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Hosting a website on an 8-bit microcontroller

This project chronicles the ambitious, and perhaps slightly absurd, endeavor of hosting a fully functional website on an 8-bit microcontroller. It delves into the intricate technical challenges of implementing network protocols on extremely limited hardware, bypassing modern conveniences for a retro solution. Hacker News enthusiasts will appreciate the deep dive into low-level programming, network stack construction, and the sheer ingenuity required for such a 'because I can' feat.

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3h
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First Seen
May 17, 2:00 AM
Last Seen
May 17, 4:00 AM
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The Lowdown

The article details an intriguing project by Maurycyz: hosting a website on an 8-bit AVR microcontroller, specifically the AVR64DD32. This endeavor highlights the creative problem-solving and technical prowess needed to bring a web server to life on minimal hardware.

  • Hardware Choice: The author selected an AVR64DD32, an 8-bit microcontroller similar to the popular Atmega328 but with improved specs (24 MHz CPU, 8 KB RAM, 64 KB Flash, at a cost of $1). It runs off the 5V rail of a serial adapter, requiring minimal external components.
  • Networking Challenges: Traditional Ethernet (10BASE-T) was deemed too fast for the MCU's I/O capabilities. Instead, the author opted for Serial Line Internet Protocol (SLIP) over a USB-to-serial connection, leveraging its simplicity and Linux support.
  • Protocol Implementation: Implementing the network stack involved significant effort. IP header handling was simplified due to modern OS features that disable fragmentation. TCP, however, was a custom, complex implementation requiring state tracking and retransmission logic. HTTP was kept minimal, serving a single hardcoded response.
  • Public Access Solution: To make the website publicly accessible without a direct public IP, the author used WireGuard to tunnel traffic from a Linux router to a VPS, then proxied requests from the VPS's /mcu path to the microcontroller. This setup mirrored techniques used by projects like 'The Vape Server.'

This project serves as a fascinating exploration into pushing the boundaries of what's possible with severely constrained computing resources, offering a masterclass in low-level networking and hardware optimization.