XBee WiFi Purpose

NosePicker · 2011-08-02 14:54

I dont want this question to come across as being totally stupid but I think I will have a project coming up where I could use the XBee WiFi device that is about to be released (I hope). But just so I am thinking on the right track what would be the general overview of the capabilities of this device?
Will it somehow "see" or "detect" a wireless network near by then be able to do what?
If network is secured but you know the password can it connect using WPA passwords?
Can you send data to a know machine name? or web address? call a web service passing it data?
Access network shares if you know a computers name and shared resource? How does security come in to play?
This almost sounds like it is getting close to the realms of a computer. Maybe someone can point me to a manual for this device or something. If it is not going to make passing data to a computer easy then I will know not to wait for its release but find something else instead. My project is flexable and I can either pass data to a specific computer or if I have internet access would be nice to pass it to a web server somehow.

Ron Czapala · 2011-08-02 15:34

Here is a link to the XBEE WiFi documentation

This doc is for the Development kit and sets up two WiFi modules talking to each other:

http://ftp1.digi.com/support/documentation/90002133_a.pdf

I had one on order but cancelled it because I was unsure how to interface with a module from within a web page...

NosePicker · 2011-08-03 09:34

I spent most of the day reading all the documentation of this puppy. There is a lot to take in. It seems as though if you talk using the API and select TCP for a designated port that you should be able to establish communication with software written to talk TCP on any available computer. If my understanding is right then I should be able to write some software that could be executed from a web page to talk to the device. But as far as I can understand it looks like the XBee device would have to initiate the connection/communication first. I guess I will have to wait till it is available and start testing. Maybe if you or someone who knows more about building circuts could help me and since I know a good deal about writing software I could help you and by working together we can accomplish our tasks.

Ron Czapala · 2011-08-03 09:58

It is available now. You can order it directly from the DIGI online store
http://www.digi.com/products/wireless-wired-embedded-solutions/zigbee-rf-modules/point-multipoint-rfmodules/xbee-wi-fi.jsp#models

NosePicker wrote: »

If my understanding is right then I should be able to write some software that could be executed from a web page to talk to the device.

I couldn't find a clear explanation how you make a TCP socket connection from a web page. I guess you could create an ActiveX object...

NosePicker · 2011-08-03 11:35

But will the product that Parallax will sell be configured different? Meaning will they put that on some other circut board and add different/better interfacing abilities to say a Stamp or something. I know the core component will be the same but I was thinking Parallax would package it to make things easier for newbies like myself?

Ron Czapala · 2011-08-03 13:04

NosePicker wrote: »

But will the product that Parallax will sell be configured different?

I don't believe Parallax has any intention of selling the XBEE WiFi module since they have created their own...

Their WiFi module uses a GainSpan GS1011M chip.

See: http://forums.parallax.com/showthread.php?128414-Parallax-WiFi-Module&p=1004995&viewfull=1#post1004995

XBee WiFi Purpose

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