Introduction: Raspberry Pi Pico W
INTRODUCTION:
As you might know that I have published many instructables on raspberry pi pico. Raspberry pi pico board is developed by Raspberry pi. They have also developed a new board based on RP2040 microcontroller that supports wifi and this board is Raspberry pi pico w. This microcontroller board looks very similar to raspberry pi pico but the only difference between the boards is that the Raspberry pi pico w has a wifi chip on its board and this chip is connected to RP2040 microcontroller chip. So we can say that the Raspberry pi pico w is similar to other wifi boards such as ESP8266 and ESP32. So I decided to publish a instructables on Raspberry pi pico w. In this instructables I am going to give you basic knowledge about this new board(such as pin diagram, installing the micro python firmware on raspberry pi pico w and running the first on board led blinking program). So let's get started.
Attachments
Supplies
Hardware Requirements:
you can purchase the raspberry pi pico from any online shop. Since I am from India and I purchase my electronics components from Quartz components. If you are not from India then you can purchase it from some other online shops such as ebay, amazon, AliExpress, bangood etc.
Quartz Components
https://quartzcomponents.com?sca_ref=3671286.DzEptz4I3w
Raspberry pi pico w
https://quartzcomponents.com/products/raspberry-pi-pico-w?_pos=1&_sid=2c474e70b&_ss=r
Bread board
Male headers
Micro- B USB Cable
https://quartzcomponents.com/products/raspberry-pi-cable-for-charging?_pos=3&_sid=e088739e1&_ss=r
Amazon
Raspberry pi pico w
Bread board
Male headers
Micro-B USB cable
eBay
Raspberry pi pico w
Bread board
https://quartzcomponents.com?sca_ref=3671286.DzEptz4I3whttps://www.ebay.com/itm/334666114680?hash=item4deba7a678:g:K8kAAOSww2JjfbSQ&amdata=enc%3AAQAIAAAA4BiqGNxmQZfFZC6KkoRDTjjRe%2Ba2WPPVdg21i65JoEfT8x9L%2Br8g0pqFCjT5imNgzTME6FaQNsKbR%2FwFhcaScpd3a5uCZD%2BumpLDDDGyBbrpsGOO8%2Fuys%2FW7aigUk3zgL9Wie%2Bztr929AQBtNCe1XI73RtwBbAvD7slVvUa0A3QgKTHMAjZzj8jBjR8wMQkKyruQAHr2zBZt8%2BwVnRiarqtDfQ%2B1Ry8dA7PP8OSSoTva5lNh4RbveVv7KWswLnMEnuBho2b9n5ipPok0S8ZG%2FM3N4pPxoEK3vqR2JS8uKQ91%7Ctkp%3ABFBMhN2zqv1h
Micro-B USB cable
AliExpress
Raspberry pi pico w
Bread board
Male headers
Micro-B USB cable
Tools:
- Soldering Iron
- Soldering Flux
- Soldering wire
Software Requirements:
Download the Thonny micro python IDE to program your raspberry pi pico w. The link is given below:
Step 1: Overview of Raspberry Pi Pico W
Raspberry pi pico w:
Raspberry Pi Pico W is a new Raspberry Pi product that adds WiFi capability to the Raspberry Pi Pico, allowing you to connect the device to a WiFi network. Raspberry Pi Pico W adds on-board single-band 2.4GHz wireless interfaces (802.11n) using the Infineon CYW43439 while retaining the Pico form factor. The on-board 2.4GHz wireless interface has the following features:
- Wireless (802.11n), single-band (2.4 GHz)
- WPA3
- Soft access point supporting up to four clients
The antenna is an onboard antenna licensed from ABRACON (formerly ProAnt). The wireless interface is connected via SPI to the RP2040 microcontroller.
Due to pin limitations, some of the wireless interface pins are shared. The CLK is shared with VSYS monitor, so only when there isn’t an SPI transaction in progress can VSYS be read via the ADC. The Infineon CYW43439 DIN/DOUT and IRQ all share one pin on the RP2040. Only when an SPI transaction isn’t in progress is it suitable to check for IRQs. The interface typically runs at 33MHz.
For best wireless performance, the antenna should be in free space. For instance, putting metal under or close by the antenna can reduce its performance both in terms of gain and bandwidth. Adding grounded metal to the sides of the antenna can improve the antenna’s bandwidth.
NOTE: The CYW43439 wireless chip is connected via SPI to the RP2040. While the CYW43439 supports both 802.11 wireless and Bluetooth, initially Pico W does not have Bluetooth support. Support may be added later, and will use the same SPI interface. If support is added existing hardware may require a firmware update to support Bluetooth, but there will be no hardware modifications needed.
Step 2: Downloading the UF2 File and Installing It on Pico W
You can download the micropython UF2 file from the link given below:
https://www.raspberrypi.com/documentation/microcontrollers/raspberry-pi-pico.html
or use:
https://rpf.io/pico-w-firmware
Now, to boot the UF2 file on raspberry pi pico w, hold the BOOTSET button on pico w board and connect it to the computer using the micro USB cable and release the BOOTSET button. As soon as we release the BOOTSET button a new folder will automatically open on the screen of out computer. Now save the UF2 file inside this folder. As you save the UF2 file in the open folder, the folder disappears automatically.
Run Thonny on your computer and go to tools and select options. Again click on interpreter and then choose micorpython(Raspberry pi pico). Select the port of your Raspberry pi pico w.
Now you will see that your raspberry pi pico w board appears in the shell area. Type print("hello") in the shell and press enter now pico board prints hello on the shell. This indicated everything is working right.
Step 3: Writing the Led Blink Program
Now we are ready to run our first micropython program(Blink on board LED) on the pico w. Open a new file in Thonny and write the following micropython program to blink the on board led of the pico w.
import machine
import time
led = amachine.Pin('LED', machine.Pin.OUT)
while True:
led.value(1)
time.sleep(1)
led.value(0)
time.sleep(1)
save this file on your pico w with file name as main.py and click on run. Now you can see that on board led of the pico w starts blinking.
Step 4: Solder the Male Headers on Pico W
To make your raspberry pi pico w board bread board friendly, you need to solder male headers on all 40 pins of of the pico board. There 3 more extra pins on the board for debugging but here I am not soldering header on these pins because I am not using debugging here. If you needs them in future then you can solder male headers on these pin. The proper way to do this job is first insert the 20 - 20 male headers on the both side of the middle gap of the bread board. Both headers should be parallel to each other. Now put your pico board on these headers in this way that each pin can pass in its corresponding hole of the pico w board as shown in my uploaded pictures. Now you can start making the solder connections so that male headers will always be on their right places. To understand it more clearly you can take the help of given pictures given in this step.
![Tim's Mechanical Spider Leg [LU9685-20CU]](https://content.instructables.com/FFB/5R4I/LVKZ6G6R/FFB5R4ILVKZ6G6R.png?auto=webp&crop=1.2%3A1&frame=1&width=306)
