TAPR could....

TAPR already provides:

• File repository archives
• EMail List reflectors - https://www.tapr.org/mailman/listinfo

We Hams badly need, and TAPR could extend their services to provide....

• Wordpress web sites
• Wiki  (probably mediaWiki)
• Computer Discussion Forums
• Source Control project repository.  Similar to GitHug
• Issue Tracking
• Project Planning

Much knowledge and history is being lost as independently hosted sites disappear.

Rather Fight Than Switch - OpenWrt Mesh versions

> I am debricking another router so I can have 3 then I will switch.

Don't switch!

You are running OpenWRT...

You have two working nodes.

Add a third - then you'll have a working mesh.

Install NGIRC on one of the  nodes - WRT54GS with 8 MB would be best if you have one.   It's a well documented process on the HSMM site.

The BBHN GUI is clean and easy - it's a good way to start if you're not used to Linux command line routing and firewall operations.   If you dream in firewall commands - then go for the pure OpenWRT.

With 3 working mesh nodes you'll be able to find a fourth box, install the CHANGEME build and learn how to get it working.   It's way easier to add a new setup to a working system then to try doing everything cold from scratch.

Ok - having said all these nice things about the BBHN GUI - it's also time we move beyond it.  With all the recent activities they're trying to bring the same custom GUI to all configurations and essentially not supporting anything that's not using the GUI.   They've jumped the shark with this one.   The future is pure OpenWrt, maybe Luci, maybe a Ham-Mesh-Luci add-on.   Nobody can hope to keep up with a custom interface on top of all the cool new hardware that's coming.  (It's also important to realize that 'mesh' has a small place in the overall scheme of Networking - to put everything on the Mesh is to throw away much power and functionality.)

Personally I'm going to learn the command line and master the beast - but I'll still keep my old GUI-Mesh boxes around for compatibility checking and loaning out to folks getting started.

Onward...

73
Bill, WA7NWP

HPRAN - High Performance Radio Area Network

A local, experimental, high performance and robust data backbone.

Goals
* greater than 100 Mb/s performance.
* robust loss of any one node will on
* optional and controllable - passing OLSRD mesh routing info transparently. Learn how to do this.

Measuring
* network monitoring such as MRTG or CACTI
* examples -

Technologies
* Mikrotik radios, 5 GHz, NV2 data
* N or AC mode for user access - ideally both 2.4 and 5 GHz.

Do Next:

• Access the nodes
• Better plan
• Get two nodes linked

Equipment Acquired or otherwise allocated to project
* 6/26 - Fired up Mikrotik radio for the first time.  One of the RB-SXT units.  Set laptop to static IP 192.168.88.20 and it browsed to 192.168.88.1 - Very rich tool set.   Now for a better plan of how to design the system.
* 6/23/2014 - Have RB-SXT radios.  Three DIR-825 for the node switch and access.  Time to power up.
* 6/17/2014 - ordered 2 Mikrotik RB-SXT 5 GHz radios from FAB Corp.
* x/x/2014 - 14xNn $80 Mikrotik Groove from XX
* x/x/2014 - 14xNn $95 Mikrotik 5SHPn 14xNN1 from XX
* 4/18/2014 - 14d41 $46 ECHO58 Echo Series 5.3GHz - 5.8GHz 17 dBi Backfire Antenna from FAB Corp
* 4/14/2014 - 14d42 $54 patch58-19 Tri-Band 5.3GHz - 5.8GHz 19dBi Flat Panel Antenna from FAB Corp

Notes
* Complete system will have two full service nodes each linked to two Link nodes
* The services and data on each of the servers will be identica.
* A third server will be running 'at home' to provide hot backup and development
* Full Service Node - all provide the same services with mirrored data
* Running on UPS
* Full size external hard disk of at least 1T
* User Access
* Two Backbone Radios
* Server -
* IRC
* Asterix
* Link Node
* User Access - one switch with gigabit Ethernet and dual radios on 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz
* Two backbone radios
* DC power - probably 12V

Mikrotik Notes

Q: Dean - If you add lines to a list (say, the "/ip firewall filter" list), they are added at the end.  Then, you can "print" where they are in the list, and "move" them to where you want them.  You can't directly insert, but that's OK.   Where the idiosyncrasy comes is, if you save what you did, and later paste it into the command line (without including the "print" command), it won't work.  Apparently the numbering of the lines (needed for the "move" command) doesn't occur until you do a "print".

