Arduino Ethernet combines an Arduino board with an Ethernet port, allowing for high-speed networking and web hosting. While it has limitations for mobile applications, other interface options include USB, serial, WiFi, and XBee. Wireless interfaces are more expensive and power-consuming but offer greater flexibility.
An Arduino® Ethernet is any pairing of an Arduino® board with an Ethernet port. This coupling is usually accomplished by using a microcontroller with a built-in Ethernet port or by adding an Ethernet shield to another board. Arduino® is an open source microcontroller platform designed for hobbyists and professionals to use in the rapid creation of electronic devices. Arduino® Ethernet devices add high-speed networking capabilities to that platform.
Regular Arduino® devices have Universal Serial Bus (USB) or serial connections. The addition of a network connection allows these devices to transmit data at a much higher rate than is usually possible. Webduino is a software package that allows the microcontroller to run a web server using an Ethernet connection. This web server hosts a site on the microcontroller that can be used to upload data from the device, control it remotely, or both. Webduino with Ethernet is particularly useful for remotely accessible sensor arrays.
In addition to web hosting, there are many other uses for the high-speed connection that Arduino® Ethernet offers. Webcams, for example, are easily managed using an Ethernet-enabled device, but impossible using many slower connections. Other devices exploit bandwidth to broadcast or relax other transmissions; for example, an Ethernet Arduino® also equipped with a wireless receiver could monitor wireless activity in an area inaccessible to the computer or base station it was connected to. The device would differ from a simple repeater in that it could perform complex processing on the monitored signals, determining on a case-by-case basis what actions to take.
Along with these benefits, the Arduino® Ethernet has some significant limitations. To transmit at these speeds, the device must be connected to a network cable. The cable is relatively stiff, making the platform unsuitable for most mobile applications. Remote control robotic projects are nearly impossible. In the case of a mobile device, an Arduino® Ethernet is only desirable when the machine in question needs a high-speed connection when not in motion.
Other Arduino® interface options include serial and USB connections, as well as wireless protocols such as WiFi® and XBee®. USB and serial connections are most commonly used with devices that only need connections for occasional reprogramming. Devices that require a constant connection but also need to maintain mobility are usually equipped with wireless interfaces. These interfaces are also used in cases where a wired connection is impractical or impossible, such as an outdoor weather station that needs to report data to an internal computer or other device. Despite having fewer restrictions than Ethernet, inventors sometimes shy away from wireless interfaces due to their higher cost and power consumption.
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