Introduction to the Internet of Things (IoT)

A workshop on Introduction to the Internet of Things took place at Hua Lian High School, Taiping on 19 November 2025. The workshop introduced students to the fundamentals of the Internet of Things (IoT), focusing on the use of the ESP8266 microcontroller as a lightweight web server. Participants were briefed on key concepts including web server functionality, hosting web pages on microcontrollers, and practical IoT applications using ESP8266 with built-in Wi-Fi capabilities.

Two hands-on activities were planned, aimed at progressively enhancing students’ practical skills. The first activity was hosting and accessing a simple web page using ESP8266. Students learned how to configure the ESP8266 to host a simple web page and access it using a web browser. The second activity was hosting a web page and controlling the on-board LED via a browser. Both activities allowed students to gain practical exposure to both network-based device control and embedded web server development.

Overall, the workshop met its key objectives by providing hands-on learning experiences on ESP8266-based web hosting and IoT control functionalities, while also identifying improvements to enhance future sessions.