What is needed to make MQX access Internet thru USB Wifi dongle?

[luisfer_rigoni]

Hi,

I have a FRDM-K64F based project running using RTCS IP stack. Now I want to add Wi-Fi communication to it, keeping the IP stack implementation and usage most transparent possible; so I need a Wi-Fi adapter, right?

My first attempt was ESP8266 with a customized firmware [1][2], but I think that's not possible to create the following topology [3]:

K64F board <---PPPoS---> ESP (station) <---> Access-Point <---> Internet

The ESP's big brother ESP32 seems to have RMII pins. I thought connect it to the K64F's MK64FN1M0VLL12 pins, but both have RMII clock in master mode [4]. However, ESP32 will be lauched late at June/2016.

My next attempt is those cheap WiFi dongles (like most of the IoT approaches for Raspberry Pi).

I suppose to accomplish Internet connection with MQX I need a driver, right? What is the steps to crete a driver to those USB Wi-Fi devices?

[1] how to compile the liblwip.a in esp8266 sdk? - ESP8266 Developer Zone

[2] DHCP server error when soft-AP client connects with recompiled liblwip.a - ESP8266 Developer Zone 

[3] ESP8266 bridge mode with external IP stack - ESP8266 Developer Zone 

[4] ESP32 transparent bridge ETH<->Wi-Fi - ESP32 Forum

[dshimizu]

Hi Luis,

If your dongle uses the rndis protocolo,you can take a look at this:USB tethering host (RNDIS protocol) implementation for Kinetis - How to use your cellphone to provid...

[luisfer_rigoni]

Hi Denis,

I did some research and found only the module "xPico Wi-Fi" [1] supporting RNDIS, a feature that was added to its latest firmware version [2].

You can point me some other dongle/module that supports RNDIS?

Thanks

[1] xPico Embedded IoT Wi-Fi Module | Lantronix 

[2] http://ts.lantronix.com/ftp/xPicoWiFi/1.4.0.0R28/xPicoWifi_1.4.0.0R28_User_Release_Notes.txt

[Carlos_Musich]

Hi Luis,

in the past we offered Wi-Fi Modules from partners that worked with MQX, but in those cases our partners developed a whole BSP to work with MQX.

Now, the solution we offer has integrated TCP/IP stack Tower System board for QCA4004 based Low Powe|NXP

So there are 2 options:

- Use a WiFi module without embedded TCP/IP stack and clone BSP to add the required functionality to work with your WiFi module. Just please notice that this involves deep modification of the BSP and it is beyond our free support scope. In this cases you may contact our professional services to get MQX level 2 support. You may reach this team on any of the following links.

www.nxp.com/services

www.nxp.com/mqx/support

- Use any WiFi solution with integrated TCP/IP stack which can be communicated though UART or SPI. This is a much easier approach. You can have RTCS working with Ethernet and the external TCP/IP stack working with WiFi in the same application without problems.

I hope this helps.

Regards,
Carlos

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[luisfer_rigoni]

Hi Carlos,

Thanks for the help guiding our proof-of-concept path.

- Using the second option/approach, it's possible to "emulate" the offloaded IP stack (from WiFi solution with integrated TCP/IP stack) as another and/or substitute ETH interface in MQX to keep RTCS implementation and usage most transparent possible, i.e., don't change Socket API usage?

- Another requirement, we want to avoid dealing with AT commands because, in general, the "transparent mode" delivers only the TCP/UDP data/content. Our solution has a "network device" behavior, taking actions when receiving custom/specifics Ethernet frames based on it's headers.

Can you provide some information if Tower System board for QCA4004 based Low Powe|NXP, or GT-202 NXP - Partner Profile Information in the "Host MCU IP Stack" after the required driver interface implementation and initialization could provide "low level"  Ethernet packages?

[Carlos_Musich]

Hi Luis,

having a single socket API with 2 different TCP/IP stacks is not possible because the external TCP/IP stack does all the processing and sends all the information to the Kinetis device already processed thorugh serial communication. In this approach you will not be able to do it without AT commands or equivalent.

On the other hand, this external WiFi interfaces with integrated stack will not let you know the Ethernet frame headers. What kind of information do you need and in which layer is this information? Probably there are some ways to work around this.

Regards,
Carlos

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