The Engineering Projects

Introduction to PIC16F84a

Hi Friends! Hope you are doing well. We welcome you on board. Today, I'll highlight and explain the details on the Introduction to PIC16F84a. It is an 18-pin PIC microcontroller, introduced by Microchip Technology, that comes with serial programming algorithm. It contains one 8-bit timer and 13 I/O bidirectional pins. Microcontrollers have always been a great choice for experts since their inception long while ago. They are widely used for the embedded system, industrial automation, and robotics as they contain an onboard chip that requires no external components for making it work like an automatic system and reduces the space required for the development of the project. In this tutorial, I'll discuss each and everything related to PIC16F84a, so you don't have to wrestle your mind for browsing the internet and find all information in one place. Let's jump right in and nail down everything you need to know. Note:

• Following is the link to download PIC16F84a datasheet, produced by Microchip.
• Moreover, I have also shared the link of a reliable online source from where you can buy it easily.

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Introduction to PIC16F84a

• PIC16F84a is an 8-bit PIC Microcontroller that comes with enhanced EEPROM and is a successor of PIC16C84 that was introduced back in 1993 by Microchip Technology with the intention of making electronic tasks easy that require no or minimum skills to get the hands-on experience working with them.
• PIC16F84a has an 8-bit timer and comes with an ability of serial programming interface that proves to be very handy for laying out serial communication with other devices.
• It contains 64 bytes  EEPROM (mainly used for storing data), 1K program memory (indicates the capacity of code you can burn inside the controller), 68 bytes of data memory (RAM) and stays ahead of its predecessor in terms of compatibility and program security.

• Clock speed around 20MHz is very handy to execute the instruction with greater pace.
• Both PIC16F84a and PIC16C84 come with identical programming hardware and feature similar characteristics in one way or the other, however, programming software is different for both of them.
• There are 13 I/O pins present on the PIC16F84a, that hold enough power to control LED but they don't seem feasible for controlling DC motors, and we require external PMIC (power management integrated circuits) for this purpose that can be easily configured and interfaced with the controller.

1. PIC16F84a Pinout with Description

You have got a brief overview of this PIC16F84a version. Now, we move to the next step and mention the pinout of the controller with detailed description of each pin.

PIC16F84a Pinout

Following figure shows the pinout of PIC16F84a

• The PIC16F84a comes with two packages called PDIP and SSOP and both contain 18 and 20 pins respectively.
• SSOP contains extra ground and voltage supply pins.

PIC16F84a Pin Description

Pin #5. It is a ground pin labeled as Vss that is connected to a negative terminal of the 5V battery. Pin #14. It is the voltage supply pin of the controller that is connected to the positive terminal of the battery. Pin #4. A memory clear pin, labeled as MCLR. It is an active low pin - clears the RAM memory when this pin is kept low. Pin #15 & Pin #16. are used for connection with crystal oscillator which provides the required clock frequency for executing the number of instructions with greater pace. Maximum clock frequency it can sustain is 20MHz.  It comes with an ability to execute 20,000,000 instructions per second. I/O Pins. There are 13 I/O pins incorporated on the chip marked from 6 to 13 and 1,2,3,17&18. They are bidirectional pins and can be used either way i.e. input or as an output. There are two ports on the board named Port A and Port B where pins 17,18,1,2&3 fall under Port A and 6,7,8,9,10,11,12&13 fall under Port B which is software programmed for targeting internal weak pull-up on all inputs. Clock Input. Four Pins in the PORTA named as RA0 to RA4 are used for clock input to the timer0/counter where the output is an open drain type. In the following table, I have compiled the function of each pin

Pin#	Pin Name	Pin Description
17	RA0	I/O Bidirectional pin
18	RA1	I/O Bidirectional pin
1	RA2	I/O Bidirectional pin
2	RA3	I/O Bidirectional pin
3	RA4	Used for clock input to the timer0
4	MCLR	This is a master clear low reset pin
15	OSC2/CLKOUT	This pin is connected to a crystal oscillator and acts as a crystal oscillator output pin. In RC mode, this pin has a 1/4 frequency of OSC1
16	OSC1/CLKIIN	This pin is connected to a crystal oscillator and acts as a crystal oscillator input pin
6	RB0	used as an external interrupt pin
7	RB1	All PORTB Pins are software programmed
8	RB2	I/O Bidirectional pin
9	RB3	I/O Bidirectional pin
10	RB4	Interrupt-on-change pin
11	RB5	Interrupt-on-change pin
12	RB6	Serial Programming Clock/Interrupt-on-change pin
13	RB7	Serial Programming Data/Interrupt-on-change pin
5	Vss	Ground Pin
14	Vdd	Voltage Supply Pin

2. PIC16F84a Features

In the previous section we highlight the basic functions of microcontroller pins. Now, we discuss the main features of PIC16F84a so you get a clear idea of what this chip is capable of doing before you make a final decision to install it in the relevant project. Following table shows the complete features of PIC16F84a.

PIC16F84a Features
No. of Pins	18
CPU	8-Bit PIC
Operating Voltage	2 to 5.5 V
No. of I/O Pins	13
Program Memory	1K or 1024 words
RAM	68 Bytes
EEPROM	64 Bytes
Internal Oscillator	NiL
External Oscillator	20 MHz
Timer	8-Bit Timer (1)
USART Protocol	1
I2C Protocol	NiL
SPI Protocol	NiL
No. of Special Function Registers	15
Watchdog Timer	Yes
Power-on Reset	Yes
Design	Static
Segment LED	No
Power Saving Sleep Mode	Yes
Selectable Oscillator Option	Yes
Maximum Current Drawn Each Pin	25mA
Data Retention Capability	40 Years
Oscillator Start-up Timer	Yes

3. PIC16F84a Functions

This PIC model performs many functions that are quite similar to the function in other controllers of the PIC community. Following are the main functions of PIC16F84a.

Timer

PIC16F84a contains one 8-bit timer that can be used in both ways i.e. timer and counter. and comes with internal and external clock select capability. When the bit T0CS (OPTION_REG<5>) is cleared, the timer mode will be selected and when this bit is set, the counter mode will be selected. The timer mode increments the instruction cycle while counter mode will increment the rising and falling edge of the pin.

In-Circuit Serial Programming

PIC16F84a is widely used for in-circuit programming as it contains USART module. This module consists of Tx which is a transmission pin used for transmitting serial data to other devices and Rx is a receive pin used for receiving serial data.

