It has been nearly 5 weeks since I have done an installation. During this time I've basically caught up on things and started planning for the next set of installs.
It looks like I will be in Townsville Friday next week and then in Roma the from Tuesday till Thursday the week after. Then the week after that I will be in Bundaberg. One Marinanet and two AccessEzy installations within three weeks. It's going to be hard, but I should be able to get it all done.
I think I might stay up in Townsville for the weekend, come back Sunday. However that would mean that I would have to pay for the car hire over those extra days. Pity I have bills due...
More to talk about later.
Friday, March 31, 2006
Thursday, March 23, 2006
Ubiquiti Networks SR5 400mW 802.11a Adapter
Title says it all - this is one fkn awesome adapter. Atheros chipset and lots and lots of power makes for an excellent AP/Point-to-Point setup.
We've spoken to Yawarra and we've got one on order from them, they're going to be another Australian supplier of Ubiquiti gear (currently there's only one other).
Essentially we're going to test a single SR5 based AP with two CM9 based clients using WRAP 1-1 devices on each end. We will be tossing our Proxim gear in exchange for these rigs if they test out okay, which I'm sure they will.
The normal RRP in Australia for the SR5 from Yawarra is $195.00 each inc GST. Add the $290 for the WRAP, $30 for the regulated power pack and $100 for the RouterOS license and you have a powerful AP/Router with the works for around $615.00. Quite a bit cheaper than a what is currently available which would probably only do half of what the ladder can do anyway - trust me we've used quite a few different systems: Wi-LAN, Redline, Proxim, Cisco...
We've spoken to Yawarra and we've got one on order from them, they're going to be another Australian supplier of Ubiquiti gear (currently there's only one other).
Essentially we're going to test a single SR5 based AP with two CM9 based clients using WRAP 1-1 devices on each end. We will be tossing our Proxim gear in exchange for these rigs if they test out okay, which I'm sure they will.
The normal RRP in Australia for the SR5 from Yawarra is $195.00 each inc GST. Add the $290 for the WRAP, $30 for the regulated power pack and $100 for the RouterOS license and you have a powerful AP/Router with the works for around $615.00. Quite a bit cheaper than a what is currently available which would probably only do half of what the ladder can do anyway - trust me we've used quite a few different systems: Wi-LAN, Redline, Proxim, Cisco...
Monday, March 20, 2006
Mikrotik RouterOS 2.9.14 P2P Wireless Link
This is going to get technical as its a reference article for the masses of RouterOS uses out there.
To establish a Point to Point wireless link using RouterOS 2.9.14 and the following hardware:
2 x PC Engines WRAP 1-1 (w/64Mb CF card)
2 x Senao NL-2511MP PLUS 200mW miniPCI wireless adaptor
2 x Hills 15dBi Grid Directional Antenna
Plus various bits of hardware for mounting and connecting the aforementioned items together. I used thin RG58 coaxial cable since I had power to spare and the distances weren't large.
Since the Prism chipset doesn't support hidden SSID nor WEP correctly while in AP mode I had to make up the security using other methods. So I included mac filtering, limited subnet and ipsec - I'll also include a tightened firewall to keep out the randoms, but that can wait.
I'm in the process of having our supplier of these bits and peices source Ubiquiti Networks SR5 wireless adapters. The specs are 400mW 802.11a (5.8GHz), with 100mW@54Mbps and very reasonable receive sensitivities. These cards would be much better solution for this point to point link, however the added costs of 5.8GHz antennas, cable, connectors and the adapters themselves would put this link in the red. However it does offer an upgrade path.
All electonic items were purchased from Yawarra Information Appliances (http://www.yawarra.com.au). I highly recommend them, excellent service and prompt delivery and more than happy to assist.
Antennas and associated mounting equipment were sourced from Hills Australia - DJC Wholesale Pty Ltd (http://www.djcoulter.com.au)
Connectors and coaxial cable were sourced from RF Industries Pty Ltd (http://www.rfindustries.com.au).
Budget came to about $1,500.ooAUD.
