It also works on an ASUS RT-N66U which is a conventional wifi router but has greater range than a lap top hot spot or smartphone. If it works on that it should work on anything as a single hub. It's only if you want to mesh them that it gets more complicated.
Cheerio John On 3 February 2016 at 11:54, john whelan <jwhelan0...@gmail.com> wrote: > Oh one last thing, there is a difference between a very small network and > one that gets a bit bigger. > > https://commotionwireless.net/docs/cck/networking/guidelines-for-mesh/ > talks about some of the design considerations and note that more hops mean > slight delays which isn't so good for voice. > > Cheerio John > > On 3 February 2016 at 11:16, john whelan <jwhelan0...@gmail.com> wrote: > >> With fifty users sharing files you probaly want to use a couple of linked >> hubs, that's where the TP-LINK MR3020 starts to shine. I have one here and >> one waiting to be picked up at the computer store to test but its freezing >> rain here in Ottawa at the moment so there is a layer of ice on the >> sidewalk, not so good for walking on. However you can use two laptops >> independantly and collate the files later on. >> >> If you are texting only then one hub should be enough for fifty users, >> for voice calls depending on the traffic it should just work since not >> everyone will be using it at the same time. For file transfer, depending >> on the size of the files you might want to split the load over more than >> one hub. >> >> For voice over more than one hub you need to link them so you need two or >> more TP-Link devices with the special firmware. Linked in this way you can >> send a text to a device that is not available and in theory it will be >> delivered when it comes in range next. >> >> From a practical point of view Paul's mesh extender combines a hub with a >> small radio so you can link over longer distances. It uses the same >> frequency as a car garage opener to build the mesh. It also comes in a >> plastic box to keep the weather out. Unfortunately it's not quite in >> product yet but bug New Zealand's Red Cross and they should have some idea >> of time frames. >> >> If you're using a TP-LINK MR3020 it does require a power source, but >> battery powered USB boxes are around to extend the battery life of a >> smartphone. >> >> http://developer.servalproject.org/dokuwiki/doku.php >> >> https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Serval_project >> >> It appears you can use any wifi hub that supports peers. Note this isn't >> quite the approach that the Serval team has been using up until now and I'd >> need to play with the specific router to get the configuration sorted out >> so stay with the specific Tp-link device or the win 10 hot spot and test it >> before you go out in the field. >> >> The portable wifi hub the TP-link is cheaper than a laptop, around $40 >> locally. If you want to link them up then you need to flash them with a >> different firmware. I haven't done this yet but it is on the to do list >> and it should be possible with a laptop but does require running some form >> of unix on the laptop but that can be done under windows. Once it is set >> up then it takes a couple of minutes to update the firmware on the hub. >> Want me to write up the process on how to configure one for stand alone >> use? Where would you like this written up? Note different coutries have >> slightly different rules for wifi etc. and a standard TP-Link hub >> understands these so which country it will be used in is part of the setup >> process. Hopefully the linking firmware takes this into account. >> >> Note there are other solutions than serval for sharing files, especially >> using a hot spot from a laptop. Essentially you can use the laptop as a >> web server, in theory you just need the appropiate .html file(s) on the >> laptop. So you can link windows laptops together using this technique you >> don't need serval for this. >> >> If you use html5 code and have the downloads as .zips then you should be >> able to click on the link and the file will download automatically. I have >> some simple sample html5 code floating around if anyone wants some. I >> think most smartphones can handle .zip files. >> >> The other thing to note is that wifi devices such as Nexus 7 tablets can >> use voice to smartphones running Serval. In general wifi tablets are >> cheaper than smartphones. >> >> and you thought the HOT mailing list was just about mapping. >> >> Cheerio John >> >> On 3 February 2016 at 09:02, Mhairi O'Hara <mhairi.oh...@hotosm.org> >> wrote: >> >>> Cheers John! We're collecting data on financial services, education and >>> health facilities in Eastern Uganda and are looking for sharing solutions >>> that don't involve the internet. With up to 50 students at times, sharing >>> files via usb sticks and external hard drives is not ideal as it can be >>> time consuming. Will look into the setup to see if it could work for us >>> here. >>> >>> Mhairi >>> >>> >>> On Wed, Feb 3, 2016 at 3:00 PM, Katja Ulbert <m...@katja-ulbert.de> >>> wrote: >>> >>>> Thanks for this valuable information, John! >>>> >>>> >>>> On 31/01/16 22:34, Pete Masters wrote: >>>> >>>> Really interesting, John.... Thanks for the post. Just conducted >>>> training in DRC on data collection and base mapping. We tried to focus as >>>> much as possible on offline solutions. Wish I'd read this before we'd been, >>>> not just after! ;) >>>> >>>> Pete >>>> On 31 Jan 2016 20:35, "john whelan" < <jwhelan0...@gmail.com> >>>> jwhelan0...@gmail.com> wrote: >>>> >>>>> I've been playing around with Serval software on Android. Ideally it >>>>> needs a wifi mesh set up using multiple firmware modified TP-Link MR3020 >>>>> portable routers with custom software connected to a small radio device >>>>> which turns it into a mesh extender. >>>>> >>>>> The original concept was to turn the smartphone into a router but the >>>>> latest Android software well anything above 2.2 denies access to do this. >>>>> Besides which rooting the phone in this manner is not good from the >>>>> security point of view. >>>>> >>>>> However if you are running Windows 10 and your Laptop supports it, >>>>> most should, you can turn your laptop into a wifi hot spot that other >>>>> devices can connect to. Note you should not need to be connected to the >>>>> Internet for this to work. >>>>> >>>>> Translation Android smartphones running Serval within say 100 meters >>>>> of the laptop can now talk to each other. I haven't tried a phone call, >>>>> I >>>>> don't have two Smartphones to hand, but messaging certainly works. >>>>> >>>>> You should also be able to transfer files certainly from one >>>>> smartphone to another and if Serval doesn't support file transfer to the >>>>> host laptop there are other apps around that do. So things like the >>>>> latest >>>>> maps for Osmand etc can be brought down once to the laptop then propagated >>>>> out to smartphones or a smartphone sent by mail, mule etc to the wifi hub >>>>> can then connect and distribute files etc. >>>>> >>>>> I haven't looked at the implications of interconnecting laptops >>>>> perhaps with cat 5 cables and although phone calls should be fine across >>>>> one wifi hub theoretically each hub used in the hops adds a small delay so >>>>> voice quality over multiple hops may not be ideal. >>>>> >>>>> Cheerio John >>>>> >>>>> _______________________________________________ >>>>> HOT mailing list >>>>> HOT@openstreetmap.org >>>>> https://lists.openstreetmap.org/listinfo/hot >>>>> >>>>> >>>> >>>> _______________________________________________ >>>> HOT mailing >>>> listHOT@openstreetmap.orghttps://lists.openstreetmap.org/listinfo/hot >>>> >>>> >>>> >>>> _______________________________________________ >>>> HOT mailing list >>>> HOT@openstreetmap.org >>>> https://lists.openstreetmap.org/listinfo/hot >>>> >>>> >>> >>> >>> -- >>> Mhairi O'Hara >>> Mobile: +62 822 4701 1475 >>> Email: mhairi.oh...@hotosm.org >>> twitter <https://twitter.com/mataharimhairi> | linkedin >>> <http://uk.linkedin.com/in/mhairiohara> | facebook >>> <https://www.facebook.com/hotosm> | website <http://hotosm.org/> >>> >>> *Humanitarian OpenStreetMap Team * >>> *Using OpenStreetMap for Humanitarian Response & Economic Development* >>> >> >> >
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