Watchdog Timer

PIC16F84a comes with built-in timer called watchdog timer that can be configured with programming. This timer is mainly used to reset the controller when a program hangs up during compilation or gets stuck in infinite loop of the program. More or less, watchdog timer works like a countdown timer and starts from 1000 and gradually goes down to zero. It must be reset to initial value after every 3 instructions in order to avoid reaching it to zero value in normal conditions.

Sleep Mode

Power saving sleep mode is added in the chip that generates a low current power down mode. The sleep mode can be removed using an interrupt, watchdog timer or external reset.

Power On Reset

This feature is included in most of the PIC controllers that resets the controller when it is powered on. If there comes a glitch in the chip, powering on the device will exclude it from the loop of any malfunctioning in the device.

4. PIC Compiler

• MPLAB C18 Compiler is mainly used for PIC microcontrollers which is a standard compiler introduced by Microchip.  You can download this compiler online from the Microchip Official Site.
• Third party software are also used for compiling the program and MikroC Pro For PIC is readily available for this purpose.
• You must check this list of Top 3 PIC C Compilers where you can choose any compiler based on your needs and requirements.
• The code written in the compiler generates a hex file that is uploaded on the PIC Microcontroller.
• You can use PICKit3, a standard PIC burner, for burning the code in the controller. There are other unofficial burners used for burning the code, however, PICKit3 is mostly preferred and stays ahead of other burners in terms of efficiency and performance.

5. PIC16F84a Memory Layout and Working

Registers play a vital role in the controller. They are the data holding places in the processor of the controller. A single register can hold storage address, instruction and any kind of data ranging from bit sequence to individual characters. Registers are divided into two types General Purpose Registers Special Function Registers Both are used for holding specific data. General purpose registers are used for storing any modified or random value in the processor. While Special function registers monitor and control the various aspect of the processor functions. Registers are divided into two banks known as Bank 1 and Bank 2 where registers ranging from 00H to 0BH and 80H to 8BH are SFRs and remaining are GPRs. Each bank comes with 128 bytes of memory space where first 12 locations are allocated to special function registers while remaining are reserved for general purpose registers that are used as static RAM. Though we cannot write off the importance of GFRs, however, SFRs always stay ahead of GPR in terms of functionality. Let's discuss few registers in details so you can get a hold of what they are mainly used for. STATUS. This register is mainly used for switching between the banks. Setting fifth bit of this register indicates we targeting bank 1 while resetting it will indicate we are targeting bank 0. TRISA. This register decides the possibility if the Port A pins are used as input or output. The value 1 indicates output and value 0 indicates input. Suppose, Port A holds the value 0010, it represents RA0 and RA1 as an input and RA2 as an output, and similarly RA3 again as an input. TRISB. This register works similar to the TRISA and is mainly used to address the PORTB and decides its pins as an input or output. W Register. This register falls under the category of GPRs while all registers mentioned above are SFRs. It is accessible by a program and is not a part of any register bank. The desired values must be written on W register and moved to the target register before defining them for PORTA or TRISA.

6. PIC16F84a Block Diagram

Following figure shows the block diagram of PIC16F84a.

• This model version falls under the family of mid-range microcontroller devices.
• The program memory comes with 1K words of memory space which can configure 1024 instructions.
• Some pins in the controller can be interfaced with other device functions including external interrupt, Timer0 clock input and Change on PORTB interrupt.

7. PIC16F84a Projects and Applications

• This PIC version is mainly used in students project where automation is the main concern.
• Central heating projects
• Production of temperature data logger
• Used in security systems
• Gas sensor projects
• Main part of the embedded system
• Used in industrial automation
• Setting up serial communication with other devices

8. Why Use PIC MicroControllers

Playing with circuits seems quite daunting for some people. They don't like to get involved in electronics with the illusion they need to be highly skilled and professional before working on electric circuits. Watching other people proceed and developing many projects with the same interest as yours put you in high inferiority complex. However, with the invention PIC controllers, and similar compact chips, things are not the same as they were a long while ago. PIC controllers are easy to configure and require no or minimum prior skills to get familiar with the complete working of the device. What makes them useful is their ease of use and economical price. You don't need a cluster of external components, as PIC circuits provide you everything in a single compact chip required for developing the electronic projects using minimum circuit layout. Timers, counters, serial communication interface, and so many identical functions can be performed using a single chip. That's all for today. I hope I have given you everything you needed to know about PIC16F84a. However, if you are feeling skeptical or have any question you can ask me in the comment section below. I'd love to assist you in any way I can. You are most welcome to give us your suggestions, they help us provide you quality work so you keep coming back for what we have to offer. Thanks for reading the article.

Tips on working and completing college homework

Hi Fellas! Hope you are doing well. I am back to give you a daily dose of useful information. Today, I'll highlight and cover the Tips on working and completing college homework. Students starting their college are asked to write a report and particular topics and technicality and involved in writing report and more complicated for students. Not exactly as unfortunately and lack to write a good report due to lack of effective writing tips and skills that is amazing is best. Actually, homework assignment writing and which need so much concentration and depth knowledge and the information are better to complete the homework assignment. If are experiencing problems and homework and would be as prudent to allow homework support is best.

Tips on working and completing college homework

If you want to get prominent college homework help then it will be a fantastic choice for you to make and here you will get the better homework tips and suggestions is to click right here.

Online homework help and support

Sometimes great to buy as assignments and online or hiring professionals from applicable writing services to support to do it is fine. Now it cannot compare the homework professional does with average students and would o and relying on professional services beneficial smoothly. Online writing services are efficient and reliable for students and there is absolutely no requirement while support is available as online. Some of the notable advantages and suggestions help is their operation and whenever have a homework task to accomplish at odd hours of the night and can reach out to service trust and ask for support. If a student wants quick and accurate support homework and hesitates to reach out reliable online homework writing services for help and assistance. The one strong and powerful and strong method for managing the study load that is systematically broken up reading and is studying into the carefully proportioned sections.

Planning for completing homework assignment

As before starting can help to create a basic assignment planning and structure. This can also be detailed like but the basic structure and should contain the details and introduction points and key arguments and point for an attractive conclusion. Homework will be easier to get it complete and online writing services providers solve each and every problem you may have.

