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Learning Arduino – 1 of many

by Abe
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Arduino

In 2010, I got myself an Arduino Duemilanove, here is the link to my post https://nhymbe.net/arduino/. I got interested in learning about it and wanted to see what can I build with it. I know I have a decent knowledge of how to code in C/C++ and a decent knowledge of electronics which I think would be enough to start learning Arduino. Unfortunately, life got busy, so I never had the opportunity to delve deeper into my Arduino projects.

Fast forward to 2023, while cleaning and inspecting my belongings, I stumbled upon the Arduino and its accessories I purchased 13 years ago. It reminded me of my initial enthusiasm and curiosity about exploring its potential. When my children saw it, they were curious and asked what it was. I explained that it was a device I wanted to try out long ago, but life got busy, and I never had the chance to explore it fully. Now, seeing their interest, I’m considering giving it another shot and involving them in discovering its possibilities together.

Join me as I start to re-learn Arduino. I will document this learning journey for you to follow our progress. Feel free to reach out if you have any suggestions or questions, or need assistance.

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Featured

Dinakdakan (Ilocano – Filipino Recipe)

by Mymy
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Dinakdakan is one of my favorite pork dishes. It is a comfort food that reminds me of happy, childhood memories because this is one of my mom’s specialties. Dinakdakan is always present in our family’s special lunch or dinner during special occasions.

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SonicWall NSM Reporting Issue

by admin
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Yesterday, I logged in to our SonicWall NSM and noticed that reports did not have data for a few days. I get an error when I generate the report in Reports / Rules. I go to Firewall / Inventory and go to our NSA 2700, and noticed that when you go to Monitor/ Overview / Live Monitor, there is no data.

Below are the steps I took to resolve the issue.

  • In Firewall View, Go to Device / AppFlow / Flow Reporting to check your settings. Checked Statistics, and made sure your connection flows and data flows. Check your Settings that it is still set to send the report.
  • Go to Device / Settings / Licenses and just check that your license did not expire.
  • Go to Device / Settings / Firmware and Settings and check the firmware version. This will be a good time to check if your cloud backup is working and download a local backup.

At the time, all looks good, except that the firmware is one release behind. I called support just to confirm that there is no current issue with NSM, and it was confirmed that there is no ongoing service issue. Support checked settings and suggested to update to the latest firmware.

  • I logged in to MySonicWall and downloaded the latest release. I logged in to our NSA 2700 locally and installed the firmware. The update took about 20 to 25 minutes since we have HA setup. Firmware was installed on Secondary, failed over to Secondary then it was installed on Primary. After the Primary installation was completed, I failed over back to Primary.
  • I went back to NSM and clicked on Synchronize Firewall as it is showing up as unmanaged.
  • I then clicked on Reconfigure Reporting & Analytics to make sure the reporting was synching.

The update process was smooth, and we experienced no significant disruptions during the transition to the latest firmware. 10 minutes, I revisited Firewall View / Monitor / Overview / Live Monitor on our SonicWall NSM, and I now see data/ information showing up.

Arduino and the SD Cards

by Abe
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As I delved deeper into my Arduino journey, I soon recognized the importance of collecting and storing data. This realization came after I had gained proficiency in working with various components, including piezo buzzers, vibrant LEDs, precise digital temperature and humidity sensors, real-time clocks (RTC), and the 16×2 LCD display. With these tools at my disposal, I was able to embark on a fascinating project – a clock that not only kept time but also displayed real-time humidity and temperature readings. This project marked a significant milestone in my Arduino learning adventure, showcasing the practical applications of my newfound skills.

Read more: Arduino and the SD Cards

List of Materials

  • Arduino Uno R3
  • Lexar 32GB Micro SD Card, microSDHC UHS-I Flash Memory Card

References

Notes

Arduino and the RTC (Real Time Clock)

by Abe
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After learning how to use a 16 x 2 LCD Display with Arduino to show data, I was inspired to create a digital clock using use a 16 x 2 LCD Display to display date and time. However, I discovered that Arduino lacks a built-in clock. To address this, I learned that an RTC (Real-Time Clock) is necessary to work with date and time information.

Read more: Arduino and the RTC (Real Time Clock)

On this project, I used a DS3231 Real Time Clock Module.

On the DS3231 Real Time Clock Module, I connected the red cable to VCC, then connected the black cable to the ground pin. I connected the orange cable to SCL pin, then connected the yellow cable to SDA pin.

This is how it looks how I connected the DS3231 Real Time Clock Module to Arduino Uno.

This is what the serial monitor will look like after the sketch is uploaded to the Arduino Uno.

Connect your Arduino to your computer and upload the sketch. Below is the sketch to upload to your Arduino.

#include <Wire.h>
#include <DS3231.h>

DS3231 Clock;
RTClib RTC;

void setup() {
  // put your setup code here, to run once:
  Wire.begin();
  Serial.begin(9600);

  Clock.setYear(23);
  Clock.setMonth(10);
  Clock.setDate(9);
  Clock.setDoW(1);
  Clock.setHour(0);
  Clock.setMinute(10);
  Clock.setSecond(50);
  Clock.setClockMode(0);
  }

void loop() {
  // put your main code here, to run repeatedly:
  DateTime Time = RTC.now();

  Serial.print(Time.year(), DEC);
  Serial.print("/");
  Serial.print(Time.month(), DEC);
  Serial.print("/");
  Serial.print(Time.day(), DEC);
  Serial.print(" ");
  Serial.print(Time.hour(), DEC);
  Serial.print(":");
  Serial.print(Time.minute(), DEC);
  Serial.print(":");
  Serial.print(Time.second(), DEC);
  Serial.println();

  delay(1000);
}

List of Materials

  • Arduino Uno R3
  • DS3231 AT24C32 Real Time Clock Module
  • Male-to-female breadboard jumper ribbon cables

References

Notes

Arduino

by Abe
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I was going through my stuff, looking for a USB cable to attach to the HDD Dock Station so I could read our friend/neighbor’s HDD. Guess what I found? An Arduino Mobile platform DFRobot 4WD that I bought in 2010, an Arduino Duemilanove, a Lady Ada Pshield, and an L298N motor driver.

I remember during that time how the Arduino piqued my curiosity, and I wondered if I could build a robot, just like many others have done. I was able to go as far as getting it to follow a line. However, I had lots of ideas that I wasn’t able to work on.

Maybe this year I can rebuild it, as my son and daughter became curious when they saw it.


Arduino