Australia calling
Song, Stephen
Sjur Eivind Usken
Dave Bowerman
Sent from my iPhone
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T Gillett
I have used both MyNetFone and Pennytel successfully as VoIP providers in Australia, and specifically on Mesh Potatoes running SECN firmware.
Both these providers offer ~10c untimed calls nationally in Aust, and mobile rates of ~12 -15c per minute. There are other local VoIP providers with similar offerings.
A mesh network of MPs would probably work well in the scenario you have described, and would provide a POTS phone points at each node, presumably in each outbuilding, with both free 'local' calls between buildings and PSTN calls via the VoIP provider.
That's all simple and out of the box with SECN firmware on MPs, plus MPs provide the robustness required for rural applications.
The connection to the internet may not be quite as straightforward.
The 3G coverage in a rural area is most likely from the major local telco Telstra and will be what they market as 'NextG', which has some subtle differences to standard 3G. The upshot of this is that you have to be a bit careful about the device used to host a USB device on this network to make sure that it will support the specific devices Telstra sells.
As the WR703N is marketed only for use in China, it is likely that it may not support Telstra USB devices. Similarly for the VoiceBlue device.
The current SECN firmware for the WR703N does not support 3G devices in the USB port, but OpenWrt generically has this support so is feasible, but not readily available at this point.
The best approach may be to use a commodity router that has "3G" USB support and is certified to support Telstra devices to simply provide internet access via the NextG network and provide an Ethernet port to connect to one of the MP devices.
It's also likely that the telco signal level is on the low side, so a USB device that supports an external antenna would be a good investment.
So the 'bill of materials' is now:
- Telstra USB device
- External antenna
- 3G capable router
- Mesh potatoes x n
Each of these items is approaching $100 each, so that will give an idea of the budget required. Mains power surge protection would also be advisable, particularly for the router, given the local thunderstorm activity level and typical SWER power lines used in rural areas.
Regards
Terry
Song, Stephen
with Sierra Wireless AirCard 312U 3G usb device which seems to be the
Telstra standard, and on offer from his provider (BigPond).
Cheers... Steve
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Steve Song
http://manypossibilities.net
http://villagetelco.org
T Gillett
Song, Stephen
-S
T Gillett
It's a fast moving game!
TP-Link Aust lists MR3220, MR3420 and now MR3020 as 3G/3.75G Wireless N Routers.
http://www.tp-link.com.au/products/?categoryid=202
The StaticIce site (http://staticice.com.au) shows many retailers for the first two at $40 - $50, and now shows one for the MR3020 device as follows:
EYO Technologies (NSW) | www.eyo.com.au | updated: 09-01-2012
at $56. Note the date of the update!
Regards
Terry
Song, Stephen
Cheers... S
Dave Duchesneau
Hello to all who may be interested in 3G/4G gateways, especially in mesh applications!
I apologize in advance if this sounds like an advertisement for Cradlepoint 3G/4G gateway routers. I assure you it isn’t. However, we find ourselves using many such Cradlepoint routers after migrating that direction from a number of other “brands that shall not be named.” We’re still looking for that perfect unit, but here’s some of what we’ve learned from our experiences thus far.
In the USA, we’ve successfully used several different Cradlepoint routers as 3G/4G gateways, with different carriers simultaneously, all feeding the same mesh. The current advantage of the Cradlepoint devices is that they accept many device/carrier combinations (except the one you want, according to Murphy’s Law), and Cradlepoint’s focus is on delivering 3G/4G access to a LAN. Also, new and used Cradlepoint devices are available from Amazon.com. I’ve checked (http://www.cradlepoint.com/compatibility), but did not find listings for Telstra or Australia. However, so many devices are supported that it is quite clear that most are interchangeable with each other, by design. In any case, I’m fairly certain that Cradlepoint would be most happy to add support for Australia/Telstra, since their design and intent clearly includes supporting virtually every 3G/4G USB device (even tethering).