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Must improve the reading speed

Perhaps and greatest challenging as studying and working complete and keeping up along with the reading and also not as uncommon to be loaded and down along lots of pages each and every week. It is so as education and the career for preparing student and suddenly stops feeling at work and then just think of it doing against assignment and clocking the time management perfectly. That's all for today. I hope you have enjoyed the article. If you are unsure or have any question, you can ask me in the comment section below. I'd love to help you in any way I can. Thanks for reading the article.

Introduction to Power Management Integrated Circuits (PMIC)

Hey Friends! Hope you are doing well. I always strive to keep you updated with valuable information related to engineering and technology. Today, I'll uncover the details on the Introduction to Power Management Integrated Circuits (PMIC). These are the integrated circuits, commonly known as power management ICs or power management unit, used for managing and controlling the power of the host system.

• They are mainly used in Consumer Electronics, Automotive Industry, Telecom, and Networking.

Integrated circuits are the part and parcel of some Electronics Projects. If you are a newbie or an expert, you require plenty of ICs every now and then. Apart from time management other factors that can highly influence the nature of your project include team expertise, working environment and most importantly the quality of products. In this tutorial, I'll discuss Introduction to Power Management Integrated Circuits and the best online platform from where you can buy quality integrated circuits. Let's dive right in and nail down everything you need to know.

Power Management Integrated Circuits (PMIC)

PMIC, as the name suggests, are integrated circuits mainly used for power management of the host system. They are highly efficient in nature and most of the versions can easily perform 95% voltage conversion. A single PMIC can use both PWM (Pulse Width Modulation) and PFM (Pulse Frequency Modulation).

• Generally, they are used for individual power conversion, however, more than one function can be employed on the single IC based on the nature and quality of the product they are going to be installed in.

These power management ICs come in variety and range from Motor Control IC, Voltage Regulators, Battery Management IC, Microprocessor Supervisory IC, Integrated ASSP Power Management IC.

• They are highly compact, cover less space and are suitable for hard to reach places. Most of the battery operated devices including smartphone and media players include these integrated circuits.

These ICs help in reducing the number of components required for the project as they can perform a number of functions on a single chip, helping you get rid of the cluster of components on board.

• Heat dissipation is another feature that makes these ICs suitable for the projects that are subjected to high temperature and pressure.

 

Basic Functions

• Power ICs are mainly termed as solid-state devices that play an important role in controlling the direction and flow of electric power with the ability to perform some basic electrical functions including voltage conversion, voltage scaling, power source selection and power sequencing.
• It is equally suitable for DC-to-DC conversion that provides dynamic voltage conversion on board without losing the bit of accuracy and quality of the signal.
• Most of the versions are created using BiCMOS process with some models come with the interface of serial bus communication.

Best Place to Buy PMIC

When you are working on your projects, you need to streamline everything right from the start of the project that may be time-consuming and put you in difficulty to pick the right platform for purchasing components. There are a lot of online platforms you can browse on the internet, some are better than others, and most likely all of them claim to provide top-notch service. However, you can't predict and anticipate the quality of products unless you have a hands-on experience working with a certain company. You can Buy PMIC on WinSource, which stays ahead of its competitors in terms of quality and highly economical rates. They will provide you hard to find integrated circuits with the flexibility of in-stock inventory, datasheets, and online purchasing. We bought integrated circuits from this platform a couple of times and they never failed to satisfy us every single time. Competitive Pricing Price is a major concern when you intend to buy any product. This platform will provide you a competitive price without losing the cent of quality. Support You can get support anytime that is readily available on their website. They not only help you find the required product but also assist and refer the suitable ICs based on the nature of the project you are working on.

Applications

• Consumer Electronics
• Automotive Industry
• Telecom, and Networking
• Voltage Conversion and Voltage Scaling
• Battery Management Applications
• Power Source Selection

That's all for today. I hope I have provided you everything you need to know about PMIC. If you are unsure or have any question, you can ask me in the comment section below. I'd love to help you in any way I can. You are most welcome to keep us updated with your valuable feedback and suggestions, they help us provide you quality work based on your needs and requirements. Thanks for reading the article.

Introduction to PIC16F628a

Hi Fellas! I am back to give you have a daily dose of valuable information so you keep coming back for what we have to offer. Today, I will discuss the details on the Introduction to PIC16F628a. It is defined as a self-contained 18-pin PIC Microcontroller that comes with memory, processor, peripherals and mainly used for embedded systems and applications. Microcontrollers always remain a top priority for experts where automation is the main concern. Before the invention of microcontrollers, microprocessors were widely used for carrying out different functions related to industrial automation and processing applications. Both of them work identical in one way or the other, however, there are some exceptions i.e. microprocessors don't come with ROM, RAM, and other peripherals, we need to add them externally to make them function like a microcontroller, however, microcontroller comes with all peripherals on the single chip, we don't need to add them externally; that is what makes it compact as compared to a microprocessor that is bulky. I this tutorial, I'll discuss each and everything related to PIC16F628a, its main features, pinout, working, and applications. Let's jump right in and nail down everything you need to know.

Introduction to PIC16F628a

• PIC16F628a is an 18-pin tiny chip that contains processor, memory, I/O pins, other peripherals and mainly used for the embedded system, and in the applications that have a remote or direct connection with the automation.
• It is a low cost, high performance, CMOS Flash-based 8-bit microcontroller and is equally compatible with PIC16F628, PIC16C5X, PIC16C62XA and PIC12CXXX devices.
• The PIC16F628a comes with 128 bytes of EEPROM data memory, 4MHz internal oscillator, two 8-bit and one 16-bit timer, USART, PWM, two comparators and programmable low voltage reference that make it suitable for appliances, automotive, industrial and consumer applications.
• The PIC processor is based on advanced RISC architecture and comes with 35 instruction set that is simple to use and easy to configure.

• Like some controllers in the PIC community, the PIC16F628a features operating range around 2 to 5.5 V where the temperature range is -40 to 125 °C.
• Programmable memory size is 3.5 KB and SRAM is 224 bytes.
• This PIC model is capable of storing 2048 words of program memory so maximum program length can't exceed from 2048 instructions where each word defines a single instruction.
• Four clock cycles are needed to execute each instruction except jump and conditional instructions that may require 8 clock cycles.

PIC16F628a Pinout

Following figure shows the pinout of PIC16F628a.

