Local webserver (non-internet)

Projects Networking, Protocols, and Devices
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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.

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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.

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PaulS:
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?