Wifi enabled temperature sensor
September 9, 2013 9:55 AM Subscribe
Hello Mefites. I'd like to acquire a wifi enabled temperature sensor. One that would let me grab current temperature over HTTP. Ideally something off the shelf but if that's not cost effective (under $50, but cheaper is obviously better) then I would love to try building one myself. Arduino? RaspeberyPi?
Sorry, just realized Twine is quite a bit more expensive than you're looking for. It's been a long time since I bought mine so I forgot how much they cost...
posted by primethyme at 10:39 AM on September 9, 2013
posted by primethyme at 10:39 AM on September 9, 2013
I don't think you'll find an off the shelf unit that is wifi enabled and has a web server.
Your best bet is probably a RaspberryPi + Wifi dongle.
posted by wongcorgi at 10:51 AM on September 9, 2013
Your best bet is probably a RaspberryPi + Wifi dongle.
posted by wongcorgi at 10:51 AM on September 9, 2013
Slightly outside your price range, this WeatherDirect TX60U-SET Internet Wireless Temperature & Humidity Remote Monitor might work.
posted by exogenous at 11:00 AM on September 9, 2013
posted by exogenous at 11:00 AM on September 9, 2013
Best answer: Hello.
I have built one of these!
I can help.
In fact what I built might be overkill for what you want, but you can scale up or down as needed. I actually built a sensor array of 20 sensors, but the design works from 1 to about 150, so you can scale as needed.
What you need is:
1) Raspberry pi (or I can send you details of a super cheap Arduino clone, but then it gets fiddly sorting out the HTTP)
2) a DS18B20 temp sensor. These things are awesome and do most of the work for you.
3) some wires and bits and a 4.7k resistor
4) a wifi dongle or a long network cable or whatever.
Most of the cost of this is the pi.
The sensor can be had for a few dollars.
Then you are probably best of reading this or this or many of the other tutorials, it is a popular project.
posted by Just this guy, y'know at 11:23 AM on September 9, 2013 [4 favorites]
I have built one of these!
I can help.
In fact what I built might be overkill for what you want, but you can scale up or down as needed. I actually built a sensor array of 20 sensors, but the design works from 1 to about 150, so you can scale as needed.
What you need is:
1) Raspberry pi (or I can send you details of a super cheap Arduino clone, but then it gets fiddly sorting out the HTTP)
2) a DS18B20 temp sensor. These things are awesome and do most of the work for you.
3) some wires and bits and a 4.7k resistor
4) a wifi dongle or a long network cable or whatever.
Most of the cost of this is the pi.
The sensor can be had for a few dollars.
Then you are probably best of reading this or this or many of the other tutorials, it is a popular project.
posted by Just this guy, y'know at 11:23 AM on September 9, 2013 [4 favorites]
Best answer: I'm a BeagleBone fan and recently made a similar project using the Black ($45) and a TMP36 temperature sensor ($2). A wifi dongle is another $12.
Adafruit has an excellent tutorial on how to put it together - you could have a simple system running in half an hour, although getting a USB wifi dongle set up correctly might take a little longer.
Oh, and ditch the on-board Angstrom Linux build for a Debian/ARM. You'll thank me later.
posted by JoeZydeco at 10:15 PM on September 9, 2013
Adafruit has an excellent tutorial on how to put it together - you could have a simple system running in half an hour, although getting a USB wifi dongle set up correctly might take a little longer.
Oh, and ditch the on-board Angstrom Linux build for a Debian/ARM. You'll thank me later.
posted by JoeZydeco at 10:15 PM on September 9, 2013
Best answer: Start with the wifi module. Most are pretty smart (they have to be, to handle wifi) so you're looking for one that lets you in so you can run code that runs right on the module.
I like the cut of the Carambola 2's jib, but there are many options. Something running OpenWRT or whatever is perfect.
It should have libraries that let you access the GPIO pins and I2S/I2C bus. Then just connect a little I2C temperature sensor (or ten) and it's a "simple matter of software".
You can also do this with a WRT54G or whatever, using the I2C-over-GPIO patches.
posted by Myself at 9:37 AM on September 10, 2013
I like the cut of the Carambola 2's jib, but there are many options. Something running OpenWRT or whatever is perfect.
It should have libraries that let you access the GPIO pins and I2S/I2C bus. Then just connect a little I2C temperature sensor (or ten) and it's a "simple matter of software".
You can also do this with a WRT54G or whatever, using the I2C-over-GPIO patches.
posted by Myself at 9:37 AM on September 10, 2013
This thread is closed to new comments.
posted by primethyme at 9:57 AM on September 9, 2013