I have a couple of WRT54G nodes that I am getting setup.  One will be the main ‘on air” mesh node.  The other is for me to use for testing, demos, etc…

I currently have a XIPAR Allstar Desktop PC system running Centos and that is one of the things that I would like to access / provide IAX access across the Mesh.  I have a second NIC in the Allstar PC and that NIC is connected to one of the main Mesh node LAN ports.  Let’s call that node “Node 2”.  I have the LAN setting on Node 2 set to Direct.  I have IAX client support setup on the Allstar PC and it normally works fine with the iaxRpt client on other PCs, both internally on the home network and across the Internet.

I have a DHCP reservation for the Allstar PC second NIC on Node 2.  I currently have the firewall off on the Allstar PC for testing purposes.  It is already isolated from the Internet by a router firewall on that side of the other NIC on the home network.

With a Laptop connected to the LAN on my other mesh node, let’s call that one Node 5, I can see Node2 in the mesh status screen on Node 5, and I can see name of the Allstar PC from the DHCP reservation on Node 2.  I can access the web interface of Node 2 just fine across the mesh.  I also have DNS resolution at the Laptop of the Allstar PC across the mesh.  So far so good.

The problem is that I cannot access anything on the Allstar PC across the mesh.  I can plug the Laptop into a LAN port on the Node 2 router, and both IAX and SSH are working fine when connecting to the Allstar PC, so the interface in the PC is working fine and those services are functioning across that interface.  Even though the Help indicates the port forwards are not used in Direct mode, I tried that anyway with forwards configured at the Node 2 router, but still no joy.  I have tried specifying the Allstar PC IP address instead of the DNS name, while attempting connections across the mesh, but still no joy.
I have tried disabling the WAN interface on Node 2, thinking that maybe the router was getting confused, but that did not help.  There is currently nothing plugged into the WAN interface.

What am I missing?

Thanks

Dean  KD4TWJ

"Mode 1 WILL WORK(and it is NOT suppose to allow internet access from wifi UNLESS you check MESHGW checkbox.)) It will let you connect to the local network and internet (assuming your local net is not in the 10.x range).  As this is suppose to allow wired LAN to WAN and WIFI TO LAN but not WIFI TO WAN."

Method 1 wasn't working for me yesterday, not sure why, but pings to the remote node by name were failing. Pings by IP Address were working. Clearly a DNS issue. One thing I didn't try before throwing in the towel on method 1 was to flush the DNS. That's why I tried the configuration with using two wired NICs which didn't work correctly as explained in the first post.

This morning I went back to the method 1 configuration, turned on the PC and now it is working correctly as it should. What I probably should have done was flush the DNS on the PC or at the worst case rebooted. In any case, its working as it should.

Now on to testing connectivity to a neighbor ham who is .8 miles from me. We've ordered high gain directional antennae for the testing. I've had great success with long distance WiFi connectivity using a parabolic antenna. I'm having a great time with this and hope to spur on more interest with the local EmComm group.

Thanks to all who commented on this thread. It is greatly appreciated.

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Bob
bob@k8nrt.net

A fully DHCP setup will never work with multiple NICS.

The preference will be to use the wired port where possible. DNS priority is indeterminate in this state as wired is considered less cost than wireless.

Mode 1 WILL WORK (and it is NOT suppose to allow internet access from wifi UNLESS you check MESHGW checkbox.)) It will let you connect to the local network and internet (assuming your local net is not in the 10.x range).  As this is suppose to allow wired LAN to WAN and WIFI TO LAN but not WIFI TO WAN. 

Disable your WIFI while plugged in via the wired port in mode 1

Mode 2 is just complicating it

Mode 3 is actually exposing the internet to the mesh

Tim, My Internet Connection Sharing service was already disabled.

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Bob
bob@k8nrt.net

I didn't see the FAQ that addresses this very scenario. So, I'll have to experiment with the methods proposed there. This FAQ proposes three methods:

Instead, if you want to play mesh and at the same time have internet access, there are three ways to achieve this:

1. connect your laptop to the LAN port of the node, and the WAN port of the node to your home network
   
   
2. use two nodes with mesh access point mode
   • connect the WAN port of node 1 to your home network
   • set the mode of node 2 to Mesh Access Point
   • connect the LAN ports of both nodes together
   • connect your laptop by wireless to node 2
     
     
3. use two nodes in dynamic default gateway mode
   • connect your laptop the the LAN port of node 1
   • connect the WAN port of node 2 to your home network

I've already tried # 1 and that doesn't work. Pings to K8NRT-2 fail plus it still exposed the mesh to the internet. My goal is to have full access to the mesh and to the internet and the only way I see to do this is with two nics if I want to use one PC.

Tim (w9ntn): I'll take a look at the wiki you posted. Thanks.

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Bob
bob@k8nrt.net

I did a search on the topic and found nothing so I'll ask my question.

Has anyone connected a PC to a node that is part of a mesh with one network card and to the internet with a second network card in the same PC with both NICs set for DHCP and for DNS from the server to which each NIC is connected? If so were you able to use the mesh successfully and the internet successfully?

I'm experimenting with this configuration. In theory, this would keep the mesh off the internet, which it does in my testing, but still be able to access assets on the mesh as well as on the internet.

In my testing, I see no issues with internet connectivity but I do with the mesh. I have a simple two node mesh set up for testing, K8NRT-1 and K8NRT-2. The PC is connected to K8NRT-1 with one NIC and to the internet with the other NIC.

