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Build a Wireless ISP on Linux

Posted by Zonk on from the do-it-yourself-kit dept.

JuiceMan wrote to mention an article that goes into the the specifics of setting up a Wireless Internet Service Provider (WISP) using Linux and a few easy scripts. From the article: "Wireless clients will have questions, and the Linux-based management tools I'll discuss will help you answer them. Here are some quick examples of how you can answer typical user questions - Question: 'Is the Internet down today? Why can't my browser find www.flakyhost.com?' Solution: First, check your wireless network with the scanap script; it will tell you about the wireless signal quality of all associated clients, including the one that's giving you problems. Then, check IP connectivity with the pingall script; it will tell you about the latency to your ISP's gateway, the DNS, and all your clients, including the problematic one. If these two scripts establish that your network is OK, try www.flakyhost.com."

6 of 79 comments (clear)

  1. Service Contract issues? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: -1, Troll


    How would you mitigate service contract needs across an easily available platform?
    Your customers are going to want to pay right?
    Or are you going to give it to everyone like a good nigger?

  2. Re:ONLY 1 QUESTION by Anonymous Coward · · Score: -1, Troll

    Because if we use a free os, and we steal some bandwidth from next doors wireless AP we can give this away for free!

    Thats why!

  3. How about by hobotron · · Score: 1, Troll


    I know im arguing about usability in a Linux thread, but listen to me, dont tell me about 50 neat little scripts I can use to figure out what is YOUR problem why MY wireless ISP wont work.

    If you must resort to small apps to figure out what the problem is please name them better than scanap and pingall, call them Happy Fix and bundle them all together to report a coherent message to the user and the administrator.

    --
    There is truth in humor.
    1. Re:How about by grozzie2 · · Score: -1, Troll

      Actually, if you need 50 little scripts to figure out whats wrong with your network, maybe you shouldn't be trying to be an isp. If you networking skills are so poor that you cannot troubleshoot a network connection by simply typing a few commands at a prompt, maybe you should leave the isp business to those more qualified.

  4. ALERT! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: -1, Troll

    www.flakyhost.com could not be found. Please check the name and try again.

  5. Please, Zonk, pretty please with sugar on top, by Anonymous Coward · · Score: -1, Troll

    Zonk, please, please quit posting useless drivel. Wake up one of the other editors if you have to.