Question 1

How to integrate smoltcp into a Rust embedded project?

Accepted Answer

Add smoltcp as a dependency with no-std features, implement the PHY layer for your hardware, and configure settings via compile-time features like buffer sizes. The loopback example shows bare-metal usage without an OS.

Question 2

smoltcp vs lwIP: which is better for embedded systems?

Accepted Answer

smoltcp is written in Rust with no heap allocation, offering memory safety and easy integration in Rust projects, while lwIP is C-based and more mature with broader feature support. Choose smoltcp for Rust ecosystems and lwIP for C compatibility.

Question 3

Does smoltcp support DHCP for automatic IP configuration?

Accepted Answer

Yes, via the 'socket-dhcpv4' feature, enabling devices to obtain IP addresses dynamically. However, it requires proper network interface setup as described in the bridged connection example.

Question 4

How to test smoltcp without real hardware?

Accepted Answer

Use the hosted examples on Linux with tap interfaces to simulate network traffic; the httpclient and server examples demonstrate this, but it's limited to Linux systems currently.

Question 5

What's the memory footprint of smoltcp on a microcontroller?

Accepted Answer

Memory usage is configurable via compile-time settings like buffer counts and sizes; with minimal features, it can be very small, but must be tuned based on network demands, as detailed in the configuration section.

Question 6

Can smoltcp handle secure connections with TLS/SSL?

Accepted Answer

No, smoltcp only provides the TCP/IP stack; you need to implement TLS on top using external crates like rustls, which adds complexity and memory overhead for secure communications.

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