USB to wireless USB, is it possible? - Page 1
Forum section: electronics / beginners

author: sairfan1
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: May 15, 2018, 05:59:05 pm
content: Hi,I'm setting up CNC machine that can work with USB cable. I want to place CNC machine away from my lab because of noise and dust. What i want to do is that if I connect some wireless module to PC (may be usb to serial) and its receiver to CNC's USB port (may be serial to usb) so that my PC can communicate with CNC wirlessly.Can somebody help on it, if there are already some modules or one i can prepare.Thanks.

author: metrologist
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: May 15, 2018, 06:05:05 pm
content: I try search for you. What is this thing?https://www.mouser.com/ProductDetail/Digi-International/XA-A14-CE1P?qs=mS8Fuotq4gFoUEznU5Pyyw%3D%3D&gclid=EAIaIQobChMIxsCnqKaI2wIVFdNkCh1PQA-QEAQYASABEgLpBvD_BwE

author: sairfan1
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: May 15, 2018, 07:03:11 pm
content: that looks too expensive.its based on zigbee, can we deveop our own?

author: JohnnyMalaria
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: May 15, 2018, 07:14:14 pm
content: Should anyone recommendAnywhere USB, here's my Amazon review. This product ain't cheap and mine is languishing somewhere.Once it is configured correctly this is a good device. BUT - the literature does not make it clear that only one computer can connect to the device at a time. Three ways are provided to configure it (on Windows 10): a Windows app, a Windows console app and a web-based app in the device itself. Configuration is a nightmare. I won't go into too many details but suffice to say Out of the box it is configured for DHCP. The configuration software couldn't find it. Eventually I tracked it down using my WiFi modem, went into the device's web app and set it up with a static address. Even then it couldn't be found. So I had to specify an ip address to use. One half of the computer app said it had found it, the other half said it didn't exist. I used this on two laptops. Even with one of them turned off, the configuration utility on the other laptop insisted that the device was in use by the computer that wasn't on! I had to uninstall the software on the powered-off laptop. Digi's suggestion is to permanently turn off any firewalls. Tried that, no joy.On the device itself front, there's what I consider to be a huge design flaw that creates a big problem for my situation. When the host computer goes to sleep/turns off, the Anywhere device no longer receives the "heartbeat" signal and so switches off. Even though the device is powered by an external 5VDC supply, it cuts the power to the USB ports. If you are using USB devices that are powered by the cable then they will switch off. When the Anywhere comes back up, the USB devices will get their power back.

author: metrologist
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: May 15, 2018, 07:17:09 pm
content: You can also get USB extenders that work through an Ethernet or fibre link. I do not know if the Ethernet could be connected to a wireless network router, however.

author: bitwelder
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: May 15, 2018, 07:19:47 pm
content: What's the purpose of the USB connection, only to monitor the CNC status (so it's not critical if the connection has some short drop), or is it used to send commands to the CNC machine?

author: Mr. Scram
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: May 15, 2018, 07:20:50 pm
content: Quote from: sairfan1 on May 15, 2018, 07:03:11 pm65 euros is a small price to pay if you value your time in the slightest. Not to mention what messed up CNC project cost you if your homebrew solution has issues.

author: sairfan1
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: May 15, 2018, 08:25:19 pm
content: I already have setup USB Based CNC, its based on Planet CNC controller, as currently i can connect this CNC machine by USB wire, I want to move machine out of my room.As i will be connecting CNC software in my computer i believe connection should not drop.

author: Messtechniker
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: May 15, 2018, 08:55:06 pm
content: Simply search around for an active "USB extender".Or if the distance is not all to great use 1 or two active USB hubs in series.

author: Mr. Scram
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: May 15, 2018, 10:08:12 pm
content: Quote from: sairfan1 on May 15, 2018, 08:25:19 pmI'm not doubting CNC over USB works, I'm asking myself how well that works with an unreliable USB link.

author: JS
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: May 16, 2018, 03:05:04 am
content: Dedicated PC? you probably don't need much to drive the CNC and having it close to the machine is helpful when setting up a job. Then some monitoring (maybe remote desktop) to see what's doing sitting on the toilet.JS

author: NiHaoMike
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: May 16, 2018, 03:30:47 am
content: Raspberry Pi + USB/IP.

author: metrologist
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: May 16, 2018, 03:00:01 pm
content: While I do not quite understand all the reasons why, it seems CNC control requires a fairly stable machine with low latency and USB, while it works, can be a bit finicky and have performance issues. USB should be fast enough, but I guess there are latency issues. The biggest rub for me is that there is no laptop that run and control my CNC and its software.I do not think LinuxCNC will even run directly on a pi to any real work - although that would be a marvelous package.

author: Old Printer
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: May 16, 2018, 03:23:50 pm
content: I run the production at a sign company. We don't have a CNC router/mill, but we do have several lasers, cutting plotters and wide format printers. I clung stubbornly to USB for a long time, mostly because I was just unfamiliar with Ethernet. One by one, all of our machines have converted to Ethernet from USB. Granted the interfaces are in the machines from the factory, which may not be your case. All of our problems with bad file transfer have vanished. I had to learn the ins and outs of networking, but most of the equipment we use is being made with Ethernet only connections now anyway. Running cable is a PITA, but WIFI is not reliable enough over distance, particularly in an electrically noisy environment. I realize that if your machine only has a USB connection my whole statement may be moot.

author: aandrew
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: May 16, 2018, 10:18:27 pm
content: Quote from: NiHaoMike on May 16, 2018, 03:30:47 amHave you successfully used USP/IP for *anything* other than the simplest of printers? Even USB-serial ports are flaky IME.