my idea to get my AC Jr. online without a computer

[hkriegal]

Letting a computer run 24/7 is wasteful, i already suck up enough energy with my tank. I have an Linksys NSLU2 (it's a NAS, network attached storage) which has two USB ports (which is hooked up to my router to my dsl modem to the internet). you can mod the NSLU2 to run a tiny version of linux (it runs at 266mhz when modded). My thought was to run a long serial cable, then serial -> usb adapter (i think you could also use bluetooth if you need to go wireless) then plug it in to the NSLU2. My NSLU2 runs a web server with php and is pretty fast. I was going to make a script (though my programming skills are really rusty) that gets the log from the AC Jr. and puts it into a database, then make a php page put of it online. I don't use windows on any machines and although I could run parallels on my laptop, it doesn't help me when i'm away from home w/my laptop. I'm traveling a bunch in december/jan. and thought this would help me not worry how the tank is doing. Any thoughts?

if anyone's interested check out:
http://www.nslu2-linux.org/
http://www.nslu2-linux.org/wiki/Peripherals/USB2Serial
http://www.nslu2-linux.org/wiki/Peripherals/BluetoothAdapter

Any ideas? Am I missing something?

 

[lvreefer]

I've never messed around with serial to usb because of its length limitations. I do know that a serial to ethernet converter will work but set you back a $100 or so. You can also mod a linksys wrt54g with single or dual serial ports. Its already running a version of GNU GPL that people have hacked the hell out of. The wrt54gl has more memory if you can score one of those. Make sure you get the correct model since they change the ios after version 4 or 5, can't remember. Just a couple of more options in case the usb doesn't work.

 

[vid151]

not trying to be a killjoy or anything

but wouldnt the limitation be the memory, I understand the moding the unit to run the web interface etc but the database and the storage of the information woould that not be the downfall of the plan, unless you can put in some sort of hard drive or a CF card?

just wondering
Dave

 

[hkriegal]

my idea is using a NAS which is basically a file server...which is currently connected to two drives, one hard drive and one flash drive, both of which are accessible by linux and therefore the database could reside on one of those...plenty of room. the limitation is memory, i don't know how much a sql server will take up and it might run too slow.