Posted on by Sponsored Post - 2 Comments on Wallys WiFi 5 (802.11ac) mini PCIe cards deliver higher Tx power and performance (Sponsored)

Wallys WiFi 5 (802.11ac) mini PCIe cards deliver higher Tx power and performance (Sponsored)

Wallys is offering two mini PCIe cards to add WiFI 5 (802.11ac) to existing gateways, computers, or boards. Both 802.11ac modules are powered by Qualcomm Atheros QCA9880 chipset, with DR600VX mPCIe module delivering up to up to 867Mbps thanks to 2×2 MIMO, and DR900VX mPCIe module up to 1.3 Gbps using 3×3 MIMO technology. Both modules share most of the same key features & specifications: Chipset – Qualcomm Atheros QCA9880 wireless local area network (WLAN) system-on-chip (SoC) for 5 GHz 802.11ac or 2.4/5 GHz 802.11n WLAN WiFi 2.4GHz max 26dBm & 5GHz max 25dBm output power IEEE 802.11ac compliant & backward compatible with 802.11a/b/g/n IEEE 802.11d, e, h, i, k, r, v time stamp, and w standards DR600VX – 2×2 MIMO technology up to 867 Mbps DR900VX – 3×3 MIMO technology up to 1.3 Gbps Supports Spatial Multiplexing, Cyclic-Delay Diversity (CDD), Low-Density Parity Check (LDPC) Codes, Maximal Ratio Support for Maximal Ratio Combining (MRC), Space-Time Block Code (STBC), and Dynamic […]

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Posted on by Jean-Luc Aufranc (CNXSoft) - 3 Comments on RAK2287 Mini PCIe LoRaWAN Concentrator Module Supports up to 500 Nodes per km2

RAK2287 Mini PCIe LoRaWAN Concentrator Module Supports up to 500 Nodes per km2

RAK Wireless launched its first Mini PCIe LoRaWAN concentrator module in 2018 with RAK833 mPCIe card featuring Semtech SX1301 LoRa baseband chip. It was soon followed by RAK2247 mPCIe with a very similar design but some tweaks to increase its maximum transmission power and range, and improve thermals and stability with the addition of a heatsink. The company has now introduced a new version with RAK2287 Mini PCie LoRaWAN concentrator module being mostly inspired by RAK2247 module but replacing Semtech SX1301 by Semtech SX1302 LoRa transceiver that’s suppose to reduce current consumption (and heat), lower the BoM cost, and able to handle a higher amount of traffic. The new mini PCIe card also adds u-blox ZOE-M8Q GPS system-in-package to provide GNSS functionality. RAK2287 key features and specifications: LoRa Connectivity Semtech SX1302 LoRa Transceiver with 2x SX1250 Tx/Rx front-end Tx power – up to 27dBm Rx sensitivity – down to -139dBm @ SF12, BW 125 kHz LoRaWAN® 1.0.2 compatible. LoRa band coverage […]

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Posted on by Jean-Luc Aufranc (CNXSoft) - No Comments on M.2 and Half-size mPCIe Cards Support Real-Time Ethernet and FieldBus Networks

M.2 and Half-size mPCIe Cards Support Real-Time Ethernet and FieldBus Networks

Hilscher cifX M.2 and half-size mini PCIe cards powered by the company’s NETX 90 network-on-chip multi-protocol Cortex-M4 SoC bring real-time Ethernet and FieldBus to compatible systems. The tiny cards are designed for PC-based devices such as IPC’s, HMI’s and robots, and support various firmware for PROFINET IO-Device, EtherNet/IP Adapter, EtherCAT Slave, or OpenModbus/TCP. The company claims its cifX M.2 (A+E key) and half-size mini PCIe cards are the smallest multiprotocol PC cards on the automation market with a size of 22×30 mm and 30×26.8 mm respectively. The cards also support extended temperature from -20°C to 70°C and offer one hardware platform for all real-time Ethernet slave protocols. Besides PROFINET IO-Device, EtherNet/IP Adapter, EtherCAT Slave, and OpenModbus/TCP, Hilscher will provide support for CC-Link IE Field Basic and Ethernet POWERLINK Slave in new firmware available in Q4 2020, and OPC UA and MQTT functionalities are planned for future releases. The cards are supported in PC-based devices running Windows, Linux, INtime, RTX, and […]

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Posted on by Jean-Luc Aufranc (CNXSoft) - 26 Comments on Raspberry Pi Compute Module 4 Coming Next Year with PCIe/NVMe Support

Raspberry Pi Compute Module 4 Coming Next Year with PCIe/NVMe Support

The Raspberry Pi 4 features a Broadcom BCM2711 processor with Cortex-A72/A53 cores that makes it competitive against other SBC’s based on Rockchip RK3399 or Amlogic S922X/A311D processors. The new processor also happens to have a PCIe interface, but it’s not exposed on the board since the interface is used by VIA VL805 PCIe USB 3.0 controller for the four USB 3.0 ports on the little computer. At the time, we expected the PCIe interface to be exposed in future Raspberry Pi boards or a Raspberry Pi Compute Module 4. But some people did not feel like waiting and instead hack the Raspberry Pi 4 SBC to access the PCIe interface. That hack is clearly not for everyone though… But based on a recent interview of Eben Upton with Tom’s Hardware we got pretty much confirmation that the Raspberry Pi Compute Module 4 will be coming next year, and expose PCIe signals through the edge connector. The Raspberry Pi Compute Module, […]

