[RndTbl] Summer project

Mike Pfaiffer high.res.mike at gmail.com
Fri Mar 29 13:55:37 CDT 2013 

On 13-03-29 11:01 AM, Colin Stanners wrote:
> -Routers have options to be forced to run only G, only N, or auto select
> G/N based on the client. Most wireless chipsets will automatically
> select the best protocol based on signal level and RF environment. There
> is the option to flash a highly-featured OS like DD/OpenWRT for more
> control, although most Dlinks use a chipset that's less supported.

	This D-Link has such a chipset. Auto select in this case will select on 
the first client connected rather than the best protocol.

> -Usually N protocol should have more range than G, if not it's likely a
> router bug, in that case setting your router to run everything G-only
> will only cost you performance.

	Both N and G work within the house. I'd like to see something I can 
access from outside. So far the only option is to relocate the router.

> -Wireless range extension is a bad idea - the only somewhat-good way is
> to have an extender with 2 radios on different frequencies. If you try
> to to do it with a device with one radio, throughput is cut in at least
> half because the radio is receiving and transmitting the same data,
> often it's cut more because that radio's transmissions are causing
> retransmittions at your main AP and vice-versa.

	Last spring I read this particular model of D-Link can be configured as 
a secondary AP.

> -Best option to extend wireless range is a second AP on a different
> channel wired to the first, or increase the antenna size or
> directionality at your main AP.

	Considering most of the equipment I can get comes from a recycler (for 
free) only the wired option is likely. Then I would have to get 
something to run from the front of the house to the back...

> -Are you sure you found cards with a chipset that's not supported under
> Win7? There's only like a dozen different series of chipsets, you may
> need to find a driver from a supported card from a different brand with
> the same chipset.

	Yup. SMCWLAN-G. There are Vista drivers but the installers DEMAND 
installing Vista first before we can access the drivers. Two of us spent 
all afternoon (and part of the morning) looking. We came really close 
but no joy.

> -Atheros is generally the best wifi chipset. Cards can be gotten online
> or at MX very cheaply.

	I'll pass this along. This should be very useful.

> -If you're doing testing, won't the machines be next to each other? If
> so gigabit equipment is the same price as wifi and gives you 6-15x the
> speed of N wifi equipment for the same price; even much more when you
> consider total intranetwork speed.

	"Next to" is a relative term. None the less you are correct. I could go 
with gigabit but that wouldn't increase my knowledge of wireless tech. 
The recycler is more likely to have wireless stuff they can lend me for 
a while than they would have gigabit stuff.

	Thanks for the info. It clears up a couple of things I wasn't sure about.

				Later
				Mike



> On Fri, Mar 29, 2013 at 6:48 AM, Mike Pfaiffer <high.res.mike at gmail.com
> <mailto:high.res.mike at gmail.com>> wrote:
>
>              Sorry if this is a little disjointed. I'm half asleep
>     (which is usually when I get ideas - always a dangerous thing
>     especially when I'm half asleep). ;-)
>
>              Every summer the CLL at the Aboriginal Centre shuts down
>     for the month of August. Normally I ask the owners of the parent
>     company (a recycler) if I can borrow some equipment for both July
>     and August so I can learn more about specific computer related
>     things. Normally they are topics discussed here or at the MUUG
>     meetings. I know it is only almost April but why wait until the last
>     second... The owners (Alvin and Karen) usually like me to have some
>     clear goals in mind when I propose a project. As a result I thought
>     I'd bounce a few ideas off the pros and semi-pros here...
>
>              Thanks to Rob D. I think I finally have my head wrapped
>     around the concept of port forwarding. A couple of months ago he
>     asked me to set up a Minecraft server for development purposes and
>     so far things seem to work.
>
>              My current physical assets are a D-Link 655 wireless
>     router, and a (Debian) LAMP server running on a G4 server (which I
>     should update soon), a USB "N" dongle which may or may not work, a
>     Mac Mini which can connect to the router via the "G" protocol, and
>     an external antenna for the router. Oh and I have those two Check
>     Point wired routers.
>
>              Chris H. says when the router is running the "N" protocol
>     in the house the range is the edge of the property in the front and
>     can not be picked up from the back. Inside the house was no problem.
>     The router was located on the ground floor near the front of the
>     house. The guys from the seniors radio club think it might be
>     because of the stucco on the house. I could re-position the antenna
>     to be in front of the front window.
>
>              Anyhow the ideas I had were to try a bit more on the port
>     forwarding thing by having second machine connected to the router
>     and use the router as the main method of connecting to the services
>     I am running. As before this would not be connected to the internet.
>     The method I used last time was to connect to the IP of the LAMP
>     server (eg. 192.168.X.Y instead of the router at 192.168.X.1 port 80).
>
>              Then I'd try to extend the range to the back yard by using
>     a second router at the back of the house. The second router would
>     get the wireless signal from the first and repeat it.
>
>              I'd like to know if there are any routers, custom built or
>     out of the box, which will say transmit with the "G" AND "N"
>     protocols as opposed to the "G" OR "N" protocols. The D-Link router
>     will allow the first connection to determine subsequent connections.
>     For example of the first connection is a "G" connection those
>     wishing to connect with the "N" protocol only will not be able to do
>     so. My temporary solution is to limit the router to "N" only. This
>     means my Mac Mini can't connect since it doesn't support "N". With
>     some fancy wiring I suppose I could use a couple of wireless routers
>     together and have each do a different protocol.
>
>              Since the Lab is switching the classroom to Windows 7 and
>     half the machines are running cards which don't have new drivers
>     (and don't work) I may be able to snag some "G" cards for testing
>     under Linux. Are there any G/N cards people here would recommend to
>     the parent company? I'm thinking if they are going to order a bunch
>     they may as well order some spares (and I can use one for testing).
>
>              So far I'm looking to request a PC (to run Ubuntu Server
>     and Minecraft) and an "N" router. Maybe a couple of PCI NICs and
>     another external antenna. Do folks here think my ideas are clear
>     enough to bring to the owners?
>
>              I had half a dozen more ideas when I started but forgot
>     most of them when I turned on the computer. ;-) Is there anything
>     more which would be worth checking out given I am a slow learner
>     with a high level of frustration at the moment?
>
>                                      Later
>                                      Mike
>
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