Product Review : Discover Wi-Fi extension board for stm32f4 discovery

— May 30, 2014

Discover Wi-Fi is the newest member of STM32F4 Discovery extension modules series. This module (Designed by Embest) is basically a Wi-Fi to serial modem which can send the serial data to Wi-Fi network and vice versa.

When attached with STM32F4 discovery, Discover Wi-Fi module makes your Discovery board Wi-Fi enabled. Featured with SN8200 Wi-Fi module from Murata, it has built in TCP/IP Stack, DHCP, DNS and HTTP Server. All the operations of this module are controlled by an on board STM32 ARM Cortex M3 microcontroller.

Discover Wi-Fi module connected to STM32F4 Discobery board

It has built-in TCP/IP stack that makes you connect it quickly to STM32F4Discovery Board. The SN8200 Wi-Fi module from Murata uses Broadcom BCM43362 WiFi chip controlled by an STM32 Cortex M3 Controller, The onboard STM32 controller actually runs in-built TCP/IP, DHCP, HTTP and other protocols. Apart from UART serial connectivity it has SPI connectivity so that you can use SPI peripheral of your controller to control Discover Wi-Fi module.

It also supports Wi-Fi security features like WPA-PSK and WPA2-PSK, that means you can create a secured Wi-Fi network using this module.

It comes in a beautiful packaging with a small durable corrugated box along with hard copy of user manual and 6 Dupont cable for Serial connections.

Discover Wi-Fi Module Top View

Discover Wi-Fi back view

You can supply DC power to this module over USB socket (USB mini connector is there) or you can supply power (+5-7V) direct from DC adapter over on board DC barrel jack.

Basic Blocks

Apart from blocks like Power Module and SN8200 module, Discover Wi-Fi has 2 basic interfaces J3 and J6 (as shown in the image above).

J3 - Standard 20 Pin JTAG interface for programming and debugging of on board STM32 ARM Cortex M3 controller.
J6 - external interface for user (UART, SPI etc.)