ESP8266 already got a lot of attention, but the problem is that this chip has more to offer than just UART to WIFI module, there is C compiler, SDK which allow you to write user program and have access to all GPIOs and resources of the chip so instead to add dumb microcontroller to ESP8266 module you will be able to put all your application in the ESP8266 itself.
The problem is that most existing modules do not allow access to all ESP8266 resources… until now, you see the untilate development board for ESP8266 now, it have access to all ESP8266 resources, GPIOs, bootloader etc.
The module MOD-WIFI-8266-DEV have UEXT connector footprint on the back so it can connect to all OLIMEX boards which have UEXT connectors, two rows of 0.1″ connectors for breadboarding and split pads which could be soldered directly to PCB.
For these who want to use ESP8266 just as SERIAL-to-WIFI bridge MOD-WIFI-ESP8266 is the better choice with smaller size and soldered female UEXT connector it direcly will plug to any board with UEXT.
Both boards are in stockMOD-WIFI-ESP8266 cost EUR 5.00 for single quantity,MOD-WIFI-8266-DEV cost EUR 5.50 in single quantity.
MOD-WIFI-ESP8266-EVB with Relay, button, Power supply, GPIOs access is in production and will be available in couple of weeks! It have on it MOD-WIFI-ESP8266-DEV on socket.
olimex 
Nov 28, 2014 @ 18:47:23
Hi, your links are wrong.
All links go to the DEV version.
Nov 28, 2014 @ 23:37:13
thanks! fixed
Nov 29, 2014 @ 22:19:04
DemoExample links still not working
Dec 01, 2014 @ 19:45:20
Some links fixed, others still not working 😦
Dec 01, 2014 @ 20:03:16
do not worry 🙂 everything will be fixed soon please be patient 🙂
Dec 02, 2014 @ 04:15:35
The links still broken:
no “Demo Example”,
no “How to install SDK”,
no “How to make small project with GCC”
Nov 28, 2014 @ 21:07:21
Is there an external antenna connector?
Nov 28, 2014 @ 23:38:37
yes, the DEV version have optional U.FL connector for external antenna
Nov 29, 2014 @ 09:54:34
The links at the bottom of the development board, to sample code /GCC etc are not properly linked
Nov 29, 2014 @ 14:17:04
Product description error says it has an ARM cpu
Nov 29, 2014 @ 21:50:50
None of the example or spec links on either product work. How can I buy something I do not know how to use?
Nov 30, 2014 @ 12:42:18
The links are still not correct. Could you please check again?
Nov 30, 2014 @ 13:15:50
I guess they are off – for the weekend
Dec 01, 2014 @ 05:33:38
If you visit http://www.esp8266.com, there are links to a bunch of technical information, toolchain downloads, and so on— it looks like a useful chip. I don’t know if that’s enough information to use this product but it looks like enough information to decide whether you can use this product.
Dec 01, 2014 @ 13:24:26
Hello, when will be eagle cad files/links to documentation released?
Dec 02, 2014 @ 02:19:47
Until Olimex publishes their version of toolchain/SDK install docs, you may want to use https://github.com/pfalcon/esp-open-sdk to build&install SDK from as many open components as possible. (It’s kind of executable documentation – you can run Makefile to do the job, or read it to know how to do it yourself).
Dec 02, 2014 @ 15:15:32
we don’t have our own SDK version at all, it’s same public SDK which others use
Dec 02, 2014 @ 05:53:54
Any chance this board could be made available through your international distributors where shipping rates might be less? This shipping costs to the US alone are ~3x the price of the board. Tough to justify the purchase of small quantities unless a large bulk order is made.
Dec 02, 2014 @ 15:09:39
airmail shipment is exactly euro 2.76 for MOD-WIFI-ESP8266
Dec 02, 2014 @ 16:05:39
Apparently, as you’ve stated, low-cost airmail delivery is not available for customers in the US. So, the cheapest delivery option that I see available is ~16 Euros plus the ~1.1 Euro surcharge for paying via Paypal. It boils down to the fact that ~17 Euros just to get the 5.50 Euro board itself seems a little steep unless I’m buying these in large quantities.
I was able to purchase one of your A20 Linux boards through Mouser which helped reduce these seemly (very steep) delivery/processing charges. Perhaps this would be something to consider for those regions facing similar shipping costs. I’m sure there are many “makers” in the US who would be more interested in your products if they were more affordable when you factor in shipping. For now, outfits like ElectroDragon or E-Bay directly seem like a better option although they don’t offer such a nicely designed (and accessible) package.
Dec 02, 2014 @ 16:10:44
mouser and digikey decide by their own what and when to stock, they have thousands of different items in stock and sometimes to list new devices in their catalogue takes time
Dec 02, 2014 @ 18:35:45
Too bad there isn’t another option available to Olimex to ship or distribute your parts world-wide. I really like Olimex products but it’s very difficult (unless Mouser/Digikey stocks them) to get them for a reasonable price in the US due to the shipping costs. If you can devise a more affordable solution I’d be interested in hearing about it.
