Using the Explorer 16 Development Board for Wi‐Fi Applications AP... · • Peripheral library for quick coding using Microchip device peripherals • Allows code and data to be

ECE 480 TEAM 3

Using the Explorer 16

Development Board for

Wi‐Fi Applications An Application Note

Andrew Dutton

11/16/2011

Associetyadvances,theneedforwirelesscommunicationisbecomingmoreofademandthan

aluxury.Wi‐Ficanbeusedformanyapplicationsbeyondthecommoninternetcommunication.

ThisguidewilldescribetheabilitiesthattheMicrochipExplorer16DevelopmentBoard

containsforWi‐Fioperation,aswellashowtosettheExplorer16DevelopmentBoardforWi‐Fi

communication.Anapplicationisexaminedandoutlined.

Using the Explorer 16 Development Board for Wi‐Fi Applications

2011

ECE 480 TEAM 3 Page 1

Table of Contents • Introduction‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐2

• GettingStarted‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐3

o HardwareOptions‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐3

o HardwareSpecs‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐5

o Software‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐6

• ProgrammingtheDevice‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐8

• CustomDemoApplications‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐12

o ConfiguretheStack‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐12

o RunningtheDemo‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐19

• Conclusion‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐20

• References‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐21


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Introduction

Wirelesscommunicationhasrevolutionizedthewaypeoplelivetheirlivesintoday’s

society.Thestyleoflifeisdrasticallyshiftingtowardsaremoteoperationofhandlingtodays

tasks.Wirelesshastheabilityofsimplifyingacountlessnumberofissuesrangingfromordering

movieticketsonyourcellphonetoremotelyturningthepoweronandoffinone’shome.

Therearemanypurposesofwirelesscommunicationthattheaveragepersondoesnotsee.A

numberofelectronicdevicescanbecontrolledviawirelesscommunication.Wi‐Fiisalsoknown

astheIEEE802.11standardforcontrolledcommunicationat2.4GHz

InthistutorialwewillgooverhowtousetheMicrochipExplorer16DevelopmentBoard

toconstructaWi‐Ficommunicatingdevice.ManyfactorsgointodevelopingaWi‐Fidevice.

Someofthesefactorsareuserapplicationspecific,andsomeareIEEE802.11standardspecific.

Hereonewilllearnhowaboutthehardwarenecessarytobuildthisdevice,aswellasthe

softwarenecessarytodrivethisdevice.


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Getting Started

Hardware Options & Set up

ThefirstcomponentthatisnecessaryistheMicrochipExplorer16DevelopmentBoard.

Thisdevelopmentboardislowcost,efficientdevelopmentboardtoevaluatethefeaturesand

performanceofMicrochip'snewPIC24Microcontroller,thedsPIC33DigitalSignalController

(DSC)families,andthenew32‐bitPIC32MXdevices.TheExplorer16boardisanall‐purpose

demonstrationanddevelopmentboardfor16‐bitand32‐bitparts.Itcanalsobeexpandedfor

TCP/IPsupportusingtheEthernetPICtailPlus,Fast100MbpsEthernetPICtailPlus,or802.11b

Wi‐FiPICtail/PICtailPlusdaughterboard.[1]Thedevelopmentboardcomesinmany

configurations,andthisnecessaryconfigurationisdependentonwhattypeoftransceiver

moduleisnecessary.[1]

ForcommunicationontheWi‐Fi802.11MediaAccessControllayer,thefollowinghardware

devicesarenecessary:[2]

• Explorer16DevelopmentBoard(PIC24FJ128GA010100pinPIM)(Microchippart

numberDM240001)*[3]

• MRF24WB0MAWi‐FiPICtail/PICtailPlusDaughterBoard(Microchippartnumber

AC164136‐4)[4]

*The100pinPIMisnecessaryforcommunicationtotheMRF24WB0MAWi‐Fimodule.Forthistutorial,wewill

talkaboutusingthePIC24Ffamily,butthedsPIC33EX‐16Dev.Boardwillalsofunctioncorrectly.