• Looking at the pinout of the controller above, you can clearly anticipate most of the pins on the left side can be used for multiple purposes, however, specifying any pin for particular function rules out the use of that pin for another purpose.
• There are two ports in this model known as Port A and Port B.
• All these pins are bidirectional I/O pins except Pin # 14 & Pin # 5 that are supply voltage and ground pins respectively.
• Pin # 7 & Pin # 8 are used for a serial communication where Rx is a USART receive pin, used for receiving the serial data while Tx is a USART transmit pin, used for sending the serial data.
• Pin # 4 can be used in three ways.e. MCLR (Master Clear) that requires a constant supply of 5V and must not exceed Vdd. When configured as MCLR, this pin behaves as an active low Reset to the device. It is also used as an input port and programming voltage input.
• Pin # 15 & 16 are known as OSC2 (Oscillator 2) and OSC1 (Oscillator 1), where we can attach an external oscillator of around 20MHz. The Pin # 16 is an input for the crystal oscillator and Pin # 15 acts like an output for the oscillator.
• Both Pin # 2 and Pin # 3 are the analog comparator pins where Pin # 3 is also used as a clock input for Timer0.
• Pin # 6 is a bidirectional I/O pin that can be used for an external interrupt.
• Pin # 9 is used for capture, compare and PWM and can be software programmed.
• Pin#10 is a low voltage programming input pin and can also be used for interrupt-on-pin change. It is important to note that when low voltage programming is configured, then both "weak pull-up resistors and interrupt-on-pin change" are disabled.
• If you are new to microcontrollers and feel difficulty in finding the right approach to get the hands-on experience with controller then you can have a look at Introduction to Microcontrollers where I have laid out everything you need to know and with little effort you can become pretty nifty about controller and streamline real-time projects as per your needs and requirements.

Memory Layout  

• The memory layout is a little bit different where each memory location is considered as a register that can be accessed by its address.
• It is important to note that, not all register are available all the time, and memory is laid out in four banks that come with 128 registers and only one back can be accessed at a given time.
• The first 32 registers in each bank are known as special purpose registers that can be used to control the processor and I/O pins. The last 16 registers available in each bank are shared across all banks whose values can be accessed any time without depending on the specific bank being used.
• There exists a single working register known as "W" that is mainly used to store the modified values of the different function being used in the controller.
• The memory capacity of this model is little less than other controllers available in the market, however, you can compile a function that requires minimum instructions and processing speed. If you intend to work with high processing speed and more memory, then you need to consider working with PIC16F877a.

Main Features

This model of PIC controller is very useful for embedded projects and comes with some valuable features that put this advice ahead of many controllers in the PIC community.

Special Microcontroller Features

• Low voltage programming that programs the chip using the operating voltage of the device
• Low-speed Clock mode
• Programmable Brown-Out Reset (BOR)
• Power-on Reset
• Watchdog Timer with an independent Oscillator for reliable operation
• Selectable Oscillator Options
• Programmable code protection
• Multiplexed Master Clear/Input-pin
• Industrial temperature range

I/O and Packages

• 15 I/O pins with individual direction control
• 18-pin DIP & SMD Package

High-Performance RISC CPU

• Only 35 single word instructions to learn
• All instructions are a single cycle (1µs) except for program branches
• Operate at 20MHz with an external oscillator
• 4MHz internal oscillator that gives a clock at a certain frequency using constant voltage. It can be made to work at 48 KHz for power saving and debugging purpose
• 2 KB Flash Program Memory
• 224 Byte RAM Memory
• 128 Bytes of EEPROM
• In-circuit Serial Programming
• 1,000,000 write EEPROM endurance
• 100,000 write Flash Endurance
• Oscillator Start-up and Power-up Timer
• Wide operating voltage range around 2 to 5.5 V

Peripheral Features

• Universal Synchronous/Asynchronous Receiver/Transmitter (USART)
• One 16 bit timer/counter
• Two 8-bit timer/counter(TMR0,TMR2)
• Capture/Compare PWM (CCP) Module
• High current source/sink for direct LED drive
• Two Analog Comparators
• Programmable weak pull-ups on PORTB

CMOS Technology

• High-speed CMOS FLASH technology
• Fully Static Design
• Power-saving Sleep Mode
• 40-year Data Retention
• High-Endurance Flash Cell
• Programmable VREF

PIC16F628a Compiler

•  MPLAB C18 Compiler is the standard compiler used for PIC microcontrollers. You can get this compiler online from the Microchip Official Site.
• Third party applications are also available for compiling the program where MikroC Pro For PIC stays ahead from other compilers available in the market.
• You must check this list of Top 3 PIC C Compilers where you can pick any compiler based on your needs and requirements.
• The code is written in PIC Compiler that compiles the code and generates a hex file that is uploaded on the PIC Microcontroller.

Applications

• Mainly used in embedded system
• Industrial automation and processing applications
• Home automation and security systems
• Data Processing Units
• Robotics

That's all for today, I hope I have provided you everything you need to know related to this controller. If you are unsure or have any question, you can ask me in the comment section below. I'd love to help you in any way I can. Feel free to keep us updated with your valuable suggestion, they help us provide you a quality work. Thanks for reading the article.

Rain Sensor Library for Proteus

Hello friends, I hope you all are doing great. In today's tutorial, I am going to share a new Rain Sensor Library for Proteus. I have got a lot of requests for designing this sensor. So finally it has been designed by our team and is ready to use in your Proteus Simulations. Rain Sensor, as the name shows, is used for detection of rain and is common sensor used in Embedded Systems Projects. Both analog and digital rain sensors are available these days but we have only designed the digital Rain Sensor. It will give digital output and its output will be HIGH when there's rain and will remain LOW if it won't detect any rain. As Proteus is a simulation software and we can't actually bring the rain so that's why I have placed a TestPin. If you apply HIGH to this TestPin then that's means there's rain and if TestPin is LOW then it will give LOW output and will show there's no rain. So, now let's have a look at How to download and use this Rain Sensor Library for Proteus:

Rain Sensor Library for Proteus

• First of all, download this Rain Sensor Library for Proteus, by clicking the below button:

Rain Sensor Library for Proteus

• You will get a zip file so extract it and you will find these three Library Files in it:
  • RainSensorsTEP.LIB
  • RainSensorsTEP.IDX
  • RainSensorsTEP.HEX
• Now place these Library files in the Library folder of your Proteus software.

Note:

• If you are using Proteus 8 software, then you should have a look at How to add new Library in Proteus 8 Professional.

