Is there a way to connect a USB device (like a Wifi dongle) to the Arduino?

Projects Programming
1

There are many very cheap Wifi dongles selling for around $5 including shipping. I was wondering if anyone has tried to use these low cost USB Wifi adapters with the Arduino...

I am asking because I don't understand why all Wifi modules/shields for the Arduino are so expensive when you can get a fully functional Wifi adapter for a fraction of the price.

2

The dongles require a lot of support in the operating system. You would have to implement the TCP/IP stack on the Arduino. You would also need a USB Host Shield (or equivalent) to talk to the USB device. The WiFi Shield includes a much more capable WiFi device that implements the TCP/IP stack and a secondary processor that rides herd on the WiFi device.

3

So what is the cheapest way to add Wifi support to my project?

4

szangvil:
So what is the cheapest way to add Wifi support to my project?

Buy a used wireless access point and an ethernet shield.

5

Here is a simple example of using the WiFi shield with UNO to monitor a button state from your PC web browser:

http://openhomeautomation.net/monitor-your-home-remotely-using-the-arduino-wifi-shield/

6

I need a cheap solution for a product I am working on. It will be mass produced, so I need a cheap solution.

7

szangvil:
I need a cheap solution for a product I am working on. It will be mass produced, so I need a cheap solution.

Then buy a couple million of the WiFi modules; I'm sure they'll cut you a break at that volume.

8

The Chinese would probable throw in the engineering too. After all someone else has already done the work... and sent it to China.

Doc

9

The tiny USB/WiFi dongles contain something like the Realtek RTL8192CU chip:

http://www.realtek.com.tw/products/productsView.aspx?Langid=1&PFid=48&Level=5&Conn=4&ProdID=277

You can download the Linux driver sources but I don't think the 5.5 MB of sources is going to shoehorn into the Arduino at all well.

They have other single-chip WiFi solutions but they seem to all be USB 2.0 or PCI Express interfaces.

10

I looked and looked but could not find a cheap solution.

How the hell the chinese make those USB modules so cheap?!

11

szangvil:
How the hell the chinese make those USB modules so cheap?!

Single-chip USB-WiFi adapter. Design a board and make in large quantities.

Have you looked at the TI SimpleLink CC3000?

"Best of all, the CC3000 only costs $10 in quantities of 1000."