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WhenyoureceiveyourhardwarefromMicrochip,theDevelopmentBoardwillcome

withaCD.TheCDcontainsuserguidesfortheExplorer16DevelopmentBoard,datasheetsfor

differentPIM’s,anddemoapplicationcodespecifictothedevelopmentboardandthePIM

itself.TheExplorer16canbeusedtodebugwirelessfunctionalitybyconnectingthePICtailas

showinFigure1,withheaderJ2onthePICtailinsertedintothetopslotofconnectorJ5

(Explorer16)onthedemoboards.NoteifjumperJP3exists,itmustbeshortedbetweenpins1

and2whenusedonthisdevelopmentplatform.Onceyourhardwareisconfigured,youcan

programyourboardwithyourpreferreddemoproject.[2]

Figure1)TheMRF24WB0MAWi‐FiPICTail

module

Figure2)Explorer16Development

Boardwiththe100pinPIM,andthe

MRF24WB0MAWi‐FiPICTailmodule


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Hardware Specifications

TheCDthatcomeswiththedevelopmentboardcontainsuserguidesfortheExplorer16

DevelopmentBoard,datasheetsfordifferentPIM’s,anddemoapplicationcodespecifictothe

developmentboardandthePIMitself.Specificationsheetsforthesepiecesofhardwarecan

alsobefoundontheMicrochipwebsite(DM240001userguide@

http://ww1.microchip.com/downloads/en/DeviceDoc/Explorer%2016%20User%20Guide%2051

589a.pdf:MRF24WB0MAWi‐FiPICtail/PICtailPlusDaughterBoard@

http://ww1.microchip.com/downloads/en/DeviceDoc/51912A.pdf)


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Software Options

TocreateaWi‐FidevicewithMicrochipproducts,wewillneedafewfreedownloadable

productsfromMicrochip.FirstyouwillneedthemostrecentversionofMPLABIntegrated

DevelopmentEnvironment(IDE). MPLAB(IDE)isafree,integratedtoolsetforthedevelopment

ofembeddedapplicationsemployingMicrochip'sPIC®anddsPIC®microcontrollers.MPLABIDE

runsasa32‐bitapplicationonMSWindows®,iseasytouseandincludesahostoffreesoftware

componentsforfastapplicationdevelopmentandsuper‐chargeddebugging.MPLABIDEalso

servesasasingle,unifiedgraphicaluserinterfaceforadditionalMicrochipandthirdparty

softwareandhardwaredevelopmenttools.Movingbetweentoolsisasnap,andupgrading

fromthefreesoftwaresimulatortohardwaredebugandprogrammingtoolsisdoneinaflash

becauseMPLABIDEhasthesameuserinterfaceforalltools.[2]Also,becausewewillbeusing

thePIC24FJ128GA010PIM,wewillneedtodownloadtheMPLAB®CCompilerforPIC24MCUs.

Thisisafull‐featuredANSIcompliantCcompilerfortheMicrochipPIC24familyof16‐bit

devices.MPLABCisa32‐bitWindows®consoleapplicationaswellasafullyintegrated

componentofMicrochip’sMPLABIntegratedDevelopmentEnvironment(IDE),allowingsource

leveldebuggingwiththeMPLABREALICE™Emulator,MPLABICD2In‐CircuitDebuggerand

MPLABSIMSimulator.[1]


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The Compiler Features are [1]:

