Thanks for the reply, and trying to help.  Good note on version to use -v2 with 1.1.2.

Noted in my earlier post both routers are using the latest code 1.1.2 and same SSID.   Changing SSID was good idea in general here.   SSID's being the same should allow them to play.   if they were different ie -v1 another had v-2 then I'd understand them not working.  

I did change the SSID to -v2 on both routers (good idea to beacon version number).   The results which is what I expected, still doesnt see each other.    

Not sure why they are not playing togetheir yet.  

Any other ideas.... ? 

I have to admit I looked into this idea once myself.

I do events out in the mountains where cell coverage can some times be non existent.  I've had times where I have had the only working phone at the event.

I suspect the core system would be online at the phone company because it is most likely at redundant datacenter's, the question is how much of this gear must speak to local towers to work (that may be an internal requirement for them to 'light up' your microcell)

The other problem comes from: http://www.att.com/esupport/article.jsp?sid=KB110286&cv=820#fbid=8bWb8XSUyHK

Which makes note of HTTP over a TLS/SSL connection and an IPSEC connection (Both are encryption)  You would need to evaluate if that is permissible or not under part 97 for yourself.

After that for a real disaster Department of Homeland Security Standard Operating Procedure 303 comes into play (Its still in the appeals process -- the only part known about it is ""Purpose. This SOP provides detailed procedures fort the National Coordinating Center for Telecommunications (NCC) to coordinate requests for the disruption of cellular service." This would likely apply to Micro/Pico/Fempto Cell sites as well.

What would trigger this shutdown is unknown. It may or may not have been initiated after the Boston marathon.  I doubt it would trigger for a major flooding incident, but if looting occurred and control was lost would that qualify? We don't know until the court case settles to see if the full procedure is released or not.

A small scale of this occurred when the Bay Area Rapid Transit system turned off their own repeaters inside the tunnel which triggered an FCC comment period in 2012.  This wouldn't affect a microcell as it was only BART gear that was turned off, but it does show it has been considered as an option to control in the past.

I am currently thinking of going with a SIP setup, and bringing some 'cheap' WIFI sip phones with me and just use them as handouts.  Paired with an Asterisks server it could be used through the entire local area, and I could work on interfacing either an internet SIP uplink or a cellular POTS converter uplink to allow dial out service  (I'm looking at a cell antenna at the top of the tower trailer)

Possibly I might see if any sip client I can setup on phones 'on site' with a QR code or similar but I think just preparing with phones and handing them out might be the easiest (for me).

The odds are in my estimation a reputable SIP Trunk provider will be online after a disaster and as long as you can get some internet you can route from local. They even make SIP to POTS converters so you could actually feed into a buildings POTS feed, in theory you could  run a CAT5 from a node, down to the PBX of the room, and feed in X number of lines to the PBX so that the entire building still has phone access (albeit not at their normal phone number and fewer lines at once likely).

Biggest issue is having that 'local' internet to get out of the area in the first place.

Hi,

I'm near downtown Houston, and would like to at some point set up some PtP links, but given the distance it might have to be 900mhz and very tall to have any chance of working. Currently I'm limited to max 50ft AGL tree-top mounting unfortunately.

Also I was just on the saltgrass link  with KC5LJT and we were talking about this as well.... Looking you up on QRZ shows a 17.4 mile path from KC5KBQ to KC5COF.  When I look up K5DLQ I see a 36.2 mile path, but I think that also puts LOS directly through downtown sky scrapers. :(

-Tico / KC5KBQ

Bob,

I'm having a hard time attaching the Radio Mobile path prediction to this post.  If you'll an email to my callsign at arrl dot net, I'll forward you the analysis.

Andre, K6AH

An interesting idea.  It seems to me though that you would be counting on a significant amount of infrastructure to remain operational:

• Internet access within the Mesh - I don't think the micro nodes are smart enough to route calls between connected phones, so you need to get their data back to the cell service provider.  Presumably you could do this through a satellite-based Internet service.
• Cell Service Provider - the service provider’s switching center needs to have survived the disaster.  Perhaps this isn’t a stretch to assume… but it’s not a certainty.

