Re: Some community wireless / WDS feasibility questions

You could also start with WRT54GL running ddwrt or freifunk firmware 
with OLSR (more like meraki) or B.A.T.M.A.N. (more like 
locustworld/AODV).   Neither protocol is tied to the hardware, and you 
can run on regular PC hardware or stuff like Metrix Kits.   We include 
both OSLR and B.A.T.M.A.N. in Pyramid Linux <http://pyramid.metrix.net/> 
and as such, I recommend it for doing any type of mesh stuff.   Both 
protocols are in wide use in European freenetworks.

IIRC, Locustworld is not Open Source, and you're tied to what they put 
it on.    It's a modified(?) AODV.

Meraki is based on Roofnet (SRCRR), but I'm not 100% that they 
inter-operate (I'm pretty sure it does).   If it does, it will run on PC 
and Metrix Hardware.  Not on WRT.   Beware, it's full of NAT. 

HSLS/Cuwinware, which is what CUWireless maintains, runs on PCs, Metrix 
Kits, and has recently been ported to Meraki hardware.   No WRT support 
at this time.  It's NetBSD, and quite good.

Tropos and Cisco tie you completely to their hardware/software, and 
charge you plenty for the privilege...



Tyler van Houwelingen wrote:
> Locustworld is very good software and routing algorithms, but the hardware 
> is expensive and extremely difficult to purchase in the USA.  The beauty of 
> the linksys box is that you can get it for under $50 and is available pretty 
> much everywhere.  If locustworld could be ported to run on the WRT or a 
> similar widely available, cheap box, (with good Tx power and Rx sensitivity) 
> it would be the way to go.    I dont believe this is possible though.
>
> I have copied Richard Lander who I met a couple years back from Locustworld, 
> maybe he can clarify if what I am saying is incorrect...
>
> ty
>
>
>
>
> ----- Original Message ----- 
> From: "[email protected]" <[email protected]>
> To: "SeattleWireless Talk List" <[email protected]>
> Sent: Friday, March 09, 2007 1:14 PM
> Subject: Re: Some community wireless / WDS feasibility questions
>
>
>   
>> Why not go with LocustWorld since they have rung out the MESH system and 
>> it
>> is based on open-source?  That might stand a better chance of evolving to
>> adopt new, non-proprietary hardware imo.
>>
>> Robert Syputa
>>
>> ----- Original Message ----- 
>> From: "Tyler van Houwelingen" <[email protected]>
>> To: "SeattleWireless Talk List" <[email protected]>;
>> <[email protected]>
>> Sent: Friday, March 09, 2007 7:51 AM
>> Subject: Re: Some community wireless / WDS feasibility questions
>>
>>
>>     
>>> Mixing and Matching vendors is (IMHO) not the right way to go for
>>> infrastructure.  There is way too much that can cause issues even within
>>> the
>>> same vendor.  I believe the solution is to specificy (or create) a 
>>> single,
>>> cheap hardware box that can do "auto-routed-mesh" (which is much more 
>>> than
>>> WDS bridging).  The wrt54g was a great starting point with the hacked
>>> firmware.  The newer WRTs are cheap and much more reliable.  Google is
>>> using
>>> this for their FON box.
>>>
>>> The real trick, however, is that the mesh needs to be a routed mesh, not
>>> bridged WDS or routed with multiple subnets - Otherwise you 1. can only
>>> have
>>> one internet connection feeding it or 2. users have no mobility and will
>>> constatly be flopping between subnets, forcing DHCP renews if you make 
>>> the
>>> network pervasive, 3. Any user can bring down network with a single
>>> network
>>> Dup, ethernet loop or backwards DHCP server plugged in.  The only ones I
>>> know that have truly accomplished this to date is Tropos but that is 
>>> quite
>>> pricey.  Cisco has a great solution, but not for multiple Internet drains
>>> as
>>> it is controller based.
>>>
>>> An example of this approach is Meraki, with their potential for success
>>> coming from  1. Google as an investor always helps, 2. More importantly
>>> the
>>> fact that they are shaping completely the hardware/software and 
>>> attempting
>>> to do the above routed mesh.
>>>
>>> I would start with the WRT54G and work to make it a true routed mesh.
>>> (Locustworld may be another good starting point.)
>>>
>>> ty
>>>
>>> --------
>>> Tyler van Houwelingen
>>> Founder and Chairman
>>> Azulstar, Inc.
>>> 1051 Jackson, Grand Haven, MI 49417
>>> Main:  1-877-AZULSTAR
>>> Fax:  616-842-1104
>>> www.azulstar.com
>>>
>>> ----- Original Message ----- 
>>> From: "Fred Weston" <[email protected]>
>>> To: <[email protected]>; "SeattleWireless Talk List"
>>> <[email protected]>
>>> Sent: Friday, March 09, 2007 10:13 AM
>>> Subject: Re: Some community wireless / WDS feasibility questions
>>>
>>>
>>>       
>>>> Bigger than that, but I don't really know how big it could eventually
>>>> become.  It will look more like a line than a cloud though.  I would
>>>> be more or less in the middle of the line and houses around me would
>>>> extend it out toward the rest of the neighborhood.
>>>>
>>>> On 3/8/07, George Lathrop <[email protected]> wrote:
>>>>         
>>>>> How big is this network? I live in a 3 house compound and we all share 
>>>>> a
>>>>> an Internet connection. We do not share a network, altho we could. NO
>>>>> repeaters involved as the distance -100ft. Every client has a different
>>>>> brand of client. Standards are great.
>>>>>
>>>>> Fred Weston wrote:
>>>>>           
>>>>>> So, the wireless bug's been getting me again as of late.  I've been
>>>>>> reading up on WDS and looking at cheapish used hardware on eBay 
>>>>>> trying
>>>>>> to figure out what it would cost to set up a small community network.
>>>>>> Anybody have any input as to the feasibility of WDS for that type of
>>>>>> thing?  I realize WDS means lower overall bandwidth but that isn't
>>>>>> necessarily a huge problem for me.
>>>>>>
>>>>>> >From what I've read, it looks like some manufacturers use WDS that
>>>>>> only works with the exact same model AP throughout the network... are
>>>>>> there any that are more standardized so hardware could be mixed?  Any
>>>>>> thoughts on specific models to look for (cost is the primary factor,
>>>>>> but then again I don't want to spend money on garbage)...?  I guess I
>>>>>> really just want to hear some stories from people with real world
>>>>>> experience with a similar scenario; does it work / not work, what
>>>>>> problems did you run into, etc.
>>>>>>
>>>>>> Thanks
>>>>>> _______________________________________________
>>>>>> Talk mailing list
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>>>>>>
>>>>>>
>>>>>>
>>>>>>             
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