Viking

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Contents 1 Project Details 2 Equipment 3 Configuration 4 Status 4.1 Possibility: Acquire antennas from NZ 4.2 Antennae Require Purchasing 4.3 In-lab Configuration 4.4 Short-Range Testing 4.5 Misc Tasks 4.5.1 Notes (to be depricated, coz we won't use this guy now)

Project Details

Long-Range Point-to-Multipoint Wireless Internet

• Overall Status: Purchasing Antennas (September 2006)
• Proposed on: October 2004 (CK's graduation)
• Started on: The next day, pretty much

Equipment

• Three Senao 802.11b basestations
  • 21dBm transmit strength
  • Very excellent -91dB sensitivity
• Three 8-slot waveguides from Borg NZ
  • 120-degree horizontal scope each
  • 23-degree vertical scope
  • insert link for footprint diagram
• Tower (level 17)
  • 150m altitude from street level
  • insert link for GPS reference
• Rainproofed box for tower equipment
  • Switched hub connecting basestations
  • Power-over-Ethernet to basestations
  • 240V supplied
  • Blinkenlights for IP traffic?
    • R/G/B for 3 basestations?
    • OLED
• Ethernet link from switched hub to lab
  • 2 segments joined by a repeater / hub / switch

Configuration

• Waveguides to be positioned between 0º and 1º elevation downward from horizon
  • This is to achieve maximum strength (see footprint) at 40km (trigonometrics), our estimated maximum link
• Waveguide compass orientations
  • 000.0º N (apogee of major obstruction)
  • 135.0º SE
  • 247.5º WSW
• Basestation authentication to be decided.
  • Anonymity concerns?
  • Gathering usage stats?
  • Free use is necessary
  • Free use/logins is desirable
• Development of cheap client access hardware
  • Howto make something better than a pringle can transceiver (http://www.turnpoint.net/wireless/cantennahowto.html)

Status

• [DONE] First stage ethernet installed.
• [DONE] 240V supply installed.
• [DONE] Basestations purchased.
• Antennae require purchasing.
• Blinkenlights require purchasing.
• In-lab configuration of basestations is highly recommended
• [PRELIM TEST DONE] Short-range testing of point-to-point connectivity is highly recommended
• Further cable & wiring

Possibility: Acquire antennas from NZ

• Rang and normally cost around $30 for shipping in quantities of 40 (therefore, for quantities of 3, much higher).
• He will get back to us and provide new pricing, and CK to email him 14th of September. Update 24-Nov -- no response from NZ.
• DE is now pursuing a new, Sydney-based line of supply for equivalent product.

Antennae Require Purchasing

• DE will put us in contact with Sydney Wireless dude. Let's get him in first week of October.
• [IN CHARGE]: CK will contact Dave, then contact said dude.

In-lab Configuration

• Let's get some IP ranges & ideas when the dude (above) comes around.
• Then we'll spend a couple of Thursdays getting them configured.
• [IN CHARGE]: who wants this?

Short-Range Testing

• NdV has successfully tested Senao-to-Senao (using one of ours), with cantennas, over 100 metres
• We need to replicate this experiment on the roof
• [IN CHARGE]: who wants this? Nathan?

Misc Tasks

• Blinkenlights: who wants this? Butters? We need some of those OLED lights. Red & green & blue sets would be kewl.
• Further cable/wiring: who wants this?

Notes (to be depricated, coz we won't use this guy now)

• Name of New Zealand antennae supplier is Andrew Hooper.
• Insist on 8-slot waveguides, not sector panels etc.
• Export from NZ has been confirmed as viable by Andrew Hooper.
• Email at Andrew Hooper <andrew at borg.co.nz>
• Phone at 0011 64 21 212 9200.
• NB: Ask Westpac if they can cheaply send payments to Westpac NZ bank accounts.