• Now restart your Proteus software if its already open.
• In the components search box, make a search for rain sensor as shown in below figure:

• I have designed these two rain sensors so now place both of them in your workspace.
• If everything goes fine then you will get something as shown in below figure:

• So now we have to add the hex file in our sensor, so I am gonna use the Rain Sensor Blue and will double click it to open its Properties Panel.
• In the Properties Panel, you have to find the Program File section.
• In the Program File, browse to RainSensorsTEP.HEX File and select it.
• We have download this file and placed it in the Library folder of our Proteus software.
• Here's the screenshot of my Properties Panel of Rain Sensor:

• Now after adding the Hex file, click OK to close the Properties Panel.
• Your rain sensor is now ready to be used in your Proteus Simulation.
• So, let's design a simple circuit to have a look at How this Rain Sensor works in Proteus.
• Here's the screenshot of my simple Rain Sensor simulation in Proteus:

• I have attached LogicState to TestPin and LED on the output.
• As I have explained earlier that we can't bring rain in the Proteus software, that's why I have placed a TestPin.
• So, now when TestPin is LOW that means there's no rain and when you change the TestPin to HIGH then sensor will detect rain.
• I have run my simulation and here's the output:

• So that was all about rain sensor library for Proteus, I hope now you can easily simulate it in Proteus.
• I will interface this sensor with different Microcontrollers like Arduino, PIC Microcontroller or 8051 Microcontroller etc. and will share their tutorials.

So that was all for today. If you got into any trouble then ask in comments and I will help you out. Thanks for reading. Take care. :)

Introduction to RJ45

Hi Guys! Hope you are doing well. We always strive to give the most relevant information as per your needs and demands. Today, I'll discuss the details on the Introduction to RJ45. It is a type of standard connector mainly used for data transmission. Almost all ethernet cables come with this connector on each end, and they, sometimes, known as RJ cables. The RJ in the connector stands for registered jack while 45 defines the number of interface standard. In this post, I'll cover each and everything related to RJ45, why it used, features, and main applications. Let's dive right in and nail down everything you need to know.

Introduction to RJ45

• RJ45 is a type of connector, mainly used for Ethernet networking including connection with PC network cards, data switches, WiFi access points, and routers.
• It is connected to each end of Ethernet cables and acts as the main source for transferring data. RJ stands for registered jack and ethernet cables are also known as RJ cables.
• The most common standard for RJ cables is known as CAT5 (Category 5)
• In simple words, connectors at the end of ethernet cables are known as RJ45 connectors which also indicate how the cables are wired, while ethernet cables are termed as CAT5 (also RJ cables) which show the maximum speed the cable can attain.
• RJ connector comes with eight pins which indicate it can house eight wires inside. All these wires come in different colors i.e four are in solid color while the remaining four are stripped. These wires are combined in twisted pairs that help in reducing the crosstalk and canceling EMI.

• These cables are not shielded and are merely twisted for noise reduction.
• CAT cables are mostly used in networking and can handle bandwidth around 100mbps.
• These cables fail to work in high-speed environments, in that case, CAT5 is widely replaced by CAT6.
• RJ45 cables deem feasible for both long and short distance, and apart from supporting ethernet protocol, they also work for ATM and serial ISDN T1 and E1.
• RJ45 come with 8 wires and only 4 of them take part in the communication where pin 1 and 2 are used for data transmission while pin 3 and 4 are used for receiving data. (only in ethernet interface)
• In serial and ISDN protocols, all pins take part in the communication and are wired in a straight through configuration.
• Don't get confused between RJ connectors and RJ ports. Both are the part of RJ protocol where connectors serve as a (male) connector and port that receives the connector is known as (female) port.

 RJ45 Pinout and Wiring Standards

RJ cables are wired in two ways named T-568A and T-568B. Wiring standards in both of them are different and listed below.

• Both wiring schemes are equally practiced and commonly supported by most of the devices, however, T-568A is preferred over other.

Following figure shows the pinout of RJ45 (T-568A). Following figure shows the pinout of the RJ45 (T-568B).

• In some networking applications, crossover ethernet cable is a prerequisite which contains T-568B at one end and T-568A on the other end.
• This cable is mainly used in computer-to-computer connections.

Difference between RJ45 and RJ11

• Both connectors are different in terms of size, wires, and applications.
• RJ45 is relatively large as compared to RJ11 and mainly used to build a connection with routers, computers, XBoxes, hardware firewalls and play stations. It comes with 8 wires.

• While RJ11 is smaller in size, comes with 4 wires and mainly used for connection with telephone, modem, and fax machine.
• Although RJ11 comes in smaller size and can fit in the RJ45 slot, however, it is not recommended to use this practice. Doing so can damage the slot and affect the overall working of the device in which it is plugged in.

Types of Ethernet Cables

Ethernet cables are widely used for telecommunication and networking purpose. They come in different types based on nature and data transmission speed they can carry along the length of the wire. RJ45 connectors are connected on both sides of the cables that act as a source of data transmission. Following are the main types of Ethernet cables used for networking and telecommunication purpose. CAT-1. It stands for category 1 that doesn't support TIA (telecommunication industries association). It is mainly used for standard telephone wiring and ISDN. CAT-2. Similar to CAT-1, this type of wiring is not recognized by TIA. It is mainly used for token ring wiring and capable of carrying data at the rate of 4Mbit/s. This is the old version of cable wiring and widely abandoned by advanced cable categories. CAT-3. This cable wiring is widely supported and recognized by TIA/EIA. It is mainly used for data networks and can carry data at the rate of 100Mbit/s. However, this type of wiring is also becoming obsolete because of less data transmission speed and frequency for carrying out different functions at the decent pace. CAT-4. This type of cable wiring is not supported by TIA. It is widely used for token ring networks with the capability of supporting frequency up to 20MHz. CAT-5. Category 5 cables were introduced with the intention of providing more speed as compared to their predecessors. They can transmit frequency up to 100MHz and are not recognized by TIA. This cable wiring uses two twisted pair and is not recognized by TIA. The CAT-5 cable is not recommended for recent applications, however, it is useful for 100Base-T and 1000Base-T networks as it provides suitable speed and frequency for the data networks. CAT-5e. This cable wiring is almost similar to CAT-5 with some exemptions in terms of data transmission speed and TIA recognition. It is preferred for applications where speed is a major concern as it can support speed up to 125 Mbps. The physical appearance of this wiring is similar to CAT-5 and widely used for 100Base-T and 1000Base-T networks. CAT-6. This cable wiring is recognized by TIA and stays ahead of other ethernet cables in terms of performance and speed i.e. supports up to 10Gbps. They come with an outer foil or braided shielding and cover less space as they are tightly wound as compared to CAT-5 and CAT-5e. The shielding minimizes the crosstalk and noise and protects the twisted pair of wires inside the cable. They can work and cover a distance of around 55 meters. CAT-6a. It stands for Category 6 Augmented cable. They come with higher transmission speed, encompass maximum bandwidth and are less flexible than CAT-6 cables. They can carry more data along the length of the cable as compared to their predecessors and cover more distance without losing the bit of accuracy. The shielding is added in the wiring that protects the cable and helps in removing the crosstalk. CAT-7. It supports frequency up to 600 Mbps and comes with four individually shielded pairs. It works best in many applications for carrying out data transmission at a decent pace. They are introduced for rated speed of around 10 Gigabit. CAT-7a. These cables are used for augmented specifications that can support speed around 10 Gigabit. They cover frequency up to 1000 MHz and are quite identical to CAT-7 cables in terms of physical appearance and performance capability.

