On 01/20/2012 09:06 PM, James Dugger wrote:
I have an interesting project request to build/configure a linux server
as a wireless router/dhcp server for a wireless LAN but which is mobile
itself and can negotiate for with other wireless access points (wifi hot
spots). This is for a small mobile office in a trailer. The client
wants a linux server that will function as a small light file/print
server for wireless clients on the private LAN side, but get access to
the Internet from outside wireless sources which may change (dhcp).
I assume that it will require at a minimum 2 wireless cards one for
public and one for private (there is also a built in ethernet on the
small mobo.
I am somewhat familiar with IPCop and want to know if it alone is
capable of configuring this and running it or are there other
applications that either alone or together can achieve this.
The network configuration you described is called a Wireless Repeater
Bridge.
While IPCop might be able to handle the networking requirements (I'm
not sure if IPCop can be a wireless repeater bridge or not), it is not
designed (nor is it desirable for a firewall) to provide file/print
services.
I think easiest solution for this would be to use DD-WRT. It can be
configured as a repeater bridge (see
http://www.dd-wrt.com/wiki/index.php/Repeater_Bridge), and DD-WRT can be
run on a wide variety of wireless devices.
While it might be possible to add samba to DD-WRT in some instances (see
http://www.dd-wrt.com/wiki/index.php/Samba), I would recommend against
it. Filesystem access would be at USB2 speeds, and I don't believe this
would provide printer sharing. Samba on DD-WRT is not a pretty picture.
To provide file/print services, it would be simplest to build a
standalone samba server for file/print sharing. This server could be as
little as an old PentiumII machine with 256M of RAM (more ram would only
increase file caching). I would recommend building this on a raid-1
(mirrored) array. If more than 2G of storage is needed, you can use raid-10.
BL, let DD-WRT handle the networking requirements on a small wireless
router device, and build a separate server host (attached to the DD-WRT
device via ethernet) for file/print services. Remember to KISS. ;)
This sounds like an interesting project. Have fun with it!
--
-Eric 'shubes'
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