A: Nigel - You can indeed place them where you like, using 'place-before=NUM' in your add command, and yes, numbering is dependent on you having performed a

HamWAN Notes

Tom/LXL - With the SNMP stuff I've been playing with for MRTG/Cacti - it's just a read only port. If so, maybe Dean would open that up for you.
It should be enough to complete the snmp section of the client node configuration instructions:
/snmp set enabled=yes contact="#HamWAN on irc.freenode.org"
/snmp community set name=hamwan addresses=44.24.255.0/25 read-access=yes write-access=no numbers=0

Back on Packet - again - wip

D710 on the Linux server - it's not as easy as it should be - yet.
setserial...
KISS vs power cycles
Applications

Soup and Cables

Stopped for soup on the way home from work..   Always a treat.  Just
so happens the local 'cable store'  (aka Goodwill) is across the
parking lot from the café.   So what the heck - pickin's have been
slim but there might be a WRT54G or something that would work as a
high speed AP.  Or maybe even a Cat 5E jumper.

I was getting bummed when there was Nada for routers.   Nothing.  Not
even those old BEFWRxyz123's...     Had GW gone out of the 'cable
business?'   Can't be.

Ah - relief...   There on the side shelf behind the rack of cables (no
5E's - darn) was the typical shelf of routers.    No 'blue box'
WRT54G's but better yet - had to check the fine print twice but it was
right - a good as new box with all the original parts and pieces and
packing - a DIR-825.  One of the best 'meshable' routes there is.
Luck held and the revision on the box was B1.   A and C aren't OpenWRT
friendly but B1 and B2 are...

Bottom line - keep checking for those cables...

73
Bill, WA7NWP

T3-9670 9600 baud data radio

Available in two versions from Argent Data
* T3-9670 Data Radio
* T3 Balloon Tracker - Data Radio tracker with GPS

Notes:
* Relevant Options
- TXFREQ Default=430.xxx Ours=440.800
- RXFREQ Default=430.xxx Ours=440.800
- TXPOWER Percentage Default=100 Ours=10
- USBKISS ON # for KISS mode. Non-standard 3x control-C to exit KISS mode.
# to ping network, change UNPROTO and CONV to send out packets. control-C to exit Convers mode.
- UNPROTO APX200 VIA WIDE2-2 with PATH WIDE2-2.
* Scott: The TOCALL field can't be changed - it's fixed at APOTxx.
* Scott: HBAUD is ignored for now. When I've had more time to test it, it'll support other FSK baud rates, but it won't do 300 or 1200 baud AFSK.

Scott

On Linux:
Plug in
'dmesg' command to see the USB port associated. Mine was /tty/devASM0 ??

On Windows:
Plug in
Find Unknown USB Device
Update software with .INF file from Argent. Full instructions at:
I had to update twice. The first time it wouldn't start.

Wishlist and tweaks:
* Adjustable faster HBAUD speeds
* Change the TOCALL field
* Remove the software carrier detect switch. It probably doesn't apply.

Conversd Server

Another project one of these months...



This is the system (IRC clone sorta) I was talking about.

http://mysite.verizon.net/ka1fsb/convers.html

http://www.linux-ax25.org/wiki/Ping-Pong_Convers_Server_software

JNOS has a server built in but the real answer (besides IRC) is Linux.

Mobile/Portable Async Data Exchange

Some notes on another project in the contemplation phase...


Email, files, Newsgroup discussions (NNTP)


The DTN project is interesting - but does it help with the drive-by Wifi scheme? Here the motorcycle network story that originally gave me the idea:

http://www.nytimes.com/2004/01/26/technology/26oxcart.html

I probably should dig a little deeper and see if more technical details are available.

http://www.firstmilesolutions.com/

Also

http://www.scidev.net/global/digital-divide/feature/rural-internet-not-online-but-still-connected.html

RPI MESH Gateway (14.142)

The latest Raspberry PI was picked up from Zeus this morning. Now to get a memory chip this afternoon and power it up tonight. This system is going for a FAST memory instead of a big memory. Between using /tmpfs RAM drive for the really fast needs and a thumb drive for caching content I should be able to minimize use of the SD card.

Basic functionality

This server will connect to a source of Internet access - either as a WiFi Client or by wired 10/100/1000 Ethernet. This Internet service will be 'managed' and then made available to the to a NW-MESH system.

* Netgear 2000 XZY network extender for the preliminary WIFI client access. (May need a different device in the future that allows replacing the antenna.)
* Raspberry PI for network caching and filtering services. Also some minimal standalone services can be hosted.
* WRT54G NW-MESH box to connect to the PI and provide mesh access
* (optional) another Access Point on the mesh to allow for local Wireless user access.
* Filtered Power strip - UPS? - 12V battery?
* Box - tool box or battery box - to make everything transportable.

Specific Goals so far:

* Caching DNS
* Squid for Web caching
* Fail2ban for secure web access
* denyhosts
* Block ad sources (URL goes here)
* ntpd time server - as long as it's on the web which is the purpose of this device.

Common services and applications installed

* screen
* htop
* email - it's on the web so use it
* snmp

Optional

* lighttpd and php
* mrtg

TODO Next

* Program memory. Boot up. Enable SSH. Set Host Name. Set Keyboard to English. Update and upgrade OS. Install common services and applications. Write a blog page for a basic RPI setup.

