[Voyage-linux] Setup Advice

[Noah Dain]

On 7/17/06, Andrew Niemantsverdriet <andrew at pure-wireless.net> wrote:
> Hi,
>
> > One possible solution is:
> >
> > Two radios in your WRAP, one 5GHz for the backhaul (Master or Managed)
> > and one 2.4GHz for the local AP.   Don't know if you have the
> > radios/antennas for an 11 mi 5GHz link.  Another option is to look into
> > the new 900MHz radios for your backhaul.
>
> That is what I want to do. I have really big dishes for the 5ghz link and
> a good fade margin setup. I also have a 2.4ghz card to act as the AP with
> a little panel antenna. What I am confused about is how to set the
> interfaces up.
>
> > Also, while not recommended by some, it is possible to run two 2.4GHz
> > radios on a single WRAP with one as backhaul and the other as AP.  Be
> > prepared for some throughput loss and absolutely run as channels 1 & 11
> > to minimize the radio interference.
> >
> > Is bridging a hard and fast requirement?  Routing will give much better
> > control over your traffic and makes things a lot easier.  I have also
> > found that if there is any problem in your bridge configuration you can
> > end up with no access via ethernet whereas a static IP on the port is
> > fairly bullet proof as far as assuring you a reliable access on reboot.
>
> The backhaul needs to be bridged, I need to see the MAC address that are
> comming across it. I suppose I could forgo that requirment if it really is
> easier to route it. I can mess with the MAC's at the router at the far
> side of the backhaul. The AP does not need to be bridged but that is how I
> have always done it. So mostly what I need is idea on how everything needs
> to be setup maybe with an example so I can copy it and put in my own IP's.
>
>
> > Getting even more weird...
> >
> > If you are running POE on your wire to the roof, you could put 48v on it
> > and then do a DC-DC conversion on the roof to feed multiple WRAPs and a
> > switch.  The higher voltage would keep the current down and allow a
> > higher total power availability to handle the multiple devices on the
> > roof.
> >
> > With multiple WRAPs, you can largely avoid the interference problems
> > caused by two radios on the same board plus isolate your customers from
> > direct access to the backhaul.
> >
>
> What I have now which is really weird is I have a 2 port WRAP running 18v
> PoE acting as a router/AP then another 1 port wrap acting as the backhaul.
> It gets its power from the DC jack off of the two port wrap. It is not
> pretty and needs to be fixed up as it is not realiable.
>
>
> Thanks,
>  _
> /-\ ndrew
>
>
> >
> >> No I guess I don't really need a VPN but it is what I use to get a
> >> "true"
> >> ethernet bridge going (is there a better way?). The reason I need an
> >> access point is because the backhaul link is going to be going 11 miles.
> >> So it needs to be a dedicated link otherwise performace of the link goes
> >> down the drain. One side of the backhaul happens to be a great place to
> >> put up and AP. Normally I would just put up another WRAP board as the AP
> >> but we only have one ethernet line so that is not really an option.
> >>
> >> So here is the problem in a nut shell. I have one ethernet line to a
> >> roof
> >> top with no possbility of bringing more lines up. That roof top has line
> >> of sight to a main distribution tower that needs a wireless backhaul
> >> link
> >> to it. Also that roof top happens to be a great place for an Access
> >> point.
> >> How would you setup this link?
> >>
> >> P.S. Could you explain a little more about the madwifi VAP stuff. Maybe
> >> shoot me a quick example? I have not had time to use or learn about them
> >> yet but they sound really neat.
> >>
> >> Thanks,
> >>
> >>  _
> >> /-\ndrew
> >>
> >>
> >>>> I need to add an access point into the mix normally I would just
> >>>> bridge
> >>>> the ethernet and wlan adapter but since the ethernet adapter is
> >>>> already a
> >>>> part of the OpenVPN bridge that does not work. How would you guys set
> >>>> this
> >>>> up to have a point to point backhaul and an AP all on a Wrap.2C (1
> >>>> ethernet 2 mini pci) any help?

there are other options to using a traditional vpn.  if you don't
want/need encryption (maybe due to overhead or other limitations),
there are tunneling programs out there that can tunnel most any
protocol.

gnu virtual private ethernet: http://savannah.gnu.org/projects/gvpe/

I was looking at gvpe for a wifi site I was doing, but ended up going
a different route (the routed route, actually.  ooo, bad pun).  Either
way, it's a pretty cool little tool.

Xvpnd also just popped up on freshmeat just now.  Not tried it, but
sounds interesting: http://www.xvpnd.org/

I wouldn't chain a bunch of bridges or tunnels together though.
Definitely set up static routes first.  You can then put gvpe or a vpn
on top of the routed network.  That way, even without a tunnel up, you
can still get to every host on the network.

-- 
Noah Dain
"I don't want to make toys, I want to be a dentist!"