Wireless network and Pic microcontrollers

[Raúl]

Hi to everybody!!....and sorry for my english....I'm Spanish ;-)

I'm looking for information about wireless networks based on the 802.11b
standart. My intention is to design a system with PIC's, that be able to
communicate between them using a CompactFlash with 802.11b, like this:

http://www.conceptronic.net/product3.asp?g=9&p=*C11CF

I only find this system in Internet:

http://www.iosoft.co.uk/wlan2.php

......but I don't know how the PIC can send and receive information from the
CompactFlash, and how desing the PCB by myself......can you help me?

THANKS!!!

 

[Jens Tingleff]

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Hi to everybody!!....and sorry for my english....I'm Spanish ;-)

I'm looking for information about wireless networks based on the 802.11b
standart. My intention is to design a system with PIC's, that be able to
communicate between them using a CompactFlash with 802.11b, like this:

Why not Bluetooth? There are modules which have simple serial lines making a
design extremely simple.

Best Regards

JEns
- --
Key ID 0x09723C12, [email protected]/[email protected]
Analogue filtering / 5GHz RLAN / Mdk Linux / odds and ends
http://www.imaginet.fr/~jensting/ +44 1223 211 585
"YOU ARE WITNESSING A THREE-QUARTER VIEW OF TWO ADULTS SHARING A TENDER
MOMENT"
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[Raúl]

Why not Bluetooth? There are modules which have simple serial lines making
a design extremely simple.

Hi Jens!!

Because I think the Bluetooth technology is only 10 meters operative around
the devices......and in my design the maximun distance between the
microcontrollers will be higher.

But, in any case, can you give me more information about this Bluetooth
modules?

Thank you!

 

[Dave VanHorn]

making
a design extremely simple.

Hi Jens!!

Because I think the Bluetooth technology is only 10 meters operative around
the devices......and in my design the maximun distance between the
microcontrollers will be higher.

100 meters is achievable

But, in any case, can you give me more information about this Bluetooth
modules?

Zeevo Zerial

Tell them Dave from MobileCommand sent you.

 

[Raúl]

Too expensive for me.....I'm only a student!!!! ;-)

Something more cheeper?

 

[Dave VanHorn]

Too expensive for me.....I'm only a student!!!! ;-)

Something more cheeper?

Commercial bluetooth serial cable ends typically go for $250 each end.
Damifino why, this whole thing started as "lets make a cheap wireless
replacement for serial cables".

 

[Jens Tingleff]

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Hi Raúl

[..]

Because I think the Bluetooth technology is only 10 meters operative
around the devices......and in my design the maximun distance between the
microcontrollers will be higher.

There is no technical reason why the range should be lower than for 802.11b.
What you want for range is a Bluetooth Class 1 module.

But, in any case, can you give me more information about this Bluetooth
modules?

Have a look at http://www.btdesigner.com/ for instance. Both information and
an on-line shop.

Best Regards

Jens

- --
Key ID 0x09723C12, [email protected]/[email protected]
Analogue filtering / 5GHz RLAN / Mdk Linux / odds and ends
http://www.imaginet.fr/~jensting/ +44 1223 211 585
"You're about as 'fatale' as an after-dinner mint!" 'Cabaret'
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[Jens Tingleff]

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Commercial bluetooth serial cable ends typically go for $250 each end.
Damifino why, this whole thing started as "lets make a cheap wireless
replacement for serial cables".

I've seen USB dongles in the high street for 30 UKP (50$). That's not too
expensive ;-) Probably less use for the hobbyist than serial cable
replacement devices, I suppose.

Best Regards

Jens
- --
Key ID 0x09723C12, [email protected]/[email protected]
Analogue filtering / 5GHz RLAN / Mdk Linux / odds and ends
http://www.imaginet.fr/~jensting/ +44 1223 211 585
"You're about as 'fatale' as an after-dinner mint!" 'Cabaret'
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[Raúl]

Yes!! It's true....here's a Bluetooth adapter, with 100 meters cover area,
for over 30?:

https://www.pcbox.es/boxshop/catalogo/catalogo.asp?centro=2&familia=56

Now I will find how to communicate the PIC with this device, using the USB
port.....

