13 replies to this topic

[orange]

Hello,

1) What is the best Ethernet solution for Netduino Go?

I could find this socket solution:

http://www.ghielectr...log/product/333

Downside is that one SPI is used now.

Go has two SPIs, correct? I heard from Chris that speed is different so I need to reserve the faster SPI for my own use (not this ethernet)!

2) I could think of adding Arduino Ethernet Shields on top of Netduino Go Shield Base.

2.A) Do these work out of the box?
2. How does this solution compare to above (1) without using the shield base? Seems like this way I still get two SPI but I needed extra Shield Base.

A) http://www.sparkfun.com/products/9026
What about this ethernet shield + PoE? http://www.sparkfun.com/products/10864

[Stefan]

1) What is the best Ethernet solution for Netduino Go?

I could find this socket solution:

http://www.ghielectr...log/product/333

Downside is that one SPI is used now.

That module would require a specific firmware build, just as I explained with the wifi modules.
See it's note: Not all Ethernet modules work on every board. This module is designed to work with SPI-based Ethernet support. This module is compatible with GHI's FEZ Hydra mainboard.

If you want decent ethernet support on the Netduino Go! I would wait a bit until there's a good module available for it. Also with shields; since the Shield Base is still in beta and doesn't support SPI yet, I wouldn't bet on getting an ethernet shield to work.

[orange]

So what's the best way to get Ethernet assuming direct socket to NGO is not available now and Shield is the way to go?

I'm sure many have used a solution to make a Netduino Plus out of a Netdiuno and there is a rather standard answer for this now.

Also correction:

Looking close in MCU datasheet I see there are three SPIs:

SPI1 can communicate at up to 37.5 Mbits/s, SPI2 and
SPI3 can communicate at up to 21 Mbit/s. T

Now I wonder if solution (1) above messes up with SPI1? If that's the case I lose the faster one

[nakchak]

I would say wait for a GO specific module, as right now the shield base is still very much in beta as stefan said no SPI support yet... So until either the shield base is out of beta or the Ethernet module is released the only option i can think of would be to bitbang the shield base, which would be very slow and probably require a hefty modification to the shield base firmware to get anything remotely performant, and the modification would probably become totally moot, once the final shield base firmware is released anyway.

[orange]

Wow, then it's a lot of problem.

Another option I had in mind becomes more relevant now:

1) Getting the new Fez Cerbuino Bee: http://www.ghielectr...log/product/351 for $40 then it works out of the box with $35 Ethernet: http://www.ghielectr...log/product/333 according to the former link also it's easy to do WiFi (using WiFi-Serial bridge solution of XBee Socket which is already there plus Roving Networks RN-XV Module for $35: http://www.sparkfun.com/products/10822)

So for total $75 I get fast MCU + Ethernet (or the same price for WiFi) ! It has USB/SD Card/Power Barrel/USB Host etc...

[neslekkim]

It looks like something are on it's way:
http://forums.netdui...ino-go-modules/

I would definately wait for that, or if I was in very need for some ether right now, I would get the netduino to talk to another one, or an arduino for the network support, while waiting for this one.
I guess there are lot of things to do until the network support is here, at least I have.

So I wouldn't worry at all.

[Geancarlo2]

GHI's stm32f4 port, just like Netduino GO! firmware, is still not complete and most of the announced features won't work properly

[Chris Walker]

A few quick notes:

There are at least three Gadgeteer Ethernet modules out there. Each of them will work with at least one board, but none of them will work with all Gadgeteer mainboards. We tested two of them with Netduino Go during board development, with early (and modified) firmware.

For Ethernet, I'd recommend waiting a few weeks. The SD and Ethernet modules for Netduino Go were delayed a bit because we're using a brand new (and awesome) Cortex-M0 chip on them. Those chips arrived two weeks ago, and now we're finishing validation on the SD card module (using the updated chip datasheet) this week. Next week we'll do the same for the Ethernet modules. Samples should show up soon, then thousands of production modules. They're going to be really nice.

Regarding those other boards and options...in the Gadgeteer world almost all firmware is alpha or beta (even mainboards that have been shipping for 6 months). And several of the newer Gadgeteer mainboards no longer follow the spirit of "match letters and it probably works" philosophy that the first boards did. So it's all a bit of "at your own risk"

We'll enable SPI soon on the Shield Base, at which point you could use a Wiznet solution--although Ethernet will be right behind that and will be much, much faster...and will use NETMF's built-in System.Net classes.

Now the big question...what will you build with Ethernet? That's the fun part

Chris

[Chris Walker]

...stm32f4 port, just like Netduino GO! firmware, is still not complete and most of the announced features won't work properly

Just to clarify...the Netduino Go firmware as shipped uses release firmware (ported almost entirely by community member KodeDaemon over the period of several months). With the exception of a few disclosed Shield Base features which are being phased-in durign the beta, everything should work as advertised. If not, please let us know!

Details: the Shield Base is running beta virtual i/o software, and we're still in the process of lighting up the UART and SPI features. With the upgraded 512KB chip you can deploy NETMF code to its release-quality NETMF firmware directly...but most users will use in the beta virtual i/o mode.

Chris

[neslekkim]

With the upgraded 512KB chip you can deploy NETMF code to its release-quality NETMF firmware directly...but most users will use in the beta virtual i/o mode.

How do we know what memory we have on that chip?, I have the matte-shieldbase, does it have it or not?
(I guess I need to gen an magnifying glass soon, the letters on these chips are awesomely small. )

[Chris Walker]

How do we know what memory we have on that chip?, I have the matte-shieldbase, does it have it or not?
(I guess I need to gen an magnifying glass soon, the letters on these chips are awesomely small. )

All of the Shield Bases that we have shipped have the upgraded (512KB) chip. We plan on continuing to populate the nicer chip until the Shield Base virtual i/o software is out of beta.

Chris

[neslekkim]

All of the Shield Bases that we have shipped have the upgraded (512KB) chip. We plan on continuing to populate the nicer chip until the Shield Base virtual i/o software is out of beta.

Wohoo!, thats cool

[Stefan]

All of the Shield Bases that we have shipped have the upgraded (512KB) chip. We plan on continuing to populate the nicer chip until the Shield Base virtual i/o software is out of beta.

Oh, so as beta tester I should really create find a lot of bugs over a longer period of time?

[Chris Walker]

Oh, so as beta tester I should really create find a lot of bugs over a longer period of time?

Oh dang, there's a weakness in our plan.

Chris