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Posted on by Jean-Luc Aufranc (CNXSoft) - 4 Comments on ESP32 Board Features mini PCIe & SIM Card Sockets for 4G LTE Connectivity

ESP32 Board Features mini PCIe & SIM Card Sockets for 4G LTE Connectivity

LilyGO has launched yet another ESP32 WiFi & Bluetooth IoT board. As its name implies, TTGO-T-PCIe board includes a mini PCIe socket that coupled with a SIM card socket allowing users to insert a 4G LTE mPCIe card to add cellular connectivity. The company also offers optional SIM7000 2G or SIM7600 4G LTE modems that come with LTE and GPS antennas. You should probably be able to add other cellular mini PCiE, as well as other wireless mPCIe modems for LoRa, Satellite communication, etc… (Finally most probably not) TTGO-T-PCIe board specifications: Wireless module – ESP32-WROVER-B with ESP32 dual-core wireless SoC with 520KB SRAM, WiFi and Bluetooth with on-board antenna, as well as 4MB flash, and 8MB PSRAM Connectivity 802.11 b/g/n WiFi 4 up to 150 Mbps (ESP32) Bluetooth 5.1 LE (ESP32) Optional wireless cards via mPCIe socket (I2C and UART), SIM card slot for 2G and 4G LTE cellular networking USB – 1x USB-C port, 1x 4-pin USB header Expansion […]

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Posted on by Jean-Luc Aufranc (CNXSoft) - No Comments on n-Fuse SX1302 Mini PCIe LoRaWAN Concentrator Card to Sell for 100 Euros

n-Fuse SX1302 Mini PCIe LoRaWAN Concentrator Card to Sell for 100 Euros

Semtech SX1302 LoRa transceiver was announced in Q3 2019 as an updated to the company’s SX1301 LoRaWAN gateway chip with improved efficiency, lower BoM costs, and the ability to handle more traffic. At the time, the company also showcased a mini PCIe LoRaWAN concentrator card reference design pairing SX1302 with SX1250 sub-GHz RF front end, and that could be connected to a Raspberry Pi board via an interface board. n-Fuse has now come up with a commercial product adapted from the reference design with LRWCC2-MPCIE SX1302 Mini PCIe concentrator card designed for LoRaWAN gateways. n-Fuse LRWCC2-MPCIE key features and specifications: MCU – STMicro STM32 (no details provided) LoRa Connectivity Semtech SX1302 digital baseband processor with 2xSX1250 and 1xSX1261 Tx/Rx front-ends Frequency Range – 863 to 870 MHz or 915 to 928 MHz Sensitivity <= -124dBm at SF7, BW 125KHz <= -138dBm at SF12, BW 125kHz <= -125dBm at SF7, BW 125KHz <= -139dBm at SF12, BW 125kHz Max RF Output […]

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Posted on by Jean-Luc Aufranc (CNXSoft) - 2 Comments on Gateworks GW16122 IoT mPCIe Card Comes with Long Range Sub-GHz and 2.4GHz Radios

Gateworks GW16122 IoT mPCIe Card Comes with Long Range Sub-GHz and 2.4GHz Radios

Gateworks GW16122 is a mini PCIe card that adds sub-GHz and 2.4GHz radio to the company line of Ventana and Newport Linux SBC’s, and is meant for industrial IoT (IIoT) applications as an alternative to LoRa and Sigfox. The second generation of the card is based on Texas instruments CC1352P dual-band wireless SoC that supports Wireless M-Bus, IEEE 802.15.4g, 6LoWPAN, KNX RF, and Wi-SUN at sub-GHz frequencies (EU: 868MHz, US: 915MHz), and Bluetooth 5 Low Energy, Thread, and Zigbee at 2.4 GHz. Gateworks GW16122 key features and specifications: MCU – Texas Instruments  CC1352P Arm Cortex-M4F MCU @ 48 MHz with 352KB flash, 80KB SRAM, dual-band wireless radio transmitter/receiver Radios Sub-1 GHz Radio 868MHz EU, 915 MHz US (default) Low Power, sensor nodes can run on a coin-cell battery -121dBm Receive Sensitivity for long-range communication 20dBm Output Power Texas Instruments TI-RTOS and TI-15.4 Stack M-Bus, IEEE802.15.4g, Contiki 6LoWPAN, Wi-SUN, KNX RF standards Data rate – 1Kbps to 250Kbps typ. 2.4 GHz […]

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Posted on by Jean-Luc Aufranc (CNXSoft) - 9 Comments on $4 Orange Pi 4/4B PCIe Expansion Board Includes an mPCIe socket, and a SIM card Slot

$4 Orange Pi 4/4B PCIe Expansion Board Includes an mPCIe socket, and a SIM card Slot

Rockchip RK3399 based Orange Pi 4 & 4B boards launched last year with a PCIe connector. But the PCIe interface is available via a 24-pin FPC connector, not quite a standard like a PCIe slot or mPCIe socket, and hard to use for most projects as you’d need to make your own PCIe adapter board. But it’s now become much easier to use the PCIe interface as Shenzhen Xunlong Software has now launched a $3.90 expansion board connecting to the 24-pin FPC connector, and allowing users to connect mPCIe cards, especially the ones for 3G/4G connectivity as a SIM card slot is also included.PCIe expansion board specifications: 24-pin FPC PCIe connector to Orange Pi 4/4B with PCIe, USB, power “key”, and GPIO1_A0 (See schematics below) mPCIe card socket SIM card socket Misc – Reset key Dimensions – 58 x 32 mm The company confirmed the PCIe interface should work in both Android and Linux. It might be good if they […]

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