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Your Own Linux Wireless Access Point

Posted by michael on from the learning-experience dept.

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."

8 of 177 comments (clear)

  1. Cheaper to buy... by swordboy · · Score: 4, Informative

    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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  2. Re:Okay... by kmak · · Score: 3, Informative

    Actually, if you read the article, it devotes a part explaining this...

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    I'm not the devil.. just his advocate.
  3. Re:I want the WiFi Sniffer! by dema · · Score: 4, Informative

    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.

  4. Re:It's not about cost or utility here -- by seebs · · Score: 3, Informative

    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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  5. Re:Compact Flash bad idea, so I've read by wwest4 · · Score: 4, Informative

    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.

  6. You mean like Pebble Linux? by zenyu · · Score: 3, Informative


    Pebble Linux

  7. FIC MAAT Server does access point and more by klapton · · Score: 3, Informative

    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.

  8. But the cantenna wasn't an antenna! by morcheeba · · Score: 3, Informative

    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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