I have recently read of a new cell phone network messaging protocol called Proximity Services, or LTE Direct.  It utilizes a mesh-like technique using cell phones as the nodes.  It may be quite useful in emergencies.  Qualcomm appears to be promoting it.  More info can be found at: http://www.qualcomm.com/solutions/wireless-networks/technologies/lte/lte-direct .

Andre, K6AH

Attempting to run a 1.1.x device on an old V1 network will NOT work.

The RF Protocol was jumped to V2 due to a number of changes (see release notes) in 1.1.x

Upgrade all devices to 1.1.2 and try again under a -v2 net.

This is the reason we have the -V# designator on the WIFI network to differentiate between versions of the protocol as from time to time as we improve the solution the RF protocol may change in one way or another (as it did in this case) that is no longer compatible with older releases.

I am experimenting with a recently activated giveaway AT&T MicroCell.  The box has a programmable capability for 10 cell phones.  The first thing I did was to try the device through 2 meshed nodes with one node connected to my DSL internet.  This setup worked in my ham man cave and I began thinking.  As a small town EMC, I have had experience with landline/cellular disruptions.  Why not consider a setup like this for emergency operations?  I do not know how far the cellular signal will go because the local cell towers limit the range of the MicroCell.  Any comments or knowledge of my experiment?  There is no charge by AT&T for the use of the MicroCell.  A few operable cell phones within an emergency operations center might be valuable in a local communications failure.

Is there any reason Ubiquiti and WRT54GS V2 wont mesh with the latest code 1.1.2?

All routers are on channel 1 and using same SSID "BroadbandHamnet-v1"

Node names:   Ubiquiti:  wa0d-5     WRT54G: wa0d-1

Ubiquiti: 10.10.10.55 and WRT54 10.10.10.11 both have subnet 255.0.0.0 settings

LAN mode is:  5 host Direct

WAN: DHCP  with mesh gate selected on WRT54

Thanks,

Randy

Brand new to the Amateur side of microwave. Do some install the broadband up near the antenna? The loss is so high at 2.5 Ghz I guess I could mount the router up there somehow.  What are people doing and what results?

73,

Patrick KM5L

Hey guys, KM5L here. I just burned in firmware and I'm up and running, but with the small router antennas. Looking for locals to collaborate with. Next steps, better antenna, etc. Is there a list of folks in this area doing MESH?

73,

Patrick KM5L (East Dallas / Lakewood)

You don't specify what the RF level was at the car based node for receive ( it's possible To have a high LQ even though you have a weak signal --- it is also possible some other RF device came up and knocked the signal out by being local interference)

6dbi antennas inside a car at 6miles sounds like it would be at the extreme edge of RF range and that this could be a simple as atmospheric changes.

Yesterday a group of us went out to our dorm repeater sites and upgraded a Bullet from v1 to v2. We had some issues with stability but a power reset fixed the issue. We also installed a second Bullet with v2 on a nearby dorm that sits a few feet higher. The taller dorm called Guinn has a better line of sight, but the shorter dorm was used for testing it is called Stark. 

We maintained both for testing purposes to see the range differences between the dorms. You see we have free roam of the shorter dorm but have limited use on Guinn.

Now for the issue we are experiencing. Using a Rocket M2 on version 1 firmware I had a beautiful signal strength using dual 6dBi Cradlepoint antennas. This is from a hill top, radio sitting in the dash of the windshield facing the Stark dorm. My connection was showing a strong 83% and the air mile distance was 6.5. 

After upgrading all devices to v2, I can no longer see a connection at that distance with the same setup, I've experimented with different antennas to no avail. We did bring a Nano Beam out and managed to get a connection but we could only see one local neighbor and the other devices as remote neighbors. I tested the Rocket much closer in fact on the roof tops of the two dorms and had connections but no where else. 

I am completely baffled, any thoughts that might help explain my issue? 

Thanks!

I've seen multiple combinations, all involve the RSSI led's (the network activitiy and power are not relevent)

It involves some form of the link led lights comming on in one configuration as you hold the reset button THEN plug in the power some of the LINK led's will be on and then they will change to different set of LED's in a repeating pattern

You can find several samples on YouTube for TFTP Ubiquiti Recovery that will show various diffrent LED.

The most common I have seen is  2 LINK LEDs are on as you power on holding reset, than it changes to a diffrent set of 2 LED's at which time you can release and it will become alternating 1+3 followed by 2+4 and repeat.