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Web platform / Getting started with microchips TCP IP stack
i know this is a much asked question, but i d still ask it anyway.
I am more of a power electronics guy in embedded systems.
more to do with pwoer conversion and power control.
I did acquire a web platform long ago in hopes of using it in one of my pet projects.
Recently i got an idea for its usage.
Let me make it clear first.
I have ZERO experience in ethernet, tcp ip etc etc etc.
i did read mircochips tcp ip stack help file back to back (not thoroughly though) several times in the last week in hopes of trying to understand it.
First of, it is pathetically documented. a first time user will most probably throw his hands up in disgust at the apparent (lack of) user friendliness.
secondly there is still a very large slip between the cup and the lip between microchips stack and the web platform.
Well, this is not a rant. I am working on a project where i am using a large solar panel (100 watts) to charge a 12V 40 ah battery. This battery will be powering my clients networking hardware (2 fibre optic media converters, 2 8-port linksys switches and 1 16-port switch). The charger itself is intelligent 12V 6A charger, has a PIC controller for sensing the solar panel output, battery level, load current and charge the battery using PWM. the client is happy with the solution and the entire setup, but they have no way of checking the battery level without physically going to the field. The entire setup is self sustainant. My client is a ISP provider. There are already about two hundred such units on the field.
As a personal project, i wanted to upgrade the hardware, implement SNMP protocol using microchips TCP IP stack and plug a ethernet cable from the charger to one of the port switches on the ethernet switch, so that they could monitor the data of the charger over ethernet while in their offices. It is not a clients requirement but i did get this idea that i would like to try out. I have one of their pilot installations on the top of my office. :-D
Not for commercial purposes though, its all on my time and effort.
I do not know if its crazy or not but i wanted to see if i could achieve it.
As i mentioned earlier, i acquired a web platform a while back. i just wanted to see if i could get started on the tcp ip stack on the web platform.
but a week of reading and net trawling = zero progress.
microchips forums are but for the more seasoned pros out there who know what they are doing. i doubt if anyone will want to invest time and effort helping out a greenhorn in networking.
i just wanted to ask here if anyone can get me started with the stack.
You know, something like this
1> include these files
2> modify these #defines
3> customize these variables.
4> Write your html web page using these functions.
5> Arrange your main function like this.
6> Build and flash the dsPic.
7> Connect and run.
Voila!!
(Yes, i am that dumb when it comes to ethernet and no i have no shame in asking for help :-D )
I did get the web platform walkthrough up and running though.
Must say far more newbie friendly than microchip.
Is anybody here willing to walk a newbie through the steps?
Thank you.
