Post by thread:[PIC] Remote netowrk sensors

I've been asked to quote on several - ================ "PIC with an Ethernet interface and assignable IP address that runs either a small web interface that when called will report the voltage of a battery and the status of a switch. Ideally if it's possible to insert some form of SNMP instead of a web interface but the main thing is to be able to connect to the remote device and find out what the voltage level is. Also as an alternative and depending how difficult it is. Same as above with at least 1 analogue input and 4 digital I/O" ================ The PIC part, easy as. The comms part though ..... What questions should I be asking ? The person who asked is right into Wi-Fi, but whether that's the medium, I don't know yet Is it possible to have a minimalist network interface (bit-bang ?) for such a seemingly simple task ? I would most likely use an 18F1220, up to 40MHz if required. 50MIPs Scenix is an option too http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Simple_Network_Management_Protocol http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ethernet

On 23 Jul 2008 at 11:46, Jinx wrote: > I've been asked to quote on several - > > ================ > "PIC with an Ethernet interface and assignable IP address that runs > either a small web interface that when called will report the voltage > of a battery and the status of a switch. Ideally if it's possible to insert > some form of SNMP instead of a web interface but the main thing > is to be able to connect to the remote device and find out what the > voltage level is. Quickest way to build/program something like this would probably be a serial to ethernet module like an Lantronix X-Port coupled serially to PIC micro doing the sensor interfacing. Various protocols over ethernet are then available (virtual COM port is easiest), even custom web page server. Not the cheapest option per unit, but saves a heap of development time and cost (if you haven't done ethernet stuff before you can leverage off). -- Brent Brown, Electronic Design Solutions 16 English Street, St Andrews, Hamilton 3200, New Zealand Ph: +64 7 849 0069 Fax: +64 7 849 0071 Cell: +64 27 433 4069 eMail: spam_OUTbrent.brownTakeThisOuTclear.net.nz

:: PIC with an Ethernet interface and assignable IP address that runs :: either a small web interface that when called will report the :: voltage :: of a battery and the status of a switch. Ideally if it's possible :: to insert :: some form of SNMP instead of a web interface but the main thing :: is to be able to connect to the remote device and find out what the :: voltage level is. There was someone who produced an item called a Webbrick that would do what you want, which used a Pic - I have the code as I was helping them with a compiler problem. I believe he sold the rights to another company, which I think now trades as Webbrick Systems, I'd have to research to find out. Andy Harris is the man's name and at the time he traded as Extend Technologies. Colin -- cdb, .....colinKILLspam@spam@btech-online.co.uk on 23/07/2008 Web presence: http://www.btech-online.co.uk Hosted by: http://www.1and1.co.uk/?k_id=7988359

> There was someone who produced an item called a Webbrick Thanks. Still a bit short on technical details from the enquirer, who knows networking a lot better than he knows PICs. He did say that his customers/users "are going to need quite a few of them" so I'll have to look at this a bit more in depth than for a one-off. Maybe the Lantronix, maybe the Webbrick, have to see how it pans out

> I've been asked to quote on several - Unless several means many many the requirement for a PIC is stupid. Ethernet is not trivial, and SNMP certainly not. Turn it around, find a suitable library first, then find matching hardware. Bit-banging Ethenet is not impossible, but requires hardware drivers. I would not choose that route, unless you choose a suitable FPGA instead of a PIC. And get the specs accurate. PIC means 10F200 or PIC32? Ethernet means what exactly? -- Wouter van Ooijen -- ------------------------------------------- Van Ooijen Technische Informatica: http://www.voti.nl consultancy, development, PICmicro products docent Hogeschool van Utrecht: http://www.voti.nl/hvu

That pretty much describes my current working project which is just a month or so from completion (assuming that the schedule doesn't slip even further - it's been one of those projects) If you'd rather not deal with this, shoot me an email off-list and I'll discuss specifics with you. -forrest Jinx wrote: {Quote hidden}> I've been asked to quote on several - > > ================ > "PIC with an Ethernet interface and assignable IP address that runs > either a small web interface that when called will report the voltage > of a battery and the status of a switch. Ideally if it's possible to insert > some form of SNMP instead of a web interface but the main thing > is to be able to connect to the remote device and find out what the > voltage level is. > > Also as an alternative and depending how difficult it is. > > Same as above with at least 1 analogue input and 4 digital I/O" > ================ > > The PIC part, easy as. The comms part though ..... > > What questions should I be asking ? The person who asked is right > into Wi-Fi, but whether that's the medium, I don't know yet > > Is it possible to have a minimalist network interface (bit-bang ?) for > such a seemingly simple task ? I would most likely use an 18F1220, > up to 40MHz if required. 50MIPs Scenix is an option too > > en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Simple_Network_Management_Protocol > > http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ethernet >

>Thanks. Still a bit short on technical details from the enquirer, >who knows networking a lot better than he knows PICs. He did say >that his customers/users "are going to need quite a few of them" >so I'll have to look at this a bit more in depth than for a one-off. >Maybe the Lantronix, maybe the Webbrick, have to see how it pans out It may be worth using something like the Lantronix module to build a one-off, but work on using the Microchip ENC28J60 Ethernet Interface chip with a PIC as the production hardware. Would mean writing a dose of code for the interface, but may well be worth it for quantity production. Microchip has a TCP/IP stack that goes with this chip, I believe, so getting something coded for production may not be that big a step.

I really wanted to do just this as I thought it would be an interesting project. Sensors/Controllers all over the house detecting and controlling all sorts of device from anywhere I could get internet access. Discovered that the PICs that have an inbuilt Ethernet encoder seem to all be those new fangdangled surface mount devices that excluded the use of a cheap of the shelf prototype board. I considered making boards or finding pcb's that will support the chips but the effort becomes prohibitive for my hobby interests especially compared with the cheap and flexible prototyping boards I have enjoyed using. Justin On Wed, Jul 23, 2008 at 4:34 PM, Alan B. Pearce <A.B.PearceKILLspamrl.ac.uk> wrote: {Quote hidden}>>Thanks. Still a bit short on technical details from the enquirer, >>who knows networking a lot better than he knows PICs. He did say >>that his customers/users "are going to need quite a few of them" >>so I'll have to look at this a bit more in depth than for a one-off. >>Maybe the Lantronix, maybe the Webbrick, have to see how it pans out > > It may be worth using something like the Lantronix module to build a > one-off, but work on using the Microchip ENC28J60 Ethernet Interface chip > with a PIC as the production hardware. Would mean writing a dose of code for > the interface, but may well be worth it for quantity production. > > Microchip has a TCP/IP stack that goes with this chip, I believe, so getting > something coded for production may not be that big a step. > > -

On Thu, Jul 24, 2008 at 4:36 PM, Justin Richards <.....justin.richardsKILLspam.....gmail.com>wrote: > > Discovered that the PICs that have an inbuilt Ethernet encoder seem to > all be those new fangdangled surface mount devices that excluded the > use of a cheap of the shelf prototype board. > Greetings, for my purposes in using SMD PIC's, I have used the OnePass boards from http://www.onepasinc.com/ he has a range of boards that suit my hobby purposes and make using SMD a breeze. IMHO they are also quite within the price range suited to the hobbyist, that includes shipping them to me in Australia. A couple of the boards are perfectly suited for using in conjunction with the Pickit2 device, as they have a six pin header position. In particular look for OP290B in Superboards. regards Andrew Burchill* *