EtherMega (100% Arduino Mega 2560 compatible with onboard Ethernet)
The ultimate network-connected Arduino-compatible board: combining an ATmega2560 MCU, onboard Wiznet-based Ethernet, an ATmega16u2 USB-serial converter, a microSD card slot, and Power-over-Ethernet support, and even an onboard switchmode voltage regulator so it can run on up to 28V without overheating!
Amazing.
Click here for the EtherMega Quickstart Guide
The EtherMega is a 100% Arduino Mega 2560 compatible board that can talk to the world. Do Twitter updates automatically, serve web pages, connect to web services, display sensor data online, and control devices using a web browser. The Freetronics EtherMega uses the same ATmega2560 as the Arduino Mega 2560 so it has masses of RAM, flash memory, and I/O pins, and also includes the same Wiznet W5100 chip used by the official Arduino Ethernet Shield, so it's 100% compatible with the Ethernet library and sketches. Any project you would previously have built with an Arduino Mega 2560 and an Ethernet shield stacked together, you can now do all in a single, integrated board.
We've even added a micro SD card slot so you can store web content on the card, or log data to it.
But it gets even better: we found space to squeeze in a small prototyping area, so now it's possible to build a complete, Internet-enabled Arduino device including your own custom parts all on a single board! You don't even need to use a prototyping shield for many projects.
Features include:
- Gold-plated PCB.
- Top and bottom parts overlays.
- Powerful and versatile ATmega2560 MCU.
- Micro-USB connector: no more shorts against shields from the USB jack! (Please note that the Ethernet Jack can touch some wide shields, they can be raised up with Stackable Header Sets and we also have the ProtoShield Short which can sit beside it.)
- Switchmode voltage regulator for wide input voltage range.
- D13 pin isolated with a MOSFET so you can use it as an input.
- Optional Power-over-Ethernet support, both cheapie DIY or full 802.3af standards-compliant.
- Ethernet activity indicators on both the PCB and the jack.
- 10/100base-T auto-selection.
- Fully compatible with standard Ethernet library.
- Reset management chip.
- Fixed SPI behavior on Ethernet chipset.
- Robust power filtering.
- Sexy rounded corners.
Note that just like our Ethernet Shield with PoE support, the EtherMega provides a number of options for different Power over Ethernet methods. You can use the supplied jumpers and feed 7-28Vdc down the wire for cheap DIY version, or you can use our PoE Regulator 802.3AF along with a proper commercial PoE injector or switch that supplies 48Vdc. It's up to you.
Available now at a Freetronics reseller near you.
Resources
- Troubleshooting Ethernet IC Reset and USB power issues
- Getting Started guide
- Discuss on the forum
- Setting an Arduino Ethernet MAC address manually
- Setting an Arduino Ethernet MAC address automatically using the MCP 24AA025E48
- Setting an Arduino Ethernet MAC address automatically using a DS18B20
- 3D-printable case for the EtherMega
- EtherMega schematic / project worksheet (PDF)
- Driver file for Windows
- Using top loading SD card holders (used from EtherMega v3.0)
- EtherMega design files on GitHub
- EtherMegaR3 design files on GitHub
