xBee Wireless Module and Picaxe

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mothrat

New Member
Hi, bit of a first timer with all this but i'm hoping that someone can offer me some advice and or tell me i'm wasting my time.

I'm currently designing a device that will be able to access my home router, what i would like to know is if i can do this with an xBee wireless module (it transmits and recieves at 2.4Ghz and conforms to the 802.15.4 protocol) and then the information is used by the picaxe (a pic18f4423) to send to an LCD.

I need to know if the xBee will work, or if a 433 can connect to a router or if there is anything that will help and might work.

thanks
Dave K
 
hippy

hippy

Ex-Staff (retired)
Welcome to the PICAXE forum.

XBee doesn't use the same protocol as WiFi, nor does 433MHz, so a connection cannot be established that way.
 
W

Wrenow

Senior Member
However..... With an additional inexpensive Linksys wireless access point, you might be able to load OpenWRT
http://openwrt.org/ firmware and access the imbedded serial port to give you a Wifi Picaxe to network connection. I have not gotten into this, but some have even used these platforms for robotics controllers.

Cheers,

Wreno
 
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lbenson

lbenson

Senior Member
I like this combination: router to NSLU2 running openWrt to picaxe (via USB serial). Some routers have usb onboard and can run openWrt, so it would be possible to eliminate the NSLU2. Some routers which can run openWrt can also take a hardware modification to provide a serial port.

For a newer and much more powerful platform, the Sheevaplug can replace the NSLU2. For very low power, the bifferboard can replace the NSLU2.
 
M

manuka

Senior Member
Mothrat: What is it you actually want to do? Numerous digital services use the 2.4GHz spectrum, & although largely co-existing they're totally different from each other. Suggest you first read up on the specifics of WiFi, Bluetooth, & ZigBee (of which XBee is a subset). Lower freq. 433 MHz is cheap & easily linked to any PICAXE, but data rates are slow (~1200bps)-although ranges are usually superior to 2.4GHz links due to better UHF "punch".

Aside from regular 433 MHz PICAXE wireless, there however certainly are techniques, such as Andrew's serial hacked "Cicada Com" => http://picasaweb.google.com/picaxe/CicadaCom#, that allow PICAXEing into these 2.4GHz services. And for those with eagle eyes (come in Dippy), note that the ~US$29 Open-Mesh Accton mini-router he uses even comes with full LRF support (ahem- "Little Rubber Feet")!

Sheevaplug (US$99) => http://gizmodo.com/5159399/sheevaplug-a-99-linux-pc-crammed-inside-a-wall-plug & Bifferboard (~US$40) => http://bifferos.bizhat.com/ low power "plug pak" Linux servers are not part of my daily fare I'm afraid. The approach looks interesting- any experts care to comment? Stan.
 

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hippy

hippy

Ex-Staff (retired)
Re: OpenWrt, Sheevaplug, Bifferboard and all the others - the problem I find is that you seem to need to be an expert to start. There's rarely a clear and understandable step-by-step HowTo to get stock firmware on board, let alone tweak the firmware or how to develop your own programs to interface between PICAXE/Serial and the OS. As oriented towards Linux there's little help for Windows users and it can be nightmare of trying to get MinGW, CygWin, GCC and other unfamiliar tools to work.

I guess that once you've got it working, know what you're doing, it's a doddle, but I get the impression that those who can can, but can't or won't teach others. Or maybe they don't have a deep understanding, just enough to make whatever they had work. It reminds me of the days when Computer Scientists wore white lab coats, wouldn't talk to anyone already at their own experience level.

I don't think it's a venture for the faint of heart or maybe I'm just not 'getting it'.
 
M

mothrat

New Member
The general idea of the project is to get a module that can communicate with a router and pull down the NAT table and then display it on an LCD. I've got the basic circuit design done as far as the tutors are concerned, but naturally there will be difficulties to overcome, both in the hardware and the programming part, but it seems like a good fun thing to do!
 
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