• ANSIcompliantwithstandard,math,memory,dataconversionandmathlibraries

• Generatesrelocatableobjectmodulesforenhancedcodereuse

• Optimizedtogenerateasmuchas30%lesscodethanother16‐bitMCUcompilers

• Strongsupportforin‐lineassemblywhentotalcontrolisabsolutelynecessary

• PeripherallibraryforquickcodingusingMicrochipdeviceperipherals

• Allowscodeanddatatobelocatedatabsoluteaddresses

• Supportsadvancedcodesizeoptimizations

• FreeunrestrictedEvaluationVersionoftheCcompiler

Bothofthesesoftwaretoolscanbedownloadedat:

http://www.microchip.com/stellent/idcplg?IdcService=SS_GET_PAGE&nodeId=1406&dDocNam

e=en023073

Nowthatyouhavethenecessarytoolstodevelopyourplatform,thereisonemore

pieceofhardwarethatisnecessarytodownload.TheMRF24WB0MAtransceivermodulewill

supportMicrochipsTCP/IPfreelicensedstack.TheMicrochipTCP/IPStackprovidesa

foundationforembeddednetworkapplicationsbyhandlingmostoftheinteractionrequired

betweenthephysicalnetworkportandyourapplication.Itincludesmodulesforseveral

commonlyusedapplicationlayers,includingHTTPforservingwebpages,SMTPforsendinge‐

mails,SNMPforprovidingstatusandcontrol,Telnet,TFTP,Serial‐to‐Ethernetandmuchmore.

Inaddition,thestackincludeslight‐weightandhigh‐performanceimplementationsoftheTCP

andUDPtransportlayers,aswellasothersupportingmodulessuchasIP,ICMP,DHCP,ARP,

andDNS.TheMicrochipTCP/IPstackcanbedownloadedat:www.Microchip.com/MAL.When

promptedwheretosavethefile,saveinC:\.


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Programming the Device

Toprogramthedevice,youwillfirstneedtoopenupasessionofMPLAB.Todothis

eitherclickonthedesktopicon,orbrowsethestartmenu‐>allprograms‐>Microchip‐>MPLAB

IDE.Next,clickontheProjecttab‐>ProjectWizard,andawindowwillopen,clicknext.Nowyou

willseethewindow:

HereyouwillscrolltothepreferredPICMicrocontrollerthatyouwillbeusing.Forthistutorial

wewereusingthePIC24FJ128GA010.ClickNext.


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Nowyouwillseethiswindow:

Thiswindowisveryimportantonthewayitsconfiguredbecauseitiswhatwilldrivethe

previouslydownloadedC‐30Compile.YouwillclickontheToolsuiteContents,andthenclick

browse.Thebrowsebuttonwillalreadydirectyoutothecorrectpathforthe.exefile.Foreach

Toolsuitecontents,browsetothe.exefilethatisin()andclickok.Onceyouhavethefour

Toolsuitesdirectedtothecorrectpathandyoucheckthebox“Storetoollocationsinproject”

clickNext.NowbrowsetothepathC:\Example.Herethesoftwarewillcreateafolder

containingyourMPLABproject,andclickNext.


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Thisnextstepisthemostdifficult.Youwillnowbepromptedwiththedialogbox:

ThisiswhereyouwillbuildtheprojectfilesfromtheTCP/IPstackdownload.Therearefiles

necessaryforthestacktofunctionproperly,andfilesforthedemoapplications.Firstwewill

needtonavigatetoC:\MicrochipSolutionsv2011‐10‐18\TCPIP\DemoApp\PrecompiledHex,

andclickontheC30‐EX16_MRF24WB24FJ128GA010.hexfile.Onceitishighlighted,clickthe

Addbutton.YouwillalsoneedtoaddthelinkerscriptspecifictoourPIC.Youwillnavigateto

C:\ProgramFiles\Microchip\MPLABC30\support\gld,andselectthep24FJ128GA010.gldfile,

clicktheAddbutton.

NowyouwillneedtoaddthespecificsourcefilesandheaderfilesfortheTCP/IPstack,

aswellasthesourcefilesandheaderfilesfortheproperdemothatyouwanttorunonyour

device.ToobtainthenecessarysourcefilesfortheTCP/IPstack,navigatetoC:\Microchip

Solutionsv2011‐10‐18\Microchip\TCPIPStack.Fromhere,clickonthefirstfiletohighlightit,

holdtheshiftkey,andscrolltothebottomofthewindow.Nowclickonthelastfileinthe

window.Onceallthe.cfilesarehighlighted,clicktheAddbutton.Nowyouwillneedtoaddall

thesourcefilesfortheTCP/IPWi‐Fiapplications.NavigatetoC:\MicrochipSolutionsv2011‐10‐

18\Microchip\TCPIPStack\WiFiandselectallthe.cfilesinthefolder,andclicktheAddbutton.

