I found a neat little WiFi module that I salvaged from an Epson printer. I don't really have the time to upload some photos, but just google WLU6117 and images should come right up (https://goo.gl/aJu6Zg).
It says "USB" on the label and it does indeed have 4 wires coming out, just like USB, but no inscriptions on the board. Should I just take the risk of considering the outer wires +5 and GND and the inner ones DATA and see which combination heats up and which not? Or does somebody have a better idea? (any other idea is better than mine XD);
btw, this isn't strictly about Arduino, I'm just wondering if someone used this in the past and even if it may work even with a PC.
Thanks to everyone in advance.
If it uses a common chipset that Windows recognises or can download, its quite likley it will work, provided that you dont instantly destroy it by connecting the supply volts the wrong way around.
if you still have the printer, can you figure out which pin is the gnd pin?
One pin is connected to the ground plane and shielding can. This is GND.
One track is a bit fatter than the last two ones and probably goes to a capacitor - this is positive 3.3 or 5V (Some internal USB-devices run on 3.3V, not 5V, just be aware of this.
Last two pins are USB data. Connect them up to a cable, plug in and see if your operating system detects the device. If you get "unknown device", swap the data pins. The voltage level on the data pins are identical, so you cannot damage anything by connecting these incorrectly.
Yes, but as I said, I can't really figure out the ground after almost half an hour staring at the PCB, so through the magic of your luck, maybe you could figure it out.
Domnulvlad:
Yes, but as I said, I can't really figure out the ground after almost half an hour staring at the PCB, so through the magic of your luck, maybe you could figure it out.
Yes, i can figure it out, and so can you.
You only have four pins. Read my first post again and it will all be clear.
Ok, I've got it almost all figured out. Just almost.
When I connect it to my PC I get the device connected sound but either way swapping the data cables gives me the Device not recognized (something descriptor failed). If I search the module's name online I find some interesting PDFs of something about it and a driver. I don't really know about the driver, but usually if something doesn't have a driver installed, Windows tries to substitute it with its own drivers, but from my general knowledge I am pretty sure that getting a device not recognized error isn't about the drivers. Any other ideas?
Domnulvlad:
Ok, I've got it almost all figured out. Just almost.
When I connect it to my PC I get the device connected sound but either way swapping the data cables gives me the Device not recognized (something descriptor failed). If I search the module's name online I find some interesting PDFs of something about it and a driver. I don't really know about the driver, but usually if something doesn't have a driver installed, Windows tries to substitute it with its own drivers, but from my general knowledge I am pretty sure that getting a device not recognized error isn't about the drivers. Any other ideas?
The module is not built for use with a standard PC. It might have internal firmware that is special to the printer.
Progress!
I have now just cut the wires from its connector and directly soldered the usb wires to it, as previously, I was soldering to the PCB. Now my PC detected it as a "remote wireless device", but couldn't install the driver. Even when I tried to install some drivers that I found for it (from the webpage in my previous reply), the driver is still not successufully installed. Maybe you have some other tip or even know a better driver?
Thanks.
Hey Domnulvlad,
Thanks for the help I have already obtained from this thread.
I have salvaged the same module and have arrived at this same spot as you. My computer can detect that the device is there, but cannot recognise it (it can’t find a driver for it).
Did you manage to get the right driver for your module to work?
Or did this issue prevent you from any further progress towards using the module for a pc (or anything other than the printer)?
Guys, a cheap USB-WiFi dongle on eBay is $1 - it's not worth getting this module to work since there is probably written no drivers for it. It's a dead end.
Thanks Zapro for the reply.
It’s not that I have a current need for a wifi adapter, but I had scrapped the printer for parts out of curiosity instead of it all ending up getting trashed.
I hoped I could make the most out of the parts and learn something (since I’m studying electronic engineering) while I was at it, but I’m afraid you’re right with the drivers being a dead end.
FYI, I just soldered a 3 ft piece of USB cable to Epson WLU6117-D69 (managed to get the D+ / D- right for the first try), and it works OK under Windows 7 x64! Connects at 72 Mbps to an "N+" router (Belkin N600). 2.4 GHz only, obviously.
The driver downloaded automatically from Windows Update is standard "Broadcom 802.11n Wireless USB Adapter" version 5.100.148.6
USB VID = 0A5C, PID = BD16.
