pic: 2015/2016 Robot Radio Comparison

[scca229]

Originally Posted by Alan Anderson

A typical 5-port switch is slightly smaller than the D-Link wireless router. It takes a little less space on the robot where the D-Link would have been. The new OM5P-AN is thus an extra component, but it can be placed for good radio reception rather than for network wiring convenience if you're using a separate switch.

This assumes that the 2016 rules permit a network switch between the radio and the roboRIO. I can imagine being required to have them connected directly with no intervening devices.

Selfishly I am hoping that there "is" a rule requiring plugging the roboRIO into the radio directly, on a designated port (near power, away from power). As an FTAA, I want to be able to say, "Your ethernet cable is not plugged in," and be able to point it out to the team member. Having to search for an unknown device to figure that out makes more difficult when trying to keep to the match schedule. This year I had to say that to teams more than prior years which I think probably had to do with no defense and less secure radios.