Ethersmart Wildcard

This document describes the internet enabled EtherSmart Wildcards. The EtherSmart Wildcard provides wired Ethernet connectivity, and a companion WiFi Wildcard provides wireless 802.11b/g connectivity. These two distinct Wildcards are implemented using similar hardware, and a common software driver supports both. Using either, you can convert your embedded instrument into an embedded web server.

This document describes how to use the EtherSmart and WiFi Wildcards for instrumentation, automation and control applications. The EtherSmart Wildcard provides wired Ethernet connectivity, and the WiFi Wildcard provides wireless 802.11b/g connectivity. These two distinct Wildcards are implemented using similar hardware, and a common software driver supports both.

• The EtherSmart Wildcard™ implements a hardware/software Ethernet interface that provides communications between your instrument and other computers or peripherals via a Local Area Network (LAN) using the standard packet-based Ethernet signaling protocol. It is based on the Lantronix XPort device, and implements serial tunneling, web server and outgoing email services. Simply plug an Ethernet cable into the Wildcard via the standard RJ-45 Ethernet connection.
• The WiFi Wildcard™ implements a wireless interface that enables communications between your instrument and other computers or wireless access points via a Wireless Local Area Network (WLAN) using the standard 802.11b/g packet-based protocol.

Built-in software lets you send emails from the instrument, serve out static and dynamic web pages to your PC-based browser¹⁾, and implement serial data exchanges with peripheral devices (this is known as "Serial Tunneling"). These tiny 2" by 2.5" boards are members of the Wildcard™ series that connects to Mosaic's line of microcontroller-based embedded computers.

The EtherSmart Wildcard™ - Mosaic's low cost embedded Ethernet mezzanine board - makes it easy to put your instrument online. You can network your instrument in minutes - simply plug a standard Ethernet cable into the RJ-45 jack on the Wildcard, and your instrument can communicate with other computers on a Local Area Network (LAN). Your application program can send emails to alert other computers on the network when significant events occur.

• You can find price and delivery information for the EtherSmart Wildcard on Mosaic's website, or contact us directly.
• You will also need a Compatible Controller Board to host this Wildcard.

The following Controller Boards are compatible with the Ethersmart Wildcard™

• PDQ Board
• QCard Controller
• QScreen Controller
• Handheld (Legacy)
• QVGA (Legacy)

See also → Ethersmart Wildcard