KansasCity/July2012Hack - Revision history

imported>Bnewbold: links, paste in email

2012-07-08T23:38:56Z

links, paste in email

@@ Line 1: / Line 1: @@
-A few people traveled through Kansas City in early July, 2012 to hack on FNF projects.
+A few people traveled through Kansas City in early July, 2012 to hack on FNF projects. See also:
 = Narrative =
 ==== Tuesday July 10th, 2012 ====
@@ Line 83: / Line 148: @@
 edge, but we were very excited to confirm that the link worked at this
 distance, easily streaming HTML5 video from http://freenetworkfoundation.org!
 = Pre-planning =

imported>Bnewbold: /* Narrative */ spell check

2012-07-08T22:22:30Z

Narrative: spell check

imported>Bnewbold: what happened

2012-07-08T22:21:01Z

what happened

← Older revision		Revision as of 22:21, 8 July 2012
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	A few people ~~will be traveling~~ through Kansas City in early July, 2012, to hack on FNF projects.		A few people traveled through Kansas City in early July, 2012 to hack on FNF projects.

			= Narrative =

			==== Tuesday July 10th, 2012 ====

			Made plans for a dual FreedomTower arrangement with a single radio uplink, with
			point to point links between all three stations. Didn't have enough equipment
			to additionally build out Commotion-based mesh networks off each FreedomTower,
			so we went shopping for several slow hours at Microcenter (an
			electronics/computer department store). Even using openwrt.org and wikidevi.com
			wikis from in-store computers it was hard to find fully supported equipment
			that was in stock and at a reasonable price, even though the available
			selection was large.

			In the afternoon we spent several hours getting new equipment working, with
			limited success. Linux device driver support is pretty good these days, but
			they are frequently non-free or not in the default installation. Lesson
			(re)learned: use "consensus" hardware and order it from the online stores or
			ebay.

			We installaed pfSense on a second foxconn nettop computer (requiring monitor
			and keyboard), and compiled OpenWrt from scratch to see how that process goes
			(pretty smoothly!), thinking we might have to rebuild the Commotion firmware
			built on top of OpenWrt at some point to support new hardware platforms. We
			adopted the Transit, Distribution, Access, Edge terminology

			==== Wednesday ====

			Wednesday (July 4th) we wrapped up fiddling with wireless devices and
			compilation and started to configure the Commotion wireless firmware on
			Ubiquity NanoStations for testing. While the Commotion user interface is slick,
			it still seems to be at an early phase of development/release and it was hard
			to find up to date images to flash to our hardware. We read up a bit on OLSR
			and considered other MANET protocols (none of us have a deep understanding) in
			hopes of finding a plug-and-play solution. Eventually we stumbled upon the
			promising qmp (Quick Mesh Project) firmware. qmp worked first try in roaming
			mode but we had confusion and trouble setting up "community" mode, which was
			closer to the architecture and numbering scheme we wanted.

			We configured and tested the 3.65GHz NanoStations in a transparent bridge mode
			(using WiFi WDS), discussed numbering strategy, and spent a good deal of time
			fiddling with 192.168.0.0/16 local subnets (should have just used 10.0.0.0/8
			from the start).

			By this point we decided to reduce the scope of our test system to a single
			data center to FreedomTower connection with a qmp mesh behind that; this
			allowed us to use NanoStations for the mesh.

			==== Thursday ====

			We visited the Oak Tower data center, checked out lines of sight, and installed
			the access point end of our 3.65GHz point-to-point link (without working uplink
			at this time), and then confirmed link-level connectivity from an outdoors site
			just a couple blocks away.

			Thursday we continued experimenting with qmp a bit, including running a build
			for the Netgear WNDR3800 router hardware.

			We also made a brief visit to the Hammerspace hackerspace in Kansas City, where
			Isaac gave a quick talk introducing the FNF.

			==== Friday ====

			We got some very helpful feedback from the qmp developers (via mailing list),
			which helped us choose functioning settings for the "community" mode of qmp
			(still needed to restart bmx6 manually on the nodes themselves after reboot).

			In the afternoon we drove around Kansas City checking line of sight and
			link-level connectivity and throughput to the Oak Tower radio (which still did
			not have uplink). In the evening we returned to the Oak Tower data center and
			after a few hours of crude hacking got the 3.65GHz radio link functioning as a
			layer 2 bridge to the main FNF router, which provided DHCPv4 and NAT to the
			internet as a temporary work around.