 

[Andrew Crook]

what about radio modems that use serial, you can aslo get multi-node
solutions

Andrew

 

[Dave VanHorn]

I've seen USB dongles in the high street for 30 UKP (50$). That's not too
expensive ;-) Probably less use for the hobbyist than serial cable
replacement devices, I suppose.

Yes, but those don't get you there.
First, you need a PC to talk to them, second, where's the other end?

BT is a good thing, but it seems to have rather missed it's original goal.

 

[Jens Tingleff]

Yes!! It's true....here's a Bluetooth adapter, with 100 meters cover area,
for over 30?:

https://www.pcbox.es/boxshop/catalogo/catalogo.asp?centro=2&familia=56

Wow ;-)

Now I will find how to communicate the PIC with this device, using the USB
port.....

Well, there's sites on the web about that. Type "pic USB" into google and be
overwhelmed ;-)

E.g.

http://www.alanmacek.com/usb/project.html

If your application was *really* simple, it is possible that it could be
executed on the CPU in the Bluetooth module. This would require a development
kit, which can be expensive - on the other hand, the overall system will be
*really* small and elegant ;-)

Best Regards

Jens

Key ID 0x09723C12, [email protected]/[email protected]
Analogue filtering / HIPERLAN / Mdk Linux / odds and ends
http://www.imaginet.fr/~jensting/ +44 1223 211 585
"I don't think you *can* dig your way off a planet.." D Adams

 

[Andrew Jackson]

I'm looking for information about wireless networks based on the 802.11b

standart. My intention is to design a system with PIC's, that be able to
communicate between them using a CompactFlash with 802.11b, like this:

http://www.conceptronic.net/product3.asp?g=9&p=*C11CF

I only find this system in Internet:

http://www.iosoft.co.uk/wlan2.php

.....but I don't know how the PIC can send and receive information from the
CompactFlash, and how desing the PCB by myself......can you help me?

The IoSoft system works well but is for PCMCIA, not CF and is 5V only.
Nearly all the wireless CF cards are 3.3V (but many PCMCIA wireless cards
are 5V) so that's something to bear in mind. There are various PIC<>CF card
schematics knocking about on the Web which you could easily adapt. The most
difficult thing will be getting information on the CF chipset (typically
Intersil Prism). You could buy IoSoft's code separately and start with your
own design from there.

Andrew

 

[Fernan Bolando]

a design extremely simple.

Hi Jens!!

Because I think the Bluetooth technology is only 10 meters operative around
the devices......and in my design the maximun distance between the
microcontrollers will be higher.

Have you considered packet radio. I have been thinking about this off
and on this past few days and was wondering if it could be used to relay
usenet to other computers around the world. This would alow a seperate
network of computers outside of the internet itself.

But I am not a amateur radio operator and it seems this has been done
for sometime now. I am not sure why it hasn't become widespread. I have
tried contacting some local amatuer radio ops but most of them don't
have any experience in packet radio.


,Fernan

 

[Fred Abse]

[quoted text muted]

Have you considered packet radio. I have been thinking about this off and
on this past few days and was wondering if it could be used to relay
usenet to other computers around the world. This would alow a seperate
network of computers outside of the internet itself.

But I am not a amateur radio operator and it seems this has been done for
sometime now. I am not sure why it hasn't become widespread. I have tried
contacting some local amatuer radio ops but most of them don't have any
experience in packet radio.

Packet radio is excruciatingly slow by modern standards, due in part to
huge rates of packet loss, and in part to the difficulty in implementing
modulation systems greater than one bit per baud on links having poor
signal to noise ratios and selective fading. The standard TCP exponential
backoff just doesn't work as it was intended where the problem is lost
packets rather than congestion. Do a search for the work of Phil Karn, who
is (was?) a pioneer of that medium. A read of Andy Tanenbaum's "Computer
Networks" could be useful, too.

It's more than ten years since I had anything to do with TCP/IP over
radio. Things may have moved on a bit by now.

A few more Google strings are "aloha" "slotted aloha" "csma" "p-persistent
csma"