[H-GEN] Testing wireless networking at Humbug meeting

[Paul Gearon]

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On Fri, 1 Feb 2002, David Findlay wrote:

> > 	Consider when a wireless mesh is running and one member then turns
> > up to a Humbug meeting, and logs on through the UQ.  Everyone will then
> > have full Internet access, or am I missing something.
> > 	Legally, then, per the Telecommonications Legislation, I believe,
> > Humbug may be a telecommunications carrier, and need licencing.
>
> That won't work, because the routing won't know about the route to the
> network. Secondly mesh is on Ipv6 not v4. It would have to be a deliberate
> set up to be able to have this problem.

Also, the range of an 802.11 card is not that great.  Even if you
deliberately set the routing up, and attached a computer with an 802.11
card to the Humbug network, you'd still need another wireless point nearby
on campus.  Adding a decent antenna to one or both machines would help,
but you'd be lucky to make it to the physics building, given all the steel
and concrete in between.

The way the mesh connects over distances is mostly via directional
antennae.  You can get good range this way, but your antennae must be
fixed at both ends.

In other words, Humbug meetings are likely to be outside the effective
physical range of the Brisbane mesh (unless someone in engineering sets up
an omnidirectional antenna and a directional link to someone else in the
mesh).

Regards,
Paul Gearon

Software Engineer                Telephone:   +61 7 3876 2188
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