WiFi IR Blaster Hookup Guide
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View the updated tutorial: SparkFun WiFi IR Blaster Hookup Guide
jimblom 
IR Controller Firmware
Exploring the IRRemoteESP8266 library is just the very tip of this WiFi IR Blaster iceberg. We highly recommend checking out the IR Controller ESP8266 firmware. This fully featured firmware combines IR send and receive functions with a web server. It monitors for received commands, and provides a handy interface to emit those back out with the ESP8266. There are even instructions for connecting the Blaster to an Alexa service.
If you give this firmware a spin, just remember you'll need to specify the IR emitter and receiver pins. This is what I've set the pins variables to:
language:c
const int pinr1 = 13; // Receiving pin
const int pins1 = 4; // Transmitting preset 1
const int pins2 = 12; // Transmitting preset 2 (not used)
const int pins3 = 12; // Transmitting preset 3 (not used)
const int pins4 = 12; // Transmitting preset 4 (not used)
const int configpin = 5; // Reset Pin
// User settings are above here
const int ledpin = 0; // Built in LED defined for WEMOS people
You'll also need to install a handful of libraries, which are all described in the Setup section of the README.
With those few modifications, you should be up-and-IR-controlling in no time!