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Forum Index : Microcontroller and PC projects : Networking with the MaxiMite...
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Grogster Admin Group  Joined: 31/12/2012 Location: New ZealandPosts: 9489 |
This may be something that could be applied to the MicroMite chip too, but at this stage, just working with the MaxiMite. I am looking for some kind of networking module that I can use, to send and receive data across the network. There appears to be LOTS of modules to choose from, some more advanced then others, so what I need any module to be able to do is: - Send and receive data(rather obvious) - Have inbuilt support for any kind of TCP/IP stack, if that is needed - I DON'T want to start playing around with network stacks... - COM port or I2C or SPI interface so we can talk to it easily with the MM's built-in protocols - Nice easy commands for sending and receiving data, and also for setting the IP address on the network. Speed is unimportant, as I am only looking at ways of perhaps remotely sending config data etc or other short text-based messages, which the MM can read in, and save on it's SD card etc. Do any of you guys here have any bright ideas or product suggestions? I realise that an "Intelligent" network module could be expensive compared to the basic ones, but I am quite happy to pay the dosh, if it does everything for me and I don't have to rip what's left of my hair out. 
EDIT: I've had a PM from a member asking if this is networking MM's together or on a computer LAN/WAN. It is the latter. I want to be able to "See" the MM as a network device on my local computer LAN, and send it data etc, and the other way around. Just thought I should clarify that. Smoke makes things work. When the smoke gets out, it stops! |
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| Greg Fordyce Senior Member  Joined: 16/09/2011 Location: United KingdomPosts: 153 |
I've been considering using the electric imp to get a internet connected MM. I haven't tried yet but it looks interesting. The developer edition is in the form factor of a SD card but it needs a dedicated socket to use, it won't work if you plug it into the MM (or any other) SD card slot. Spark fun also sell breakout boards with a suitable SD slot and require id chip. It looks fairly simple to use and not too pricey. Anyone actually have any experience with these? They are available from other suppliers as well as from Spark Fun. Greg |
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| Grogster Admin Group Joined: 31/12/2012 Location: New ZealandPosts: 9489 |
Hi Greg - will check out the electric imp. I am currently eyeing up the WizNet 7100: WIZ107R I like this one, cos it is serial in/out, and supposedly is easy to use, and allows static IP address setting etc, so it is currently the front-runner. Smoke makes things work. When the smoke gets out, it stops! |
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| WhiteWizzard Guru  Joined: 05/04/2013 Location: United KingdomPosts: 2927 |
I looked at the Imp and uncovered as many 'negative' comments as I found 'positive'. Note that I did not end up using it so I don't have any 'personal experience' with it (but I did like the concept and price of the Imp). I also looked at several other modules on 'Google' for my Internet based temperature logging project that was built around a Colour MaxiMite. The module I ended up using very successfully was LAN module from Sollae Systems. It was ok in terms of price, has a very 'solid' background (so not a cheap one-off with zero support), comes with easy to use config software, a decent manual, and I was able to phone a UK agent and get an order in immediately with next day delivery. In summary, it has an RJ45 socket, uses ttl UART for comms, does all the 'complex' things (i.e. stack) so is very easy to use, and it is reasonably small too. I know there are probably hundreds of other modules I could have ended up using but I have given my reasons above why I used this one. I believe this will do everything Grogster is after so it is a 'starting point' for him to consider. As a one off uint I strongly recommend it; but if you need 'lots' of Modules for the solution then there is probably a cheaper unit available from a different supplier that may be better in terms of minimising overall spend. WW |
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atmega8 Guru Joined: 19/11/2013 Location: GermanyPosts: 723 |
Lantronics |
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| WhiteWizzard Guru Joined: 05/04/2013 Location: United KingdomPosts: 2927 |
Grogster, Is this any good? It is from the same 'family' as the one you were looking at. £25 seems a reasonable price for what you get: WIZ820IO |
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| Grogster Admin Group Joined: 31/12/2012 Location: New ZealandPosts: 9489 |
@ atmega8 - Lantronics stuff looks interesting, and not to scary on price either - will read more of their site tomorrow. @ WhitWizzard - The LAN module really looks interesting. What did you pay for it? (no price information that I could find) 12:43AM here in Kiwi-land. Time for sleep. Smoke makes things work. When the smoke gets out, it stops! |
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| WhiteWizzard Guru Joined: 05/04/2013 Location: United KingdomPosts: 2927 |
UK reseller (for EZL70) currently £46.80 + shipping - Ouch! I paid £35 inc shipping!! The WIZ820IO is £25.20 + shipping (not used this one but looks ok on paper!) |
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| atmega8 Guru Joined: 19/11/2013 Location: GermanyPosts: 723 |
Hi Grogster, the Lantronics module is much much easier to use as the wiznet modules. I used both in some Project's and i know what i am talking about. Google for bens Hobby Corner;-), you will find me. you configure the Lantronics module via a Webpage and after this you send data to it via rs232. Ready... Dietmar |
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| atmega8 Guru Joined: 19/11/2013 Location: GermanyPosts: 723 |
link |
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| Grogster Admin Group Joined: 31/12/2012 Location: New ZealandPosts: 9489 |
Danke. Will read more about this, but do like the Lantronics things, as they make a big deal about it being really easy to get up and running - sounds like the thing for me!!!! 