Dec 02, 2014 @ 18:37:22
sure as soon as we have access to another shipping option we will blog and let people know
Dec 02, 2014 @ 20:26:52
Would that mean Olimex is actively looking for other options or just open for some new mechanism to appear. Guess that either increases/decreases the chance of something really happening in the future. I’m hoping for the former 😉
Dec 02, 2014 @ 14:14:15
> Any chance this board could be made available through your international distributors where shipping rates might be less?
Same applies to all other products too. Can you improve presence on eBay? There’s the only seller, from UK, which b%tches and doesn’t send to a lot of countries. Can you find/send someone to Shenzhen to have an agency there?
Dec 02, 2014 @ 15:13:29
we do not sell on ebay directly due to the high cost of sale there 10% of your sale go for ebay and paypal
our distributors sell there, sure every ebay seller can refuse to ship to some destinations where he is getting ripped off repeatly, for the same reason we disabled airmail shipment for USA in our shop, the parcels arrive there for 4-5 weeks by airmail, but half of customers claim paypal for refund on the second week, so this shipping option was disabled
Dec 02, 2014 @ 16:26:18
I don’t see a problem with the ebay situation. You just add 11% to the prices and list your products there (so these USA and UK accounts on ebay are not yours?)
Dec 02, 2014 @ 16:37:33
I do not understand what will be the difference vs our current online web shop? we can’t ship other way no matter if we sell on the web or in ebay? just rise of our current prices with 10% to list the items on ebay?
Dec 02, 2014 @ 17:01:55
Yeah, just (and only) listing on eBay won’t change much (except perhaps improve your visibility for free – it’s customer who pays 11% surcharge, right? 😉 ). But it may be a part of strategy of making your products more accessible to individual, “maker”, customers. Of course, if you bother to go for that niche, and not happy with just “commercial” customers, to whom you apparently tailor so far (judging by affording to order an individual production run of legacy SoCs, as described in another blog post).
If you don’t – that’s ok too, just nice to know anyway, to not feel like a bastard for not supporting Open Hardware, because otherwise you and your projects are cool and I’d like to have more than 1 board from you. But of course, I can’t buy stuff you don’t *want* to sell to me ;-).
Dec 02, 2014 @ 17:19:34
Paul, it’s not matter of what I want but what tools I have access to 🙂 you guys assume many things for granted, do you know that few years ago there were no single bank who support credit cards merchants here in Bulgaria and it was illegal to use such services from outside countries?
At that time our customers had to send their card info to us by FAX (watch Nathan Seidle’s speech at Google video) and we had to wait 6 month to receive the money from these card sales
if you have no bank who support you with card payments what you can do about it?
It’s not if I want to provide cheap shipping, just the airmail (post) service we have access here is with poor time for US 4-5 weeks, we did try our the best offering this but there are *lot* of dishonest people who use this long time to rip you off, we want to sell but we can’t survive if we give away 50% of our sales to US 🙂
PS. Airmail works just fine in Europe (exept Italy) and many other countries around the world, for eur 2.50-3.00 small customers receive their orders for 1-2 weeks
Dec 04, 2014 @ 18:26:13
What do you guys think of limpkin’s dev board?
http://www.limpkin.fr/index.php?post/2014/11/27/A-Development-Board-for-the-ESP8266-03
Dec 04, 2014 @ 19:02:00
Is the module available with FCC and CE? when not, do you plan it.
Dec 04, 2014 @ 19:04:05
no plans for official certification as this will just rise the price of the module
Dec 06, 2014 @ 14:36:30
I have some sympathy with Olimex and shipping issues to the USA because if I want to purchase goods from the USA the costs for shipping are usually extortionate. Unfortunately unless buying multiple products it renders the item too expensive. The cost of shipping is at least one thing the Far eastern countries, china etc. excel at albeit with shipping times of about 2 weeks to the UK
Feb 10, 2015 @ 20:25:07
Is it possible to debug esp8266 using jtag? and What Jtag tool from olimex can be used to debug jtag esp8266?
Mar 17, 2015 @ 19:08:49
I’ve received the development board before a month but I am not able to communicate with it. I am using RS232 adapter, which works with other 3.3V devices. TX from, the adapter ( pin 4 of the board ) have a level of 3.3V and there are UART messages when I try to send something from PUTTY, but there is no response from the boar ( 0.15V on RX of the adapter ( pin 3 of the board) ). I just power the board with 3.3V and connect it to the UART adapter and I thought that I will be able to place some AT commands. I am not sure what’s going on. Can somebody help me?
Mar 17, 2015 @ 20:01:30
you must also power the board not only to attach RS232 adapter. do you power the board and what is the power supply? WIFI module require 200mA or more when transmit/receive
this blog is not place where you will get support, if you have problems send e-mail to support@olimex.com our support team do not monitor the blog
Mar 17, 2015 @ 21:59:16
Thanks for the info! I’ve just write to the support team and… yes I’ve power the board with 3.3V the consumption is ~350mA ( measured with the Amp meter of the laboratory power supply).
Mar 17, 2015 @ 22:02:25
Sorry… technical mistake – not 350mA… the consumption is ~35mA