With both NICs connected I can ping k8nrt-1 with no issues. But when I ping K8NRT-2, the node name does resolve to the nodes IP address which indicates DNS on the mesh is working correctly. However, the pings to K8NRT-2 will sometimes return but most of the time they time out. When I either disable or disconnect the nic connected to the internet, then the pings to K8NRT-2 are returning with no issue.

I'm certain that being connected to the internet is causing the problem but I don't know why.

Just curious if anyone else has done this successfully and what I need to do to make it work. I see the possibility of doing something similar in an exercise or actual emergency since I could use the internet through my mobile hotspot on a laptop while connected to a mesh network.

Thanks for any answers you might have.

--
Bob
bob@k8nrt.net

I haven't done it, but from the description, it sounds like the DDWRT has the modes to do this kind of thing. 

I have my doubts it will synch up fast enough to get useful connections if you're driving down the road. 

Unfortunately, unsecured wifi connections are getting more and more scarce, too. 

I wish I had found this thread before I purchased my USR 5461 router. I am having the same problem with trying to install the firmware.

 It seems quite strange that this device would be listed as compatible and have a firmware file available for download if the USR 5461 doesn't have enough room for the file.

I like the idea of installing some firmware that would enable the USB port to utilize a thumb drive to expand the memory capacity to allow the installation of the Broadband-Hamnet firmware file. Has anyone attempted this yet?

Does anyone think it could be possible to create or modify the firmware file to slim it down to under 2mb so it can be installed onto the internal flash of the USR 5461?

Any other ideas, suggestions, or web links relating to this issue would be much appreciated.

James KH2SR

I tried flashing a USR5461 with the latest BBHN firmware and couldn't get it to work. Has anyone out there had any success with flashing this router? Tips/Tricks/Suggestions welcomed please!

James KH2SR

Yes, they are quite directional. You can use two directional antenna and have them pointed in different directions or you can use one directional and one omni like I did.

I have done a temporary setup of a node on a 10 foot pole which is then held another 5 feet off the ground with a directional antenna connected to one of the antenna jacks and a simple omni-directional antenna connected to the other antenna jack.

Instead of running a long ethernet cord up the pole with POE (Power Over Ethernet) I  ran a heavy duty AC extension cord up the pole to the wall adapter. I found this to be a much simpler and definitely cheaper option.

I also don't need an ethernet connection between this outdoor node and my computer because I have two more nodes in the house which I can connect via ethernet which in turn are connected to the outdoor node wirelessly.

Everything is held on with long strips of velcro strap. I will eventually build this into a waterproof box and attach it to a taller and more permanent pole.

Let me know if you get a directional antenna for your node and we can try making contact sometime. If we could get some more hams/ham clubs to set up nodes around the area it would greatly increase our odds of linking our nodes.

I think we need to try to spread the word about HSMM-MESH and get more people to put nodes on the air and listed on the map. If you happen to be part of a ham club or have any ham friends or family in the area, consider helping them set up their own nodes as well.

I have attached a couple photos of my temporary directional node on a pole setup.

James KH2SR

Attachments
 IMG_7809.jpg [90 KB] :: Temporary setup: yagi & omni node. Image 2
 IMG_7811.jpg [84 KB] :: Temporary setup: yagi & omni node

Any chance this DDWRT firmware would allow a wifi router to act as a repeater which would automatically connect to any open (no password) wifi hotspots within range and allow my iPhone/iPad/laptop to connect to it through said wifi repeater?

This kind of capability would really come in handy on road trips with a wifi repeater connected to a nice gain omni antenna on a car roof!

That's a nice looking antenna.   So that would be quite directional though, correct?   So how does that work, do you need two of those?  My WRT54G has two antennas..  

The nice thing is this equipment is so inexpensive it's easy for anyone to try.  

I will give a shot at putting the router in a south facing window tomorrow; no logged connections from the North so far. :)  

I'll definitely add myself to the map.  It'd be neat to see this up and running.  I studied mesh networking during my graduate studies; it's a really neat way to set up a wide area wireless network.

I wonder if "This is not a bomb" makes the situation better or worse.

Quite a few of the routers that won't do BBHN will do a version of DDWRT.

DDWRT has some nice capabilities and avoids some of the BIG security holes in most factory firmware.

With DDRWT, you often have more control, more geek things to tinker with, and some useful functions like wireless client, wireless repeater, wireless bridge, etc.

Hi Corey,

I was wondering if you still have your node on the air in Berkeley? I didn't see it on the map: http://www.broadband-hamnet.org/googlemapped-mesh-nodes.html

James KH2SR

Hi Rob,

Is the Mt. Tam node on the air? Any plans to post it to the map on here?

Do you happen to know of anyone else with nodes on the air but not listed on the map?

A couple friends and I are planning to build up the HSMM-MESH network in the south bay and Fremont area over the next few months. With any luck we will get other hams and clubs in the area to join us on the air.

 Check out the discussion here:

http://www.broadband-hamnet.org/hsmm-mesh-forums/view-postlist/forum-11-sfbay-area/topic-787-saratoga-fremont-san-jose-mesh-network-plans.html

James KH2SR

Just listed my HSMM-MESH node in Saratoga on the map.

Now its time for some other south bay hams to do the same.

Spread the word to your friends and ham clubs. Lets get this network built.

The "LAN Port". Is an IP port number not the network port your plugged into

4 is unlikely to be where the camera is 80,8080,8888 etc are common.  Looking at your configuration this looks like it would be 5500.

You want the LAN port you would use when your inside the mesh to be the port in the services config.

Also check your camera be sure it uses only one port. It is possible the camera may need more than one port to fully work.