Another piece of equipment you guys should check out are the Ubiquity Network Bullets. It looks like a cable TV filter, but has PoE ethernet on one end, antenna connector on the other, and runs linux. Can be had for under $40, and they have 1 watt output models also. DD- WRT runs on them also if you don't want to use their software. It's weatherproof, so you just hang it off the back of the antenna, and run a PoE cable up to it. This reduces the loss in the antenna coax because the run is so short. http://www.ubnt.com/products/bullet.php Also, if you haven't seen it yet, there is a program called PTP LinkPlanner, it's free. Motorola makes it for designing wireless networks using their equipment. But you can use it to calculate antenna heights and line of sight. It uses google maps and topology data to gather a topographical cross section between each site so you can calculate antenna heights. It draws a little overhead map, and even shows you the cross section of the topology for each PTP link. It also calculates the azimuth and elevation for each directional antenna you have reducing the amount of trial and error for aiming. http://motorola.wirelessbroadbandsupport.com/support/ptp/linkplanner.php I used this to design a wireless connection from my brother's house in town in northern MN to 2 other houses out in the boonies. I haven't set it up yet, but we're going to use the Ubiquity bullets and rig antenna towers using chain link fence top rail since it's dirt cheap and we have the space to do guy wires. One antenna must be 60ft, and the other 2 are 40ft each. The top rail comes in 20ft sections for about $10 each. It seems flimsy, but it works well with the proper anchoring. And it certainly beats spending hundreds of dollars for each mast. -- jay austad | 612.423.1433 | austad at signal15.com On Jul 1, 2009, at 2:33 PM, Chuck Cole wrote: > > I'd like to see actual technical response to the technical points I > cited about mesh networks... add latency to the list > >> -----Original Message----- >> From: tcwug-list-bounces at tcwug.org >> [mailto:tcwug-list-bounces at tcwug.org]On Behalf Of Chuck Cole >>>> >>>> ... Volunteers will have power outages and ISP downtime, so >>>> the average "availability state" of such a mesh would be >>>> "irregular" on good days. A Minneapolis mesh probably wouldn't >>>> provide regular >>>> connections to / in Apple Valley, Stillwater, Plymouth or >>>> Owatonna and between those points. >>>> >>>> >>>> 2) at no time would there be predictable "homogeneous regular >>>> mesh" connectivity over the greater TC area. >>>> >>>> 3) Always heterogeneous over significant areas, but operational >>>> specs probably based upon homogeneity. >>>> >>>> >>>> 5) doesn't mitigate any stated present deficiency or an unstated >>>> one I am aware of. >>>> >>>> 6) probably not "plug and play" security or setup >>>> >>>> 7) probably not a replacement for a personal ISP connection, >>>> because of no assured connection state or security or bandwidth. >>>> >>>> 8) seems like wishful "thinking", minus any specs for assured >>>> availabilities. >>>> >>>> >>>> >>>> Chuck >>>> >>>> >>>> >>> Chuck: Where's your disclaimer? This is definitely a corporate >>> telco >>> line if I ever heard one. > > BS: most of that was clear and specific technical and other > requirement data. None of the specifics have been commented upon. > > I'm not opposed to something I don't need, but is this "disorganized > mesh network" real or just a quasi-feasible fantasy? > > > > Chuck > > _______________________________________________ > Twin Cities Wireless Users Group Mailing List - Minneapolis/St. > Paul, Minnesota > tcwug-list at tcwug.org > http://mailman.tcwug.org/mailman/listinfo/tcwug-list