cRio and router/access point

[MuhAli]

Hi,

I am developing a system which task is to send measurement data over wifi.Data from sensors are acquired by cRio with appropriate labview application (TCP server).My idea is to connent cRio to wifi router or access point and get the data on other computers with labiew TCP Client application. So my question is do I need router or access point? Will all kinds of them will work with cRio? Is TCP suitable protocle for my project?

[Christian_L]

You will need a device that can act as an access point. That may be a dedicated access point (probably your best solution) or a wireless router which also has the functionality of an access point, but not all routers have that functionality.

I recently setup a similar application using cRIO and a Netgear wireless print server (WGPS606), which also acts as an access point. In general any wireless access point that is compatioble with your wireless network should work.

[Stefo]

Hi guys!

I'm convinced that both of them should work - even router, even access point.

The main difference for you though would be that with access point your RIO would stay on the same subnet (and thus it would be visible in MAX), while router acts like "bridge" between different networks, and thus with router you wouldn't automatically discover RIO in MAX.

However, from programming perspective, it should be pretty equivalent in my oppinion, as in LabVIEW you are using TCP/IP functions (means you stay in Transport layer), and all the trafic (packets) are directioned by lower layers, but in both cases they should reach destination from source, if they are properly configured.

Regards,

Stefo

[Christian_L]

As I stated earlier, be aware that not all routers can connect to an existing wireless network. Many of the cheaper wireless routers allow you to plug into a wired network and then create a wireless network as a new subnet connected to the wired network. I have one of those sitting on my desk which I would have liked to use for my cRIO project, but couldn't, because it would not connect to another wireless network.

[Stefo]

That's correct what you stated. Some routers can just host the networ, can not act as client.