Ethernet interface boards

Hello all.

Currently an engineering student. For my project I need to develop an
ethernet interface between a control computer and some sensors and
actuators.

So I am planning to develop the following boards:
1. A board which I/O to connect 2 limit switches
2. Driver for small stepper motors

Both these boards need to have a ethernet interface to be able to
communicate with the control computer.

I was planning too use a microcontroller such as a pic on the boards.

I am also going to use the ethernet powerlink stack.

Any advice on how I can get started to develop these boards or any other
general advice would be helpful. I am quite lost with my project.

On Sep 17, 8:25 am, "drnaphtali" <ldppretor...@gmail.com> wrote:

> Both these boards need to have a ethernet interface to be able to
> communicate with the control computer.

> Any advice on how I can get started

The usual approach to solving problems is to find an eval board that
has etherenet on it, verify that it comes with source for some demo
application that does something with the ethernet, and then modify the
board into what you need and gut the demo application down it its
network basics and replace the rest with your functionality.

Sometimes as a student project though you intentionally want to do
things the hard way.

drnaphtali <ldppretorius@gmail.com> wrote:
>Hello all.

>Currently an engineering student. For my project I need to develop an
>ethernet interface between a control computer and some sensors and
>actuators.

>So I am planning to develop the following boards:
>1. A board which I/O to connect 2 limit switches
>2. Driver for small stepper motors

>Both these boards need to have a ethernet interface to be able to
>communicate with the control computer.

>I was planning too use a microcontroller such as a pic on the boards.

>I am also going to use the ethernet powerlink stack.

>Any advice on how I can get started to develop these boards or any other
>general advice would be helpful. I am quite lost with my project.

Have a look at the Microchip ENC 28J60 chip.

On Wed, 17 Sep 2008 07:25:14 -0500, drnaphtali <ldppretorius@gmail.com> wrote:
>Hello all.

>Currently an engineering student. For my project I need to develop an
>ethernet interface between a control computer and some sensors and
>actuators.

>So I am planning to develop the following boards:
>1. A board which I/O to connect 2 limit switches
>2. Driver for small stepper motors

>Both these boards need to have a ethernet interface to be able to
>communicate with the control computer.

>I was planning too use a microcontroller such as a pic on the boards.

>I am also going to use the ethernet powerlink stack.

>Any advice on how I can get started to develop these boards or any other
>general advice would be helpful. I am quite lost with my project.


See your teacher and/or other students.  Asking the newsgroup for help with your
school work is borderline cheating.

On Sep 17, 7:41=A0am, AZ Nomad <aznoma...@PremoveOBthisOX.COM> wrote:
> On Wed, 17 Sep 2008 07:25:14 -0500, drnaphtali <ldppretor...@gmail.com> w=
rote:
> >Hello all.
> >Currently an engineering student. For my project I need to develop an
> >ethernet interface between a control computer and some sensors and
> >actuators.
> >So I am planning to develop the following boards:
> >1. A board which I/O to connect 2 limit switches
> >2. Driver for small stepper motors
> >Both these boards need to have a ethernet interface to be able to
> >communicate with the control computer.
> >I was planning too use a microcontroller such as a pic on the boards.
> >I am also going to use the ethernet powerlink stack.
> >Any advice on how I can get started to develop these boards or any other
> >general advice would be helpful. I am quite lost with my project.
>
> See your teacher and/or other students. =A0Asking the newsgroup for help =
with your
> school work is borderline cheating.


Have a look http://www.rabbit.com/products/AppKits/ for  	Serial-to-
Ethernet Application Kit. maybe little expensive for student but it
comes ready to go application with source code, you can use the same
chip set to do Ethernet and motor driver.

> See your teacher and/or other students.  Asking the newsgroup for help wi=
th your
> school work is borderline cheating.

Huh!  well i guess he is asking for suggestion not solution.
ali