[Commotion-dev] LibraryBox: filesharing and mesh

[Ben West]

The underlying cool thing is that the proliferation of low-cost, ultra
small form-factor devices like the TL-MR3020 is enables diverse projects
such as LibraryBox, Serval's mesh extender, even the mini nodes I'm
deploying.  Likewise, I do hope s2e finds success in slimming down
Commotion to run on these boxes (with outboard USB disk), if he hasn't
already.

Although these different projects may not actually end up sharing the same
firmware, at least beyond the extent they still derive from OpenWRT, seems
to me there should be distinct possibility in collaborating over the
following goals:

   - Improve USB disk support, i.e. to work-around limitation of on-board
   4Mbyte flash.  That is, what is the correct kernel/module compile recipe,
   what is the best method or auto-mounting on boot, and how to best do opkg
   install to ramdisk?
   - 2nd external antenna?  These
guys<https://apollo.open-resource.org/lab:argus#modifications>may have
figured out the original hack for one external antenna, but the
   lack of an AR9330 datasheet prevents them from using the 2nd antenna output.
   - Pool funding sources to contract manufacture of a customized version
   of the TL-MR3020?  I realize Mesh Potato is already pursuing a customized /
   beefed-up version of a similar TP-Link product, but I wonder if other
   groups together may be interested in a lighter-weight design.  E.g. not so
   much additional I/O, but maybe just double the RAM and flash size?
   - Brainstorm novel applications that take advantage of these devices
   running on battery and/or solar power.  Recall the newer TL-MR3040 is the
   same device, but with a large lithium battery.


On Fri, Jul 26, 2013 at 8:36 PM, Seamus Tuohy <s2e at opentechinstitute.org>wrote:

>
>
> On 07/24/2013 07:09 PM, Chris Ritzo wrote:
> > On 07/24/2013 05:44 PM, Ben West wrote:
> >> A friend pointed me to this Kickstarter for LibraryBox:
> >>
> >> "LibraryBox is an anonymous fileserver based on cheap hardware that runs
> >> on little power and serves files to any wifi-enabled device with a
> >> browser. It is a fork of the Open Source project PirateBox, altered to
> >> be more comfortable to use for libraries, educators, and anyone else
> >> that has a need to serve files in locations that lack reliable,
> >> unfiltered connectivity with the Internet."
> >>
> >> http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/griffey/librarybox-20
> >> http://librarybox.us/
> >>
> >> The photo suggests a TP-Link TL-MR3020 or TL-WN703N, indeed with an
> >> itty-bitty flash drive in the USB jack.
> >>
> >> Likewise, I'm about to deploy my 2nd TL-MR3020 as a repeater node for
> >> WasabiNet, having finally squeezed enough of the firmware into 4MB to
> >> get mesh + AP + coovachilli all onboard.
> >>
> >> It is neat to see a low-cost platform like the TL-MR3020, whose intended
> >> use as "3G travel modem" is kinda worthless, but which nevertheless
> >> enables quite a diversity of community wifi projects.
> >>
> >> --
> >> Ben West
> >> http://gowasabi.net
> >> ben at gowasabi.net <mailto:ben at gowasabi.net>
> >> 314-246-9434
> >>
> >>
> >> _______________________________________________
> >> Commotion-dev mailing list
> >> Commotion-dev at lists.chambana.net
> >> https://lists.chambana.net/mailman/listinfo/commotion-dev
> >>
> >
> > I met Jason Griffey who is the developer of LibraryBox. One of his
> > features for the next version is "mesh networking". I'm wondering if the
> > work folks have done on "appropriate box" would be useful to share.
> >
>
> The appropriate box was also inspired by David Darts pirate box (which
> this is a fork of). It looks like he still uses python in his
> implementation. We decided to package the features we wanted in a LuCI
> package to save room. I would be interested in a conversation to see
> where he is going with library box, and possibly learn from each others
> explorations in this arena. It might be worth reaching out.
>
> s2e
> _______________________________________________
> Commotion-dev mailing list
> Commotion-dev at lists.chambana.net
> https://lists.chambana.net/mailman/listinfo/commotion-dev
>
>


-- 
Ben West
http://gowasabi.net
ben at gowasabi.net
314-246-9434
-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: <http://lists.chambana.net/pipermail/commotion-dev/attachments/20130727/0570ad88/attachment.html>