[lwip-users] Anybody interested in converting simulated FreeRTOS/uIP project to lwIP?

[Richard Barry]

Hi list,

There is a lot of communication on this list about using lwIP in a
multitasking environment.  For a long time I have planned on creating an
example as a reference, but time is always a problem.

However, now I have the following convenient development setup using
uIP, that could be converted to replace uIP with lwIP.  Note this all
runs under Windows in a simulated/emulated environment, so no target
hardware is required.  Also, no software investment is required as only
free tools are used:

+ FreeRTOS being simulated in a Win32 environment - where a Windows
thread is created for each FreeRTOS task, and the FreeRTOS scheduler
controls which thread runs when (as if it were real real time, but just
simulated real time).  This builds using both the *free* MSVC 2010
Express Edition, and the *free* Eclipse/MingW/CDT combo, so no software
investment is required.

+ A FreeRTOS demo project that uses the above mentioned Win32 simulator,
that includes a task that runs the uIP TCP/IP stack, with a simple web
server.  Currently the project is using MSVC 2010 Express, but could be
ported over to use Eclipse/MingW simulator setup instead.

+ A WinPCap driver that allows you to create a virtual network node
(virtual IP address and virtual MAC address).  This then allows you to
have the FreeRTOS/uIP/webserver running on the same machine as a web
browser - using one IP/MAC address combo for the FreeRTOS simulation exe
and another IP/MAC address combo for the web browser.  You can then open
a web browser and connect to the web server using the virtual addresses,
all on a single machine (no actual network is required - does that make
sense?).

I'm not sure how most of lwIP development is done currently, but this
setup (with or without FreeRTOS) would make an easy and convenient
development and test bed (maybe it is done on Windows or Linux already?).

If somebody wanted to take this project, convert the uIP web server to
an lwIP web server, and send it back to me, I could then host it along
with FreeRTOS, hopefully maintain it, and document it, and hopefully add
extra example functionality over time.  The result would then (hopefully
again, am I saying that too often) be a good development and test bed,
and an excellent example of how to use lwIP in a multitasking environment.

Ideally the example would use the sockets interface, as this is most
familiar to users of other stacks.  It would also require an experienced
lwIP user to convert the project, as there is no point having a
reference design if it has been configured incorrectly.

Is anybody interested?

Regards,
Richard.

+ http://www.FreeRTOS.org
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