[solved] Wireless SD Shield on (non-UNO) arduino

Projects Networking, Protocols, and Devices
1

Hey guys.

I've got this shield:
arduino wireless sd shield

and I'm only using it for SD data-logging (not using it for wireless).
I'm wondering if someone can point-out all of the pins necessary to connect in order to get this SD part of the shield to play nice with a non-Uno arduino. (for my project I'm just using a bare-bones micro w/ arduino from sparkfun.

I thought it would be:
- 5V
- 3.3V
- GND
- 4 (for SDCS)
- 9 (for SPI)
- 10 (for SPI)
- 11 (for SPI)

but that doesn't seem to be enough.
I also tried w/ the above +
- 0 (RX)
- 1 (TX)
even though I didn't think those would be necessary.

no luck.
nothing is being written to the SD.

I know my sketch is functional,
because when I upload the same sketch to an UNO,
then plug in the shield, It all works fine.

So I must be missing some connection.

Any ideas?

the wireless sd schematic didn't seem very clear to me what connections make it back to the Uno.

2
  • 9 (for SPI)
  • 10 (for SPI)
  • 11 (for SPI)

The SPI pins are 10, 11, 12, and 13. 10 is used only to define the Arduino as master. Nothing is connected to it.

3

PaulS:
The SPI pins are 10, 11, 12, and 13. 10 is used only to define the Arduino as master. Nothing is connected to it.

Thanks. I got all excited when I read your comment, but unfortunately it was just a typo on my part in the original comment. (I had it hooked up as you mention).

And it looks like I'm at a loss for now, because I just hooked up every wire to the Wireless SD shield, and I still couldn't get it to write to the SD card. Yet plugging it atop an Uno and it works fine. Arg.

Debugging continues...

4

The SPI data lines are on the ICSP connector. That is the 2x3 socket on the bottom of the shield. You must connect MOSI, MISO and SCK there.

D4 is the SD slave select. Leave it on D4.

5

SurferTim:
The SPI data lines are on the ICSP connector. That is the 2x3 socket on the bottom of the shield. You must connect MOSI, MISO and SCK there.
http://www.arduino.cc/en/uploads/Main/arduino_WirelessShield_SD_v3-schematic.pdf
D4 is the SD slave select. Leave it on D4.

BINGO!
Thanks dude. Hooked up SPI through the ICSP connector instead of through the typical pins and it worked right away. So:

Minimum hookups required to operate the SD card portion of the Wireless SD Shield w/ Arduino:

  • 5V
  • 3.3V
  • GND
  • SDCS (pin 4)
  • TX (pin 1) (actually acting as RX for the SD card)
  • MOSI (on ICSP connector - not "^" pins)
  • MISO (on ICSP connector - not "^" pins)
  • SCK (on ICSP connector - not "^" pins)