The MississippiNetworkRepeater is a NetgearWgt634u loaded with OpenWGT v0.06 and some custom modules built by JasonMcArthur. It uses a HawkingHwu54g USB 802.11g radio as a client to any nearby www.personaltelco.net network and operates its native radio as a local coverage access point.

Building

The current methodology for building one of the devices is as follows:

• load OpenWGT in a normal fashion, either via serial console or via the Netgear web interface

  • CFE> ifconfig eth0 -auto
    CFE> flash -noheader 192.168.0.3:wgt634u/wipe-1.img flash0.os
    CFE> flash -noheader -offset=3932160 192.168.0.3:wgt634u/wipe-2.img flash0.os
    CFE> flash -noheader 192.168.0.3:wgt634u/openwgt-0.06.img flash0.os
    CFE> reboot

• log into the AP
• configure network, e.g.:

  • ifconfig vlan0 192.168.0.x up
    ip route add default via 192.168.0.1
    vi /etc/resolv.conf

• wget three ipkg's from [http://downloads.openwrt.org/whiterussian/packages/ openwrt's whiterussian repository] to /tmp:

  • [http://downloads.openwrt.org/whiterussian/packages/rsync_2.6.5-0_mipsel.ipk rsync]

  • [http://downloads.openwrt.org/whiterussian/packages/libpopt_1.7-4_mipsel.ipk libpopt]

  • [http://downloads.openwrt.org/whiterussian/packages/uclibc_0.9.27-8_mipsel.ipk uclibc]

• remount the flash read-write:

  • remount-rootfs.sh rw

• install the packages:

  • ipkg install rsync_2.6.5-0_mipsel.ipk
    ipkg install libpopt_1.7-4_mipsel.ipk
    ipkg install uclibc_0.9.27-8_mipsel.ipk 

• ssh to the host where the repeater rootfs lives (to initialize the hostkey), if necessary:

  • ssh root@192.168.0.3 

• rsync from a copy of the repeater rootfs, e.g.:

  • rsync -v -a -H -x --delete root@192.168.0.3:/src/repeater-rootfs/ / 

• reboot

Testing

To test, plug in the HawkingHwu54g radio, either directly or via a USB extension cable (up to 15 feet long, or even further using powered hubs). Place the HawkingHwu54g where the best www.personaltelco.net signal is available. Place the NetgearWgt634u where convenient and it provides good local coverage. Power up the NetgearWgt634u and, after 15-30 seconds, associate your client device to www.personaltelco.net/repeater. You should receive an address via DHCP in the 192.168.3.0/24 network. Try loading a web page with your client device and click through the splash page. Try pinging 4.2.2.2 and www.google.com.

Feedback

The MississippiNetworkRepeater is in a testing phase. If you encounter problems or to provide positive or negative feedback, please contact RussellSenior. Thanks!

FIXME

Need to package up a tarball of the repeater-rootfs.

OpenWrt Version

Experimenting with an OpenWrt-based version of the repeater, aiming for inclusion of the zd1211rw driver.

To build one of the devices:

• load OpenWrt Kamikaze in a normal fashion, via serial console:

  • CFE> ifconfig eth0 -auto
    CFE> flash -noheader 192.168.0.3:wgt634u/wipe-1.img flash0.os
    CFE> flash -noheader -offset=3932160 192.168.0.3:wgt634u/wipe-2.img flash0.os
    CFE> flash -noheader 192.168.0.3:wgt634u/openwrt-wgt634u-2.6-squashfs-r3794.bin flash0.os
    CFE> reboot

• log into the AP
• install USB modules:

  • cd /tmp
    scp 192.168.0.4:/src/kamikaze4/trunk/openwrt/bin/packages/kmod-usb-core_2.6.16.7-brcm-1_mipsel.ipk .
    scp 192.168.0.4:/src/kamikaze4/trunk/openwrt/bin/packages/kmod-usb2_2.6.16.7-brcm-1_mipsel.ipk .
    scp 192.168.0.4:/src/kamikaze4/trunk/openwrt/bin/packages/kmod-zd1211_2.6.16.7+r69-brcm-1_mipsel.ipk .
    ipkg install kmod-usb-core_2.6.16.7-brcm-1_mipsel.ipk
    ipkg install kmod-usb2_2.6.16.7-brcm-1_mipsel.ipk
    ipkg install kmod-zd1211_2.6.16.7+r69-brcm-1_mipsel.ipk

• change root password

  • passwd

• modify /etc/modules.d
  • remove encryption modules from 20-madwifi
  • add a file for zd1211:

    • cat > /etc/modules.d/70-zd1211 <<EOF
      zd1211
      EOF

• modify /etc/init.d
  • add some lines to S20madwifi:

    • iwconfig ath0 essid www.personaltelco.net/repeater
      iwconfig ath0 channel 11

  • remove S45firewall

    • rm /etc/init.d/S45firewall

  • add a file S40repeater:

    • cat > /etc/init.d/S40repeater <<EOF
      #!/bin/sh
      
      echo "Initializing Repeater"
      
      /sbin/ifconfig wlan0 up
      /usr/sbin/iwconfig wlan0 essid www.personaltelco.net
      while /usr/sbin/iwconfig wlan0 2>/dev/null | grep Access | awk '{ print $5 }' | grep 00:00:00:00:00:00 ; do sleep 1 ; done
      /sbin/udhcpc -i wlan0
      /usr/sbin/iptables -t nat -A POSTROUTING -o wlan0 -j MASQUERADE
      EOF
      chmod 755 /etc/init.d/S40repeater

  • Modify /etc/config/network to:

    • lan_ipaddr="192.168.3.1"
      wan_proto=none