ESP8266 Community Forum

- Sun Nov 29, 2015 5:13 pm #35300 Seem to be hard to slave 8266 by Linux module.

I think for headless system, it's cool to have a "cpanel like a vps" to execute command, reboot, check, watchdog on system function failed. So the ESP can be in AP mode for configuration with smartphone, STA+AP for testing config, or STA only when configured - a hardware switch on the board. No screen HDMI, no keyboard, no hub usb needed to rescue the system

For linux side for Tun/Tap software interface, PI and Router Wifi (openwrt) :
http://backreference.org/2010/03/26/tun ... -tutorial/
http://backreference.org/wp-content/upl ... un.tar.bz2

- Sun Nov 29, 2015 7:17 pm #35310 @eduperez,
A WiFi dongle is of course the simplest ... by far ... solution. However, my thinking is that the Pi Zero brings the "computer" (i.e. high end embedded device) down to the low-cost embedded price range. When we look at the cost of a WiFi dongle, we see that the average prices is about $10 while we can get ESP8266 modules for about $2.50. I can extrapolate to a time when we may want to build projects that are based upon a Pi Zero and need WiFi but, for some reasons, we want the cost to be minimal ... sacrificing convenience and simplicity for price.

Additionally, assuming that Raspberry haven't got exclusive contracts with the SoC makers, I could expect to see Pi Zero clones coming ... and I can imagine a Pi Zero clone coupled with an ESP8266 on a single PCB advertizing itself as Pi Zero compatible with built-in WiFi ... but in order for that to be real, the embedded Linux running on Pi would have to know how to driver a peer ESP8266 ... and I'm assuming that would be at the device driver level.

Free ESP8266 book available for download here.

- Sun Nov 29, 2015 7:20 pm #35311 Hi kolban, you contribution to the ESP environment has been beyond anyone’s expectation. As a thankyou from someone in the UK if you PM your contact I’ll be happy to send you one with as a thank you for all the great work.

- Mon Nov 30, 2015 2:57 am #35330

When we look at the cost of a WiFi dongle, we see that the average prices is about $10 while we can get ESP8266 modules for about $2.50.

You can get wifi dongles for less than 2$, shipping included (and an USB OTG adapter for less than 30 cent).
So in terms of costs, there is not really a difference.

Additionally, assuming that Raspberry haven't got exclusive contracts with the SoC makers, I could expect to see Pi Zero clones coming ... and I can imagine a Pi Zero clone coupled with an ESP8266 on a single PCB advertizing itself as Pi Zero compatible with built-in WiFi ...

I would not count on that. Hardkernel (the ODROID manufacturer) had a BCM2835 based board some time ago, but discontinued it soon after release. They claimed Broadcom refused to sell them any more chips.
While those claims are unverified, there IS a noticeable lack of single board computers using the Broadcom SOCs, other than the Raspberry Pi...