Log

4/15/4014 - Purchased an 16 GB Ultra SDHC SanDisk memory card from the local RS for $16.41. Price does down every time I get one. Listed speed is up to 30 MB/s - we shall see..

MESH-PI (HSMM-PI)

I wasn't going to do this now but with the need for the old-house-cam and the potential that it would fit right in, that was all the excuse I needed. I think the final nudge was the easy of getting MRTG running on a RPI so I could track the mesh traffic like I've been tracking local 9600 Packet.

Goal: Get NW-MESH running on a RPI so I can access the old house cam from the web.

Here's the project home pages are at wordpress HSMM-PI and GITHUB HSMM-PI for discussion there is aGoogle + Community


TODO Next:

Reload PI SD card with last summers Image. Don't update it. Try installing version 2.0 of HSMM-PI with the update disabled. Theory has it that this will work with the boguss WIFI card.

Reload PI SD card with the latest RPI image. Update it. Fire up the AE2500 dual band dongle. Install version 3.0 of HSMM-PI.

TODO Someday:

Learned:

Had to make /root chmod 777 instead of the 440 it was set in the script - Yes I know, that's not secure. Fix it someday will I.

Issue 2

Edimax WIFI card won't work.


LOG:

3/27/2014 - Learned from Rusty that my RF WIFI was most likely at fault.

3/26 - postings on last nights efforts.

Rusty: Bill, despite there being 32 ASCII characters in the old HSMM-Mesh key file, '/etc/olsrd.key' (well, current one too), only the first 16-characters are read (or have ever been read)

Bill: I can confirm that only the first 16 characters are needed for the key. Didn't help with MESH on the RPI so I'm backing up and going to try a different radio (AE2500) with it.

Rusty: You weren't using an Edimax or one of the other 2-3 dozen of the RealTek RTL8192CU chipsets in it, were you? If so, and using one of the last two releases of Raspbian, I can assure you it won't work. The Secure Plugin key has nothing to do with it.

Bill: Bingo... Exactly as I discovered. "Dongle is Edimax EW-7811Un 150 Mbps Wireless 11n Nano" Will try the Cisco AE2500 tonight and order something supported later if that doesn't work.

Rusty: I went back to the Sept '12 release of Raspbian and disabled the 'apt-get upgrade' in HSMM-Pi's 'install.sh' script. Worked just fine with the Edimax.

Bill: Good idea - Thanks! I have a RPI install image from last July I could take for a test drive. Should work as long as I'm careful with the 'upgrade' calls. Would love to have this running for the MicroHams show on Saturday - specially if I can get SNMP/MRTG showing the network traffic like I do on 9600 packet.

Rusty: I do know that at least most anything with an Atheros chipset works with the latest Raspian. I'm currently using a TP-Link TL WN721N with the latest release. The 722 has a detachable antenna, I believe.
...

MRTG on the web

Done:

Running on JNOS

Running on the WRT54GS

Running on the Raspberry PI


To Do:

Learn how to run SNMP on the WRT54G's with only 4 MB flash. That will probably be a matter of learning which packages are installed and how to install them individually instead of downloading the 100K list of packages.

Learn how to install and run SNMP on the Bullet running OpenWRT/NW-MESH software.

APRS-IS2 The Next Generation

At much discussion and debate on the International APRSSIG it's been decided to move ahead with the next generation APRS Internet Infrastructure. Some core changes will improve system security, stimulate development of Amateur Radio tools and discourage reliance on Internet Connected Land-Line technologies.

First new core concept is that there will no longer be any non-RF activity allowed to be directly submitted to the APRS-IS2. If it's on the list - it will come from RF.

Second change is a new signed and accepted by a Web-Of-Trust agent will be the only tool allowed to inject traffic to the APRS-IS2. This new tool will be developed and implemented as soon as possible.

Third, some exposure to the magic of the Amateur Realm for non Hams and Internet connected stations is a good thing. This Read-Only technology will be preserved with the old applications but it will be limited to one random packet per minute. This will be a sample of what's available and folks that want more can get it on RF.

Once this is in place we can move on with new smarter systems and Ham Users will never again need to do 'paths'

Onward to the Beyond!

73,
Bill

MRTG running

Yeah - we're back...   Many years ago we had MRTG graphs for the various Wetnet LANS.   Now, thanks to our little TCP on packet project and the addition of SNMP info in JNOS - we're once again collecting and plotting data.   This is the 9600 baud UHF APRS channel in the Puget Sound region...

I should have waited a couple days to get better charts with more data - but what the heck - it's cool to have these running again.   It's not live on the internet - internal only for now..

Now to figure out how to do this on the NW-MESH boxes.   Let's see if we can move the left column from Bytes per Second to Megabytes per Second..

