[olug] single board computers

[neal rauhauser]

   Ryan,

     You need to come to my house here in Omaha. Bring a sawed off broom 
handle, a little vaseline, and when you get here just leave your pants 
at the door - I'll be happy to teach you everything you need to know 
about operating 802.11b gear in a metro environment.


     My methods of discouraging you will certainly be less painful than 
the real thing, but if you're one of those determined do-it-yourselfers 
this is how the Soekris 4521 would be deployed.


      The 4521 contains two cardbus slots and a miniPCI slot. You can 
install two separate 802.11b cards in the cardbus slots, use one in AP 
mode, and use the other as backhaul to a central site. There is much to 
know about channel usage, polarization, antenna selection, amplifier 
placement, and so forth - use google and hunt for n9zia - that is the 
call sign of an amateur radio operator who has written much good 
information on using ISM band radios. Whatever you do DON'T produce a 
business plan based on hitting the theoretical maximums of 
channel/polarization use :)


    I wish I could offer you some encouragement, but when I think about 
the behavior I've seen from the people involved in wireless internet in 
the Omaha metro area I feel like I need a shower or something - maybe 
its just an Omaha thing but the level of sleaze exceeds the buy here/pay 
here car business by quite a large margin ...



  FYI you're describing mesh network topology in your last sentence - if 
you're going to do that don't forget to get some snake oil to waterproof 
the antenna connectors ...

Ryan Stille wrote:
> Could one of these systems be configured to act as a WiFi access point, then backhaul the traffic over 802.11b (on another channel?) to another access point?  What would be the cost of such a system?  We've been talking about starting some kind of 802.11b wireless network up here in Sioux City for over a year now.  But we're not sure exactly how to go about it.
> 
> I'd like to end up with something where if anyone is in range of any other node, it works.  And then their node extends the network to anyone who can reach that new node.
> 
> -Ryan
> 
> 


-- 
mailto:neal at lists.rauhauser.net
phone:402-301-9555
IM:Neal R Rauhauser
"After all that I've been through, you're the only one who matters,
you never left me in the dark here on my own" - Widespread Panic