NodeMCU ESP8266 12E - serial monitor garbage output

[gigmaps]

Basic Info

Amica NodeMCU ESP8266MOD to Arduino IDE gives garbage / gibberish serial monitor output. Note that the Blink examples function perfectly (both native Arduino and ESP8266 versions). The only good serial monitor text I can generate from this board is the bootloader output after reset button is pressed. Anything else (I've tried many examples and all baud rates) gives garbage.

Hardware

Hardware: Amica ESP8266 CP2102 NodeMCU LUA ESP-12E WIFI Serial Wireless Module
Chip: ESP8266EX
Purchased From: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B010O1G1ES/ref=ask_ql_qh_dp_hza
Core Version: 2.4.0-rc2
OS: macOS High Sierra 10.13.2

Description

Arduino IDE v1.8.5 installed with latest rc2 version of esp8266/Arduino installed - with the Silicon Labs CP2102 drivers installed correctly. Using the latest version of esp8266/Arduino and can't get the module to output to serial monitor (only outputs gibberish characters) - except for bootloader reset. Serial monitor baud rate is 115200 - no other baud rate works with bootloader (gives 100% gibberish).

Settings in IDE

Module: NodeMCU 1.0 (ESP- 12E Module)
Flash Size: 4MB/1MB
CPU Frequency: 80Mhz
Flash Mode: n/a
Flash Frequency: ?? not sure where this is set in Arduino IDE ??
Upload Speed: 115200
Upload Using: USB
Reset Method: nodemcu

Serial Output

ets Jan  8 2013,rst cause:2, boot mode:(3,7)
load 0x4010f000, len 1384, room 16 
tail 8
chksum 0x2d
csum 0x2d
v355232ff
~ld
UJj,⸮⸮⸮T⸮⸮⸮-+Z⸮孲⸮⸮U⸮+⸮⸮⸮⸮⸮T⸮⸮⸮⸮⸮⸮U�UUVU⸮T⸮⸮⸮-+Z⸮孢⸮⸮UJ+⸮⸮⸮⸮⸮T⸮⸮⸮⸮⸮⸮U�UUVUE⸮

Sketch

Only testing with the WifiScan example for now

[5chufti]

set the baudrate in your IDE ser.mon. window to 74880 and use Serial.begin(74880); in your sketch, then everything should be ok.

[gigmaps]

@5chufti legend !

On my system ser.mon window doesn't even need to be at 74880 - as long as the sketch has Serial.begin(74880) it seems to work fine.

thank you

[pauledd]

Oh man, it took half a day to stumble upon this issue.
This is even more weird.
I also need to set Serial.begin(74880); in my sketches but in the serial window
I can ONLY use 115200 to see correct output, if I select anything else (even 74880) I get totally
useless output.
(cheap nodemcu v3 china, lolin, wemos.cc, ver 0.1, gentoo linux & arduino 1.8.5)

[gigmaps]

@pauledd yes highly frustrating - and probably the card - I repurchased two Makerfocus NodeMCU 12E cards from amazon and don't have the same issues (though some sketches are a little fussy on the baud rate selected in the SM - but not the sketch).
An interesting read to shed some light on all the different NodeMCU card versions / manufacturers available:
https://frightanic.com/iot/comparison-of-esp8266-nodemcu-development-boards/

[brucebuxkemper]

You are a hero, I've been searching sites and posts for a day now and this is the one that fixed it for me.

They must have a clock divisor set wrong some place!

Thank you!!!!

[brucebuxkemper]

If the crystal is running 1.5 times too fast, could this be why my wifi is not working?

[5chufti]

Depend if this frequency is properly reflected in the esp_init_data block.

[js9742]

Same here!
I got a Lolin ESP8266 nodeMCU v3 from aliexpress..
I'm testing on Hellow Server example code.
it only works fine at sketch 74880, ser.mon 115200.
But the wifi is not working..

[brucebuxkemper]

Hi, I still have not found a solution. I'll email you if I do. I'm not sure the serial issue is a fundamental problem with the board and the bad clock rate is keeping the wifi from working. I'm still working on it and I ordered a different board. FYI, my email is BruceBuxkemper@gmail.com

…

On Sun, Jan 14, 2018 at 8:23 PM, Jungseo Park ***@***.***> wrote: Same here! I got a Lolin ESP8266 nodeMCU v3 from aliexpress.. I'm testing on Hellow Server example code. it only works fine at sketch 74880, ser.mon 115200. But the wifi is not working.. — You are receiving this because you commented. Reply to this email directly, view it on GitHub <#4005 (comment)>, or mute the thread <https://github.com/notifications/unsubscribe-auth/AhmuVOCKlVWVv7yLKEuwfZjXO9Gui_a1ks5tKraYgaJpZM4RJDN1> .

[pauledd]

I got my money back for the faulty unit and ordered another one here in germany. The board looks quite the same like the Chinese one except one part: the faulty china unit has on that wifi metal case printed "Vendor AI-THINKER". The good one I got from germany has printed HYSIRY and this "pacman" next to the Wifi-logo.

[brucebuxkemper]

I"m not sure where the esp_init_data block is or how to debug it. In Arduino IDE the board is set to 80MHz.

…

On Sun, Jan 14, 2018 at 3:18 PM, 5chufti ***@***.***> wrote: Depend if this frequency is properly reflected in the esp_init_data block. — You are receiving this because you commented. Reply to this email directly, view it on GitHub <#4005 (comment)>, or mute the thread <https://github.com/notifications/unsubscribe-auth/AhmuVKI4fT8fHS9SnwkRCnHbVe9akBcVks5tKm8lgaJpZM4RJDN1> .