PIC && WiFi suggestions

[Darrel Taylor]

Just a personal preference based on Compatibility.

Almost everyone has a wireless router.
Nobody has an XBee receiver.

XBee is point to point.
WiFi is point to World.

With the matchport, no PC is required locally, just a router, and the device can be accessed from Anywhere. Or visa versa.

You can even send email alerts, straight from the device.

Granted, Xbee is cheaper. But if you're going to do it.
Might as well do it right.
<br>

[asithakal]

I'm planning to implement a robot with Wi Fi for Localizatin and communication with a central Control PC.

How can I simultaneously Transmit and receive information from my Robot controlled by a PIC, to and from my PC ?

Can I directly connect a USB Wi Fi Adapter to my PIC Circuit and what other devices/peripherals would i need to get this Done?

[dhouston]

Granted, Xbee is cheaper. But if you're going to do it.
Might as well do it right.
<br>

Here are others for about the same cost to slightly more but, IIRC, a better feature set. If you are outside the USA, Mouser has taken an overly aggressive view of recent changes in export laws so you might want a source that's outside the USA.

• http://www.ewiznet.com/goods_detail.php?goodsIdx=135
  http://www.connectone.com/products.asp?did=73&pid=98

I decided against the Lantronix device because it just would not fit my enclosure but earlier Lantronix devices had severe restrictions on SMTP that rendered it nearly useless so I suggest you explore this if you really need email. That said, the WizNET device lists SMTP but really doesn't have it - it's a mistake in the docs. The ConnectOne device has the best feature set and its SMTP does work.

Also, most of the virtual serial ports (e.g. Comport Redirector) only work under Windows.

[s.lowe4]

Hi, apologies if this is a stupid question but, after the wifi module converts the serial data to TCP/IP and sends it on the network, how can an application retrieve the data again. For example if I was using the serial data in a VB application how would i retrieve it. Would i have to create a socket? Or is there some software included with the modules to do this for me?

Thanks

[dhouston]

It depends on the hardware. Bluetooth-serial adapters have virtual serial ports under Windows so you can write VB code for the serial port. Some WiFi-serial adapters also have virtual serial ports but with other hardware you'll need to handle the TCP/IP traffic. See the references to Com Port Redirector in the earlier messages in the thread.

[s.lowe4]

Thanks, thats exactly what i was hoping to find!