# WiFiStation: A WiFi interface to the MailStation

This project is a set of firmware, tools, and hardware specifications for a
board housing an ESP8266 module which talks to a
[Cidco MailStation](https://jcs.org/2019/05/03/mailstation)
over its parallel port.

WiFiStation acts as a modem with an
[`AT` command interface](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hayes_command_set)
allowing the MailStation to issue `AT` commands to "dial" to telnet addresses
rather than phone numbers.
This allows the MailStation to use software like
[msTERM](https://github.com/jcs/msTERM)
to connect to BBSes over WiFi rather than its internal modem.

All communication between the WiFiStation and the MailStation is also echoed on
the WiFiStation's USB serial interface, so commands can be sent from a host
computer as well.

For the latest documentation for this project, please see
[my WiFiStation site](https://jcs.org/wifistation).

## Hardware Details

An
~~[MCP23017](http://ww1.microchip.com/downloads/en/DeviceDoc/20001952C.pdf)~~
[MCP23S18](http://ww1.microchip.com/downloads/en/devicedoc/22103a.pdf)
connects to an
[Adafruit Feather HUZZAH ESP8266](https://www.adafruit.com/product/2821)
over ~~I2C~~ SPI and has 12 of its GPIO lines (8 data, 2 input status, and 2
output control) routed to pins on a DB25 connector, which plugs into the
MailStation's printer port.

The full
[BOM can be found here.](https://octopart.com/bom-tool/1wY3fCEg)

## Compiling and Flashing esp8266 Firmware

On macOS:

Install Arduino GUI and esp8266 board info per
[these instructions](https://github.com/esp8266/Arduino#installing-with-boards-manager).

```
$ git clone https://github.com/plerup/makeEspArduino
$ git clone https://github.com/jcs/WiFiStation.git
$ cd WiFiStation/esp8266
WiFiStation/esp8266$ make
- Parsing Arduino configuration files ...
- Finding all involved files for the build ...
[...]
WiFiStation/esp8266$ make upload
=== Using upload port: /dev/tty.usbserial-02331261 @ 115200
esptool.py v3.0
Serial port /dev/tty.usbserial-02331261
Connecting....
Chip is ESP8266EX
Features: WiFi
Crystal is 26MHz
[...]
```