Your link talks about the WIZnet modules, but do you have anything about the Lantronics modules? Which Lantronics module would you recommend I look at? Smoke makes things work. When the smoke gets out, it stops! |
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| atmega8 Guru Joined: 19/11/2013 Location: GermanyPosts: 723 |
Use The link above. I prefer the xport/xportpro. For Wifi, the Wifi modules. |
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| Ray B Senior Member Joined: 16/02/2007 Location: AustraliaPosts: 219 |
Getting into networking we should consider a protocol to be used - something like: Header e.g. FF02 (2 bytes) Message Type xx (1 byte) e.g. code for polling all stations or polling just station xx Message Length xx (number of data bytes to follow) Data xx Data xx . . Data xx CRC xx or xxxx depending on maybe CRC8 or CRC16 With some form of universal protocol we could support all products e.g. PicAxe, Arduino etc Has anyone any thoughts on a pre existing protocol that could be used so we develop solutions based upon same protocol? Comments... RayB from Perth WA |
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panky Guru Joined: 02/10/2012 Location: AustraliaPosts: 1111 |
Ray, What about the .hex protocol? Uses STX and ETX as start and end delimiters, can have any length data stream, can include full 8 bit range of 0x00 to 0xff, uses DLE char as a qualifier if you want stx or etx in the data stream and also has 16 bit crc for integrity? A little bit of mucking around to calculate/check crc but a well known and widely used data stream format (what we use to load new versions of mmbasic). Cheers, Doug. Edit: A search for .hex file gives a stack of info on this Intel format. ... almost all of the Maximites, the MicromMites, the MM Extremes, the ArmMites, the PicoMite and loving it! |
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| Ray B Senior Member Joined: 16/02/2007 Location: AustraliaPosts: 219 |
Thanks panky, yes HEX is the obvious format for the data & every controller (or microprocessor)can convert code bin to ascii to hex but what I'm suggesting is the promotion of a message format (obviously based upon HEX data format) that could used as a standard between processors over serial ports like the sample above. These are 100's of software protocols out there like ModBus or Allen-Bradley (refer to http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_automation_protocols for a list) but in our microprocessor environment something smaller/simpler may be more appropriate. e.g. MiteComm Protocol ? Obviously if someone knows of an addressable software protocol out there for serial communications please table it for discussion if you like. I know there are more ways to communicate other than serial strings especially with higher level hardware protocols e.g. I2C etc but serial over either RS232 or for longer distances RS485 is an old but reliable hardware protocol to use. Then Ethernet hardware is cheap these days but more difficult to get your mind around at a code level especially if you want to program in Basic. Obviously I'm not suggestion something like OSI Model of networking. Cheers RayB from Perth WA |
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| Grogster Admin Group Joined: 31/12/2012 Location: New ZealandPosts: 9489 |
Rummagaging around, I found two WIZnet modules I did not know I had, or more to the point, had forgotten I had. These are the WIZ107SR modules, but these appear to be serial TTL network modules. As I seem to have something here to play with already, I might as well have a tinker with these ones first. I will have a read of the manual for this module anyway, and go from there. EDIT: Correction - appears to be an RS232 serial module, but that is no big deal. Just before someone says it's not TTL..... Smoke makes things work. When the smoke gets out, it stops! |
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| Grogster Admin Group Joined: 31/12/2012 Location: New ZealandPosts: 9489 |
UPDATE: I am not getting far with the WizNet units, and have lost more hair, so I am now going to try the Lantronix Xport Pro that amega8 linked me to. You can find it here $62.00 for a sample. I plan to hook one of these up to the MaxiMite using the OPEN #1 AS CONSOLE kind of command, but as I am already using both COM ports, there would have to be some kind of port switching go on, so that I can enable this - but I think it is do-able... Smoke makes things work. When the smoke gets out, it stops! |
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| WhiteWizzard Guru Joined: 05/04/2013 Location: United KingdomPosts: 2927 |
Hi Grogs, I am successfully doing some 'port switching' using a 4066. I needed one MicroMite Com port to be shared between two exclusive devices so used two dedicated I/O pins to select the relevant control lines of the 4066. I used two lines (rather than one with an inverter) as I needed to guarantee one was switched 'off' before switching on the second (needed a 100mS 'delay' between switching which an inverter would not have given me). What was the exact reason for your 'lost hair' (WizNet)? WW |
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2001cpx Regular Member  Joined: 03/10/2013 Location: CanadaPosts: 59 |
Hi , for networking I use XBee WiFi (Udp ) , cost only 35$. A/D , I/O, serial, SPI, etc Does anyone have played with this module, want to have comment about. you only have udp, tcp, new one is cloud ready, buyed one, speedy test seem to work great. "Color Maximite,(Duinomite-Mega,Mini),CGmmStick,GCmicroboard2b,Micromite + explore 64,100,LCD backpack,Lcd Backpack V2,TFT Backpack,Micromite Extreme,Armmite L,F,H,CMM2" |
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| Grogster Admin Group Joined: 31/12/2012 Location: New ZealandPosts: 9489 |
Just could not make it work the way I wanted, which was as a network-attached serial port, so that I could connect to it(and the on-connected MaxiMite) via the network and TeraTerm. The modules are WIZ107SR's - it is more then likely I was doing something wrong. I will make another attempt before I give up on them totally. EDIT: I found some YouTube videos on setting up these modules. I found these via the WizNet page, but had not noticed them before, so will have a look and see if I missed something obvious - there are several videos there... Smoke makes things work. When the smoke gets out, it stops! |
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