From: DJ Vollkasko (DJ_Vollkasko_at_gmx.net)
Date: Fri Jul 02 2004 - 00:42:39 PDT
There's a project I'd run across published by a German computer-magazine
that allows connecting *ANY* RS232-device to the LAN and even includes a
tiny webserver for remote administration. The whole kit can be bought for
about EUR 80,--, it's called "c't-COM-auf-LAN-Adapter". Information and the
errata sheet can be found here http://www.heise.de/ct/ftp/projekte/com2lan .
This site shows the board layout, parts list, lists errata, links to the
forum for this project
http://www.heise.de/ct/foren/go.shtml?list=1&forum_id=57426o test
software and manuals http://www.heise.de/ct/04/13/links/200.shtml and
http://www.heise.de/ct/04/14/links/214.shtml,
In a second stage, they hotrod their RS232-to-LAN hack ("Modul A") with a
microcontroller that can measure analoge and digital signals, regulate
stuff, communicate with RS232-devices and allow for remote configuration
through any webbrowser. Pretty neat. They call this
"c't-Mikrocontroller-im-LAN" ("Modul B").
Here you can buy the PCBs
http://www.emedia.de/@63ZG581DAa4hE/bin/hw.pl?Aktion=P&Proj_Nr=0413_1
here the parts and PCBs, the LAN adapter ("Modul A")
http://www.segor.de/L1Bausaetze/ComLanA.shtml and the microcontroller-addon
("Modul B") http://www.segor.de/L1Bausaetze/ComLanB.shtml . Segor
Electronics (Berlin) offers a bunch off addons to Modul B, such as
displays, input devices (joystick-interface), analogue sensors... They
offer a nice case that houses both PCBs and will offer a custom front soon.
(Segor also offers a kit for a previous c't-project -- a programmeable
Bluetooth receiver with MP3-decoder...)
Hmh, when I read all that I wondered... One of the drawbacks of pre-NOS 2.1
MessagePads is the missing or incompletely implemented IP stack. That's why
there will be no Ethernet or WLAN or Bluetooth for these poor Newtons. But
if this device negotiates between the serial port and the network, maybe
it'd be crutch that'd make the more portable Newtons networkeable. Would be
great if somebody who knows which side the soldering iron is hot on would
test this hack.
What do you make of this - feasible or not? Any takers?
Sincerely,
D. Vollkasko
P.S.: If interested, I can obtain copies of the article(s) for anybody
tackling this hack. I could also get the kits and forward them, if they
won't ship international. But for obvious reasons it might be adviseable
that whichever hardware hacker tackles this better have some German for
reading the documentation.
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