SINGLE 3G/4G CARRIER GATEWAYS
For a single 3G/4G USB device, the low-end but very capable CTR35 provides a single USB port and a single Ethernet port, plus a low-power Wi-Fi dual-SSID AP that can be turned off, or can be repurposed to act as a client/AP combo that can obtain WAN access from some other nearby Wi-Fi source (this “Wi-Fi as WAN” feature is available only on Cradlepoint’s Series III devices, namely, the CTR35, MBR95, CBR400, CBR450, and MBR1400). It is possible to use this device to provide a firewalled connection to an external Wi-Fi AP, with fail-over back up by the 3G USB card, such that the bandwidth then delivered through its Ethernet port to the mesh via an MP. Due to low power and the lack of a 2.4 GHz antenna connector (internal or external), the “Wi-Fi as WAN” feature may have limited utility unless the Wi-Fi source is relatively strong. Also, the CTR35 has only one Ethernet port, which can be used either for LAN (client) access (such as by an MP needing a gateway) or WAN access (such as when the CTR35’s AP is using an MP as a WAN gateway to the Internet). Nonetheless, as a cheap 3G/4G gateway, the CTR35 is hard to beat. The latest software and drivers can be obtained from Cradlepoint.com (I recommend downloading and storing update files separately, then manually doing the updates through its web console, rather than letting router download and self-update while logged into its web console).
The fact that a CTR35 can handle only one USB 3G/4G device may actually be advantageous in several ways. First, it keeps the cost down, compared to Cradlepoint’s more expensive units (under US$60 new, but the CTR35 may lose out to TP-Link devices if we can get them working similarly). Second, it makes it easy to have a simple correspondence between mesh nodes and carriers, so that any 3G/4G carrier connection has its own mesh node(s), which means that the mesh can use its own traffic management and routing algorithms to take advantage of bandwidth and availability of different 3G/4G carriers, rather than relying on load-balancing within a gateway unit. (Note: It would be most helpful to have some mesh-configured traffic limits, hourly/daily/FAP caps, etc., specifiable on a per-mesh-node-as-gateway basis, so that mesh nodes correctly advertise and consider the available, rationed bandwidth offered by a gateway, rather than rushing headlong into a FAP limit or a large 3G/4G bill due to excess use. Advertisement of local gateway capacity should cease whenever the Internet become inaccessible through local gateway connection.). Third, it reduces single-point-of-failure issues, and fourth, may better distribute gateways among the mesh (if the lower cost enables having more of them). I’d much rather deploy two or three lower-cost units having one 3G/4G USB connection each, than a single more expensive unit having two or three 3G/4G USB connections.
For the straightforward purpose of bringing 3G/4G access to a mesh, the CTR35 seems to currently be the best low-cost option. I’m personally very interested in a TP-Link configuration that can replace the CTR35 for our purposes, which means that it must provide access to a 3G/4G carrier via a suitable USB device and deliver it to an Ethernet port.
MULTIPLE 3G/4G CARRIER GATEWAYS
The next step up from a Cradlepoint CTR35 is the CBR400, which is another Series III device (i.e., latest & greatest). Like the CTR35, the CBR400 has only internal antennas to support its Wi-Fi connectivity. However, the CBR400 adds an Express Card slot, which opens up the device to an even larger set of compatible 3G/4G modems. In addition to fail-over like that provided by the CTR35, the CBR400 also enables load-balancing between any of the available internet connections (i.e., 3G/4G USB, 3G/4G Express Card, Ethernet WAN port if enabled, and “Wi-Fi as WAN” if enabled).