YounowhaveallthepropersourcefilesnecessaryforTCP/IPstackandapplicationdemos.


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Nowweneedtogetalltheproperheaderfiles.ToachievethisnavigatetoC:\Microchip

Solutionsv2011‐10‐18\Microchip\Include,selectallthe.hfilesandaddthemtotheproject.

NextnavigatetoC:\MicrochipSolutionsv2011‐10‐18\Microchip\Include\TCPIPStack,selectall

ofthe.hfiles,andaddthemtotheproject.Finallyyouwillneedtoaddthespecialconfigurefile

totheproject.NavigatetoC:\MicrochipSolutionsv2011‐10‐18\TCPIP\DemoApp\Configsand

selecttheTCPIPMRF24WB.hfile,andaddthistoyourproject.Youhavenowsuccessfullybuilt

yourTCP/IPstack,anddemoapplicationcode.


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Custom Demo Application

Configuring the Stack

ThefirstthingyouwillwanttodoismakesuretheMPLABprojectyoupreviously

createdisopened.Thefollowingmodificationswillbedoneontheconfigurationfiles,andwill

automaticallyupdateyourproject.Beforerunninganyofthedemoapplicationcode,youwill

firstneedtoproperlyconfigureacouplefiles.TheTCPIPStackdownloadcomeswithaTCPIP

ConfigurationWizard.BrowsetotheStartMenu‐>AllPrograms‐>MicrochipSolutionsv2011‐

10‐18‐>TCPIPStack‐>andclickontheTCPIPConfigurationWizard.WewillmodifytheTCPIP

Stacktoservewebpages.Youwillseethefollowingwindow:

Inthe“SelecttheCopyofTCPIPConfig.htomodify”browsetoC:\MicrochipSolutionsv2011‐10‐

18\TCPIP\DemoApp\Configs,andselecttheTCPIPMRF24WB.hfile.Inthenextwindow“Select

theCopyofWF_Config.htoModify”browsetoC:\MicrochipSolutionsv2011‐10‐18\TCPIP\WiFi


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ConsoleandselectWF_Config.hfile.OncethisisdoneselecttheNextbutton.Nowyouwillsee

thiswindow:

Thisiswhereyouwilldefinetheconfigurationnecessaryforthespecificapplicationyouare

tryingtobuild.TheWebServerdemoapplicationprovidesanexampleforbuildingacustom

HTTPapplicationusingtheHTTP2serverandallowsseveralotherdemofeaturestobeaccessed

andcontrolledviawebinterface.SelecttheWebServerboxandselectNext.Forconfiguration

purposesinthe“ModuleSelection,Whatexamplemoduleswouldyouliketoinclude”dialog

box,selectallboxesexceptthe“SerialtoEthernetBridge”moduleandclickNext.Nowyouwill

seethe“ModuleSelection,Whatsupportmodulesdoyourequire?”dialogbox.Theselected

moduleswillbeapplicationspecific.


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• DHCPClient‐AllowsdevicetoobtainnetworkconfigfromaDHCPServer

• DHCPServer‐AllowsdevicetoactasaDHCPServerforasinglenode

• IPGleaning‐Providesasmall,unorthodoxreplacementforDHCPforprivatenetworks

• ICMPClient‐Allowsdevicetosendpingstoremotenodes

• ICMPServer‐Allowsdevicetorespondtopingrequests

• AnnounceService‐EnablesEthernettooltobefoundbysendingaUDPannouncementpacket

• NetBIOSNameService‐AllowsdevicetorespondtoNETBiosnamequeries

• RemoteRebootService‐AllowsdevicetorebootremotelybysendingaspecialUDPPacket

• SNTPClient‐abilitytoobtaincurrenttimefrompoolofglobalSNTPservers

• DynamicDNSClient‐enablesIPupdatestodynamicDNS

• AutoIPClient‐EnablesAutoIPSupprt.

