MODIFIED from mbed official WiflyInterface (interface for Roving Networks Wifly modules). Numerous performance and reliability improvements (see the detailed documentation). Also, tracking changes in mbed official version to retain functional parity.

Dependents:   Smart-WiFly-WebServer PUB_WiflyInterface_Demo

Fork of WiflyInterface by mbed official

Resources

Derivative from mbed Official

  • Documentation update, improved consistency, documented parameters that were inadvertently omitted.
  • Avoid c++ string handling, which causes dynamic allocation and free, side effect, fewer CPU cycles spent for same purpose.
  • Fixed socket APIs to support non-blocking mode.
  • Increase communication baud-rate to Wifly module
  • sendCommand - added retries for improved robustness.
  • setConnectionState - method to force the connection state (used by TCPSocketServer)
  • gethostbyname - added a length parameter to the size of the buffer being written
  • flushIn - a private method to flush the input buffer
  • Changed the timeout from 500 to 2500 msec for commands - measured some at 700 to 850 msec.
  • Performance improvements - reduced some unnecessary delays.
  • Added additional security options for the wi-fi connection (that are supported by the WiFly module).
  • Added setSecurity API which permits revising the security when connecting to, or selecting from, one of several access points.
  • Improved DEBUG interface (slightly more consistent printout).
  • gathers information from the Wifly module on reboot (SW version info), which permits customizing behavior based on Wifly capabilities (like the improved security).
  • Avoid potential for recursive crash (if exit fails, it calls sendcommand, which calls exit...)
  • Update to support permissible SSID and PassCode lengths.

Robustness testing

I've had some mixed behavior with the Wifly module, some of which seems to be traceable to the module itself, and some in my derivative code. The result, after running for minutes, hours, sometimes days, it hangs and I have to reset the module.

To test, I created a fairly simple test program -

  • check for Watchdog induced reset and count it.
  • initialize the Watchdog for 60 sec timeout.
  • Init the Wifly interface and connect to my network.
  • Wait 10 seconds and force mbed_reset().

If the Watchdog induces the restart, then it is pretty clear that either:

  • The communications hung with the Wifly module causing the failure.
  • The Wifly module decided to go unresponsive.

If it gets to the end, it typically takes about 4 to 6 seconds for the boot and connect, then the 10 second delay.

But I can't really pin down the root cause easily. My strongest theory is that the Wifly module has rebooted, and since I don't store the high baud rate I configure it for, it resets back to 9600.

Also, one of the objectives for my revised send( ) is to avoid the c++ string, as that can fragment memory, and it wasn't very well bounded in behavior.

Latest tests:

Warm BootsWatchdog EventsNotes
100's30An early version of my derivative WiflyInterface, including my derivative of "send( )" API. Let's call this version 0.1.
26684My derivative WiflyInterface, but with the mbed official "send( )" API. Much improved. This was over the course of about 12 hours.
24003Most recent derivative - incremental change to "send( )", but this relative number does not rule out the Wifly module itself.

I think with these numbers, +/- 1 means that the changes have had no measurable effect. Which is good, since this incremental change eliminates the c++ string handling.

Test Software

This is pieces of a test program, clipped and copied to here. What I have compiled and run for hours and hours is almost exactly what you see. This uses this simple Watchdog library.

#include "mbed.h"
#include "WiflyInterface.h"
#include "Watchdog.h"

Serial pc(USBTX, USBRX);

Watchdog wd;
extern "C" void mbed_reset();

// Pinout for SmartBoard
WiflyInterface wifly(p9, p10, p30, p29, "ssid", "pass", WPA);

int main() {
    pc.baud(460800);                         // I like a snappy terminal
    
    wd.Configure(60.0);                     // Set time limit for the test to 1 minute
    LPC_RTC->GPREG0++;                      // Count boots here
    if (wd.WatchdogCausedReset()) {
        LPC_RTC->GPREG1++;                  // Count Watchdog events here
        pc.printf("\r\n\r\nWatchdog event.\r\n");
    }
    pc.printf("\r\nWifly Test: %d boots, %d watchdogs. %s %s\r\n", LPC_RTC->GPREG0, LPC_RTC->GPREG1, __DATE__, __TIME__);
    
    wifly.init(); // use DHCP
    pc.printf("Connect...  ");
    while (!wifly.connect());               // join the network
    pc.printf("Address is %s.  ", wifly.getIPAddress());
    pc.printf("Disconnect...  ");
    wifly.disconnect();
    pc.printf("OK. Reset in 10 sec...\r\n");
    wait(10);
    if (pc.readable()) {
        if (pc.getc() == 'r') {             // secret 'r'eset of the counters
            LPC_RTC->GPREG0 = 0;
            LPC_RTC->GPREG1 = 0;
            pc.printf("counters reset\r\n");
        }
    }
    mbed_reset();                           // reset here indicates successful communication
}

Files at this revision

API Documentation at this revision

Comitter:
WiredHome
Date:
Thu Oct 10 20:37:47 2013 +0000
Parent:
44:dc8ef27bd311
Child:
46:4722f7d72aab
Commit message:
Diagnostic improvements

Changed in this revision

Wifly/Wifly.cpp Show annotated file Show diff for this revision Revisions of this file
Wifly/Wifly.h Show annotated file Show diff for this revision Revisions of this file
WiflyInterface.cpp Show annotated file Show diff for this revision Revisions of this file
WiflyInterface.h Show annotated file Show diff for this revision Revisions of this file
--- a/Wifly/Wifly.cpp	Thu Oct 10 19:01:28 2013 +0000
+++ b/Wifly/Wifly.cpp	Thu Oct 10 20:37:47 2013 +0000
@@ -58,7 +58,6 @@
     wiflyVersionString = NULL;
 }
 
