ZILOG releases new MINI-Z WiFi module

MILPITAS, USA & BIEL, SWITZERLAND: Zilog, a wholly-owned subsidiary of IXYS Corp. and a trusted supplier of application-specific, embedded microcontroller (MCU) system-on-chip (SoC) solutions for industrial, power management and consumer applications, introduced its new Z16WiFiMiniZ28 module.

This new WiFi module is a stand-alone 802.11 b/g TCP/IP wireless networking module that ships in a 28-pin Dual Inline Pin package. The Z16WiFiMiniZ28 integrates Zilog’s powerful ZNEO® microcontroller and a Roving Networks 2.4GHz RN-171 802.11 b/g WiFi LAN Module.

The Mini-Z Wi-Fi Module is a “stamp” module designed for the hobbyist, student and engineer to quickly develop prototypes, proofs of concept and/or demonstrations, as well as to provide the functionality required for hands-on learning. The Mini-Z Wi-Fi Module, which features the 16-bit ZNEO CPU-based Z16F2810 MCU, is designed to be pin-compatible with the Parallax BS2 Series of stamp modules and with Basic Micro’s Basic ATOM Pro 28-M module. This compatibility in the Module’s design allows users to utilize differing vendors’ base boards which they may already possess in their development arsenal.

The Module is preprogrammed with a boot loader and a control shell to allow control of the Module from a terminal program. The Module is fully compatible with the ZDS II for ZNEO tools suite from Zilog. Users can write programs in C and Assembly, then compile and upload the resulting hex file through the serial port to the Module. Users can also attach Zilog’s USB Smart Cable (not included) and have full control over the ZNEO chip, including interactive debugging sessions.

The Mini-Z WiFi Stamp Module has a rich feature set with a broad range of networking support, including Secure WiFi authentication via the WEP-128, WPA-PSK (TKIP) and WPA2-PSK (AES) standards. It also features built-in networking via the DHCP, UDP, DNS, ARP, ICMP and TCP protocols and an HTML client. Also included are 802.11 power save and roaming functions including intelligent, built-in power management with programmable wakeup and software-controlled transmit power (0dBm to 12dBm) for ultra-low-power applications.

“The Mini-Z WiFi Module provides a complete modular package for bringing fast time-to-market solutions. It is designed to work together with other stamp modules and carrier boards, providing a flexible design so it can be used independently in creative application designs,” said Steve Darrough, Zilog’s VP of Marketing.