Portable Mesh Network Project
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@Jstear said in Portable Mesh Network Project:
Cost is obviously your biggest issue here. What kind of budget are you working with for the project?
How much can you donate to the project?
As little as possible and get away with meeting all the criteria... There is 'more' to this project, but the wireless is the main key point. But as with any project - you want good solid reliable hardware. And it has to be nearly idiot proof...
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One 'option' is to use OLD technology. But of course what happens when the unit fails? The old Linksys W54 series Routers and APs would work fine.
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@gjacobse said in Portable Mesh Network Project:
One 'option' is to use OLD technology. But of course what happens when the unit fails? The old Linksys W54 series Routers and APs would work fine.
Reversing that mentality, what happens if it doesn't fail. For all you know, it could last another 10 years. I say if you have the equipment, take a shot at it. You really have nothing to lose over what you have in place at this point.
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Open Mesh is probably the best choice here.
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One thing to also note - There is little likelihood of having access to the cloud. This needs to operate as an isolated network with the option that someone may have a hotspot or their phone to connect to,.. but likely not available. So the CloudTrax is 'limited use'
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So I'm 90% sure I've seen a Ubiquiti product for mesh networks, but I can't find it anywhere now.
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Found it
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This kind of scenario is a solid use case for the Ubiquiti UAP-LR models. The extended range on them will let them talk to each other easily while the devices near each one will get the rest.
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Just before my second son came along, I was playing with a ham project called HSMM-MESH. http://www.broadband-hamnet.org/. We got it working with some of the older Ubiquiti Bullet style devices and one WRT54g router that was the "main" (if you will) unit for Field Day back 2 years ago. Sadly I have not kept up on the project and sold all my gear as it was collecting dust so it may be a dead product now. There is a more updated fork called Amateur Radio Emergency Data Network that I have not followed but does use Ubiquiti gear. http://www.aredn.org/
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Proxim always made high quality, no Internet required mesh gear as well.
