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References: <20041026204508.U84@warpix.org> <417F4CAE.7050604@clanganke.de> <20041027110150.C84@warpix.org>
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Date:  Wed, 27 Oct 2004 17:11:10 +0200
Sender: os2-wireless_users-owner <os2-wireless_users-owner@2rosenthals.com>
Reply-To: os2-wireless_users@2rosenthals.com
From:  Christian Langanke <os2-wireless_users@2rosenthals.com>
To:  os2-wireless_users@2rosenthals.com
Subject: [OS2Wireless] OS/2 based Router/AP

John Poltorak wrote:

>On Wed, Oct 27, 2004 at 09:22:22AM +0200, Christian Langanke wrote:
>  
>
>In the UK, all broadband runs over PPPoA, so I would have any protocol 
>support. But even more important there are no ADSL NICs with OS/2 drivers, 
>so the whole project is a non-starter. Some such NICs do have Linux 
>drivers available, but whether they could be ported to OS/2 is a different 
>matter.
>
Aha, did not know that (not even that such protocol would exist).
Then eCSCoNet aka ISDNPM is out of scope. But it may be that the author 
has a module for this protocol already, yet unreleased. It could make 
sense to ask him. BTW, this program can be run in textmode as well, so 
this should work with a VIO only sytem, using a meaningful task 
switcher. Furthermore, It may make sense to ask Mensys in the first 
place, in order to document that such requirement exists.

>>Concerning the access point, you would need a PCI (or even ISA ?) PCMCIA 
>>adapter card for a desktop PC with required drivers (direct drivers or 
>>socket drivers for the PCMCIA part of the adapter card). To my knowledge 
>>this will be rather difficult, but there may still be an existing 
>>solution available out there.
>>    
>>
>
>I didn't think it would be difficult to configure a PCI/PCMCIA adapter...
>
Sure, once you _have_ the driver for its socket chipset, it should be no 
problem at all ;-)

>>Due to several reasons I though would recommend not to go for such a 
>>aolsution, but rather buy a standalone access point with DSL festures, 
>>even if is (and it does not necessarily have to be) more expensive.
>>    
>>
>Cost isn't the issue here - it's simply a pet project of mine.
>
I see. I would like to hear of every progress that it could make, 
especially because of the protocol issue. Good luck with it!

>>Second, such a device will likely consume less power when running (all 
>>day?).
>>    
>>
>
>A server runs all day anyway, so it wouldn't make any difference.
>
>The reason I would want to have router/AP functinality in an OS/2 box is 
>so that it could be used as single gateway to the Internet and act as a 
>super server.
>
Ah, it was not clear to me that it would not be a dedicated server for 
that one purpose only.

>>Third, if you use a PCMCIA card in a desktop system, you should use one 
>>with a very good bult-in or external antenna, bothmay or will cost you 
>>additional money. Otherwise this solution will have poorer radio 
>>characteristics than every access point that you could attach everywhere 
>>at the wall. The best vertical position for an access point is the 
>>highest possible, and that will be kind of a problem with a PCMCIA card 
>>being plugged into a desktop PC, having no external antenna.
>>    
>>
>
>Are there any wireless cards which can be used with external antennas?
>
My Artem card has a socket for an external antenna, but AFAIK the 
antenna will cost as much as a cheap PCMCIA card. Until now I don't know 
of any other card having such a feature. I may be wrong but I doubt that 
newer cards will have such a socket - the described problem with PCMCIA 
cards used in desktop systems for access point functionality may once 
have been the most obvious reason for to provide extern antennas, but 
may have become obsolete with cheaper and cheaper separate hardware 
available. Nevertheless, if you intend to just build up a smaller cell, 
I think a PCMCIA card with a good iternal antenna will do as good. I 
just have received a Cisco 350 for testing purposes with an internal 
antenna only, and would say that it approx. has a better reception of up 
to 10-20% compared to my Artem card.

thanx, Christian

-------------------------------------------------

Christian Langanke
COS2E & CWSE
Team OS/2 Ruhr e.V.
cla@clanganke.de

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