[CWN-Summit] Re: CWN-Summit Digest, Vol 3, Issue 3

[David Young]

On Tue, Oct 12, 2004 at 12:01:16PM -0500, cwn-summit-request at cuwireless.net wrote:
> 1. My impression was that CUWin was using an 802.11a backhaul and
> schpritzing the immediate environs with good ol' 11b, but the equipment
> only has the single antenna.  Am I mistaken?  Are you using the Metrix
> Mark II kit with the a/b/g radio board or the Mark I with just the
> g board?

We only use b, right now.  There are interesting things you can do to
optimize a mesh if you alternate 'a' and 'b' in the "backhaul."

Rumor is that some varieties of a/b/g card will operate simultaneously
in 'b' and 'a' mode.  It has to do w/ the architecture of the thing.
(No 'g' and 'a' mode simultaneously.)

>
> 2. Rob, is the g radio board backward compatible to b? If not, can we
> get a kit with a b board substitution? (Any unincorporated, nonprofit,
> (but w/ fiscal agent to admin no money), ignorant constituent group
> programs that Metrix can help us on?)

All g radios are b-compatible.

>
> 3. Using the hyperlinktech 8.5dBi omni antenna, is there any special
> criteria for node placement (besides the resident's permission).
> How high is too high? What is an optimal distance between nodes?
> Fudge factor for tree cover?  Is there anything that I should be aware
> of besides the obvious?

The beam is rather narrow.  It's best if the antennas are approximately
in the same "plane" parallel to ground.  A good rule of thumb is to
keep the antenna *absolutely* vertical, and always put it on the highest
point of the house.

> 4. Is CUWin installing lightning arrestors (like MIT roofnet)?

No, but we have off-and-on discussed whether we should.  We have been in
the "on" phase for the last few weeks.

BTW, we are working on a new release that I think you will prefer to
use in your tests.

Dave

-- 
David Young             OJC Technologies
dyoung at ojctech.com      Urbana, IL * (217) 278-3933