RP6502-RIA-W

RP6502 - RP6502 Interface Adapter W

Introduction

The RP6502 Interface Adapter W is the RP6502-RIA with a radio — the same specification, extended for wireless. Everything on the RIA page applies here; this page is only the wireless part. See RP6502-PICO for the hardware that implements it; the SET commands below are monitor commands, so they are entered there.

Wi-Fi Setup

The radio is configured from the monitor. Set the network name and the password and it connects, remembering both across reboots. The status command shows where it got to.

Command

Description

SET RF (0|1)

Turn all radios on (1, the default) or off (0) without disturbing any other setting.

SET RFCC (cc|-)

Country code, for best performance — US or GB, say. Run help set rfcc to list the supported codes, or use - for the worldwide default.

SET SSID (ssid|-)

The network name, the Service Set Identifier. Run help set ssid to scan for and list nearby networks. - clears it.

SET PASS (pass|-)

The network password. - clears it.

Network Time Protocol (NTP)

The real-time clock synchronizes with internet time servers whenever Wi-Fi is connected, so it is right without being asked. The status command reports what NTP is doing.

The clock keeps UTC. For local time, set your time zone with SET TZ and run HELP SET TZ for guidance; Daylight Saving adjustments are automatic if your locale observes them. The RP6502-OS reaches both the clock and the time zone programmatically.

Once Wi-Fi and the time zone are configured, timekeeping takes care of itself.

Telnet Console

The console can be exposed over the network, putting the monitor or a running 6502 in reach of any telnet client. Traffic is unencrypted, so treat it like any other telnet session.

Command

Description

SET PORT (port|0)

The TCP port to listen on. The default is 23, the standard telnet port; 0 disables the telnet console.

SET KEY (key|-)

The passkey required to connect. - clears it.

The telnet console starts listening once KEY is set and PORT is non-zero — both, because a console on the open network with no passkey is not a feature.

Modem Emulation

The RP6502-RIA-W emulates a Hayes modem — the classic AT command set — for reaching BBSes (bulletin board systems). It places outgoing calls and answers incoming ones over either raw TCP or telnet. As with the telnet console the connection is unencrypted, which is at least period-accurate.

Example AT commands:

  • ATA — Answer incoming call

  • ATDexample.com:23 — Dial a BBS by address

  • ATDS=0 — Dial phonebook entry (0-3)

  • +++ — Escape back to command mode

  • ATE1 — Set echo

  • ATH — Hang up

  • ATO — Return to call

  • ATQ0 — Set quieting

  • ATSxxx? — Query register number xxx

  • ATSxxx=yyy — Set register number xxx with value yyy

  • ATV1 — Set verbosity

  • ATX0 — Set progress messaging

  • ATZ — Load profile from flash

  • AT&F — Load factory profile

  • AT&V — View profile, stored profile, phonebook, and network

  • AT&W — Write profile to flash

  • AT&Z0=example.com:23 — Save phonebook entry (0-3) to flash

  • AT\L=23 and AT\L? — Listen port for ATA (0 disables)

  • AT\N0 or AT\N1 and AT\N? — Network mode: 0=raw TCP, 1=telnet

  • AT\T=ANSI and AT\T? — Terminal type advertised during telnet negotiation

  • AT+RFCC=US, AT+RFCC?, and AT+RFCC! — Access RIA setting RFCC

  • AT+SSID=your_ssid, AT+SSID?, and AT+SSID! — Access RIA setting SSID

  • AT+PASS=your_pass and AT+PASS? — Access RIA setting PASS

Each AT+ setting uses = to set, ? to query the current value, and ! to list (AT+SSID! scans for nearby networks, AT+RFCC! lists supported country codes). Lists word-wrap to 80 columns.

The modem is available as a set of special device names:

  • AT: is transient — it starts from factory defaults, has no phonebook, and AT&W has nothing to save.

  • AT0: through AT9: are ten independent profiles, each with its own flash-backed settings and four-slot phonebook (AT&Z0-AT&Z3).

When you open a numbered device, it loads its saved profile. AT&W writes the profile back, ATZ reloads it, and AT&F restores factory defaults. Up to four modem devices can be open and in use at once.

The AT+ commands (+RFCC, +SSID, +PASS) pass straight through to the global RIA settings and take effect immediately, no matter which modem device is open.

The modem needs the radio. Opening any AT device fails with ENODEV while the radio is off (SET RF 0); enable it with SET RF 1.

Bluetooth

The RP6502-RIA-W supports Bluetooth LE (BLE) keyboards, mice, and gamepads. Bluetooth Classic (BR/EDR) is not supported. BLE has been everywhere since Bluetooth 4.0 (June 2010), so compatible devices are easy to find — though the occasional oddball still turns up.

To add a device, run the monitor command set ble 2 to enter pairing mode; the LED on the RP6502-RIA-W blinks while it’s pairing. Put your device into its own pairing mode too — check its manual, but it’s probably a button and some more blinking. When the blinking stops, the device is connected and bonded, so it reconnects automatically from then on.