Pages created and updated by Terry Sturtevant Date Posted: June 3, 2019


CP480 Wireless Communication and Networks Laboratory

Arduino with NRF24L01 module

Background

The NRF24L01 is a low cost wireless communication module that can be used with single board compuiters like the Arduino and the Raspberry Pi. While it uses the 2.5GHz band, it requires no wifi or other infrastructure.

Objectives

  1. To become familiar with the SPI interface on the Arduino.
  2. To use the NRF24L01 module for simple wireless communication.

Equipment

Procedure

Setup

  1. Note: If you choose pins carefully, you can keep the LCD shield connected while attaching the wireless module. Specifically, the analog input pins on the Arduino can also be used as regular digital I/O pins. The names are A0, A1, etc. (Remember A0 is used by the LCD shield.)

    NRF24L01 Arduino connections

    Wire up the Arduino with the module.
    Note: The wireless transceiver need 3.3V for power, not 5V, but the pins are 5V-tolerant so they can be connected directly to the This is indicated on the schematic diagram.
    documentation of RF24 library

  2. Demonstrate the program working.

  3. Disconnect the Arduino from the USB cable and attach the LCD shield.
  4. Reconnect the USB cable
  5. Create a new sketch using the sample code provided.
    Demonstrate the program working.

  6. Pin D10 is used by the shield to control the backlight. Connect the pin to GROUND to see the effect.
    Modify your sketch by making pin 10 an output, and when the "Down" key is pressed make it LOW, and when the "UP" key is pressed, make it HIGH. (See the Blink sketch for examples of how to make a pin HIGH or LOW.)
    Demonstrate the program working.

  7. Look at the postlab task, and complete as much of it as possible before you leave the lab.


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