The RouterOS configuration particulars are as follows:
Office End:
Wireless Interface (P2P):
name="P2P" mtu=1500 mac-address=xx:xx:xx:xx:xx:xx arp=enabled disable-running-check=no interface-type=Prismprism-cardtype=200mW radio-name="office" mode=bridge ssid="xxxxx" area="" frequency-mode=regulatory-domain country=australia antenna-gain=0 frequency=2462 band=2.4ghz-b scan-list=default rate-set=default supported-rates-b=1Mbps,2Mbps,5.5Mbps,11Mbps basic-rates-b=1Mbps max-station-count=2007 tx-power=23 tx-power-mode=all-rates-fixed periodic-calibration=default periodic-calibration-interval=60 dfs-mode=none antenna-mode=ant-a wds-mode=disabled wds-default-bridge=none wds-default-cost=100 wds-cost-range=50-150 wds-ignore-ssid=no update-stats-interval=disabled default-authentication=no default-forwarding=yes default-ap-tx-limit=0 default-client-tx-limit=0 hide-ssid=no security-profile=default disconnect-timeout=3s on-fail-retry-time=100ms compression=no allow-sharedkey=no
Home End:
Wireless Interface (P2P):
name="P2P" mtu=1500 mac-address=xx:xx:xx:xx:xx:xx arp=enabled disable-running-check=no interface-type=Prism prism-cardtype=200mW radio-name="home" mode=station ssid="xxxxx" area="" frequency-mode=regulatory-domain country=australia antenna-gain=0 frequency=2462 band=2.4ghz-b scan-list=default rate-set=default supported-rates-b=1Mbps,2Mbps,5.5Mbps,11Mbps basic-rates-b=1Mbps max-station-count=2007 tx-power=23 tx-power-mode=all-rates-fixed periodic-calibration=default periodic-calibration-interval=60 dfs-mode=none antenna-mode=ant-a wds-mode=disabled wds-default-bridge=none wds-default-cost=100 wds-cost-range=50-150 wds-ignore-ssid=no update-stats-interval=disabled default-authentication=no default-forwarding=yes default-ap-tx-limit=0 default-client-tx-limit=0 hide-ssid=no security-profile=default disconnect-timeout=3s on-fail-retry-time=100ms compression=no allow-sharedkey=no
IPSec (both ends, substitute 'x' for appropriate addresses):
IPSec Peer:
address=192.168.254.xxx/32:500 /
secret="xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx" /
generate-policy=no exchange-mode=main /
send-initial-contact=yes proposal-check=obey /
hash-algorithm=md5 enc-algorithm=3des /
dh-group=modp1024 lifetime=12h lifebytes=0
IPSec Policy:
src-address=192.168.x.0/24:any /
dst-address=192.168.x.0/24:any protocol=all /
action=encrypt level=require ipsec-protocols=esp /
tunnel=yes sa-src-address=192.168.254.xxx /
sa-dst-address=192.168.254.xxx proposal=default /
manual-sa=none dont-fragment=clear
IPSec Proposal:
name="default" auth-algorithms=sha1 /
enc-algorithms=3des lifetime=30m /
lifebytes=0 pfs-group=modp1024
Since the network only consists of three subnets I made do wit h static routing. Dynamic routing is possible but adds complexity in a otherwise static network.
I may include 'watch' scripts that keep an eye on the link and makes appropriate configuration changes or interface restarts as necessary.
But otherwise, thats all there is to it.
To establish a Point to Point wireless link using RouterOS 2.9.14 and the following hardware:
2 x PC Engines WRAP 1-1 (w/64Mb CF card)
2 x Senao NL-2511MP PLUS 200mW miniPCI wireless adaptor
2 x Hills 15dBi Grid Directional Antenna
Plus various bits of hardware for mounting and connecting the aforementioned items together. I used thin RG58 coaxial cable since I had power to spare and the distances weren't large.
Since the Prism chipset doesn't support hidden SSID nor WEP correctly while in AP mode I had to make up the security using other methods. So I included mac filtering, limited subnet and ipsec - I'll also include a tightened firewall to keep out the randoms, but that can wait.
I'm in the process of having our supplier of these bits and peices source Ubiquiti Networks SR5 wireless adapters. The specs are 400mW 802.11a (5.8GHz), with 100mW@54Mbps and very reasonable receive sensitivities. These cards would be much better solution for this point to point link, however the added costs of 5.8GHz antennas, cable, connectors and the adapters themselves would put this link in the red. However it does offer an upgrade path.
All electonic items were purchased from Yawarra Information Appliances (http://www.yawarra.com.au). I highly recommend them, excellent service and prompt delivery and more than happy to assist.
Antennas and associated mounting equipment were sourced from Hills Australia - DJC Wholesale Pty Ltd (http://www.djcoulter.com.au)
Connectors and coaxial cable were sourced from RF Industries Pty Ltd (http://www.rfindustries.com.au).
Budget came to about $1,500.ooAUD.
