I am interested in creating a small (commercial) device on top of Arduino . I want him to be able to interact with the network. Network like standard Ethernet, Cat5, RJ-45, etc.
I know there is an Ethernet Shield , but it costs even more than the Arduino itself, and it is quite large. Naturally, I want my device to be as small and cheap as possible.
So, I'm thinking of re-creating the Ethernet module myself. The problem is that I don’t have experience with Ethernet, and I don’t have a good idea where to start looking. Therefore, I can’t even say if my ideas are possible.
Ultimately, I would like the device to have three ports: one for the incoming signal, two for the outgoing, so the device is essentially a small switch, where it is also connected to it. Switching capabilities do not have to be very fast - the data volume will be low. 10 Mbps is more than enough, maybe even slower.
If this is not possible, one port will also be run to control the device itself.
Another possibility that I am considering is the communication via power lines - sending information through power lines. In another area that I have not encountered. What hardware should I look at, and where can I find information about the required software?
So - can anyone tell me if these ideas are possible, and if so - where should I start looking?