So Cal Free Net.org

Background

On Friday, March 3rd starting at 10am, we will be installing the 3rd and 4th nodes at the Mercado Apartments (directions) in Barrio Logan. On previous project days, we have installed an 802.11a AP on the rooftop of the manager's office and also an 802.11a bridge/802.11b AP on the farthest building.

For more details on previous installs, see: main AP, node 1 and node 2 installation reports.

Project Objectives

The function of Node #3 and Node #4 will be to extend the wireless cloud inside the Mercado apartment complex. The addition of these two nodes should largely complete the installation. Further testing will follow to determine if another node is required.

Technical Solution

We'll be adding nodes 3 and 4 as described in the network configuration.

We will install Netgate WRAP based hardware. This device uses an Atheros a/b/g radio which we will use (in 802.11a mode) for the backhaul, as well as an 802.11b Intersil Prism 2.5 radio which we will use for client access.

For software, we will be using the latest M0n0wall release, beta version (1.2b6) which now supports the Atheros chipset. This will be our first attempt to use M0n0wall in a relay/bridge mode and we are very excited about its potential use in this capacity for future deployments.

Install Plan

We have 2 nodes to install, therefore we will need two teams to perform identical tasks. First, we will be attaching all of the devices to the antenna mast and mounting the mast to the rooftop. Next, we will run cat5 down the side of the building to a PoE injector located in the utility closet. Next, we will install a lightning arrestor and run grounding cable. If we cannot find a suitable grounding point, then we will install a grounding rod. Finally, we will perform QA/Safety/Regulatory Compliance checklists to ensure a proper deployment.

Day of Install Tasks:

Volunteer 1 (Team 1: Michael, Team 2: ?)
- Prepare mast assembly (attach antenna / lightning arrestor / waterproof putty)
- Install mast and secure to building with mounting bracket

Volunteer 2 (Team 1: ?, Team 2: ?)
- Run grounding wire, find (or build) appropriate grounding point
- Run Cat5 along roofline
- Crimp Cat5 heads (terminate cables w/RJ45 jacks)

Volunteer 3 (One Volunteer for both Teams: ?)
- Perform QA / Safety checks, complete checklist

Folks who've volunteered so far: Neven, Eric, Jason, Doug (EC: see private pages for full contact info)

Budget:
- Insert costs here