The RouterOS configuration particulars are as follows:
Office End:
Wireless Interface (P2P):
name="P2P" mtu=1500 mac-address=xx:xx:xx:xx:xx:xx arp=enabled disable-running-check=no interface-type=Prismprism-cardtype=200mW radio-name="office" mode=bridge ssid="xxxxx" area="" frequency-mode=regulatory-domain country=australia antenna-gain=0 frequency=2462 band=2.4ghz-b scan-list=default rate-set=default supported-rates-b=1Mbps,2Mbps,5.5Mbps,11Mbps basic-rates-b=1Mbps max-station-count=2007 tx-power=23 tx-power-mode=all-rates-fixed periodic-calibration=default periodic-calibration-interval=60 dfs-mode=none antenna-mode=ant-a wds-mode=disabled wds-default-bridge=none wds-default-cost=100 wds-cost-range=50-150 wds-ignore-ssid=no update-stats-interval=disabled default-authentication=no default-forwarding=yes default-ap-tx-limit=0 default-client-tx-limit=0 hide-ssid=no security-profile=default disconnect-timeout=3s on-fail-retry-time=100ms compression=no allow-sharedkey=no
Home End:
Wireless Interface (P2P):
name="P2P" mtu=1500 mac-address=xx:xx:xx:xx:xx:xx arp=enabled disable-running-check=no interface-type=Prism prism-cardtype=200mW radio-name="home" mode=station ssid="xxxxx" area="" frequency-mode=regulatory-domain country=australia antenna-gain=0 frequency=2462 band=2.4ghz-b scan-list=default rate-set=default supported-rates-b=1Mbps,2Mbps,5.5Mbps,11Mbps basic-rates-b=1Mbps max-station-count=2007 tx-power=23 tx-power-mode=all-rates-fixed periodic-calibration=default periodic-calibration-interval=60 dfs-mode=none antenna-mode=ant-a wds-mode=disabled wds-default-bridge=none wds-default-cost=100 wds-cost-range=50-150 wds-ignore-ssid=no update-stats-interval=disabled default-authentication=no default-forwarding=yes default-ap-tx-limit=0 default-client-tx-limit=0 hide-ssid=no security-profile=default disconnect-timeout=3s on-fail-retry-time=100ms compression=no allow-sharedkey=no
IPSec (both ends, substitute 'x' for appropriate addresses):
IPSec Peer:
address=192.168.254.xxx/32:500 /
secret="xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx" /
generate-policy=no exchange-mode=main /
send-initial-contact=yes proposal-check=obey /
hash-algorithm=md5 enc-algorithm=3des /
dh-group=modp1024 lifetime=12h lifebytes=0
IPSec Policy:
src-address=192.168.x.0/24:any /
dst-address=192.168.x.0/24:any protocol=all /
action=encrypt level=require ipsec-protocols=esp /
tunnel=yes sa-src-address=192.168.254.xxx /
sa-dst-address=192.168.254.xxx proposal=default /
manual-sa=none dont-fragment=clear
IPSec Proposal:
name="default" auth-algorithms=sha1 /
enc-algorithms=3des lifetime=30m /
lifebytes=0 pfs-group=modp1024
Since the network only consists of three subnets I made do wit h static routing. Dynamic routing is possible but adds complexity in a otherwise static network.
I may include 'watch' scripts that keep an eye on the link and makes appropriate configuration changes or interface restarts as necessary.
But otherwise, thats all there is to it.
Thursday, March 09, 2006
Servers and more servers
It appears we suddenly have a requirement for 4 new servers. These aren't just replacing existing servers (which need replacing...) but will take on all new tasks. Two are for internal use, meaning that they'll do things like host Microsoft 'Dynamics' CRM 3.0, Exchange, MSSQL and SharePoint. One will be for the new SAB Server (http://www.wificom.com) and the other will be for a cPanel (http://www.cpanel.com) webserver.
I hate having single task boxes. I know there are pros and cons, but having racks full of hardware that sits around idle for 90% of the time shits me. I'd rather see a server at 50% load most of the time and have space to stick my wine.
I guess I should give IBM a call and see what kickbacks.. I mean deals they can cut me for getting four servers. I think we'll need another 2 more by the end of the quarter anyway.
I hate having single task boxes. I know there are pros and cons, but having racks full of hardware that sits around idle for 90% of the time shits me. I'd rather see a server at 50% load most of the time and have space to stick my wine.
I guess I should give IBM a call and see what kickbacks.. I mean deals they can cut me for getting four servers. I think we'll need another 2 more by the end of the quarter anyway.
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