The ESP8266 Serial WIFI Wireless Transceiver Module is a self-contained "System on Chip" with integrated TCP/IP protocol stack that gives any microcontroller access to the WiFi network. The ESP8266 is capable of either hosting an application or offloading each and every Wi-Fi networking functions from another application processor.
This module has a powerful on-board processing and storage capability that allows easy integration with the sensors and other application-specific devices through its GPIOs. The ESP8266 supports APSD for VoIP applications and Bluetooth co-existence interfaces and has a self-calibrated RF.
Note: The ESP8266 Module is not capable of 5-3V logic shifting and will require an external Logic Level Converter. Please do not power it directly from your 5V dev board.