			==== Saturday ====

			On Saturday morning we only had an hour or two of free time, but we were able
			to drive out and successfully test internet connectivity at a park location
			several kilomters from Oak Tower. We used the 3.65GHz link plus a single-hop
			qmp community mode mesh to a laptop. There wasn't time to set up more hops,
			align the radios for a best-case bandwidth test, or attach a FreedomBox at the
			edge, but we were very excited to confirm that the link worked at this
			distance, easily streaming HTML5 video from http://freenetworkfoundation.org!


			= Pre-planning =

	== Logistics ==		== Logistics ==

imported>Bnewbold: /* Logistics */

2012-06-27T03:12:24Z

Logistics

← Older revision		Revision as of 03:12, 27 June 2012
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	Trip to open ecology farm would be most excellent!		Trip to open ecology farm would be most excellent!

			KC Hammerspace hackerspace has an open house (6pm) and quick talks(7:30pm) thursday

	== Goals ==		== Goals ==

imported>Charlesnw: /* Hardware */

2012-06-25T13:50:25Z

Hardware

← Older revision		Revision as of 13:50, 25 June 2012
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	** buy some freedomstations?		** buy some freedomstations?

	* extras		* extras << DC locker has most/all of below items.
	** ethernet patch cables		** ethernet patch cables
	** power strips		** power strips

imported>Charlesnw: /* TODO */

2012-06-25T13:49:38Z

TODO

← Older revision		Revision as of 13:49, 25 June 2012
Line 51:		Line 51:

	== TODO ==		== TODO ==
	* choose test sites for freedomtower, nodes		* choose test sites for freedomtower, nodes << Isaac handling. http://chili.freenetworkfoundation.org/issues/281 and http://chili.freenetworkfoundation.org/issues/282
	* schedule visit to Joe's		* schedule visit to Joe's
	* order any necessary hardware		* order any necessary hardware << 3.65ghz radios ordered
	* plan/spec for continuous integration stuff		* plan/spec for continuous integration stuff << underway. Not currently ticketed.

	== Measurements/Benchmarks ==		== Measurements/Benchmarks ==

imported>Bnewbold at 15:07, 20 June 2012

2012-06-20T15:07:21Z

← Older revision		Revision as of 15:07, 20 June 2012
Line 17:		Line 17:
	* try out ChaosVPN?		* try out ChaosVPN?

	== Hardware ~~Needed~~ ==		== Hardware ==

	* radio link betwen KC DC and freedomtower: directional 5GHz?		* radio link betwen KC DC and freedomtower: directional 5GHz?
Line 25:		Line 25:
	** plus radio link to KC DC		** plus radio link to KC DC
	** if any new "recommended" router hardware, test with that		** if any new "recommended" router hardware, test with that
	** power management device ~~Charles~~ recommended		** power management device C recommended
	** if multi-homed, need 4G modem and service plan		** if multi-homed, need 4G modem and service plan
	* FreedomNode		* FreedomNode
	** should really test at least 2x nodes with a mesh hop?		** should really test at least 2x nodes with a mesh hop?
	** ~~bryan~~ has a routerstation pro, only 1x radio		** b has a routerstation pro; only 1x radio card
	** rig up something using		** rig up something using nanostations?
	* FreedomBox		* FreedomBox
	** ~~bryan~~ and ~~isaac~~ both have dreamplugs, also have extra microSD cards		** b and i both have dreamplugs, also have extra microSD cards
	* smartphones and laptops as end user devices		* smartphones and laptops as end user devices
	* "out of band" 4G or 3G data access for debugging and configuration?		* "out of band" 4G or 3G data access for debugging and configuration?
	* any extra routers for mesh experimentation		* any extra routers for mesh experimentation
	** commodity plus OpenWRT? ~~then bryan~~ has a ~~bunch~~		** commodity plus OpenWRT? (b has a few)
	** routerstation pro		** routerstation pro (b has one)
	** dreamplugs		** dreamplugs (b+i)
	** TP-Link mini devices?		** TP-Link mini devices? (fnf has some?)
	** buy some freedomstations?		** buy some freedomstations?

Line 48:		Line 48:
	** mounting hardware		** mounting hardware
	** enclosures		** enclosures
	** watts up (~~bryan~~ has one)		** watts up (b has one)

	== TODO ==		== TODO ==
	* choose ~~locations~~ for freedomtower		* choose test sites for freedomtower, nodes
	* ~~plan/spec for continuous integration~~		* schedule visit to Joe's
	* order any necessary hardware		* order any necessary hardware
			* plan/spec for continuous integration stuff

	== Measurements/Benchmarks ==		== Measurements/Benchmarks ==

imported>Bnewbold: headers

2012-06-20T15:02:40Z

headers

← Older revision		Revision as of 15:02, 20 June 2012
Line 1:		Line 1:
	A few people will be traveling through Kansas City in early July, 2012, to hack on FNF projects.		A few people will be traveling through Kansas City in early July, 2012, to hack on FNF projects.

