[Troop139] [pcaresraces] Want to build your own wireless network? Try HSMM-MESH!

Sun Mar 17 11:56:34 EDT 2013

Hi Folks!
Here is a diagram of what a simple mesh network might look like.  The idea
is to interconnect computers, weather, camera and other environmental
sensors, servers, WiFi-enabled phones and lapops, etc. to each other in a
network that "builds" itself by automatically figuring out which network
nodes are there and creating connections that these devices and users can
use.  

What's really cool is that you can use old phones and tablets that don't
have cell service as wireless devices on this network for FREE!  

If we implement this as an Amateur Radio network we need to make sure that
folks have licenses, but we can implement these networks on a smaller scale
without requiring licensing.

The image below is from a group of folks in a city in Texas.  We could do
this at camp, at a shelter incident, or even in Bergenfield!

MESH Example

Thanks & 73,

Gordon Beattie, W2TTT

201.314.6964

  _____  

From: pcaresraces at yahoogroups.com [mailto:pcaresraces at yahoogroups.com] On
Behalf Of Michael Hoeft
Sent: Sunday, March 17, 2013 2:01 PM
To: pcaresraces at yahoogroups.com
Cc: pcaresraces at yahoogroups.com; troop139 at mailman.qth.net; Karl Frank
Subject: Re: [pcaresraces] Want to build your own wireless network? Try
HSMM-MESH!

Thanks Gordon

I've also been reading about the ability to chat across the mesh network.
That and file sharing or FTP are probably the most desirable uses for our
purposes?

We have a meeting coming up and I hope to have my mesh node up there.

Maybe we can demo this gear to the group.

Mike

Sent from my iPhone

On Mar 16, 2013, at 3:08 PM, "J.Gordon Beattie, Jr., W2TTT"
<gordon.beattie at att.net> wrote:

Hi Folks!

Here is some background information that you might find useful in
understanding many of the technology and implementation issues, including
the underlying science for implementing 2.4 GHz and other wireless networks.
http://www.wndw.net/

In addition to the helpful 400+ page "how-to" documents, there are photos,
and other resources in their online library.

There are PDF versions of the "Wireless Networking in the Developing World"
document available in printing and e-book format in several languages.  I
would recommend downloading these as well as the one page cover which is a
nice handout.

http://www.wndw.net/download.html

Thanks & 73,

Gordon Beattie, W2TTT

201.314.6964

  _____  

From: J.Gordon Beattie, Jr., W2TTT [mailto:w2ttt at att.net] 
Sent: Saturday, March 16, 2013 1:02 PM
To: 'pcaresraces at yahoogroups.com'
Cc: 'W2KBF'
Subject: FW: [DAWG-HSMM] Where to start

Hi Folks!

Here is an interesting "get started" reference for HSMM-MESH networking.  

I strongly advise that you join the HSMM-MESH Yahoo group for more
information.

Thanks & 73,

Gordon Beattie, W2TTT

201.314.6964

  _____  

From: DAWG-HSMM at yahoogroups.com [mailto:DAWG-HSMM at yahoogroups.com] On Behalf
Of Rusty Haddock
Sent: Thursday, March 14, 2013 9:21 PM
To: DAWG-HSMM at yahoogroups.com
Subject: Re: [DAWG-HSMM] Where to start

kf6nfw wrote:
> I am not new to the radio or the routers and computers, but I am
>new to this use of HSMM.

Welcome to yet another facit of the hobby, Chris!

> Where do I start for making a Mesh system or to make a unit capable
>of connecting to other Mesh systems?

All it takes is a Linksys WRT54G (v1-4), WRT54GL (all versions),
or a WRT54GS (v1-4), download the HSMM-MESH firmware, and have at it.

The first version of the WRT54G was v1.0 yet this is not written on any
of the labels on the underbelly of the unit. It's the only unit that
uses a 5v power supply, as supplied by Linksys, and has about 20 LEDs
on the front, about twice as many as any later model.

All units do have a serial number and the first four characters will
tell you the version number of the router's hardware by using the
table at http://hsmm-mesh.org/images/hsmm_docs/WRT54Shop.pdf

>I have a handful of routers, and am not sure if the one I want to
>use is even capable of such work.

Sorry, most of us don't read minds so... :) you'll hafta verify which of
your units are useable yourself by checking with the document I linked
to above.

>I could use all the help I can get. Yes I have pilfered through the
>files and such, and find some of it to be overwhelming, so if someone
>wants to direct me to good solid reading material I can do that.

What files have you pilfered? Check out
http://hsmm-mesh.org/just-starting-read-this.html first. If you haven't
perused the user documents on hsmm-mesh.org, I'd go and do that. Start
off with some of the user documents section such as (in about this order):

11 What is a mesh node?
8 HSMM-MESH Design Philosophy
9 Firmware Installation Instructions
12 How to use the web interface
7 Using the MESH (aka Examples how to move stuff over the mesh

After or during that checkout the FAQ's at http://hsmm-mesh.org/faq.html
and maybe some of the slides for our presentations at
http://hsmm-mesh.org/hsmm-files.html

> I do have the digital handbook for V/UH, and I know there is a huge
>section dedicated to HSMM, I have read it several times, but am not
>grasping it fully. I simply would like to go through the process to
>learn it better.

We don't have a process per se. The onus to learn this will be pretty
much on your shoulders. We're here to help when we can. What is it
that you're not grasping? The idea of a mesh? How to use it? Sorry,
again we don't read minds so you'll have to give us some ideas of where
you're stuck to help us help you.

BTW, another good resource we've found is a book that's available as
a free download at http://www.wndw.net (Wireless Networking for the
Developing World). It's kinda like the ARRL Handbook but for wireless
networking. That should help you with many of the basic and advanced
concepts of wireless networking. Note that the last 1/3 of the book is
more about the financial ins and outs for delivering a wireless service.
Naturally, being hams, we're not concerned about that part.

Lots of reading to do but there's lots of information out there!

Good luck and come back and ask questions!

-Rusty-
-- 
_____ Rusty Haddock <=> AE5AE
|\/ o \ o Way out yonder in the
| ( -< O o Van Alstyne (TX) Metropolitan Area
|/\__V__/ Math illiteracy affects 7 out of 5 people!

__._,_.___

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