It is possible to use the popular ESP8266 board as a Wi-Fi adapter for embedded Linux systems by making use of the SLIP (Serial Line IP) protocol. This allows an internet connection to be routed via common RX and TX serial lines.
Note: Toradex does not recommend or endorse this WiFi chip /module, this article is just an example showing how this WiFi solution could be used on our platform. It is the developers' responsibility to evaluate the reliability and other parameters before putting it on to the design. On your host computer, download and install esp-open-sdk. You can test it by compiling and uploading the 'blinky' example to the board. In another directory, clone the esp_slip_router repository. Modify the Makefile to change the BUILD_AREA environment variable. Modify user/user_config.h with your desired settings, such as SSID and password. If compilation is successful, flash the compiled firmware to your board (which must be connected via USB, if using a NodeMCU board) with $ make flashĪfter flashing, the board should automatically reset.
