ESP8266-01 - Cannot be programmed, no response to AT commands

Hello and help.
I am a complete layman in matters of programming and electronics, but I wanted a thermometer that will transmit temperature via an external service. I bought a "USB RS232 converter PL2102 arduino 5V 3.3V", and a "WIFI network module ESP8266 RS232 AT control". I've been sitting on this for 4 days now, I've done probably all possible cable combinations and nothing. The module does not respond to AT commands. When something hangs it disappears from the screen and nothing. When trying to upload firmware, the blue LED blinks and nothing happens unless I write out errors:
warning: espcomm_sync failed
error: espcomm_open failed
error: espcomm_upload_mem failed
error: espcomm_upload_mem failed.
I'm wondering about the converter because everyone who comments about connections writes out that e.g. RXD connect to TX etc. This one of mine has no RXD only RXC and TXC. Could the cause be on this side or do I have a lot of learning ahead of me. Greetings and begging for help.
Of course I gave GPIO0 to ground.

1. How do you power the ESP8266 - with what and what voltage?
2. At what speed are you communicating with the ESP8266?
3. Make sure your USB-RS232 converter is working: connect Rx to Tx and see if you get what you write (echo).

thanks for the quick answer. At first directly from the converter then I added 2 R6 sticks. i connected to + to + earth together. Today in the video one guy was powering the ESP itself from the power supply (so my two new batteries should be ok) and the converter was without voltage at the 3.3V output. It was only when the USB was connected that it got voltage. I'll try it when I get back from work. As for the speed I tried both 9600 and 11500. I will still check the converter from what you say. i can short it normally and nothing will happen? In which I can then see what it responds to. The same program that is for the Arduino and in the monitor should I write?

Well, now I can answer. I power up with two sticks - I have read that this is correct. I power the ESP8266 directly with this, only the ground is together. As I wrote earlier the communication speeds are 9600; 115200 and almost all others. Today I bought some more 2,2k resistors just to be sure. Unfortunately this did not help either. I checked the converter with the contacts shorted - there is an echo. I tried AT commands with the Sketch program (after disconnecting GND and GPIO0 from ground) silence, as if my commands were going into space. Another morning in the back:( . I have ordered another ESP8266, maybe it will arrive on Tuesday.

esp-01 works even from usb converter ... so combinations with batteries are unnecessary for now. question is, do you also connect VCC to EN pin ? and the second thing is, when GPIO0 is shorted to ground, the chip is in programming state and AT commands will not work then. in which program are you trying to communicate by AT commands with esp ?

Well, then I can disconnect the batteries. Nice less cables. In my case there is no EN pin. I only have VCC, GND, RX, TX, GPIO0, GPIO2, CH_PD and RST. I have already used all programs available from Sketch through others for programming and AT communication. the computer sends data e.g. in REALTIME or something similar this program is called. The blue LED blinks but after a while there is an info that the port is closed and the operation failed. GPIO0 is disconnected from GND for the time of connecting to the monitor in order to write AT, and RST and CH_PD are connected via 2.2k resistors to VCC. Without resistors I have also tried and with the wires hanging down as well. Maybe the circuit is screwed up.

Gentlemen, a total break down. i bought another one, ESP8266-12. i was hoping it was the ESP8266-01's fault. unfortunately i was wrong. now i have connected, as i wrote the version-12 and the sysytem has problems. I am using Windows 10 and when I put everything together, the sytem once sees it in the system(device manager) and after a second it no longer does. I can hear the device connect and disconnect in the speakers all the time.

Added after 23 [minutes]:

I'll actually ask again. My converter has an RXC and TXC output/output. The ESP8266 says RXD and TXD all the time. Is there any difference.

Under win8. 1 and 10 the PL2102 caused similar problems, replacing it with a ch340 solved the problem. I do not know if it will be so in each case, under win7 all converters work for me. So we can assume that it is a driver problem. Unless it is a problem of the ESP not being properly connected to the converter, or even damaged. Another issue is the ESP power supply, I noticed that in F-series modules after March 2016 you need to insert a minimum 470uF capacitor as close as possible to the GND Vcc because there are problems with flashing and accidental resets. In the new modules there is also, no need to pull up GPIO0 and Reset, the modules have 10k resistors inserted. It is also important to ensure that GPIO2 is high at start-up. In the latest version marked S, there are again some changes and problems with flashing. Both the new F I S are also susceptible to any interference from the network during transmission over the UART. Good quality shielded cables should be used. Returning to the converter, the CH340 is now fitted to almost every module with esp, manufacturers have moved away from other converters, this was by no means dictated by price

have you tried changing the usb cable from the converter ?

The problem is partially solved, i.e. after changing the converter to ch340, I can upload software without any problems.Now the problem remains with communication and reception of AT commands, but this is already for a separate thread. Thanks everyone for your help. Aha, I also bought a module that does 3.3V voltage because the voltage directly from the converter was also doing problems.
Closing topic/