How to Connect Two Computers Using Ethernet Cables

It is very easy to connect two computers for data transmission using ethernet cables. The CAT-5 or CAT-5e crossover cables are widely used for this purpose and prevent from losing any data during transmission. These cables are quite identical to straight through cables but come with twisted wires on both ends. You can use the following steps to connect two computers using ethernet cables.

• Connect one end of the cable with RJ45 connector into the ethernet port of the computer. Plug the other end of the cable into another computer.
• Log in to one of the computers.
• Go to the search box at the bottom left of the computer and type "Network and Sharing Center" and click it.
• Then go to the "Change Adaptor Settings" on the top left side.

• Right click on the "Ethernet" and go to properties.
• Then select "Internet Protocol version 4 TCP/IPv4" and click properties.

• Select the IP address and subnet mask at the two computers as mentioned below.

To check the connection, restart both PC and use the below instructions.

• ping 192.168.0.2 -t: from the second PC
• ping 192.168.0.1 -t: from the first PC

Right click on this PC option and click on "Change Settings" option.

• The "Workgroup" name should be identical in both PC, otherwise, ethernet connection won't work.
• If you want to share whole drive, just right click on the drive you want to share and select share with "Advanced Sharing Options" and check the box beside share this folder option and click "OK" to apply changes.

Applications

• RJ45 are mainly used in ethernet cables for data transmission. They come in two types i.e. T-568A and T-568B.
• As compared to the RJ11 connector, RJ45 comes with more applications including ethernet networking, industrial automation, and telecommunications.

That's all for today. I hope I have given you everything you need to know about RJ45. However, if you are feeling skeptical or have any question, you can approach me in the comment section below. I'd love to help you in any way I can. Feel free to keep us updated with your valuable feedback and suggestions, they help us provide you quality work so you keep coming back for what we have to offer. Thanks for reading the article.

What is Big Data? How it Helps for Business Growth

Hi Guys! This is a platform where we keep you updated with the relevant information that resonates with your needs and requirements. Today, I'll discuss the details on What is Big Data? How it Helps for Business Growth. 

Big data is defined as a number of data sets that come with complex and advanced computing capabilities and can handle, analyze, store and process data in large volume without losing a bit of accuracy. Implementing embedded analytics dashboards can be highly beneficial, since companies that successfully monetize their data can see up to 20% of total revenue generated by analytics-based offerings.

It stays ahead of traditional data processing applications in terms of accuracy and advancement.

With the sheer progress in technology, every business strives to progress in both online and offline fields and provides an easy pathway for the customers to search and analyze the most relevant information based on their demands.

With a lot of information spread across the web, only those businesses survive and excel who tailor their marketing strategies based on the visitor's interest.

Big data plays a vital role, not only in keeping the user information intact but also predict, analyze and providing accurate information that helps visitors keep coming back on your platform every now and then.

What is Big Data?

Big data contains data sets that deal with a large amount of complex data where traditional data processing applications fail to deliver.

• When customers come to visit your platform quite often, it is very difficult to use traditional software for making all the information intact, streamlined and documented on your system. This is where Big Data Analytics comes into play.

There are many parameters that help your business grow in no time, and Big Data is one of them that proves to be very handy for processing complex data. There are four terms widely used for Big Data named as volume, variety, velocity, and veracity.

Big Data for Business Growth and Progress

Following are the main benefit you can leverage using Big Data.

Maintain Customers Relationship

Customers are the bread and butter of any business. The more you keep visitors' demands on top with flawless service, the more you come with a chance of growth and staying ahead of your competitors. Big data is very useful in retaining the customers' relationship with the business.

When visitors are searching for some information on the internet and find some site useful, they are more likely to click the webpage. Big data not only helps in providing useful information but also helps and anticipates the information that has a remote connection and seems feasible for the user's interest.

Storing Customers' Data

Custom Big Data Development assists in providing the previous information that visitors did a long time before and helps them make a final decision.

• When any system stores information, privacy is highly concerned. Only those businesses grow that give their customers peace of mind that their information won't be spread around or shared for their personal gains, instead it is mainly used for the retention of user interest, so they feel no hesitation in searching and scrolling the information that they did before on the same platform.

Most companies make their business plan and future decisions based on the visitors' information stored on the system.

Health and Safety

Some people are worried about their health and find difficulty in collecting the suitable calories ratio that their bodies require. But, don't worry, where there is a little room for progress and growth in human development, technology comes in handy every time.

• Apple company has introduced an app called ResearchKit - A research device mainly used for storing your regular activities on the device.

Phone devices can now analyze the user actions that help experts predict the data and use it for health studies and come with a relevant solution for certain health diseases.

• Smart Yoga Mat is a major development for storing your pose and health activities. It comes with a sensor that stores the pose and gives feedback on your activities on the mat and helps for streamlining and tailoring body movements based on the feedback.

We can not write off the importance of Big Data for making our machines and cars autonomous. Toyota Prius comes with cameras, GPS and powerful computing abilities that help you drive the car without human interference.

Final Thought

• Big Data is imperative for consistent business progress. Customers are more inclined to your business if they feel no hesitation in finding the relevant information on your platform.
• Companies who leverage Big Data always stay ahead of their competitors in terms of ease of use and hassle-free service.
• Big Data helps in streamlining the strategies around the customers' needs based on the data collected and stored on the system. It covers almost every field ranging from health, safety, automobiles, science, medical, to logistics.

