What is the best way to get wireless comuication one-way serial, PC->??->Arduino

Projects Networking, Protocols, and Devices
1

I'm working on a school project where I'm trying to wirelessly control a car/tank.

That is currently being powered/controlled via an Arduino, and that gets input from a PC via USB, serial communication "Serial.begin(9600);". Which in turn the Arduino receives and makes the wheels of the car/tank turn in certain ways, for example:

if (Serial.available()) {

 val = Serial.read();// then read the serial value

      // If statment to read if serial input is W do Forward
 if (val == 'w') {
            digitalWrite(motorPin1, HIGH);
    digitalWrite(motorPin2, LOW);
    digitalWrite(motorPin3, HIGH);
                    digitalWrite(motorPin4, LOW);
                }
}

Well this is all the code

//L293D Controler for motors
//Motor A
const int motorPin1  = 5;  // Pin 14 of L293
const int motorPin2  = 6;  // Pin 10 of L293
//Motor B
const int motorPin3  = 10; // Pin  7 of L293
const int motorPin4  = 9;  // Pin  2 of L293
int val;

//This will run only one time.
void setup(){
 Serial.begin(9600); // Serial comm begin at 9600bps
    //Set pins as outputs
    pinMode(motorPin1, OUTPUT);
    pinMode(motorPin2, OUTPUT);
    pinMode(motorPin3, OUTPUT);
    pinMode(motorPin4, OUTPUT);
    
    //Motor Control - Motor A: motorPin1,motorpin2 & Motor B: motorpin3,motorpin4
}


void loop(){
 if (Serial.available()) {

 val = Serial.read();// then read the serial value

      // Forward
 if (val == 'w') {
 digitalWrite(motorPin1, HIGH);
 digitalWrite(motorPin2, LOW);
 digitalWrite(motorPin3, HIGH);
      digitalWrite(motorPin4, LOW);
 } //höger, right
 else if (val == 'd') {
 digitalWrite(motorPin1, HIGH);
      digitalWrite(motorPin2, LOW);
      digitalWrite(motorPin3, LOW);
      digitalWrite(motorPin4, HIGH);
   } //back, backward
    else if (val == 's') {
    digitalWrite(motorPin1, LOW);
      digitalWrite(motorPin2, HIGH);
      digitalWrite(motorPin3, LOW);
      digitalWrite(motorPin4, HIGH);
 } //vänster,left
    else if (val == 'a') {
  digitalWrite(motorPin1, LOW);
      digitalWrite(motorPin2, HIGH);
      digitalWrite(motorPin3, HIGH);
      digitalWrite(motorPin4, LOW);
 }

 }
 //reset becasue serial is not available, stops the car/tank
 else{
    digitalWrite(motorPin1, LOW);
    digitalWrite(motorPin2, LOW);
    digitalWrite(motorPin3, LOW);
    digitalWrite(motorPin4, LOW);
 }
}

So, in summary, I'm trying to receive serial to the Arduino wirelessly from a PC by pressing down a key on my Keyboard, I have it working using USB directly into the Arduino, but it's no fun having a kind of RC car stuck to a USB Kable so getting the serial input from the PC->somthing->Arduino, that is what I'm having trouble finding an easy way to do, and get my car/tank wireless.

Anyone have any idées what I should do? My school has an HC-05 FC-114 Bluetooth module, but I'm open to everything? Bluetooth, Wireless transceivers, wifi, anything?

PC-> Wireless thing -> Arduino.

2

I have found a solution. So this is no longer active, or something like that

3

lolmanQ:
I have found a solution. So this is no longer active, or something like that

Please share your solution for the benefit of other readers.

...R

4

I'm working on it should be done in 1-2 hours, the solution.

5

The solution I have come to is using an HC-04 Bluetooth module,

For this solution, you will need

1 breadboard
1 Arduino (in my project I used The Arduino UNO R3)
1 Bluetooth HC-04 module (I think any of the HC-04, HC-05 will work, But I can confirm)
1 9V battery to power the Arduino
4 wires (or more)
1 android device with Bluetooth (preferably newer and not super old)

Steps:
1.
Put the Bluetooth module on the breadboard and connect The RX pin on the BM(Bluetooth Module) to the TX pin(normally pin 1) on the Arduino, and the TX pin on the BM with the RX pin(normally pin 0) on the Arduino. Now connect the Vcc pin on the BM with 5v on the Arduino, and lastly GND with GND.

connect the Arduino to your computer, and now it's time for the code

int val; // this is the variable that has the info from serial

void setup(){
     Serial.begin(9600); // Serial comm begin at 9600bps
    
     //Set pins as outputs
     pinMode(13, OUTPUT);
}

void loop(){
	if (Serial.available()) {

		val = Serial.read();// then read the serial value

                //here it checks what you have sent in this case 1
		if (val == '1')	{
			digitalWrite(13, HIGH);
		} 

                 //here it checks if there erlier if was not true and checks 2 
		else if (val == '2')	{
	                digitalWrite(13, LOW);
  	         }
         // all of this checks what input you sent in and if you send in 1 turn on the inbuilt light and if your
         //input is 2 the in-built light turns off
}
}

That was all the code that went into the Arduino, now if you upload it you might get an error. You just have to unplug the RX and TX cables from the Arduino and try uploading it again and then plug the RX and TX cable in.

now download an Arduino Bluetooth controller from the play store, I used Arduino BlueControl (link to the app) but any app with these features should work

unplug the Arduino from the computer and plug the 9V battery in and connect your android device with the Bluetooth module, using your android devices settings. you might not see a name when you trying to connect to the Bluetooth module, but just try until you connect so something that seems to be the Arduino, the Bluetooth module I have is named the mac address and then null followed by "try 0000 or 1234 as the code". The code to connect was 1234 on the Bluetooth module I have.

Now that you have your device connected via Bluetooth, open up the app of your choice you might also have to connect to your Bluetooth module in the app of your choice. Now try finding the setting in the app you're using to set what serial stuff you sending, by maybe pressing a button in the app. Set one of the buttons or another activation method, to send out a 1 when you do something in the app, and another button or else to send out a 2.

Now press away and have fun

Some notes to read
The reason for using an android device, is because a phone has built in Bluetooth and it seems easier.

Lastly if you have any questions please ask and i will try to answer as quick as i see it

6

A 9v battery is not a good choice for powering Arduino. It is good practice to include a 1k/2k divider in the Uno Tx line. Bluetooth is a 3.3v device. illustration in the link.
http://homepages.ihug.com.au/~npyner/Arduino/GUIDE_2BT.pdf