Slashdot Mirror
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."
It's not the kill, it's the thrill of the chase.
The comments have so far been dumb. Let me point out that the real strength in this tutorial is the idea that you can construct a sort of mini-appliance with ease using Linux. Before you downplay this man's efforts, consider that what he is doing is demonstrating one of the key strong points of Linux that will keep Linux around for a long time: Its use in appliances and specialized embedded devices. In fact, this is such a critical area that Microsoft has become more lenient and more "open" (I use the term loosely) with their competing WinCE product.
It's not hard to take some of the author's ideas and twist them around for other custom networking applications, or even make cheap wireless appliances based on the concepts he's presented. Hats off to the man for providing us with a bit of education.
In much the same way reading the article is better than trolling.
1) you can get more out of the box. (near-endless possibilities for customization) - similarly, the article probably contains more than your average slashbot response (like this one, for instance:))
2) it's fun and rewarding to do things for yourself. much like actually reading the article and drawing your own conclusions is fulfilling, while buying off-the-shelf solutions leaves you feeling empty and purposeless - the same way you should feel after posting trollish first posts.
This is throwing an 802.11 card in a computer and configuring it. Start etching some circuit boards, break out the soldering iron and spectrum analyzer, then you can considering it building...
Tired of being "punished" by the Slashdot $rtbl since 2002. I'm now over at http://soylentnews.org/ .
Update your FLASH. My BEFW has been very stable.
I use a laptop, zaurus, and my kids computer upstairs is also conneted to the net by WiFi
Didn't you read the summary?
Prevent email address forgery. Publish SPF records for y
Actually most build your own stuff is like this. The prototype or early phase is wicked cheap (Pringles can, for example) so you start jacking around with it ... then you just keep on adding stuff that you need until BAM! $300 access point built from scratch.
... hey, free second machine.
Pretty much the way most of my computers were built. 'Oh neat, I can buy that computer for $300 - a complete working system."
Hmmm - needs a sound card. (cha-ching!)
Hmmm - needs a better video card. (cha-ching!)
Hmmm - needs more memory. (cha-ching!)
Hmmm - needs a bigger hard drive. (cha-ching!)
Hmmm - needs a quieter CPU / case fan. (cha-ching!)
Hmmm - needs faster CPU. (cha-ching!)
Hmmm - needs a CD burner. (cha-ching!)
At the end, only the case, power supply and mobo are original on your uber "$300" machine. And then only maybe.
God help the guy that keeps all the spare parts, then goes out and buys a case, power supply and mobo to install them all into because
Glonoinha the MebiByte Slayer
Err- apparently I'm an idiot- here:
t ml
http://www.turnpoint.net/wireless/cantennahowto.h
I browse at +5 Flamebait- moderation for all or moderation for none.
That only makes you more observant than 90% of the /. crowd. ;-)
I wrote my post pre-parental-moderation.
psxndc
The emacs religion: to be saved, control excess.
Technically theres no difference between a linux based and windows based access point. Sure you could argue for stability, but the only thing that could bring it down is a system crash (which doesnt really happen in windows unless you're doing something on it other than routing data) or a line failure. He's probably just making it to show Linux's 'supperiority' over windows. When someone claims that they can get 10kb/s over windows with a linux server, they entire Linux community goes crazy.
Note that I am not Linux bashing here, I like and use linux all the time, I'm just pointing out that there is no real reason to make these other than bragging rights.