Mesh network proposal
Goals and requirements
To build a wireless mesh network providing wireless Internet access during the Social Forum in Cobo Hall and nearby outdoor areas.
The mesh network would supplement the existing Cobo Hall wi-fi, which likely will not have sufficient capacity to serve hundreds of users simultaneously in the Media Center.
The mesh network will be built on free/libre open-source software, and the hardware (mesh routers, antennas, etc.) will remain in Detroit to be put to use in building a community wireless mesh network.
Methods
We propose to use OpenMesh routers running ROBIN firmware (based on OpenWRT). ROBIN uses the OLSR and BATMAN mesh routing protocols.
Mesh routers can be ordered in bulk from open-mesh.com (with a quantity discount for 20 mesh routers). The OM1P professional-grade mesh router is highly recommended, because the less-expensive MR3201A tends to lock up if there is any power fluctuation, requiring a manual power-cycling.
What needs to happen
A wired internet connection will need to be ordered from Cobo Hall. The cost is $250 for shared VLAN or $1200 for dedicated VLAN. At least one mesh router will need to plugged in to the wired network, but hopefully multiple data jacks will be available, and we can plug in multiple mesh routers so the network is decentralized. The mesh routers have limited CPU and memory resources, so network performance will be poor if all Internet access is routed through one gateway.
A splash page is not a requirement, but if enabled, could display Social Forum news and information to users accessing the mesh network. The splash page client timeout is configurable. For example, re-display the splash page after one hour of inactivity, force display of the splash page after 12 hours regardless of activity, etc.
Team contact info
- mark burdett mark@… / mark@… Mark works with http://510pen.org - a community mesh network under development in Oakland, California. The 510pen network has served as a test bed for the ROBIN firmware, OpenMesh and other compatible routers, and mesh network dashboard software (for monitoring network status and configuring default mesh router settings).
