Ethernet?

[stevech]

Has anyone considered mating a ZX with one of the $20 ethernet modules- one that uses SPI/I2C for the processor interface, and has the MAC on-chip? Not sure how much VM codespace would be needed for ARP, IP and TCP, and perhaps an HTTPd. Perhaps some new chips have the network layers as well as the MAC on-chip.

[twesthoff]

I bought some modules, but haven't had time to get them working.
The modules I have are based on the IIM7010A. They have hardware support for the common protocols, so programming with them is very much like the "socket" interface common with windows programming. I don't think it would be too hard, but have not done it, yet.
Sorry I can't help more...

[dkinzer]

[Don_Kirby]

Just yesterday I was exploring the option of using an RS485 bus for a multipoint control project using a bunch of ZX's. As the ethernet interfaces are getting so cheap though, I wonder if I wouldn't be better off using that instead.

I would certainly like to hear from anyone who has had a chance to play around with one.

-Don

[dlh]

[stevech]

doing a little surfing the last few days, there seem to be 3 or so $20 ethernet modules with on-chip MAC and, I guess, IP.

I studied the Ethernut code a bit - IP and TCP in C for AVR. It's enough of a mess that I wouldn't want to wade into it - too much time.

So as said earlier, it would be best for the 8 bit micro to not host the IP stack, and that, I guess, is the point of these modules. There's a bunch of PIC activity in ethernet interfaces, but I've just skimmed it.

Would be nice if "someone" (!) would tabulate the available modules by features, cost and which interfaces can work with the existing ZX modules. This has to stay in reason, as the ZX cost + module cost can't get out of wack, since the XPort (and Digi's equivalent) is just $60, and the Tibbo EM202 is in the same range (though Tibbo's VM doesn't support 32 bit ints or floats on the low end modules, only their $80 EM1000). And the WiPort is just $120 (!) - I have one.

[twesthoff]

I have been studying these for quite a while. I do not claim to know all about them, but I will share what I know.

Xport - I have used this device and it is mainly a serial data (RS-232 at logic levels) to Ethernet converter with general purpose 3 I/O lines. It can also be a simple web server, and can send e-mails to preprogrammed addresses if certain conditions ocur or the I/O lines change. It can do a lot, but you can not send a custom UDP packet or make a custom TCP connection as you might think.

Tibbo - The 202 I have, but can not get it to work. I have e-mailed tech support and I get a response after a few days, but the response is usually not helpful. I suspect there is a language translation issue. It can be programmed with a Basic like language and is very flexible, but not what I expected and the I/O is made for very slow devices.

WizInet - http://www.wiznet.co.kr
Based on the iinChip W3100A or W3150A+ chips.
Features: 10/100 Base-T Ethernet (Auto detection)
Protocol: TCP, UDP, IP, ARP, ICMP, MAC
There is a transparent mode that allows you to write code for any other protocol, or do special stuff.

These modules are the best I have seen and have good hardware support for Internet protocols. It is programmed via a "sockets" style interface and should use a minimum of your program code memory to use it.

The NM7010A (IIM7010A) is the older module based on the W3100A chip and has everything needed including the Ethernet jack on a small module. It can be programmed via I2C and/or a bus style interface.
It is an Internet co-processor with a 16Kbyte buffer memory for received and transmitted ethernet packets. This memory can be accessed by the ZX processor.

The NM7010B+ (Note the "+") is the newer improved version based on the W3150A+ chip. It has some nice features, but for most purposes is similar to the previous version. I would do any new development with the newer version.

You can buy the complete module as above, just the chip, or the NM7000A module that doesn't have the magnetics or the Ethernet jack on it. It is based on the W3100A chip.

The I2C interface uses only a few I/O pins, but is slower. The Bus interface uses about 12 pins and is faster. You have to decide what you need.

I have looked at several other companies products too, such as ASIX AX11005, Microchip, and Maxim/Dallas, but my personal opinion is that the NM7010B+ is the best way to get Ethernet/Internet connectivity with the ZX-Family of processors.

A good source for a NM7010A all set up for I2C interface is:
Easy TCP/IP TWI Adapter Board
http://www.mcselec.com/index.php?option=com_phpshop&page=shop.browse&category_id=22&Itemid=1

The same page has most of the other modules too.

I believe www.saelig.com also sells the modules, but not the Easy TCP/IP TWI Adapter Board.

I hope this helps and look forward to what others out there come up with.
Tom W

[stevech]

great - very helpful.
I wrote to Tibbo and asked pre-sales questions like: Will you ever have 32 bit integers in your p-code compiler? Waiting for answer. You said you cannot get the '202 to work: at all? Any clues?

Lantronix XPort - I have access to their restricted developer's web forum - quite a bit of activity. I sense that people are doing elaborate things with Xport and WiPort (same code base). I have a WiPort and have used it but not added code. Both Xport and WiPort now require an (old 16 bit) $100 Borland C compiler. I've studied the C code examples; seems like you can do most anything but the code is pretty mungy/convoluted.

The WizNet looked good to me. Seemed like Mr. BASCOM (MSC Electronics) adds to the WizNet module some sort of interface PCB. Not sure what that board does or adds to the game. If no one has tried this, I might give it a go.

[dlh]

[dlh]

[twesthoff]

dlh - Tibbo - I tried all that you mentioned. I can access it via the serial port and downloaded the development stuff to it. It then blinks the LED's the way the manual said it should. I can't get it to be see by their utility program through the ethernet port, so I can't download anything to it. There last e-mail said I should send it back as it might be defective, but that takes a lot of time and money that I don't want to deal with right now, so it is on the back burner. My tech support seemed to come from Taiwan, but my questions were not really answered, just quotes from the manual mostly...

MCS Electronics Easy TCP/IP TWI Adapter Board - You can download the manual and see the schematic. It adds a dip switch and pullup resistors for setting the slave address, a transistor to help with the reset, some bypass caps, and a 3.3V voltage regulator, etc. Just makes it easy to use in I2C mode. It says you only need 4 pins to use it. Nothing that couldn't be done on a breadboard, just easier. The manual also shows another board you can buy that goes with it that will take a Mega32 DIP package... maybe the ZX dip version will work with it?
Tom W

[spamiam]

[stevech]

[stevech]

[twesthoff]

Tibbo - I bought mine from the Canada distributor, as I could not find a US one that allowed ordering on-line. I bought the development kit. They have not answered ANY of my requests for tech help. Only the factory answers them, usually in 2-3 days, sometimes a week later.

I wanted to use the serialin (not RS-232), but I found out it could only go as fast as about 500Hz which was way too slow for me.
Tom W