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This small WiFi Transceiver Module can be used with an Arduino Uno or as a standalone using a USB adapter board. ESP-01 (ESP8266)Īn even smaller choice is the ESP-01 controller. Related: What’s better: the NodeMCU or the Wemos D1 Mini? 3. Had I used a Wemos D1 Mini, I could have eliminated the extra power pack and kept the project footprint small and portable. When I was creating the Siri + ESP8266 project, using the NodeMCU, I had to bring in additional power because 3V wasn’t enough to gather accurate temperature readings. The Wemos D1 Mini has a 5V output pin, which means you can use standard input sensors without needing an external power supply. Here’s the pinout diagram for the Wemos D1 Mini. Plus, it comes with a variety of modular shields that are great for creating IoT prototypes on-the-fly. It also uses an ESP8266, but in about half of the footprint of the NodeMCU. My favorite IoT controller is the Wemos D1 Mini.
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Otherwise, I recommend checking out the next Arduino Uno alternative: the Wemos D1 Mini.
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If you’re okay with adding a separate power source for your devices, you can get away with using a NodeMCU. Most 5V sensors will have to be powered separately if you want to get accurate measurements. The NodeMCU is a popular choice for IoT prototyping however, I only recommend using it if the devices you’re running only require 3V. Related Project: NodeMCU, dweet.io, & Freeboard.io Tutorial for IoT Then I’ll share some tips on how to decide which board is a good choice for your project.
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Let’s take a look at each of these alternatives. In addition to the WiFi connectivity, most of these Arduino Uno alternatives come with a smaller footprint. Whether you choose to use these boards is completely up to you.
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These are just some options when it comes to adding WiFi connectivity to a project. On the other hand, I wanted to provide this article as a resource. Need help getting started with Arduino? You can sign up to take my coding & circuits course, here. If you’re just starting with electronics and coding, the Arduino Uno is my #1 recommendation for beginners. This article isn’t designed to discredit the Arduino Uno. In this article, we’re going to explore five alternatives to the Arduino Uno that also have built-in WiFi chips.īefore we begin, it’s important to note that the Arduino Uno is a great board as-is. That means you either have to add a Wifi Module, such as the ESP-01, or use a Wifi-enabled microcontroller, to begin with. If you’re looking to build IoT projects, the Arduino Uno doesn’t have Wireless features out-of-the-box. The Arduino Uno is a popular choice when it comes to creating electronic prototypes and robots.
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