Now the first VPN between two nodes in SM7 is reality. It is setup between SM7I (me) and SM7MMJ. We are now spreading the word to other hams in Sweden to join !!!!

I'm thinking it would be a good idea for us to meet in person soon to coordinate installing our first HSMM nodes and we need to work out the details for doing a presentation / demo or two that are being planed for the first week of Aug.

Edit update:

We are meeting to discuss HSMM-MESH RI (and nearby MA and CT)

Sunday, July 7 at 5 pm for dinner

That is definitely Plan A. I'm going to borrow a couple of directional antennas which I think are about 14 dBi and I found a good price on an omni that is 9 dBi. I'll run some tests on those in the next week or two to see how they compare. BTW, I found the info at http://hsmm-mesh.org/documentation/124-antennas-and-amps.html very useful. Thanks for the notes, it helpful to learn the details of what has worked well for others.

That sounds great!

But I would advise to try with just the antennas first. Throwing amps around before even trying to see if you have a good connection just raises the noise floor.

I dont want to come off crass, but this stuff is not like HF/VHF where you can throw an amp on and it does better by default. If you cant get any link with just antennas, adding an amp may not work any better. Use better antennas first off. Maybe raise the antenna higher if possible.

We do 10 miles shots across the Austin Texas metro area, to include the University of Texas campus (small city in itself), WITHOUT ANY AMPLIFIERS. And we get a solid link.

We have one link here, CPRMC to 3M, where we get a link, but is real weak (lots of things in the Fresnel zone). We know we are aimed properly and CAN get a connection, but with the weak sigs, about a 20% connection rate, we will add a 1/2 W BDA to one end and see how that improves the link. If it gets up to 60-70%, then we may move to a 1W BDA. If we get a 95% connection rate, then 1/2W it will stay.

Overpowering microwaves does not gain you anything if you cant hit it at all naturally. Just heats air molecules and wastes electrons.

But definitely post your results! We would love to hear about it.

KTF

I now have five WRT54G V2 or V2.2 hardware units running the hsmm-mesh-0.4.3-wrt54g.bin firmware. Currently testing a four node "toy" mesh at home using stock antennas and Part 15 power. There are three locations in Providence / Pawtucket that I plan to deploy forming a triangle that is 1.5 by 3 by 4 miles. There are a few config / software features that I am trying out before moving them. I may have some trouble with terrain as 2 of the 3 locations are in a shallow valley. Next step is to acquire outdoor antennas and small power amplifiers.

AJ4TW -> Sucess! I have video through the nodes! this is pretty darn fun.

<chuckle> Having a blast myself.  I just set up three $18 Encore ENHWI-1AN42 Wifi routers in AP mode and using one to watch and control the PT of my Mesh cams with my iPod.

FreePBX and phones coming up!

--
Roger  KJ4AJP

I understand vtun will be implemented in a future firmware release. Is there a documented way to get a sneak peek at some beta functionality?

Jesse - wc3xs

Thanks for the reply Jim and Rusty. I finally figured it out after some additional hacking. The room option is cool also, maybe a future alteration.

Hi Eric,

Just checking to confirm you have been speaking to our MESH guys by email and in person. ( I think we met at the  past York Region Public Safty Day)

If not, let me know via email. 

To update, we have equipped our Emcomm Trailer with a Mesh node and have demonstrated data/video linking at the York Region Public Safty Awaness Event.

Some members have a Working MESH, however distance seems to be too far between  current users. Additional Gain antennae and RF power options are being investigated. 

73 

Greg VA3VFO

If I understand you correctly you´ll have two nodes and behind each node you´ll have a computer, may it be a client or server.

In order for lets say the client on node 1 to reach an emailserver on node 2 you´ll have to do portforwarding on node 2 to enable the access to the mailserver.

F.ex. POP3 is TCP 110 and SMTP is TCP 25 You should go to setup and then portforwarding and forward the above ports (if that what you want) from WiFi interface to a local node (you see the IP´s in the dropdown list) and enter the protocol (TCP or UDP) and portnumber to listen for on the WiFi side as well as the portnumber to forward to inside.

Normally this will be the same, but in some cases it can be different on the outside when you have like two webservers on the inside, both answering on port 80.

This is because portforwarding can only forward a specific port to a specific host.

Hope that clears it up for you !

Hi guys,

I have a number of routers configured to HSMM.  This was the easy part.  Now I am trying to get an email application or something like NetMeeting running to communicate between them.  I have two XP computers for testing.  I have been trying to find some help on the net that will take me by the hand and lead me through all the configuration that is needed for one or two programs.  Unfortunately I am a hardware guy and about 8 hours of trying to get 'something' talking over HSMM has gotten me nowhere.

Can anyone suggest a program and instructions that can get me over the learning curve?  My goal is to have an application or applications that can be used between the EOC and fire stations in my city in the event of a disaster.  Once I get this going I will do some surveys to see what nodes are needed to fill all the gaps.

73s

-Aaron

WD0FAA

Very cool.

Do you need a compatible Linksys? I am negotiating a deal to get a quantity discount on about two dozen. It will probably work out to less than $10 each. I'm not looking to make a profit, just to cover the cost that I paid for them. Do you need any help configuring them?

I can usually be heard on the 145.35 repeater in Providence which is tied into to the KA1RCI network and also EchoLink.

Yes, please. Mike K1NPT in Newport (FN41il). Also maybe interested : Ted W1GRI - Newport + Bob WB4SON in North Kingstown. Sure would like to get an omnidirectional atop Newport Hospital.

A few of us here in the Ocean State have been planning a MESH network and we're about ready to start deploying the nodes over the next few weeks. Current participants include Myrton N1GKE and Nick N1NRW

The first two nodes will be in the southern Pawtucket FN41hu and western Providence FN41gt metro areas operating with my callsign W9GYR running hsmm-mesh-0.4.3 firmware on wrt54g hardware.

If anyone in RI (or nearby MA and CT) would like to participate, please contact us. We are very interested in collaborating with anyone within range. Even if you are only just interested in learning about our project, feel free to ask questions and we would be happy to explain the details.