	= Logistics =		== Logistics ==

	B+I arrive Tuesday July 3rd, B out Saturday the 7th, C shows up Saturday the 7th (?).		B+I arrive Tuesday July 3rd, B out Saturday the 7th, C shows up Saturday the 7th (?).
Line 7:		Line 7:
	Trip to open ecology farm would be most excellent!		Trip to open ecology farm would be most excellent!

	= Goals =		== Goals ==

	* FreedomLink - FreedomTower - FreedomNode - FreedomBox demo		* FreedomLink - FreedomTower - FreedomNode - FreedomBox demo
Line 17:		Line 17:
	* try out ChaosVPN?		* try out ChaosVPN?

	= Hardware Needed =		== Hardware Needed ==

	* radio link betwen KC DC and freedomtower: directional 5GHz?		* radio link betwen KC DC and freedomtower: directional 5GHz?

imported>Bnewbold: rough in

2012-06-20T15:01:54Z

rough in

New page

A few people will be traveling through Kansas City in early July, 2012, to hack on FNF projects.

= Logistics =

B+I arrive Tuesday July 3rd, B out Saturday the 7th, C shows up Saturday the 7th (?).

Trip to open ecology farm would be most excellent!

= Goals =

* FreedomLink - FreedomTower - FreedomNode - FreedomBox demo
* experiment with mesh wifi distributions: byzantium, commotion, generic batman/olsr, open-mesh, etc
* FreedomLink - FreedomTower - FreedomTower test (aka, 1 backhaul hop)
* plan + implement continuous integration for FreedomLab?
* multi-homed FreedomTower: FreedomLink + 4G?
* configure routing through IPv6 block at KC DC?
* try out ChaosVPN?

= Hardware Needed =

* radio link betwen KC DC and freedomtower: directional 5GHz?
** plus PoE, cabling, mounting hardware
* router/firewall inside KC DC
* complete FreedomTower
** plus radio link to KC DC
** if any new "recommended" router hardware, test with that
** power management device Charles recommended
** if multi-homed, need 4G modem and service plan
* FreedomNode
** should really test at least 2x nodes with a mesh hop?
** bryan has a routerstation pro, only 1x radio
** rig up something using
* FreedomBox
** bryan and isaac both have dreamplugs, also have extra microSD cards
* smartphones and laptops as end user devices
* "out of band" 4G or 3G data access for debugging and configuration?
* any extra routers for mesh experimentation
** commodity plus OpenWRT? then bryan has a bunch
** routerstation pro
** dreamplugs
** TP-Link mini devices?
** buy some freedomstations?

* extras
** ethernet patch cables
** power strips
** cable ties
** mounting hardware
** enclosures
** watts up (bryan has one)

== TODO ==
* choose locations for freedomtower
* plan/spec for continuous integration
* order any necessary hardware

== Measurements/Benchmarks ==
* sustained throughput, packets/sec, connections, latency per link
* power cycle any equipment, see that system resumes correctly
* energy usage of all equipment individual and combined (max, idle, typical)

← Older revision		Revision as of 22:22, 8 July 2012
Line 20:		Line 20:
	ebay.		ebay.

	We ~~installaed~~ pfSense on a second foxconn nettop computer (requiring monitor		We installed pfSense on a second foxconn nettop computer (requiring monitor
	and keyboard), and compiled OpenWrt from scratch to see how that process goes		and keyboard), and compiled OpenWrt from scratch to see how that process goes
	(pretty smoothly!), thinking we might have to rebuild the Commotion firmware		(pretty smoothly!), thinking we might have to rebuild the Commotion firmware
Line 78:		Line 78:
	On Saturday morning we only had an hour or two of free time, but we were able		On Saturday morning we only had an hour or two of free time, but we were able
	to drive out and successfully test internet connectivity at a park location		to drive out and successfully test internet connectivity at a park location
	several ~~kilomters~~ from Oak Tower. We used the 3.65GHz link plus a single-hop		several kilometers from Oak Tower. We used the 3.65GHz link plus a single-hop
	qmp community mode mesh to a laptop. There wasn't time to set up more hops,		qmp community mode mesh to a laptop. There wasn't time to set up more hops,
	align the radios for a best-case bandwidth test, or attach a FreedomBox at the		align the radios for a best-case bandwidth test, or attach a FreedomBox at the
	edge, but we were very excited to confirm that the link worked at this		edge, but we were very excited to confirm that the link worked at this
	distance, easily streaming HTML5 video from http://freenetworkfoundation.org!		distance, easily streaming HTML5 video from http://freenetworkfoundation.org!


	= Pre-planning =		= Pre-planning =