Both RAK11200 & RAK2305 feature the ESP32-WROVER, why is one a core and the other not

[Josh_BI_UK (Joshua Payne)]

I’m new to microelectronic/IoT and the Rak system. I’m finding it hard to understand the different modules.

I have a kit with a RAK2305 | WisBlock WiFi Interface Module. While reading the documentation I read the module is built using the Espressif ESP32 WROVER chip, however, it isn’t a WisBlock Core module.

There is a Wisblock core module that features the same chip RAK11200 | WiFi and BLE Espressif ESP32-WROVER

If both modules feature the same chip (ESP32-WROVER), why is one a wifi-interface (RAK2305) and the other a WisBlock Core module (RAK11200)?

[beegee (Bernd Giesecke)]

Welcome to the forum @Josh_BI_UK

Very simple.
The RAK2305 is for the RAK4631 and RAK11310 Core modules and gives them additional WiFi access.

The RAK11200 is a separate WiFi only Core module without LoRa.

[Josh_BI_UK (Joshua Payne)]

@beegee

RAK2305

Hi @beegee (Bernd), thank you for your response.

So from your response, I’m I correct in assuming as part of Rak’s WisBlock ecosystem, Rak has customized the two chips to perform different tasks?

i.e.

Rak Module Ref	Product	WisBlock Function	Purpose/Notes/comments
RAK11200	WiFi and BLE Espressif ESP32-WROVER	WisBlock Core	Compute
RAK2305	WiFi Espressif ESP32	WisBlock IO	Wireless communcation

I understand the RAK11200 (Wifi & BLE Core) must be connected via the WisBlock Core slot and RAK2305 (ESP32 WiFi communication module) must go in the WisBlock IO slot.

Just to support my full understanding of microprocessors, am I correct that this is by design choice of Rak (i.e. RAK11200 for wifi and compute, and RAK2305 for WiFi communications), and not necessarily due to the limitations of the actual architecture of the chip? If the two chips were removed from the WisBlock PCB, would they be essentially the same?

[beegee (Bernd Giesecke)]

Yes,

The RAK2305 has the ESP-AT firmware and acts as a WiFi Modem that is controlled with AT commands from the WisBlock Core module. This gives WisBlock Core modules the option to add WiFi capability on top of their LoRaWAN.

The RAK11200 is a WisBlock Core module that is made to run a firmware created with ArduinoIDE to read sensors, communicate with devices through our WisBlock IO modules and other stuff.