On Sep 4, 2008, at 4:12 PM, Vitaliy wrote:

> I'm seeking recommendations on 802.11 to RS232 adapters. Basically,  
> we need
> to be able to connect to a serial device wirelessly, from a device  
> equipped
> with WiFi (e.g., an iPhone, a WiFi equipped laptop, etc).

The Lantronix "wiport" modules seem to be generally well respected; I  
haven't used them myself.  There are modules that are pin-compatible  
with wired adapters, which is sort of nice.  Prices seem to range  
from about $55 for a bare module (no antenna, logic-level outputs) to  
about $250 for a two-port packaged solution ("WiBox")

> What would be really cool (but not required), is to be able to  
> connect to
> the serial device over the internet: serial device --- wifi router ---
> internet --- PC.

I don't quite understand.  Once you have wifi, and and IP stack, this  
sort of thing tends to come "for free", and is more dependent on your  
network infrastructure than on the Wifi/rs232 adapter (in fact, you  
may have more problems finding a module that allows the sort of  
device->device "ad hoc" wifi direct from phones/etc than a module  
that works with a standard wireless network (to wireless AP.)

As for TCP/IP to serial in general, it's a pretty mature technology,  
with enough history and standardization that there are "standard"  
'com port redirectors' that should work with nearly any device (using  
"telnet" as protocol.)  Things get less compatible if you need secure  
(ssh) access, and/or serious programatic manipulation of rs232  
signals.  I would expect major problems trying to operate a JDM-style  
PIC programmer over SSH...

BillW

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