RN-131-PICtail Roving Networks, RN-131-PICtail Datasheet - Page 2

• Manufacturer Part Number: RN-131-PICtail
• Description: WiFi / 802.11 Development Tools RN-131 PICtail
• Manufacturer: Roving Networks

Specifications of RN-131-PICtail

• Product: Evaluation Boards
• Tool Is For Evaluation Of: RN-131
• Protocol Supported: 802.11 b/g
• Frequency: 2.4 GHz
• Interface Type: SPI, UART

OVERVIEW
The RN-131 and RN-171 WiFly radio modules are complete, standalone wireless LAN access devices. Each module
contains a TCIP/IP stack and related applications. After the module is configured, the radio can access the Wi-Fi network
automatically, and transmit and receive data over a UART.
General Description
The RN-131-PICTAIL and RN-171-PICTAIL evaluation boards work seamlessly with the Microchip Technology PIC18
Explorer Development Board. The evaluation boards plug into the PICtail™ modular connector on the PIC18 Explorer
Board, and add wireless functionality to PIC18-based microcontroller designs.
The evaluation boards are preloaded with firmware to simplify integration and minimize application development. In the
simplest configuration, the hardware only requires four connections (PWR, TX, RX, and GND) to create a wireless data
connection. The microcontroller can communicate with the boards via the UART and SPI interfaces, and can drive LEDs,
wake the boards, and reset them. The evaluation boards are updated and controlled with a simple ASCII command
language. Once the boards are set up, they can scan to find an access point, associate, authenticate, and connect over
any Wi-Fi network.
The PIC18 Explorer Board (DM183032) is a development platform equipped with a 28-pin PICtail connector and PIM that
can accommodate various versions of the 8-bit PIC16 and PIC18 microcontroller families. The PIC18 Explorer Board’s
8-bit microcontroller communicates with the RN-131-PICTAIL/RN-171-PICTAIL evaluation board via the PICtail connector.
This document describes how to use the RN-131-PICTAIL/RN-171-PICTAIL evaluation board connected to a PIC18
Explorer Board to associate with a Wi-Fi network and communicate with other devices within a LAN. Communication with
other LAN devices is performed using telnet.
RN-131-PICTAIL/RN-171-PICTAIL Module Features
www.rovingnetworks.com
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FCC/CE/IC certified 2.4-GHz IEEE 802.11b/g transceiver
Plugs into the PICtail Plus connector on the PIC18 Explorer and Explorer 16 Development Boards
Adds wireless capability to designs targeting the PIC18 Explorer and Explorer 16 boards
Configurable transmit power: 0 to 10 dBm (RN-171-PICTAIL)
PCB trace antenna (RN-171-PICTAIL) and on-board ceramic chip antenna (RN-131-PICTAIL)
Ultra-low power
High throughput: 921 Kbps TX, 500 Kbps RX data rate with TCP/IP and WPA2 over UART, up to 2 Mbps over
SPI slave
UART interface with hardware flow control
SPI interface with slave interrupt
Real-time clock for wakeup and time stamping
3 status LEDs (2 configurable)
Powered by PIC18 Explorer and Explorer 16 boards
Supports ad hoc and infrastructure networks
Wi-Fi Alliance certified for WPA2-PSK
Complete on-board TCP/IP networking stack
Environmentally friendly: RoHS compliant
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4-uA sleep, 38-mA Rx, 120-mA Tx at 0 dBm (RN-171-PICTAIL)
4 uA sleep, 40 mA Rx, 210 mA Tx (RN-131-PICTAIL)
Version 1.0 9/7/2012
RN -13 1/1 71-PICT AIL-U M
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