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I'm working on my ultimate CDTV setup, few hiccups along the way with CDROM access on TF536, but we will cross this bridge. As of right now I'm only missing and internet access, before I can finally close the lid and put it to it's place (constantly swapping SD card between PC and CDTV).

What would be the easiest way for me to have access to aminet? PC doesn't have rs232, so I guess null modem cable is out of question. Should I just buy one of these wifi dongles that connect to rs232 at the back?

Or would it make sense to buy this board and hope to get WiFi working (killing 2 birds with one stone)

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    Is there a reason you can't use one of those USB-Serial adapters? Those are what I use in concert with a null modem cable to access the serial console on things like my headless router boards.
    – ssokolow
    Commented Oct 21, 2020 at 17:14
  • It would simply require a PC or RPI on while I'm using amiga. I think I answered my own question, WiFi modem seems ok, even though it's an overkill.
    – Bartek Malysz
    Commented Oct 21, 2020 at 17:59
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    Usually the better option, since built-in Amiga serial port is slow, is a PLIPbox on the Parallel Port. The biggest trouble for most is getting the TCP/IP stack working on the Amiga, which is genuinely a stretch for any un-accelerated Amiga.
    – Brian H
    Commented Oct 21, 2020 at 18:32

2 Answers 2

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What would be the easiest way for me to have access to aminet?

Serial.

PC doesn't have rs232, so I guess null modem cable is out of question.

With some USB/Serial it's easily added back on. They are usually rather cheap.

... and easy to hack, so some rewiring will make the null modem obsolete again :)

Should I just buy one of these wifi dongles that connect to rs232 at the back?

Huh? Seems like a bit of overkill.

Or would it make sense to buy this board and hope to get WiFi working (killing 2 birds with one stone)

Unless you need it, I'd rather suggest to take an approach that does exactly what needed - less ways to screw it.

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  • "easy to hack" depends. I don't know about the software side but the ones I own have an all-in-one design with everything except the USB lead and plug embedded in the moulded plastic shell of the DE-9 connector.
    – ssokolow
    Commented Oct 21, 2020 at 18:11
  • @ssokolow Well, yes, they are not. I do have two with a box with a serial lead and a detatched DE9 - they are eary to change.
    – Raffzahn
    Commented Oct 21, 2020 at 19:57
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My solution to this problem was to purchase a Raspberry Pi Zero W 1.1 and install Raspbian Lite (no gui). I then connected a generic USB to RS-232 adapter to the Pi and configured it to open a tty on the USB when it boots.

The way I use it is to connect the Pi w/ RS-232 adapter to the serial port of my Amiga via the typical null modem. (I use this Pi with my A1000, A3000, TRS-80 Model 100, C-64 and Apple IIe equally well but with different adapters I made for each).

A typical use case would be to download something from the interwebs to a shared folder on my file server. I then go to the Amiga, launch JRComm and get a login prompt on the Raspberry Pi. After logging into the Pi, I can use the Linux shell to wirelessly SSH to my file server and upload/download whatever files I need by using the commands SZ or RZ (send zmodem / receive zmodem).

This works wonderfully, and is fast and cheap. It also saved me from getting bogged down in trying to establish a PPP connection to the Pi and dealing with configuring a TCP/IP stack on the Amiga.

Simpler is always better, but YMMV.

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