While there is no word on pricing or availability, the Arduino crew has released production specs on the new Ethernet Shield.  Using the w5100 chip from WizNet will hopefully mean an Ethernet Shield that is affordable.

After a couple of years of prototypes, tests and announcements, finally we have produced an ethernet shield for Arduino. This module gives Arduino the ability to open connections to other Internet hosts or behave like a server, for example a simple web server.

We like this design because it uses the w5100 chip from WizNet that implements the whole IP stack in itself providing up to 4 sockets simultaneously.

I believe this will provide Arduino enthusiasts around the world with a platfrom that is initially simple to use but with room for growth as the knowledge of the user increases.

From the Internet of Things to the Internet of Arduinos, happy tinkering.

Hot on the heals of the "Official" Ethernet Shield, Ladyada has released a modified version of her own shield that now works with the w5100 OR XPort module.

...I’ve put a new version of the ethernet shield up in the shop as well. This version allows the use of XPort or WIZnet Ethernet modules. The WIZnet module is compatible with the official Arduino Ethernet library, which is easy to use and very powerful. However it does not have DHCP built-in which can make setup a bit frustrating if your network isn’t friendly. Still, they are a bargain compared to the XPorts, available for only $20.

More info on the official shield here.

This post is tagged Arduino, Ethernet Shield