Symbol Rate FCC Petition

> Symbol Rate - FCC Petition 11708 - At the January Board of Directors
> meeting, the FCC Petition 11708 dealing with elimination of symbol
> rates was discussed and a set of Frequently Asked Questions was
> established.  To view FAQs go to: http://www.arrl.org/rm-11708-faq
>
> Questions and comments on the Petition may be directed to ARRL CEO
> David Sumner, K1ZZ at: dsumner@arrl.org

"The petition proposes to substitute a bandwidth limit of 2.8 kHz for the symbol rate limits - why 2.8 kHz and not some other figure?- It accommodates the digital data modes that are now in widespread use while limiting future development to the bandwidth of an SSB transceiver."

>

Sorry but that's not progress.  Limiting our future looking activities based on 1980 hardware and 1999 software..   :(

It's like blocking iPhones today because they don't have a rotary dial...

We should simply:

  1.  Limit all 'computer' data activities like this to what's currently listed as the unattended data band segment.

  2. Double (at least) the unattended data band segments.  That's still a small portion of our spectrum.

  3. Remove any limits on the data bandwidth operations.   If it fits in the unattended data band segment use it.

Thus the data users will not be impeded by artificial restrictions. The human operators will be spared the current ongoing interference from computer modes.   Everybody wins and we can actually use existing and future technology to do cool things.

> How would you define 'computer' data activities in regulatory text?

While I'm sure a real regulation would require far more thought, how about something like this...

Sending a brag file from a key press - that's a human operation.

A PBBS login where the computer responds to the connect request - that's a computer activity.  Anything that isn't initiated by the live user (at both ends) would be computer activity.   

Path Planning Tool

Found this path profiler:

  http://www.heywhatsthat.com/profiler.html

from a referenence at:

  http://www.hotarc.org/hsmm.html

It's not as brutally honest as Radio Mobile Online and it's easier to use.

 http://www.ve2dbe.com/rmonline.html


73,
Bill - WA7NWP

Two WRT54G Mesh Routers

You now have two NW-MESH routers...   What does that mean.

References:

• NW-MESH Yahoo Group
• Broadband Hamnet  - was HSMM-MESH

What can you do with them.

• Mesh with any other NW-MESH nodes automatically.
• Setup services on the MESH lan which are advertised on the Mesh home page for others to access.
• Mesh with BBHN nodes by turning off olsrd_secure and changing the SSID
• Use BBHN nodes with these by installed olsrd_secure and changing the SSID

Some Notes.

• The web admin page is on http://localnode:8080
• SSH access is on port xx22 instead of the normal port 22
• The SSID of the nodes is currently NW-MESH-2412.   The 2412 is the frequency in Megahertz of channel 1 of the 2.4 GHz wifi band.  This was added to uniquely identiy the mesh nodes per channel.  With out that, some nodes would 'mesh' with other nodes even if they weren't on the desired channel.
• You cannot Connect or Associated with the Mesh nodes by the NW-MESH-2412 name.  This is strictly for operation of the mesh between mesh nodes.
• You can access the mesh by either a network cable link to one of the four LAN ports on a router box or by WIFI RF to an Access Point which is itself connected to a LAN port.
• Each node has 4 MB to start with and approximately 400K free after the install.  That's enough space for some small features such as the Next Generation IRC server - NGIRC.

New Four Band Ham Mobile - Wouxun KG-UV950P

This is the quad band radio I was mentioning at brunch last Saturday - the Wouxun KG-UV950p. Hopefully it'll  transmit simultaneously on both radios.

  http://www.buytwowayradios.com/products/wouxun/kg-uv950p.aspx

> Still not really getting the "quad band" aspect after 3 reads.

VHF and UHF give us local simplex and repeater access.

HF gives SKip DX which is not as easily predictable but with much greater range.

In the middle we have a couple magic bands, 6 meters and 10 meters, that give us both DX and local.    Normally good for local but when the sun shines its magic rays we have propagation around the country and beyond.

I find it appealing to have a single radio that can be used for day to day communications and can also open up and play on those special times when the skip is in.   Thus the appeal to me of a quad band radio like this.

The cross-band functionality may be a bonus where the radio could scan the cool frequencies on one side and cross band it locally to UHF at very low power with the other side..


> I suspect a bit of over-specsmanship after reading this feature:
> Stun and Kill Function

I believe those are standard functions for part 90 commercial gear that allow remotely disabling a radio that's been stolen.

>

I thought the Yeasu FT 8900 was going to be the ultimate 'special purpose' four band rig.  I had planned to use one side on 6  meter packet and the other for local voice operation.   Then I discovered it only does one band-transmitter at a time so it wouldn't work. Hopefully these new radios are better and allow full  independent operation of both modules.  Simultaneous transmitting would be the ultimate..