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Your Own Linux Wireless Access Point
prostoalex writes "Peter Seebach decided to build his own Linux-based 802.11b wireless access point. The article on IBM DeveloperWorks talks about the hardware and software requirements, implementing the operating system on the CompactFlash card, loading Apache and Perl onto the server. The build-it-yourself wireless point is not going to be cheaper than commercially available products, but its educational value is immense." And HaeMaker writes "We have all seen the 802.11b/g booster made from a Pringles can. Well, these guys have taken the idea, put some math behind it to find the optimal can size and have turned it in to a cool product."
Toshiba Magnia SG20
Certainly, rolling your own is a learning experience but this is hard to beat. Where to you get a switch to put in a roll-your-own box?
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Actually, if you read the article, it devotes a part explaining this...
I'm not the devil.. just his advocate.
obviously, if you read the article, you would have found that he did it just to see what it would take. He also believes that Linux offers a lot more in firewalling, NAT, etc, than a typical Linksys home networking AP does (and I agree).
Why this is news for nerds, stuff that matters, I will never know...
I found the article basically pointless and nothing more than what anyone who would be likely to try a project like this already knows..
I have one of those too and it used to drop connections like crazy. They have a firmware upgrade (TFTP) that you can install that fixed the connections problems. I haven't done anything with the logging, so I don't know if that's improved or not...
Just Google for your model number + firmware or poke around on LinkSys's site. That's how I found it.
HTH.
--
Mac OS X--Unix without the assholes^Whassles.
For OS X users I've used KisMAC to find wireless networks with a lot of success. It even has a built in decryption utility, how inconspicuious!
There's also iStumbler and MacStumbler, which I haven't used. And ALL of these have yet to hit v1.0 btw.
Thanks! Glad someone spotted that.
Y'know, it's interesting, because at least *my* last draft of the article pointed this out; it's not about being cost-effective, it's about learning how to do something fun and interesting.
FWIW, I still use a Linksys for my primary WLAN because it's cheap and fairly high-power, and reaches across the street, and it's already configured. But... if I have to replace it, I'll probably replace it with homebrew.
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the life of CF is limited by writes - for something like this, which should be fairly static (if you keep the boot device RO), it is acceptable.
I certainly have too many old boxes laying around. Yes, building your own access point is much more interesting. And you get to customize so that you have the features that you want. But in the long run it will be a lot more expensive to operate that PC that uses a few hundred of watts of power than an access point powered from a small wall wart that uses a few watts of power. If, like most users, you leave your internet connection up 24/7, you will find that any savings that might exist in building a device from spare parts are grossly offset by the cost of running it.
This is not an agrument for or against building your own, just a warning to those who might read the original post and think they can save money by building their own.
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Pebble Linux
The FIC MAAT Server from FIC can serve as a Linux wireless access point.
Specs:
Embedded Linux
Transmeta Crusoe TM5600 500MHz
On-board 128MB SDRAM (512MB max)
2X 2.5' IDE HDD 20GB (120GB max)
4 ports 10/100 Mbps Ethernet Hub Switch
Built-in Wireless Access Point (802.11b)
Dimensions: W246 X D240 X H56mm
Unfortunately, it is rather pricey at $995 MSRP or $645 direct from the FIC California branch. Interesting nonetheless.
The net4521 is an amazing product! I built a AP/firewall/etc appliance with one, using the 200mw card from NetGate. They have soekris kits too now. I used OpenBSD not Linux and couldn't be happier with the result.
My wireless network is secured with IPSec, pf makes for an amazing firewall, have a caching DNS server, upstream rate limiting for my cable connection, etc. Not only is my network as secure as can be, but I can upgrade to 802.11a/g with only a new network card (and antennas if a) and new releases of OpenBSD in the rare event a hole is found.
the heathkit cantenna wasn't really an antenna ... it was a dummy load for testing transmitters. The signal was safely disapated into the oil, not the air. Same name, but different purposes.
Besides, it was never registered as a trademark by Heathkit (ah, the simpler days!), or any other company.
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Actually a pringles can is a very bad wifi antenna. To work effectovely it should be a couple of meters long. The can shown has a larger diameter, which should be much better.
You can calculate the optimal size yourself here.
Markus
I've been busting my arse to put together a suitable Linux Wireless Access Point HOWTO for months.
m l
Finally it's in the process of getting published at the Linux Documentation Project.
Slashdot links to some chucklehead's one pager.
http://oob.freeshell.org/nzwireless/LWAP-HOWTO.ht