@ Tzu - glad you got it to work, probably time to start a new thread specifically for your POST questions 
Well, 10k, whole different world out there 
Weāll have to meet up for coffee one day! Us Antipodeans must stick together, after all
10km, yes sure, us āshire folkā are different, but in all the right ways ! 
I work in the CBD for usually 4 days/week and North Ryde one day, if that makes it easier to catch up? ping me brett_pound [at] Hotmail dot com
Byron, thanks for this brilliant piece of work. I have just ordered the cellular module from GHI (958-CELLULAR-GM-322) but are reading at codeplex, understanding that the drivers was built for the Seeed module.
Its the same chip as I understand, but will this driver work for the 958-CELLULAR-GM-322 module.
Do you know why GHI is not developing decent drivers for this?
Two reasons:
- It is not our module, but seeedās
- We are too busy with higher priority things but we may get to it if there is need
Gus, thanks indeed for replying.
Would you know if this code can be used on the GHI cellular module? Or else, can you recommend any code that can get me started on a data connection with the GHI cellular module?
I am still puzzled as to why āThe Internet of Thingsā front-runner GHI Electronics does not provide several more mobile networking options.
And I can confirm a strong need in my creative entrepeneur-network. Getting started with gadgeteering requires a simple, stable and mobile access to networking.
High data-rates and new-generation mobile protocols are not needed, the stable connection itself is crucial.
Thanks for your effort!
we have been busy with hotspots but cell comes next.
@ njbuch,
From Codeplex:
GHI graciously took over support for Seeedās modules because Seeed appears to not want/not be able to provide decent drivers for their hardware. The Seeed module has good hardware (SIM900) and bad drivers and a great price Note that the drivers are not from GHI.
Itās not really fair to have a go at GHI for supporting the community by taking over another companyās products just to keep the ecosystem healthy. The huge advantage of the open source nature of most of the NETMF offerings is that you can find community members willing to support eachother, as well as commercial offerings, for free so that you can have drivers for hardware that otherwise [em]would and could not exist[/em].
If you need a commercially supported GSM modem, then there are many to choose from at much higher price points.
The āIoTā is a somewhat nebulous concept that encompasses many varieties of platforms and frameworks, and Iām willing to bet that Wireless and Wired Ethernet networking are much more useful and available to the majority of hobbyists, let alone being more stable connections.
You should also note that the driver provided on Codeplex is not tested for long running, persistent connections, because that is a cellular use case designed to fail. Cell connections are too unpredictable and unreliable to have always-on connectivity. Almost every device I can think of creates a connection, sends/receives some data, then closes the connection.
@ Byron - Thanks for getting back, appreciate it. And thanks for enlightning me on the history of the driver and Seeed module. Also thanks for the reality check. I really need a stable internet-connection, regardless of technology. My problem is that I am bulding projects for biological research, placed in forests and fields.
I have tried several much more expensive cellular radio modules, and itās a fact that these drivers and support on the software is completely useless.
The GHI guys and rest of the community in this forum has already helped me a lot, which is second to none.
But I am still searching for a cellular networking facility!
Can I ask though, do you really need a stable internet connection, or do you need a stable way to use the connection? I canāt imagine that in forests you have an abundance of cellular coverage, or perhaps one that you can rely on anyhow. So I was thinking that really you need a robust way to use the connection when it is available, would that then address your need?
Reality checks are available, for minimal cost, on just about any forum on the internets
As @ Brett says, my primary point is that for any cellular connection you need to be able to handle the data in a āstore and forwardā kind of way. I.e. keep accumulating data until there is a signal, then connect, dump, close, repeat. Maybe, for example, you need an SD card to store data during periods of extended no coverage?
It is an inevitability that a cellular data connection will drop out, even in a well serviced area. Perhaps start a new thread with details of your application and it may be easier to understand your requirements. As an aside, itās almost always a bad idea to assume that any data connection outside a system you completely control (point to point serial on the one PCB, for example) will be there when you need it, any software should gracefully handle a mid-connection transport failure, if the data is critical.
You probably need to define āstableā in this context as well.
Thanks for the input so far.
Just to briefly outline the setup:
I will build 5-10 boxes with Gadgeteer goodies inside, powered by solar cells and car-batteries. Between the solar-panel/battery there is regulator ensuring constant voltage into the USB DP module.
Each box will have a range of sensors (motion and line) connected, SD-card for storage, a music module (for playing scary sounds to simulate urban impact).
When a sensor trigger, it is based on animal movement, and a data-set is generated. This data is stored on SD-card.
Ideally the system should have a network connection to upload data once in a while (as often as possible). Furthermore, to service all 5-10 systems, it would be feasible to connect remotely and get some status codes. The status could also be uploaded together with the data-package.
In Denmark we have pretty good mobile coverage (small country, densely populated), and even in remote forests you can get a decent connection on your phone.
I am now building the system with J11D ethernet module, and assuming to buy a cellular box with a plug to enable connection. But a Gadgeteer module would make more sense I think.
Can you start a new topic for this?
Indeed! Thanks
Is it possible to send an email with this?
@ MikeCormier - I am not sure what you mean?
sorry.
i got it figured out
Hi, Byron:
I am modifying your driver for SMS send.
But has a problem, if I want to change the SMS text mode to PDU mode, how to do that?
Thanks
Ok, I will start a new thread for my question.