After going through the EK2100-220 kit and learning the basics of SNAP, you'll want to know how to extend your creations beyond the mesh networks of the earlier kit and on to the Internet. That's where the EK5100-220 comes in. The EK5100-220 adds enough components to get a true mesh up and running, and the centerpiece of this effort is the Synapse E20 Gateway.
The SNAP Connect E20 combines a Synapse SM220 RF module and an embedded Linux-based computer to provide connectivity (Ethernet, cellular, Wi-Fi, serial) and site-aggregation capabilities to a diverse array of SNAP-powered IoT networks across industrial temperature ranges.
TCP/IP connections can even bridge remote devices running SNAP into one common network, an effective method for centralizing data storage, performing web-based analytics, and monitoring remote applications.
Powered by Freescale’s i.MX6 processor, the E20 has ample computing power, reliable connectivity options, and a sturdy design that makes it the ideal network gateway for large-scale IoT deployments.
The E20 gateway pairs this i.MX6 with an SM220 RF module, a microprocessor with a 2.4 GHz data radio that allows the gateway to communicate with your entire SNAP-based network, expanding your command-and-control structure to extend beyond your installation site to anywhere in the world. The gateway not only extends your connectivity range (using cellular or TCP/IP connections), but provides a platform for data aggregation and for even more specialized control of nodes in its network.
For more information on the E20, check out the E20 User Guide.
The EK5100-220 evaluation kit contains an E20 Gateway with an embedded SM220 module, and three different kinds of SNAP demonstration boards, each with an RF220 SNAP Engine:
The EK5100-220 evaluation kit also contains:
The addition of the E20 to your IoT project opens up a lot of possibilities, many of which are dependent on Python programs running on the E20. This makes the EK5100-220 kit more software based than the EK2100-220, so the exercises are hosted via the GIT source control site to ensure you always have up to date information.
GIT is a great resource for shared code, and a good place to learn more about SNAP and what it can do for your IoT application.
You can access the Synapse GIT repository at: https://github.com/synapse-wireless