[MVMA] Latest AREDN Updates

[Chuck Gelm]

On 9/21/23 12:35, Orv Beach wrote:
>
> Since the last AREDN  software production release, there have been a 
> number of nightly builds, some of which contain significant 
> enhancements.  As usual, the AREDN devs would appreciate some helping 
> testing the updates.    Here's a list of the most significant ones.
>
>   * If you're planning on buying a new Mikrotik device, you'll need to
>     install a recent nightly build on it  Mikrotik has changed their
>     code's compression algorithm, and the AREDN code has been modified
>     to accommodate it and allow successful software installations.
>   * The Search function has been streamlined
>   * An installable cron package has been added for people who need
>     more functionality than the built-in cron support
>   * If you've downloaded and added extra packages to a node, after
>     updating to the latest nightly build, later builds will remember
>     those packages and download and reinstall the correct versions for
>     you.
>   * Support for wildcard DNS entries has been added.  This was done to
>     support installing Sandstorm <https://sandstorm.io/> on a local
>     computer. Sandstorm is an "app support platform" that lets you
>     install and offer out over 70 web-based apps  to your local AREDN
>     community.   It could be an excellent local support tool. [Note
>     that any potential user of the Sandstorm platform will need to
>     have a currently nightly build on their localnode].
>   * Added support for the supernode network.  If you're not familiar
>     with it, a supernode is a modified AREDN node that links to other
>     supernodes.  It allows "super-tunneling" but doesn't pollute your
>     local node list with hundreds of remote nodes.   Here's a graphic
>     showing the topography of a supernetwork.
>   * AREDN documentation on this feature is here
>     <https://docs.arednmesh.org/en/latest/arednGettingStarted/node_status.html>
>     and here
>     <https://docs.arednmesh.org/en/latest/arednGettingStarted/advanced_config.html#supernode-settings>.
>
>  *
>
>   * After installing the latest nightly build if you see a "Supermesh"
>     button on your node's screen, it means it's detected a local
>     supernode.  Clicking on that button will take you to your
>     supernode's mesh status screen so you can view all the services
>     available on the network.  This behavior is defaulted on, but can
>     be disabled in Advanced Configuration.  Your local network will
>     appear unchanged on your localnode.
>   * The AREDN supernode map is here <https://arednmap.xojs.org/>. By
>     clicking on the various node icons in the upper right you can hide
>     and show various node types.  Also note the new color - green. 
>     That's for supernodes, and the supernode links are blue.
>
>   * Possibly the most impactful change to you locally is that the
>     default weight of a tunnel (what it contributes to an ETX value
>     <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Expected_transmission_count>) has
>     been changed from 0 to 1.
>       o If there are both an RF link and a tunnel to a destination
>         this nightly build may or may not change the preference to the
>         RF path, depending on the quality of the RF link.  For such a
>         link configuration you could optionally crank up the tunnel
>         weight high enough to where the node always (or usually)
>         prefers the RF link.  This would allow the tunnel to stay
>         linked but not handle traffic unless the RF link went down. 
>         This would be an ideal configuration for a backup link.   It's
>         configurable in Advanced Configuration.
>       o If your only link is a tunnel, this setting will have no
>         impact on the behavior of your node.
>
> _._,_._,_
> ------------------------------------------------------------------------
> Groups.io Links:
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