Open Source WiFi Modem - FreeFi232

[Hiddenevil]

How do you find it with a pi zero? I've been thinking of doing the same.

[kolla]

Originally Posted by Hiddenevil

How do you find it with a pi zero?

Works great for me, I have the Pi zeros built into my systems and sometimes even forget that they are there. Since it has no problem also connecting to WPA Enterprise, I can even bring the Amiga systems to work or to univ (or wherever there is eduroam) and it will be online. Olaf "olsen" was kind enough to implement an rsh client for Roadshow, so that I can send commands to the Pi and get results back, so I now have various scripts that I use to remote control the Pi from AmigaShell, Workbench and DOpus.

[danielj]

- just to note, the hardware works, I've now been able to build/test the final version on github, there's a BOM in the wiki etc. You can install whatever firmware you like on it - there's a basic modem in the main repo, I've just been playing to get Zimodem configured for it and there's a version of that that works in my repo on github: https://github.com/drdpj/Zimodem

[Hiddenevil]

Originally Posted by danielj

- just to note, the hardware works, I've now been able to build/test the final version on github, there's a BOM in the wiki etc. You can install whatever firmware you like on it - there's a basic modem in the main repo, I've just been playing to get Zimodem configured for it and there's a version of that that works in my repo on github: https://github.com/drdpj/Zimodem

How would I go about getting one of those?

p.s Are there by chance any pins to allow TX & RX activity leds? If say some fool were to oh I don't know, stick one in an old 56k modem case he had just laying about the house hehe

[danielj]

No, but if someone wanted to take the design and extend it for blinkenlights<tm> they'd be more than welcome to

I'm not intending to get into building these (and the support/repair issues that come with that), the point is really that there's an open design that others can produce/adapt/share

I am very happy to support anyone who wants to start building them. As mentioned in earlier posts, there is another wifi modem at around the £35 mark that uses open source firmware (although the hardware isn't open), so if you're really not minded to make a few yourself, that might be the best route at this stage?

d.

[sean_sk]

I have a very dumb question to ask: Can 2 of these be null modem'd together on the same wi-fi network for games like Lotus 2 or is that not what they are designed for? Has anyone given that a go?

[modrobert]

Originally Posted by sean_skroht

I have a very dumb question to ask: Can 2 of these be null modem'd together on the same wi-fi network for games like Lotus 2 or is that not what they are designed for? Has anyone given that a go?

The signals seems to be supported.

so this provides for all of the standard RS232 signals - RX/TX/RTS/CTS/DSR/DTR/DCD/RING

As long as you have RX/TX/RTS/CTS (and maybe DSR/DTR required for some games). There is a 'ATNET0' command to disable telnet which you need to do first, so assuming you just connect to the other computer using 'ATDT<ip>:<port>' (eg. 'ATDT192.168.0.21:999'), check IP address using 'ATIP'.

The problem might be games/software relying on CTS/RTS physically being wired across the null modem cable to provide "faster than serial" communication by sending data over CTS/RTS pins, not sure if anything uses this on Amiga though.

Maybe danielj can confirm if this works for null modem games or not?

[danielj]

CTS and RTS are wired, how fast they can go and how they behave will be dictated by the firmware. It might need a bit of bodging for this end to end stuff as they aren't signal lines, they basically respond to the buffer being full on the modem/computer end (this is done in hardware) not to what the lines are set to on the other end of a tcp/ip connection.

[modrobert]

Originally Posted by danielj

CTS and RTS are wired, how fast they can go and how they behave will be dictated by the firmware. It might need a bit of bodging for this end to end stuff as they aren't signal lines, they basically respond to the buffer being full on the modem/computer end (this is done in hardware) not to what the lines are set to on the other end of a tcp/ip connection.

OK, it will probably work for most Amiga games, can't remember if CTS/RTS was used for data on Amiga, maybe only LapLink style solutions for PC.

So, we need to test it, with Stunt Car Racer.

[Mickoz]

Originally Posted by idrougge

I built this one for general TCP/IP use via the above mentioned firmware.

http://eab.abime.net/showpost.php?p=...4&postcount=22

Sorry to drag up an old thread but can you confirm the firmware you used was the SLIP firmware, not the modem firmware?

Thanks

Mick

[lesta_smsc]

Sorry to revive an old thread. I was wondering whether it would be possible to do the following:

1) Power via serial port. It is 12v at 20mA apparently but using DC-DC converter to step it down to 3.3V and increase current output using something like this: https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/DC-Buck-S....m46890.l49286

2) Connect 2 x Amigas to each other to bypass need for direct wire but in essence connected via serial port (so direct connection via WiFi).

3) As with above, configure the device directly from Amiga serial port using commands to manipulate the device since it can be controlled via TTL.

[robinsonb5]

Originally Posted by lesta_smsc

Sorry to revive an old thread. I was wondering whether it would be possible to do the following:

1) Power via serial port. It is 12v at 20mA apparently but using DC-DC converter to step it down to 3.3V and increase current output using something like this: https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/DC-Buck-S....m46890.l49286

No, I'm afraid not - the ESP module requires *way* more than 20ma at peak load - I think it's more like 200ma. I seem to remember many of the problems people had with unreliable connections were due to the module not getting enough power.



Maybe steal power from the disk drive port instead?

2) Connect 2 x Amigas to each other to bypass need for direct wire but in essence connected via serial port (so direct connection via WiFi).

Certainly possible, but you'd probably have to write a custom firmware to do the job.

3) As with above, configure the device directly from Amiga serial port using commands to manipulate the device since it can be controlled via TTL.

Again, certainly possible. For instance with the SLIP router firmware you can telnet into the device from the Amiga to set up WiFi station ID, password, port forwarding and suchlike.