Turn Your ESP Boards into Crypto Miners

A few months ago, I had a stack of unused ESP32 and ESP8266 boards collecting dust in my workshop. I had used them for various DIY projects over the years, but they were just sitting there. One evening, as I was tinkering with some code, I wondered: “What if I could turn these little boards into something useful?”

That's when the idea hit me—what if I could use them for crypto mining?

At first, it seemed like a long shot. Crypto mining requires powerful hardware, right? But after some research, I discovered that with a few tweaks and the right software, I could turn my humble ESP boards into mini miners for cryptocurrencies like Monero. Excited, I set up the software, connected the boards to my Wi-Fi, and started the mining process.

To my surprise, it actually worked! The boards weren’t going to replace high-end mining rigs, but they were churning out small amounts of crypto with almost no power consumption. It was a fun, hands-on way to dive into the world of crypto mining, all while repurposing old hardware.

Now, those same boards are quietly mining in the background while I focus on my other projects. It’s not going to make me rich, but it's a great way to make use of otherwise idle hardware and explore something new.

This experience inspired me to share it with others—because if you have ESP boards sitting around, why not put them to work?