That's all for today. I hope I have provided you quick read related to Big Data and how it helps your business grow skyrocket. Feel free to keep us updated with your feedback and suggestions, they help us provide you with quality work. Thanks for reading the article.

Solar Panel Library for Proteus

Hello friends, I hope you all are doing great. In today's tutorial, I am going to share a new Solar Panel Library for Proteus. I hope you guys are gonna enjoy this Proteus Library as it's not available in Proteus and we are presenting it for the first time. :) I am quite proud of my team. B| We all know about Solar Panels which is an excellent renewable energy source. It is widely adopted by the inhabitants of this green planet as its totally free and converts solar energy into electricity. Solar panels are also used a lot in Engineering Projects especially related to renewable energy sources. Proteus doesn't have solar panels in its database that's why our team has designed this library. Using this Solar Panel Library for Proteus, now you can easily simulate solar panels in Proteus and can design your projects' simulations. I will also share some projects in which I will interface it with different Microcontrollers like Arduino, PIC Microcontroller or 8051 Microcontroller etc. So, let's get started with How to download and simulate Solar Panel in Proteus:

Solar Panel Library for Proteus

• First of all, download the Solar Panel Library for Proteus by clicking the below button:

Solar Panel Library for Proteus

• You will get a zip file which will have these two library files in it:
  • SolarPanelTEP.IDX
  • SolarPanelTEP.LIB
• Now place these two files in the library folder of your Proteus software.

Note:

• If you are using Proteus 7 Professional, then you should have a look at How to add new Library in Proteus 8 Professional.

• Now open you Proteus software or restart it if it's already open.
• Proteus is not that smart so we have to restart it so that it would add new Library components in its database.
• In the Proteus software click on the components button and make a search for Solar Panel as shown in below figure:

• Now place this component in your Proteus software.
• If everything goes fine then you will get something as shown in below figure:

• Now double click this solar panel and its Properties panel will open up as shown in below figure:

• If you have worked on Solar Panel then must have the idea that output of solar panel depends on the intensity of sunlight.
• So, if its shiny bright day then solar panel normally give in the range of 15V to 19V.
• Similarly, if its night time then solar panels output ranges from 2V to 6V.
• While on a cloudy day it could vary between 8V to 12V.
• So, if you want to change the output of this Proteus' Solar Panel then you have to open this Properties Panel and then change the Voltage value.
• By default, it will give 12V as an output.
• I am working on adding some button so that you could change the output in running simulation but for now you have to stop the simulation in order to change it.
• Now let's place a voltmeter at the output of this solar panel and check its output.
• Here's the simple solar panel simulation in Proteus:

• Now you can see in above figure that our Solar Panel is giving 12V as an output.
• So, now let's open it's Properties Panel and change the voltage value to 16.5V.
• I have changed the value and here's our output:

• You can see in the above figure that now voltage has changed to 16.5V.
• Here's a video demonstration on How to download and install this Solar Panel Library for Proteus.

So, that was all about Solar Panel Library for Proteus. I hope you guys can now easily download and install it. If you still got in to any trouble then ask in comments and I will try my best to resolve them and also let me know about your feedback for this Library. Thanks for reading. Have a good day. :)

Introduction to Raspberry Pi 3 B+

Hi Guys! Hope you are doing well. I am back to give you a daily dose of useful information. Today, I'll discuss the details on the Introduction to Raspberry Pi 3 B+. It is a small board computer, introduced by Raspberry Pi foundation in 14th March 2018 and is the most recent version of the Pi boards. It is a modified form of its predecessor Raspberry Pi 3 B that was introduced in 2016 and came with CPU, GPU, USP ports and I/O pins. Both versions are almost same in terms of functionality and technical specifications; however, there are some exceptions in the B+ model as it comes with USB boot, network boot, and Power over Ethernet option that are not present in the B model. Technology has been evolved over time with the purpose of making lives easy and convenient. This device was a major development in the technology that made computer learning too easy that anyone with little effort can make their feet wet with the process. In this tutorial, I'll discuss each and everything related to Raspberry Pi 3 B+, its main functions and features, benefits and everything you need to know, so you find all information in one place without wrestling your mind on the web surfing. Let's dive right in.

Introduction to Raspberry Pi 3 B+

• Raspberry Pi 3 B+ was introduced by Raspberry Pi foundation on 14th March 2018. It is an advanced version of Raspberry Pi 3 B model that was introduced in 2016.
• It is a tiny computer board that comes with CPU, GPU, USB ports, I/O pins, WiFi, Bluetooth, USB and network boot and is capable of doing some functions like a regular computer.

• Features of the B+ version are almost same as B model; however, USB and Network Boot and Power over Ethernet facility only come with B+ model. Also, two extra USB ports are added to this device.
• The SoC (system on chip) combines both CPU and GPU on a single package and turns out to be faster than Pi 2 and Pi 3 models.

Improvements

• The model B+ stays ahead in terms of processing speed and comes with an improved wireless capability.
• The dual-band WiFi 802.11ac runs at 2.4GHz and 5GHz and provides a better range in wireless challenging environments and Bluetooth 4.2 is available with BLE support.
• The top side is painted with metal shielding, instead of plastic in the earlier models, that acts as a heat sink and drains the excessive amount of heat if the board is subjected to the high temperature or pressure.
• This B+ model is three times faster than Pi 2 and 3 which is a major development in terms of speed, capable of executing different functions at a decent pace.
• The ethernet port comes with 300 Mbit/s which is much faster than earlier version with 100 Mbit/s speed. It is known as gigabit ethernet based on USB 2.0 interface.
• Four pin header is added on the board that resides near 40 pin header. This allows the Power over Ethernet (PoE) i.e. provides the necessary electrical current to the device using data cables instead of power cords. It is very useful and reduces the number of cables required for the installation of a device in the relevant project.
• PoE works only in the presence of PoE hat.