SelecttheboxesinthediagramandclickNext.

ThenextdialogboxistheNetworkConfigurationprofile.TheHostNameisyourNETBiosID.Thiscanbeleftinthe

defaultMCHPBOARD.Clicknexttocontinueforwardwithallthedefaultsettings.


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Youwillnowseethiswindow.HereyoucanmodifythehostnameofyourdeviceintheDefaultSSIDNamesection.

ThisisthenameoftheWi‐FiNetworkyouintendtojoin.ActiveScanallowsthedevicetorespondtoprobe

requests,aswellastransmitabeaconevery100ms.Channels1,6and11thecommonchannelscommercialWi‐Fi

routersoperateon.ClickNext.


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Nowyouwillseethisdialogwindow.ThesearetheoptionsthatyouwanttoincludeintheWirelessconfiguration.

YoucanpointtoamoduleforadefinitionfromMicrochipfortheseoptions.Forthisdemoapplication,itissafeto

selectalloptions.Clicknext.

NowyouwilldefinesecuritytoyourWi‐Fidevice.ForcustomHTTPserversitiscommontoaddaWEPorWPA

securitytoyourdevice.ButforsimplicityofthistutorialwewillusetheNoSourcesecurity.ClickNext.


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Thisiswhereyouwilldefinethedestinationofthewebserverlocation.Thispagecanbesetasdefaultvalues.Click

Next.

Nowyouwillneedtoconfigurethefilesystem.Thisisdependentonwhereyouwanttostoreyourwebpage.bin

format.Youcanallocateareservedspaceinthedifferentmemorylocations.ClickNext.


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NowyouwillneedtoconfiguretheTCPSocketinformation.Thiswillbeleftasitsdefaultsettings.Selectnext.

t

NowcondiguretheUDPSocketconfigurationbyselectingthedefaultsettings.Clicknext.Andthenclick

finish.


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Running the Demo

OnceyouhaveproperlyconfiguredtheMPLABworkspace,youwillgototheDebugger

tabatthetopofMPLAB‐>SelectTool‐>MPLABICD2.AfterthisyouwillgotoProject‐>

buildall.Theapplicationshouldbuildwithnoerrors.ThengotoDebugger‐>Program.This

willloadtheprogramontothePICMicrocontroller.Onceitisloaded,inMPLABgoto

Project‐>Run.Thiswillautomaticallyrunyourmodule.Nowyoucanopenaninternet

connectionandbrowsetoindex.htm,andyouwillseethemessagestoredinyourEEPROM.

Conclusion

Inthistutorial,wewalkedanindividualthroughtheprocessofdevelopingaWi‐Fidevice

usingtheExplorer16developmentboard,andPICmicrocontroller.Microchiphasmany

developmentplatforms.WewereabletosetuptheMicrochipdemoapplicationstoserve

asawebpagebrowser.MicrochipWi‐Fitrancivermodulescanbeusedformanyother

applicationsbeyondservingwebpagebrowsers.


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References

[1]www.microchip.com

[2]TCPIPStackHelp@http://ww1.microchip.com/downloads/en/AppNotes/00833b.pdf

[3]DM240001userguide@

http://ww1.microchip.com/downloads/en/DeviceDoc/Explorer%2016%20User%20Guide%2

051589a.pdf

[4]MRF24WB0MAWi‐FiPICtail/PICtailPlusDaughterBoard@

http://ww1.microchip.com/downloads/en/DeviceDoc/51912A.pdf

Documents

Using the Explorer 16 Development Board for Wi‐Fi Applications AP... · • Peripheral library for quick coding using Microchip device peripherals • Allows code and data to be