Slashdot Mirror

← Back to Stories (view on slashdot.org)

GENRIP for Ultra Low Cost Wireless Deployments

Posted by michael on from the masochists-wanted dept.

Gregory Perry writes "A South Florida company just released GENRIP, an open source (as in GPL) project for Linux that turns low cost serial line devices (such as 900 Mhz radios) into IP addressable nodes; right now the technology is being used by various robotics groups to replace existing wired tethers on robots with wireless radio links, but the important thing to mention is the ability to use cheap radios to create wireless lan segments without the power and cost requirements associated with 802.11 WLANS."

4 of 88 comments (clear)

  1. Re:dare I ask by Pi+Kapp+142 · · Score: 1, Insightful

    I'd amigine it could be with a little bit of work.

  2. Man Hours is a Cost too... by mr_gerbik · · Score: 5, Insightful

    Fine, the equipment may be cheap -- and it sounds like you get what you pay for. But what about the cost of man hours it takes to get this up and running. Not to mention the man hours it will take to support some hodge-podge solution to wireless. For all the trouble you will have to go to to get this crappy solution going, you could afford 802.11b that works out of the box on most distros anymore.

    If you want to save some money cutting corners, then build some cheap pringles cantennas or something.

    -gerbik

    1. Re:Man Hours is a Cost too... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 3, Insightful

      The first assumtion with any hobby is that your time is worthless, since you would gladly do this for free.

  3. ultra low cost??? how?? by Lumpy · · Score: 3, Insightful

    those radios are MORE expensive than 802.11 cards.

    I can get a pair of 802.11 cards for $20.00 each on ebay (ISA type not pcmcia) or even cheaper is the old wavelan cards.. Granted I cant talk to embedded items like a 68hc11 or a Pic with an ISA card, but for what they are trying to do, it's certianly a whole bunch cheaper than buying the 910MHZ devkits they are using..

    when someone says "ultra low cost" I expect it to mean "cheaper than what you can do now."

    --
    Do not look at laser with remaining good eye.