[Cu-wireless] FAQ Additions

[Stephane Alnet]

Since I've no idea who maintains the website, sending to the list.

Here are some suggestions for additions to the FAQ. Also we need to 
update the map on the site to add the two nodes done last week-end. 
Also I think we should mark the nodes on the map that are connected to 
the Internet (for example use a square instead of a circle) for 
everybody's sake. Just ideas..

Also I'm planning to take pictures & videos of the existing ten nodes 
over the next few days (i.e. as soon as the sun re-appears) to help 
people picture what a node looks like and how visible they are, etc.


New FAQ entries (proposal):



* How do I get connected to the network?

You can participate in the CU-Wireless network in either of two modes:
<ul>
<li>as a node providing broadband Internet access in an area without 
existing nodes;
<li>as an edge node; in that case you will need to be close to the 
existing network.
</ul>
<p>
Both types of nodes are important to the development of the network! 
Even if you do not have broadband access that you can share with the 
community, installing a new node helps extend the service area!
<p>
Currently the CU-Wireless network covers an area around downtown 
Urbana. You can look at the <a 
href="http://www.cuwireless.net/images/wirelessmap.jpg">map of existing 
wireless nodes</a> to find out whether you are close to the current 
network.


* What hardware will I need?

A CU-Wireless node basically consists of the following components:
<ul>
<li>a computer acting as a software node;
<li>a wireless card installed in that computer;
<li>an antenna installed as high as possible outside of the building.
</ul>
<p>
There are two basic setups we are currently using:
<ul>
<li>generic computer system: if you have a spare computer available 
that could be used as a node; this doesn't have to be the latest and 
greatest, since we are otherwise using systems that are equivalent to 
486 computers. However your system must be able to host a wireless card 
(via a PCI interface) and boot from CD-ROM. The operating system for 
the node is provided in the form of a bootable CD.
<br>
The main problem with using a generic computer is that since the cable 
between the antenna and the wireless card should be as short as 
possible, but that a generic computer can not realistically be 
outdoors, the quality of the signal is degraded.
<li>Soekris 4521 or 4511 boards: these cards are available from <a 
href="http://www.soekris.com">Soekris</a> and host a CPU similar to a 
486, 64MB of RAM, one (or two) PCMCIA slots, a CompactFlash slot (used 
for storing the operating system on a 64MB CF card), and a mini-PCI 
slot; they also provide two Fast-Ethernet ports and a console port.
<br>
We have developed housing and water-proofing solutions that allow for 
the node to be mast-mounted outdoors, and using Power-over-Ethernet, a 
single Category-5 cable is all what is required to connect the outside 
node to the inside of the building.
</ul>


* Location, location, location.

The antenna for the node must be located outside the building. It must 
also be located as high as possible, and preferably above the roof or 
higher structure of the building. Generally this means that the antenna 
will end up on the roof, attached to the chimney or a mast. This means 
you must have access to the roof and be willing to have the antenna (& 
node) installed up there. (We will install the antenna!)
<p>
If you are renting, the antenna can be installed on a mast on a 
balcony. However since this strongly reduces the field available to the 
antenna, this is not an optimal solution.
<p>
Installing indoors antenna is not a viable option for the project.




--
Mayotte - http://stephane.alnet.free.fr/
No nospam