Raspberry Pi 3 B+ Pinout

Following figure shows the pinout of Raspberry Pi 3 B+

• 40 Pin header is used to develop an external connection with the electronic device. This is the same as the previous versions, making it compatible with all the devices where older versions can be used.
• Out of 40 pins, 26 are used as a digital I/O pins and 9 of the remaining 14 pins are termed as dedicated I/O pins which indicate they don't come with alternative function.
• Pin 3 and 5 comes with an onboard pull up resistor which 1.8 kO and Pin 27 and 28 are dedicated to ID EEPROM. In B+ model the GPIO header is slightly repositioned to allow more space for the additional mounting hole. The devices that are compatible with the B model may work with the B+ version; however, they may not sit identically to the previous version.

Hardware Specifications

CPU: The CPU is a brain of this tiny computer that helps in carrying out a number of instruction based on the mathematical and logical formulas. It comes with a capacity of 64 bit. Clock Speed and RAM: It comes with a clock speed of 1.4 GHz Broadcom BCM2837B0 that contains quad-core ARM Cortex-A53 and RAM memory is around 1GB (identical to the previous version) GPU: It stands for graphics processing unit, used for carrying out image calculation. Broadcom video core cable is added in the device that is mainly used for playing video games. USB Ports: Two more USB ports are introduced in this new version, setting you free from the hassle of using an external USB hub when you aim to join a number of peripherals with the device. MicroUSB Power Source Connector: This connector is used for providing 5V power to the board. It draws 170 to 200mA more power than B model. HDMI and Composite Connection: Both audio output socket and video composite now reside in a single 4-pole 3.5mm socket which resides near HDMI. And the power connector is also repositioned in new B+ model and lives next to HDMI socket. All the power and audio video composite socket are now placed on the one side of the PCB, giving it a clean and precise look. USB Hard Drive: The USB hard drive is available on the board that is used to boot the device. It is identical to the hard drive of regular computer where windows is used to boot the hard drive of the computer. PoE: B+ model comes with a facility of Power over Ethernet (PoE); a new feature added in this device which allows the necessary electrical current using data cables. Other Changes: The B+ version comes with little improvement in the features and poses slightly different layout in terms of location of the components. The SD memory slot is replaced by a micro SD memory card slot (works similar to the previous version). The status LEDs now only contain red and green color and relocated to the opposite end of the PCB.

Raspberry Pi 3 B+ Technical Specifications

• CPU is 64 bit with 1GB RAM (random access memory)
• Contains Broadcom BCM2837B0 chipset
• Comes with 1.4GHz Quad-Core ARM Cortex-A53, 4 cores
• Consists of 40 pin header (26 GPIOs)
• Stereo audio and composite video is supported by 3.5mm jack connector
• 4 USB 2.0 ports
• Gigabit Ethernet
• PoE (power over Ethernet) is a major feature incorporated in this device that lacks in B model
• 2-pin reset header
• Micro SD socket, used to enhance the memory capacity of the board
• MicroUSB power connector, used for transferring power to the device
• HDMI
• CSI camera interface
• Comes with WiFi and Bluetooth facility that were not present in previous Raspberry Pi 1 and 2 versions
• DSI connector for official screen

Mechanical Dimensions

Following figure shows the dimensions of Raspberry Pi 3 B+

• The mechanical dimensions of this B+ are same as B version i.e. 85mm x 56mm. (Width x Height)

Applications

Raspberry Pi comes with a wide range of applications and works as a regular computer in some cases.

• Tablet Computer
• Home Automation
• Controlling Robots
• Coffee Projects
• Arcade Machine
• Media Streamer
• Internet Radio
• Cosmic Computer

That's all for today. I hope you have found this article useful. If you are unsure or have any question you can ask me in the comment section below. I'd love to help you according to the best of my expertise so you always keep coming back for what we have to offer. You are most welcome to keep us updated with your valuable feedback and suggestions, they allow us to give you quality work that resonates with your needs and requirements. Thanks for reading the article.

Should You Build Your Own VPN From Scratch?

Hi Friends! Hope you are doing well. Today, I'll discuss and highlight the main question relating to VPN - Should You Build Your Own VPN From Scratch? We all know how important and valuable VPNs are. Using them to get Netflix’s or Amazon’s full catalogs is one thing, but the security benefits are vital. Without a VPN, your data is up for grabs. And while a VPN cannot fix all the privacy issues of our current reality, it does make you more difficult to infiltrate than most others. You should also have a look at How to use VPN, if you are not already aware of.

Should You Build Your Own VPN From Scratch?

• Subscribing to a VPN service is easy and not all that expensive, but if you want control over your VPN, making your own might be the best option for you.
• It’s not that difficult to make your own VPN, and won’t cost you an arm and a leg. Let’s take a look at the options and then consider the pros and cons.

Get a VPN router

This is obviously the simplest method, considering that you won’t have to build it from scratch. And it’s definitely not a waste of money. A good router is an investment – not that it’s that expensive anyway. Many recent routers come with built-in VPN capabilities. This is certainly the best option if you don’t want to worry about the technicalities.

Building a server from scratch

The alternative to simply buying a router with VPN capabilities is to build a dedicated VPN server from scratch. For this, you will require a device that is always on and connected to the network. Apple and Windows both have built-in capabilities that will turn your device into a VPN server, but they don’t really offer the optimal level of security. An easy alternative is OpenVPN. Open source software is always a good option, and OpenVPN certainly works well enough to justify it as the perfect choice.

Is it worth it?

Setting up your own VPN is relatively simple and cheap (if not free). But is it worth the effort? Well, it depends. If you're using a VPN primarily for security, you might feel more comfortable setting up your own, rather than connecting to someone else’s servers. This way you know that your data isn’t being stored. That said, reputable VPN providers are probably not storing your data and, unless you have any reason to suspect any different, I’d trust them. The issue then becomes cost. While the average $10 a month is not so bad, it’s yet another monthly payment that just adds up. If, however, you're using a VPN to get past the regional blocks imposed by Netflix, Amazon, Hulu, etc., your own VPN won’t be very useful. A paid provider like ExpressVPN has servers around the world. Even if you live in the US, you're not getting the full Netflix catalog. You can check on uNoGS.com whether a series or movie you want to watch is on somewhere else in the world and use a server in that region. The price of a VPN doesn't have to be as inhibiting either. Most providers offer an annual option. If you pay for a full year at once, you'll save as much as 40% on some of them. Use your own discretion if you want to create your own VPN. A paid provider is not a bad option, but nothing beats the peace of mind you'll feel with your own. That's all for today. I hope I've given you everything you need to know about setting up your own VPN. If you are unsure or have any question, you can ask me in the comment section below. Thanks for reading the article.