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Can you add wifi to mini?

Started by dmikester1, Jun 19 2013 12:56 PM

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6 replies to this topic

#1 dmikester1

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Posted 19 June 2013 - 12:56 PM

This is probably an easy question. But can you add a wireless module to the mini? I searched the forums and didn't find anything.

Can projects done on the netduino plus 2 be done on the mini? Or are they completely different boards?

Thanks!

Mike

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#2 baxter

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Posted 20 June 2013 - 02:28 AM

Welcome Mike,

Question #1: Yes (see below)
Question #2: Yes, mostly, but no ethernet on Mini. The Plus 2 is more advanced. mIP will run on Mini, but it is a heavy load.

I got a TI email a few days ago for the SimpleLink WiFi CC3000 module,

https://estore.ti.co...000boost-em-es2

http://www.ti.com/product/cc3000

and the datasheet,

http://www.ti.com/li...331/swru331.pdf

The BoosterPack and MSP430� LaunchPad Bundle seem to be a good deal at $41. I bought the bundle to try out (free shipping/no tax in CA).

The Wiznet Wiz610wi serial UART to WiFi (b/g) bridge is about the same price,

http://www.wiznet.co...=0&pid=1020#tab

It is the companion to the Wiz105SR serial to ethernet bridge. I evaluated the 105SR for the Mini awhile back and it is very simple to interface. Other WiFi solutions are available on the forum. It is my opinion, however, that none of these add-on products make sense for the Mini. By the time you add up the cost it is cheaper to buy a Netduino Plus 2 with better performance and if you want Wi-Fi, just buy an ethernet/Wi-Fi adapter for $20+ (e.g. Edimax Nano).

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#3 hanzibal

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Posted 20 June 2013 - 06:37 AM

@baxter: Coincidentally I saw the cc3000 wifi module yesterday, it looks interesting but I've been unable to find documents describing the SPI interface on how to interface.

Have you found some SPI docs or are you planning on porting the MSP430 code?

About a year ago, I got one of the earlier wifi modules from TI/LSR and haven't found any SPI docs for that either.
http://www.ti.com/pr...RMAL&mpref=full

A big advantage of these boards over most others is that they use SPI instead of UART which is typically much slower. There are also the Redpine modules which look very nice:

http://www.semicondu...idproduct=43957

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#4 baxter

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Posted 20 June 2013 - 08:37 AM

Hi hanzibal,

here is the Wiki for the CC3000,
http://processors.wi...ndex.php/CC3000

If you look under the Software category on the main CC3000 page,
http://www.ti.com/product/cc3000
There is an application, "CC3000 Platform Independent WiFi Driver (Rev. A)". The zip contains a folder under Source, "CC3000 Spi" that may make some sense. I am assuming that the SPI interface is mode 0. TI does not usually stray too far from the beaten path. I am going to fool with the MSP430 setup a bit before I try to interface it with Netduino. If I find something further on the SPI interface I will post it.

In rooting around looking for more information on the CC3000, I came across this,

http://www.kickstart...uino-compatible
http://www.sparkdevices.com/
https://www.tryceler...rk?type=overlay
https://github.com/sprk/core

The interesting thing here is that they have a CC3000 on top and an Arduino on the bottom. The module uses a STM32F103 so it might just be possible to port the Micro Framework to yield a super WiFi Mini. They allude to the fact that you can get down to the bare metal to load other firmare. I don't know enough about all of the variants of the STM32Fs to say for certain, but I do know you can put the Micro framework on the stm32F4-discovery,

http://forums.netdui...running-net-mf/

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#5 hanzibal

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Posted 20 June 2013 - 11:10 AM

I also came as far as the "platform independent driver" but no further.

That "Super WiFi mini" idea of yours is awsome - I'd just love to see that realized! We could ask CW2, he usually ports tinyCLR to any h/w in a couple of days, well almost anyway The Spark is open h/w so SL could make their own .NET version :rolleyes:

After some more investigations, you could perhaps create a separate thread about the Super WiFi mini in hope of attracting someone with the right skills to help realizing it. I don't play in that leage but I think CW2 and Ziggurat29 are two of the guys that do.

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#6 baxter

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Posted 20 June 2013 - 07:37 PM

More information on CC3000 SPI interface,

http://forum.arduino...?topic=164007.0

http://processors.wi...ogramming_Guide

Edit:

Here is the detailed SPI Doc:

http://processors.wi..._Interface_(SPI)

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#7 hanzibal

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Posted 20 June 2013 - 08:46 PM

That last doc looks more like a broschure for TIs wireless tech in general, wrong link? Suppose you mean this:
http://processors.wi...Interface_(SPI)

This is the board I got:
http://www.lsr.com/d...ts/330-0086.pdf

It's based on the cc3000 chipset so I guess it would work using the same driver as your cc3000 board, if there was one that is...

Hmm...maybe one should get busy creating a managed driver from porting TIs driver looking at the Arduino code you referred to. Great deal of work involved though and probably a lot more than I can afford to spend right now but it itches ;-)