I just started using the ESP8266-01. I bought a USB-UART cable to program it. It was giving me problems with getting it detected, till I figured out the problem. The cable I am using is this one: http://ebay.to/1HJNkk6. Apparently, it cannot even power the ESP8266-01 (using the 3.3V VCC). I have to use an external power supply and connect the grounds together and then it gets detected correctly.
Is this common? Or is there some defect in this cable? I was expecting the ESP8266 to be powered easily due to its low power requirements.
Another question: I see some discussions reg. this cable vs the FTDI one and someone mentions about unique serial numbers. Why is that an issue?