next topic »

[on:]

I'm looking to use an Arduino as a local webserver (not internet connected).  Let me describe in a bit more detail...

The Arduino would be hooked up to a number of sensors.  It would put the sensor values in a web page, and I could see that web page just a few feet away on my iphone (not going through the internet, but rather using the Arduino as an ad-hoc(?) wireless network server). 

Would I need a WiFi shield?  Is that different than in internet shield?  It seems the Arduino FIO is wireless capable (wireless ready?).

I've programmed plenty of C and a reasonable bit of C++, and I've certainly poked at hardware a bit, but you might be able to tell from the above that I don't really know much at all about local wireless networking.  So please use small words and treat me like I'm a bit slow.

Thanks in advance for any help.

[Reply #1 on:]

Would I need a WiFi shield?Is that different than in internet shield?  It seems the Arduino FIO is wireless capable (wireless ready?).

A WiFi shield is just like a WiFi card in your PC or iPhone. It allows you to connect to an existing WiFi router.

It is different from an Ethernet shield. The Ethernet shield requires a wired connection to a router.

The wired/wireless network does not have to be connected to the internet. It can be strictly a local area network.

Somewhere in the picture, you need a WiFi router, for the iPhone to connect to, since the WiFi shield is not a WiFi router.

[Reply #2 on:]

A WiFi shield is just like a WiFi card in your PC or iPhone. It allows you to connect to an existing WiFi router.

It is different from an Ethernet shield. The Ethernet shield requires a wired connection to a router.

Thanks.  That's what I suspected from what little I had looked into it.

The wired/wireless network does not have to be connected to the internet. It can be strictly a local area network.

Excellent.  

Somewhere in the picture, you need a WiFi router, for the iPhone to connect to, since the WiFi shield is not a WiFi router.

Less than excellent.  I was hoping I could set the Arduino/Wifi shield as an ad-hoc network node.  Is that possible?  Does it even make sense?