ChApTEr 2 ■ hArdwArE for IoT SoluTIonSArduino Ethernet Shield
The Arduino Ethernet shield gives your Arduino the capability to connect to a network and ultimately the
Internet via an Ethernet network connection. The Arduino Ethernet shield is made by Arduino.cc and is
compatible with most Arduino boards including the large Mega.
The board also comes equipped with a MicroSD card reader, making it an excellent choice for projects
that need to store or read stored data locally. There is a reset button on the board that duplicates the reset
button on the Arduino. Figure 2-17 shows the Arduino Ethernet shield.
The board uses the built-in Ethernet library for interacting with network resources. There are a
number example sketches available that you can use to learn how to use the shield as well as excellent
documentation (http://arduino.cc/en/Reference/Ethernet).
The Arduino Ethernet shield is one of the most reproduced shields. I’ve found numerous third-party
shields available at a fraction of the cost. Some it turns out are not 100 percent compatible, and some don’t
come with the MicroSD card reader. Interestingly, there is a variant of this board that permits you to use
power over Ethernet (POE), allowing you to use the Ethernet cable and a special power supply on your
switch or router to supply power to the Arduino.
If you need to make your Arduino solutions network aware and can use an Ethernet connection, the
Arduino Ethernet shield is an excellent choice. If you want to save some money, you can choose one of the
third-party versions; just make sure it is 100 percent compatible before you buy it.
Figure 2-17. Arduino Ethernet shield