RAMPS WiFi Adapter

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Revision as of 00:27, 19 March 2018 by AbtinSt (talk | contribs)
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Summary

The RAMPS WiFi Adapter provides wireless networking for the RAMPS controller using Roving Network's RN-171 WiFi Module.

Compatibility

Version 0.2 has been tested with RAMPS 1.4, Marlin, and Printrun.

Installation

Notes

Steps

  1. Verify RAMPS is powered off by disconnecting DC power and the USB cable.
  2. Carefully seat the WiFi adapter onto RAMPS and make sure it's placed on the correct pins.
  3. Verify Reset and Default pin jumpers are correctly placed on the WiFi adapter.
  4. Reconnect the USB cable.
  5. Download and unzip the source files from Github.
  6. Open rev-0.2/tools/setup/setup.ino with Arduino IDE and edit the file using your wireless networks settings, then upload to the Mega.
  7. Observe the output with the Arduino IDE Serial Monitor.
  8. If the WiFi adapter successful associates with your wireless network, the red LED will stop blinking and the green LED will blink approximately once every 2 seconds.
  9. Find the WiFi adapter's IP Address by checking your router's DHCP client list.
  10. Remove the Reset and Default pin jumpers.
  11. In Configuration.h of Marlin, change SERIAL_PORT and BAUDRATE to the following settings, then upload to the Mega.
    1. SERIAL_PORT 2
    2. BAUDRATE 115200
  12. Disconnect the USB cable and reconnect DC power.
  13. Wait until the red LED stops blinking.
  14. Using the IP Address of your WiFi adapter, type something like '192.168.1.100:2000' into Port, then connect. When a connection is successfully made, the green LED will be on and steady.
  15. Verify everything works by sending some commands!

DIY Assembly

The low part count makes assembly relatively easy if you're familiar with SMD soldering, but messing up a $30 module is never a good feeling. I have a cheap reflow oven that doesn't have good heat flow (modules with large ground shields tend to get scorched on top while the solder paste on the pads below never liquefies), so I soldered the first batch of modules by hand. A hot plate may be a better option.

The antenna wire should be a length of 1 inch above the top layer (which is the ground plane). The wire diameter doesn't seem to be a critical factor as long as it stays perpendicular to the top layer.

How to get it

Fully Assembled