Overview and detailed Information
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The
private project i4free-gr organises wifi free internet access for the community.
This is achieved by routers running Linux based
OpenWRT-BRUCE which generates
a mesh-cloud distributing internet-connections
among all connected routers (NODES).
In turn these routers give the users(clients)
internet access through NODES/ACCESSPOINTS
Everybody who is willing to share a part of his
Internet connection with the community can install a
i4free-GATEWAY to pass the internet access to the
mesh-cloud and so distributes the internet to the
community as a free service.
Central points
-
zero-configuration installation
- simple
deployment
-
automatic provision
- easy
maintainance ( WEB dashboard administration )
- low
overall cost
- NO
special central servers required ( simple free php Webserver
suffucient)
- easy
client integration
-
intranet information channel (splashpage)
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We invite anybody to help with the i4free-gr
project.
This can be done with providing access to his
Internet connewction (DSL router) and install an i4free-gr
GATEWAY or by simply a i4free-NODE outdoor or
indoors.
Also organistaion and technical help on any level
would be very welcome.
For further information please contract us
i4freegr@gmail.com
facebook/i4free.gr
mob.6938685601 |
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List of CPE / Routers used in i4free-gr
installations
Ubiquiti (UBNT)
Nanostation
M2 2.5GHz outdoor
Nanostation Loco
2.5GHz (-) outdoor
AirGrid M5
HP 5GHz outdoor bridge
TP-Link
CPE
210 outdoor
CPE
510 outdoor
MR-3220 2.5GHz indoor
WR-841N 2.5GHz indoor
WDR-4300 2.5/5GHz
indoor
GL-inet
8/64
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zero-configuration laymans installation ,
deployment ,provision
simple operating &
maintainance
easy client usage
Hardware
using off-the-shelf router keep the cost as
low as possible
installation can be indoors and outdoors
depending on mesh-range , antennas a.s.o
all used software FreeOpenSource based on
Linux
administration
the system can be adminitered local and
remote by central or distributed control instrumnetds (
DASHBOARD)
keywords : levels of knowledge
entry level
network
all levels of knowledge
entry level
network
deployment
dashboard system control on simple 0-cost
web-server running php 5.2
users
information channel
via
splash
page ( group advertising)
roaming
firewall
page
block (p2p downloads)
bandwidth & usetime
control
whitelist
/blacklist
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What is needed to participate in the i4free-gr
network
Hardware : Router with BRUCE
BR15 compatible operating system
by now we have best experience with these ( also
there are many others)
indoor : TP-Link MR 3020 MR3220 WR
841
outdoor : UBNT Nanostation M2 ( Loco /) - TP-Link
CPE 210 / 510
220V power supply (very little power cost abt
5€ / year)
for DSL-Modem connection some meters of CATV
ethernet LAN cable
The router generally should be placed as high as
possible with plain line of sight to the area around.
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Project : BRUCE
rel. BR15
Operating system OpenWRT "Chaos
Calmer"
administration interface :
LuCi
local dashboard : system data
collectd
remote Dashboard : BR15.DOM
client : BASH &
LUA
server : php 5.x
webserver
remoce access : BR15.DOM +
Zerotier
OpenWRT compatible routers ( OpenWrt
TOH )
minimal 8MB ROM /32 MBRAM (TP-Link ,
GlInet,Ubiquity..)
frequencies : international
WLAN channels 2.5MHz 802.11n + 5MHz
ac
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The mesh-cloud consist of
routers with a special operating system designed to form a self
organizing wireless network ( see system characteristics)
The network range is dependent
on various parameters as router power, antenna,
line-of-sight
practical distances with low-priced routers
are
mesh-node : range upto 100-2500m ,
mesh depth 3 nodes
client range : laptop / tablet /phone
50-200m
As the mesh-cloud organizes
itself automatically NODES can be added or removed any time. The
internet connection of the users(clients) is automatically routed
to the best Internet-Gateway available.
Basic transport protocol is
batman-advanced IV L2 with autonomous routing.
L3 overlay realised with LiMe-VLAN interfaces
running a variety of L3 protocols (bmx6/6, qmx,babel..)
router function (ROLES)
Each NODE (router) participating in the network
can have one or several ROLES
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NODE ( mandatory role for every
router )
transport the traffic between other NODES
actually generating the mesh-cloud.
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ACCESSPOINT
provide the internet access to connected users
(clients)
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GATEWAY :
provide internet access to the mesh-cloud. There
can be multiple gateways in the same mesh-cloud.
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CONTROLLER
administrates the network (not mandatory)
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hardware
compatible with most
routers (OpenWrt)
minimal
4/8MB ROM /32 MBRAM (TP-Link , GlInet,Ubiquity..)
frequencies :
int.std WLAN channels 2.5 802.11n + 5MHz ac
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External device (sensors,GPS,memory) connections
through
- USB
-
Ethernet
-
GPIO
- SPI
-
Serial
- IC2
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i4free-gr system contains FreeOpenSource based on
Linux
Main parts of the i4free-gr systems are
- OpenWRT
Chaos Calmer
-
Batman-advanced
- LiMe
Libre-mesh network layer L3 structure
- BRUCE
system control by 3zl / Trizonelabs
- many
other Linux based modules
- image
integration / build by 3zl / Trizonelabs
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operating system : OpenWrt
CC
build
,adapted & tailored by 3zl
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Batman-advanced L2 routing
LiMe : integration of L3 network
(bmx,OSDR,Babel)
BRUCE (BR15) system controller & dashboard
client
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Overview
Batman-advanced is a ost
effective -ZERO configuration - network ethernet layer
2 protocol
with wireless connection in mind.
usage like LAN-enternet connection
extendable
self regulating
self configurating
Quality of Service QOS routing
self config and qos routing regardless of L3
protocoll
multipoint to multipoint
stations can be added and removed any time the
mesh will reconfigure itself for optimum qos regardless of higher
layer network protocols
Ist extending automatic topology
configuration.
Depending antenna and local conditions/distance
between nodes vary from 100 to 1000m . special rxtx setup could
extend the physical range specially on point to point
connections
continous calculation of qos determins the
routing between NODES thus resulting setup deployment to zero
configuration and invisible transparent data transport
every anode tries to connect to an other anode
building the mesh and changing the topology as needed ...nodes
roaming
Nodes provides comuters to access the network
internet gateway though either ethernet and or wireless
AccessPoints.
eth lan node extends via hub to serve multiple
computer or subnets thus effectively bridging gateways coonnection
networks
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Webinterface : LuCi
- local
dashboard : system setting & data collect
Remote Dashboard : BR15.DOM
- client
: pure BASH scripts
- server
: 0-cost php webserver
- remoce
access : BR15.DOM
-
Zerotier
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system integration & control functions by
3zl
Configurations
system
watchping
cron
BRcheckin15L.sh
LuCi :local
administration web-interface
luci-splash
LiMe
LiMe : network
configuration
watchping :
controls NODE
server/client switching on WAN-internet access
DASHBOARD
client :
BRcheckin15L.sh sends node status informations to
the DASHBOARD server
server :
php scripts on the server to handle incoming node
informations from BRcheckin15L.sh to be displayed on
html-pages.
Remote control channel provides commands to the
nodes
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1. Scope
