it would be running off a button battery or the like.

Nick_Pyner:
That's neat, I haven't seen that before. I guess that round thingy is a fat capacitor, installed on a spacer to provide some structural support.

It's an electrolytic in SMD form - the leads fold under the little spacer. Viz:


It buffers the transmission pulses, assisting the small regulator.

Nick_Pyner:
Because OP was looking for the "smallest package", I assumed it would be running off button battery or the like.

I think we generally agree that button batteries and ESPs are not compatible, but two alkaline "AA" or "AAA" is practical.


"Button" project.

(Note that one of the three batteries is blanked out in that project. :grinning: )

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