-
 Wifly::~Wifly()
 {
     if (ssid) {
@@ -75,6 +74,12 @@
     }
 }
 
+void Wifly::SetSecurity(const char * ssid, const char * phrase, Security sec)
+{
+    state.sec = sec;
+    FixPhrase(&this->ssid, ssid);
+    FixPhrase(&this->phrase, phrase);
+}
 
 bool Wifly::join()
 {
@@ -448,17 +453,17 @@
         return true;    // already closed
     if (!sendCommand("close\r", "*CLOS*"))
         return false;   // failed to close
-    #if 1
+#if 1
     // It appears that the close exits cmd mode
     // so we won't both trying to close which
     // could cause it to open command mode to
     // send the close (which add more 0.25s
     // delays).
     setCmdMode(false);
-    #else
+#else
     flushIn();
     exit();
-    #endif
+#endif
     state.tcp = false;
     return true;        // succeeded to close
 }
@@ -570,6 +575,7 @@
                     res = NULL;
                 }
                 INFO("timeout awaiting response to %s", str);
+                wait_ms(100);
                 break;
             } else {
                 if (wifi.readable()) {
@@ -583,6 +589,7 @@
         }
         DBG("user str: {%s}", res);
     }
+
     flushIn();
     attach_rx(true);
     return result;
@@ -748,4 +755,5 @@
 void Wifly::setCmdMode(bool newState)
 {
     state.cmd_mode = newState;
-}
\ No newline at end of file
+}
+
--- a/Wifly/Wifly.h	Thu Oct 10 19:01:28 2013 +0000
+++ b/Wifly/Wifly.h	Thu Oct 10 20:37:47 2013 +0000
@@ -75,6 +75,17 @@
     */
     ~Wifly();
     
+    /** Optional means to set/reset the security
+    *
+    * If join() has not been called, then you can revise the security parameters
+    * from those in the constructor.
+    *
+    * @param ssid ssid of the network
+    * @param phrase WEP or WPA key
+    * @param sec Security type (NONE, WEP_128, WPA1, WPA | WPA_MIXED, WPA2_PSK, WEP_64 )
+    */
+    void SetSecurity(const char * ssid, const char * phrase, Security sec);
+
     /**
     * Connect the wifi module to the ssid contained in the constructor.
     *
--- a/WiflyInterface.cpp	Thu Oct 10 19:01:28 2013 +0000
+++ b/WiflyInterface.cpp	Thu Oct 10 20:37:47 2013 +0000
@@ -27,6 +27,11 @@
     return 0;
 }
 
+void WiflyInterface::setSecurity(const char * ssid, const char * phrase, Security sec)
+{
+    Wifly::SetSecurity(ssid, phrase, sec);
+}
+
 int WiflyInterface::connect()
 {
     return join();
@@ -37,6 +42,9 @@
     return Wifly::disconnect();
 }
 
+// typical response might be
+// 192.168.43.107\r
+// <4.00>
 char * WiflyInterface::getIPAddress()
 {
     char * match = 0;
@@ -59,4 +67,4 @@
         ip_set = true;
     }
     return ip_string;
-}
\ No newline at end of file
+}
--- a/WiflyInterface.h	Thu Oct 10 19:01:28 2013 +0000
+++ b/WiflyInterface.h	Thu Oct 10 20:37:47 2013 +0000
@@ -45,15 +45,18 @@
     *
     * @endverbatim
     *
+    * @note The optional ssid, phrase, and sec parameters may be deferred, or
+    *       overridden prior to the connect().
+    *
     * \param tx mbed pin to use for tx line of Serial interface
     * \param rx mbed pin to use for rx line of Serial interface
     * \param reset reset pin of the wifi module ()
     * \param tcp_status connection status pin of the wifi module (GPIO 6)
-    * \param ssid ssid of the network
-    * \param phrase WEP or WPA key
-    * \param sec Security type (NONE, WEP_128 or WPA)
+    * \param ssid optional parameter which is the ssid of the network
+    * \param phrase optional parameter which is the WEP or WPA key/phrase
+    * \param sec optional security type (NONE[default], WEP_128 or WPA)
     */
-    WiflyInterface(PinName tx, PinName rx, PinName reset, PinName tcp_status, const char * ssid, const char * phrase, Security sec = NONE);
+    WiflyInterface(PinName tx, PinName rx, PinName reset, PinName tcp_status, const char * ssid = NULL, const char * phrase = NULL, Security sec = NONE);
 
     /** Initialize the interface with DHCP.
     * Initialize the interface and configure it to use DHCP (no connection at this point).
@@ -62,7 +65,10 @@
     int init(); //With DHCP
 
     /** Initialize the interface with a static IP address.
-    * Initialize the interface and configure it with the following static configuration (no connection at this point).
+    *
+    * Initialize the interface and configure it with the following static
+    * configuration (no connection at this point).
+    *
     * \param ip the IP address to use
     * \param mask the IP address mask
     * \param gateway the gateway to use
@@ -70,6 +76,19 @@
     */
     int init(const char* ip, const char* mask, const char* gateway);
 
+    /** Set security parameters for the interface.
+    *
+    * Prior to connect, this interface permits changing the security parameters. This
+    * can be most useful when the Wifly module may be used where there are multiple access
+    * points to be connected to. With this, the interface can be brought online far
+    * enough to scan for available access points.
+    *
+    * \param ssid optional parameter which is the ssid of the network
+    * \param phrase optional parameter which is the WEP or WPA key/phrase
+    * \param sec optional security type (NONE[default], WEP_128 or WPA)
+    */
+    void setSecurity(const char * ssid = NULL, const char * phrase = NULL, Security sec = NONE);
+
     /** Connect
     * Bring the interface up, start DHCP if needed.
     * \return 0 on success, a negative number on failure