[CUWiN-Dev] New Platform

[Quantum Scientific]

Good news:  I may have found a good platform for the project.

I've just looked over the circuitry for the Belkin F5D8230-4 pre-N wireless 
router.  They generally  retail for ~$125, and seem well-capable of meshing 
HSLS.  Cheaper than Soekris, and a much better performer, radio-wise.

A MIPS 300MHz processor with hardware IPSec, 128MB DDR SDRAM, and pads already 
there to just solder in another 128MB.  Only 32MB of flash, but likely this 
could be replaced with 64MB, maybe special-ordered from Belkin.  Upgrade the 
RAM and flash, get no case, and maybe it'd be the same price as the retail 
router.

The radio is the Airgo miniPCI reference design, which plugs into the 
mainboard, which is also Airgo's reference design.  Belkin's build quality is 
pretty good, and I can see this thing is expensive to make.  It's doubtful 
the reference design could be bought and product made, reliably, cheaper than 
buying in volume from Belkin.  Although there are a number of manufacturing 
partners of Airgo who may already have the reference design and would be 
willing to manufacture.  The current firmware does not support IPV6, and I do 
not know which OS.

I've tested this 'pre-802.11n', and it is amazing for distance and speed.  So 
far this technology has gone relatively unnoticed in the wireless community, 
but I say it works.  This MIMO system may eliminate the need for two radios 
given its nature, although I have a number of questions in to Airgo.  It does 
require three antennae, but these could likely be rubber duckys, considering 
the range the router gives.  I do not yet know whether this is a 
directed-beam system.

To see high-rez images:
http://quantum-sci.com/images/preN-mainb-f.jpg
http://quantum-sci.com/images/preN-mainb-b.jpg
http://quantum-sci.com/images/preN-mPCI-f.jpg
http://quantum-sci.com/images/preN-mPCI-b.jpg

The mainboard is a bit blurry because the metal can rim is 1/2" deep.

I hope devs will consider this platform.

Best,

Carl Cook