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# IoT Explorations Part 1: Shopping List
- URL: https://badllama.net/iot-explorations-part-1/
- Published: 2020-05-28T10:10:09.000Z
- Updated: 2020-05-31T16:38:57.000Z
- Author: Oli Howson
- Tags: #Import 2026-10-24 07:51

As part of an upcoming series of workshops on IoT I have been endeavouring to learn more about IoT - and specifically IoT on a budget! I'm fortunate enough to have a bunch of Arduino and other electronic bits and bobs laying around from previous explorations, forrays, and a kit I was bought for Christmas. But this is not always the case. So part one of this exploration is to put together a minimal list of what I have used for the projects that follow. This may not be the bare bones list - I mean you could connect the Arduino by putting female jumpers onto the pins rather than using a breadboard - but it's the minimum I have used, and what I will be putting together into a little kit for the workshops.

Note: I know the esp8266 can be used as a microcontroller in it's own right. This set of workshops was based around having an easy to use yet affordable microcontroller - the Arduino Nano - but then using the esp8266 as a cheap and (relatively) simple way to get the Nano online. You can get Arduino's with wifi built in - but where's the fun in that?

## [Part 2: Getting connected to WiFi](https://badllama.net/iot-explorations-part-2/)

- Arduino Nano (other flavours exist; I used a cheap and cheerful nano from eBay)
- USB cable
- ESP8266 (again I went with the cheapest and cheerfullest)
- Breadboard
- 5x M-F jumper wires
- 2x M-M jumper wires
- 3.3v power supply
- 10kΩ resistor
- 1kΩ resistor
- 2.2kΩ resistor

For the 3.3v power I initially I used 2xAAA batteries together in series. They didn't last long so now use a power adaptor that came with an Arduino kit and a variable voltage plug that I got from Maplins years ago. You cannot run the ESP8266 from the Arduino 3.3v supply. 

## Part 3: Basic web server

***Note: This uses the same circuit as part 2 and so the parts are identical...***

- Arduino Nano (other flavours exist; I used a cheap and cheerful nano from eBay)
- USB cable
- ESP8266 (again I went with the cheapest and cheerfullest)
- Breadboard
- 5x M-F jumper wires
- 2x M-M jumper wires
- 3.3v power supply
- 10kΩ resistor
- 1kΩ resistor
- 2.2kΩ resistor

## Part 4a: A Button

This is for a single switch (we're just testing!). 

- Arduino Nano (other flavours exist; I used a cheap and cheerful nano from eBay)
- USB cable
- Breadboard
- 4x M-M jumper wires
- 3.3v power supply
- Momentary / push button switch
- 10kΩ resistor

## Part 4b: Reporting a button on a Web Server

This is for a single switch (we're just testing!). Each additional switch would need two more M-M jumper wires, one more 10kΩ resistor. And of course an additional switch!

- Arduino Nano (other flavours exist; I used a cheap and cheerful nano from eBay)
- USB cable
- ESP8266 (again I went with the cheapest and cheerfullest)
- Breadboard
- 5x M-F jumper wires
- 5x M-M jumper wires
- 3.3v power supply
- 2x 10kΩ resistor
- 1kΩ resistor
- 2.2kΩ resistor
- Momentary / push button switch
FROM HERE ON THE BLOGS ARE UNPUBLISHED AND SUBJECT TO CHANGE 

## Project Total

If you want to just order everything to cover the whole project then you want to use this complete list.

- Arduino Nano (other flavours exist; I used a cheap and cheerful nano from eBay)
- USB cable
- ESP8266 (again I went with the cheapest and cheerfullest)
- Breadboard
- 5x M-F jumper wires
- 5x M-M jumper wires
- 3.3v power supply
- 2x 10kΩ resistor
- 1kΩ resistor
- 2.2kΩ resistor
- Momentary / push button switch