Hi,
New to ARDEN Mesh and still learning. I am also a member of our state ARES/RACES organizations.
My node is on the air in tunnel mode (MikroTik hAP lite) connected to a network in New England.
I would like to put together a portable (for a conference room sized area) setup to Demonstrate the ARDEN Mesh (no internet) capabilities for local hamfests.
Can this be done with with a pair of MikroTik hAP lite devices, or do I have to use higher end radio devices.
Bruce, N1JGB
New to ARDEN Mesh and still learning. I am also a member of our state ARES/RACES organizations.
My node is on the air in tunnel mode (MikroTik hAP lite) connected to a network in New England.
I would like to put together a portable (for a conference room sized area) setup to Demonstrate the ARDEN Mesh (no internet) capabilities for local hamfests.
Can this be done with with a pair of MikroTik hAP lite devices, or do I have to use higher end radio devices.
Bruce, N1JGB
Better yet to get a pair of CPE510 or similar. You can set those up as two complete stations as much as a mile apart so long as no trees or buildings in the way. Put them on some sort of tripod and now you show what AREDN mesh can do. Or put one on a nearby building and the other some distance away.
Or if you have time to do something more ambitious, get a pair of SXT devices which are narrow beam and can throw quite a few miles. Put one on a tall building somewhere and hit it with the other.
That is a mesh demonstration that will make sense. If you have to do this indoors only, then the actual devices are a better static demo than two hAP lites. Perhaps put one device outdoors through an open window. Just drop the power if it's all in one room for safety if folks will be nearby while the things are active.
Ed
<-"The hAP lite is essentially a wifi router with two antennas."
->"The hAP lite is a wifi router with two internal antennas."
With AREDN firmware the hAP lite can become part of an auto-adaptive IP network, just with internal antennas. :-|
<-"Not really very good for mesh rf propogation."
If you have time to do something more ambitious, how about
adding a PTZ camera or pair of VoIP telephones or
show the 'New England' network map or chat server or teamtalk server
or Winlink RMS or Aredn-Alert messages or Mattermost server or
Citadel Groupware or Allstar, DMR, D-Star, Fusion, gateways,...
73, Chuck
Hi, Bruce:
Yes, no.
This can also be done with any 2 devices running AREDN firmware if they are on
the same channel and bandwidth, assuming you did not modify the default SSID.
73, Chuck
Going from 0 to 60 in a couple of weeks has been interesting.
Thanks for the input. I think I knew that hAP(s) in the same room would be kind of lame. But the thought of a remote SXT device would be more intriguing and on point.
I think I may go with a power point if I can get one as an introduction. I'm sure some hams know about ARDEN Mesh. But, a presentation may be useful to present the capabilities and the low impact other than co-locating devices at repeater tower sites.
Bruce, N1JGB
Bruce, don't discount the "Ooo-Aahh" factor of having all the AREDN equipment in the room, even adults respond positively to a good Show and Tell they can touch and feel. I've done these things on several occasions over the years, and having all the equipment involved in each node of an AREDN setup in the room goes a long way to pulling folks in. Plus, the best application I've found is to have a couple of VoIP phones, one on each node, and have people call each other from across the room. If they can see the equipment needed in a simple node, then get that supplemented with a good Powerpoint presentation, it should hopefully garner the interest you are looking for, of course stressing that bigger, higher nodes can span many miles with the same application capabilities. Just my 2 cents worth, good luck with the presentation.
73, Bill, N4SV
I'm not discounting a Demo. Our local Hamfests are happening over the next couple on months and my purchase, assembly, test and fielding will take at least that long.
Ham radio is almost cheaper than owing a boat!
Thanks,
Bruce, N1JGB
One other thing that I've found helpful is having an IP camera on a node outside, such as at my car, having it relayed in, and displaying the video on my computer or a projector in the room
On my node (tunnel) connection I have a Mikrotik hAP lite. I am running a GXV3240 VoIP (works!) and a RPI 3B as an interface and Pat winlink (not tested yet).
I am trying to setup a off mesh DEMO.with 2 each GLiNet AR300 ext devices and a pair of Cisco SPA941 IP phones. Do I have to make one of the GL300 units a 'server' to get the IP dialing to work?
The phones are set on static ip address on each router.
Bruce
If the 'Cisco SPA941 IP phones' support IP dialing, you need no further AREDN configuration.
By 'static ip address' do you mean that each phone has a 'DHCP Address Reservations'
on linked AREDN nodes?
Have you tried to IP dial, yet?
73, Chuck
Not yet. Got side tracked by our little group into researching Citadel and Team talk 5.
I will try the phones out later in the week.
Bruce
Yes! I just did my first IP to IP test with my SPA941's and a pair of GL300 routers (in the house).
This should still work in a remote environment right?
Bruce, N1JGB
I am unaware of any IP phone being self-aware of its environment.
As far as I know, the phone needs an IP address and a route to same to IP dial.
73, Chuck
Poor choice of words (environment).
I brought the whole package (2 phones/routers) to work (an EOC) today and set them up at opposite ends of our building.
It still works!
I can box it up now and wait for the Ham Fest in a couple of weeks.
Bruce
Yes, the SPA941 supports IP dialing (tested and works on my mesh node).
"By 'static ip address' do you mean that each phone has a 'DHCP Address Reservations'
on linked ARDEN nodes?"
Yes. Each Node has a phone with a DHCP IP address.
Bruce, N1JGB