[Feature Request] Emulate WIZnet W5100 Ethernet Controller Chip (via Common Shields) on Uno/Mega

[vzool]

Is your feature request related to a problem? Please describe.

The problem is that I am currently unable to simulate projects that use the "Smart Ethernet Shield W5100 Network Expansion Board" (or similar W5100-based shields) with an Arduino Uno or Mega in the Wokwi simulator. This shield is a very popular and common way to add networking capability to these boards. Without support for this specific shield (or the W5100 chip and its common wiring), users cannot test or develop Ethernet-enabled projects that rely on this hardware configuration directly within the simulator. This forces development and debugging to physical hardware much earlier than desired, which slows down the iterative process.

Describe the solution you'd like

I would like Wokwi to add full emulation support for the "Smart Ethernet Shield W5100 Network Expansion Board" when connected to an Arduino Uno or Arduino Mega.

A clear and concise description of what you want to happen.

1. Add a W5100 component to the Wokwi parts library that accurately simulates the behavior of the WIZnet W5100 Ethernet Controller.

2. Provide a dedicated "Smart Ethernet Shield W5100" configuration (or an equivalent easy-to-add shield) for the Arduino Uno and Mega in the Wokwi configuration file (wokwi.toml) or parts menu.

3. The emulation should support the standard Arduino Ethernet library (or compatible libraries) without modification.

4. The simulated W5100 should be able to establish simulated network connections, allowing users to test basic networking functions like:

   • DHCP client operation (getting an IP address).

   • HTTP client requests (connecting to a simulated external server or a mock endpoint).

   • Basic TCP/UDP server functions.

5. Ideally, the feature would include easy configuration of the shield's MAC address and a simulated IP address or automatic assignment.

This addition would significantly enhance the utility of Wokwi for a large segment of the Arduino community working on IoT and network-enabled projects.