Smallest IP Target Device? 41
Donimo asks: "I have seen many tiny ethernet loopback jacks and keyfobs, and I'm looking for the smallest IP equivalent for my toolkit. It just needs to plug into an RJ45 ethernet port and respond to ping. If the IP address is configurable, so much the better. I have looked at small IP print servers, and I could probably knock one up from a Gumstix but these are comparatively expensive solutions. Any ideas?"
Smallest IP device (Score:2)
Re:Smallest IP device (Score:2)
If you don't want to wire one up, you can get an Ethernet Loopback Jack [thinkgeek.com] from ThinkGeek.
They also offer an Ethernet Crossover Adapter [thinkgeek.com] in case you don't like making crossover cables.
You don't really ping yourself (Score:5, Informative)
Having a real device with a distinct IP address lets you send and receive actual packets and so verify that the PHY and MAC layers are working.
Re:You don't really ping yourself (Score:2)
picotux (Score:5, Informative)
http://www.picotux.com/ [picotux.com]
Re:picotux (Score:2)
Re:picotux (Score:2)
I am curious to know a few more specs about the machine (RAM, ROM, CPU etc), though. I applaud the minimalist design of the website, but it ends up being a little information-sparse.
Re:picotux (Score:3, Informative)
Re:picotux (Score:2)
The link text should let you are going i.e. the link to "Technical Data" should be Technical Data [picotux.com]
Re:picotux (Score:1)
;needs a protective housing. perhaps a plastic one with caps at both ends to cover the ports when you put it in your pocket or bag.
;treehead
Re:picotux (Score:1)
Probably why they are offering the current versions with 10% off.
(I like the wireless)
http://www.picotux.com/ordere.html [picotux.com]
"Power over Ethernet will be available soon."
http://www.picotux.com/producte.html [picotux.com]
PoE, IEEE802.3af, Active Ethernet
http://www.hyperlinktech.com/web/what_is_poe.php [hyperlinktech.com]
Smallest IP device (Score:2)
Other Options (Score:2)
You could consider the SitePlayer [siteplayer.com] which is put together by a company that also does basic stamp clones, or a Parallax PINK [parallax.com].
These development kits run about $100. The SitePlayer would be a good option if you want to make more than 1 because the actual module is only $30, however if you are only going to build one of these tools I would suggest spending the extra $100-$200 and get a Gumstix because you can simply do so much m
NAND chip (Score:4, Funny)
Re:NAND chip (Score:2)
Of course NAND would do at a pinch - if it weren't so nasty, and involve manually reversing the bits.
Bah!
Sam
Re:NAND chip (Score:4, Funny)
Did you use the other two gates for anything?
Re:NAND chip (Score:1)
Cyclades (Score:2)
The Cyclades-TS100, P/N TES0061 1-port console server.
It has a RJ45, and a RS232/RS485 serial port. It also comes with an AC adaptor, but can accept 5VDC if you want to battery-up th unit.
Great unit! We got our units through Mirapath, great company to work with!
Overkill (Score:2)
Re:Overkill (Score:2)
Linux however is way overkill.
Just a ping (Score:5, Interesting)
Will be interesting to see if someone can use a fast 8-bit chip to act as an ethernet chip too (bitbanging ethernet). Will have to be well over 10MHz and should be able to do ARP first. In that case, sub-$5 devices are possible with chips with fewer pins, with the BOM quite possibly under $2 (jacks, chip, board, phy in qty). But these will be far less reliable.
Re:Just a ping (Score:2)
XPort (Score:5, Informative)
These retail for around $30 in bulk, with a bit of digging you should be able to get one for less than $50 I'd think...
With a switch, battery, regulator and heatshrink around it, it will still be quite small enough to lose easily
hth,
Ben
Re:XPort - Buy It (Score:4, Informative)
Here is a link to an online store selling 4 types of the XPort starting at $50
Semi-Conductor Store [semiconductorstore.com]
Why get something with only one purpose? (Score:3, Informative)
If you don't like Fluke, there are plenty of other people in the game testing business, but I don't have any experience with their products.
Re:Why get something with only one purpose? (Score:1)
A couple button presses and it picks up a DHCP address (and shows you that address) and default gateway and starts pinging the gateway. While it's doing this you can ping it. It also does cable tests, calculates cable lengths, detects link, flashes hub/switch link lights, generates tone. etc.
Very simple and has paid for itself many times over.
The XPort (Score:4, Interesting)
XPort product page with lots of marketing spiel [lantronix.com]
You won't run Linux on it, because it's a 16-bit 8086 clone inside with 256kB RAM and 512kB flash, but if you want something to provide a quick-and-easy ethernet interface to a piece of development hardware, it's ideal. I suspect it may be a bit expensive, though (no prices available).
There are some other similar devices from the same manufacturer --- among them is the WiPort, which is much the same thing as the XPort but uses 802.11b...
Re:The XPort (Score:2, Interesting)
Another homebrew option... (Score:2)
Alternately you can get something off the shelf from netsilicon. Add a battery and you're good to go.
-Adam
Check out the Zilog stuff (Score:2)
The acclaim is a nice little chip. Maybe it would suit your purposes?
Rabbit (Score:2)
I seem to remember their dev kits beeing a whole helluva lot cheaper. And I also seem to recall every kit coming with a TCP/IP stack. The wonders of "mature" technologies & companies I guess.
Myren
Why not use common tools? (Score:2)
Or are they not trendy [pron. practical] enough?
Re:Why not use common tools? (Score:2)
Frankly, a professional should have professional tools. Spending $150 on a toner&probe might seem like a lot at first, but it might pay for itself if you often need to go cable hun
Although it's not tiny, how about a WLHDD-2.5? (Score:2)
http://usa.asus.com/products.aspx?l1=12&l2=44&l3=0 &model=460&modelmenu=1 [asus.com]
It's a pocket-harddrive sized file-server with WIFI and Ethernet. The server side is often handy.
It's probably not as small as you may be looking for, but it is pocket sized (a little larger than a 2.5" HDD) and runs embedded Linux and SMB, with file shares, which makes it quite a useful took to carry around.
It wouldn't take much to convert it to battery operation,
GrpA.
Try Lantronix (Score:3, Insightful)
http://www.lantronix.com/device-networking/embedd
I haven't seen an ethernet solution smaller than this. Plenty of 'play' IP implementations, using slip, but not ethernet.
Mike.
Cheap WAP or router (Score:2)
Just get a cheap wireless access point or router.
They're highly configurable and may come in handy for many other things.
Fry's Outpost [outpost.com] has some for $29, and once in a while even drops below $17! (for the Airlink AR315W)
If you want one that you can do an incredible amount of stuff with, get a Linksys WRT54G... there are many Linux distros people have made for it (runs Linux from the factory) that add tons of features. There's also instructions on adding a serial port for a console.
For cheap, use commodity products (Score:2)
DigiConnect ME (Score:1)
Laptop? (Score:2)
freescale. (Score:2)
For those who don't get what the big deal is, it's an ethernet MAC AND PHY attached to a 16bit Microcontroller WITH 8kb ram and 64kb flash. I.E. hook up power and an RJ45 connector.