For multiple carrier routers, we’ve had tremendous luck with the slightly older Cradlepoint MBR1000 (a Series II device that is still available), which has two USB ports and one Express Card port for a total of three 3G/4G devices (its Series III counterpart is the MBR95, which differs primarily by the addition of “Wi-Fi as WAN” and the removal of external antennas). The MBR1000 can perform load-balancing and fail-over between its upstream Ethernet WAN port and the 3G/4G devices, with some definable parameters. When we have both a terrestrial connection (cable/DSL) and a not-unlimited 3G/4G connection, we set the 3G/4G connection to fail-over only (no usage unless cable/DSL fails). When we have one or more “unlimited” 3G/4G connections, we may leave them enabled with load-balancing rather than fail-over only.
The Cradlepoint MBR1000 also includes a 4-port LAN-side switch, so multiple MPs (possibly on different frequencies, or with directional antennas) could plug into it simultaneously. The MBR1000 provides a capable firewall with built-in VoIP prioritization (and other prioritization options), and also has a built-in 802.11n AP (but the radio cannot serve as a client to provide “Wi-Fi as WAN” functionality). In several of our configurations, we use MBR1000’s DHCP server to assign addresses
The MBR1000’s radio can easily be turned off or removed if not needed, so as to prevent interference with mesh communications. Internally, the radio is in a mini-PCI socket, and if it is removed, the MBR1000 becomes an MBR800 (which we preferred to buy initially, but which seems to no longer be available). In a typical configuration, we connect an MBR1000’s WAN port to a preferred carrier connection (cable, DSL, satellite, etc.), and then plug in one or more 3G/4G devices as fail-over connections. If the 3G/4G USB device includes a built-in GPS receiver, then the MBR1000 can make the GPS coordinates available to the WAN and/or LAN ports at selectable intervals in both the NMEA 0183 and KML data formats via TCP/IP port 8889.
In some larger-scale mesh deployments, we have occasionally connected the MBR1000’s WAN port to a mesh node, in order to provide a private gateway that is firewalled from the mesh, and privately backed up by any 3G/4G USB devices that might be plugged in locally. In this case, the mesh serves as a network DMZ which may provide Internet bandwidth, but the mesh has no access to the LAN or any locally plugged in 3G/4G devices. However, in a multi-band mesh scenario, which we prefer, it is only the WAN-connected mesh that has no access to the USB 3G/4G connections, but any mesh nodes on other frequencies (channels) or bands (900 MHz vs. 2.4 GHz vs. 3.65 GHz vs. 5.8 GHz, etc.) can still plug into the LAN ports. This means that the other meshes not only have access to the local USB 3G/4G connections, but also to whatever bandwidth and services are available from the upstream mesh that is connected to the WAN port. Many useful configurations are possible.
EXTERNAL ANTENNAS FOR 3G/4G USB DEVICES
As was suggested in someone else’s posting, it is a very good idea to select USB devices that have external antenna ports. We’ve been able to achieve decent internet bandwidth from 3G towers nearly 50 miles (80 km) away (the earth’s curvature quickly becomes an issue, so some elevation is required). This has been accomplished in two ways: 1) with a high-gain directional antenna, and 2) with a medium-gain (8 dBi) omnidirectional antenna and a 3-watt amplifier. Being able to hit a distant tower may not be the primary benefit (except in disaster scenarios, where there may be no other options). Rather, by increasing the normal signal quality of connections with towers, the result is generally a significant improvement in effective bandwidth, and this may be especially useful on a day-to-day basis.
In several of our configurations here in the USA, we typically use external 3G/4G antennas that have gains of around 8 dBi. Because our networks are still experimental, we also have a number of special antennas (directional, etc.) that are more expensive, with gains as high as 38 dBi. One non-obvious advantage of a higher-gain antenna is that it may require even less power than having no external antenna at all, and definitely no additional power. Some carrier towers will command a 3G device to reduce its power if the signal is sufficiently strong, and this is particularly helpful in battery-powered off-grid/emergency communications. For this reason, we choose amplifiers that are capable of varying their output in response to tower commands, such as the Wilson Electronics 811201, 811701, or 811901 Direct Connect Dual Band Amplifier (http://www.wilsonelectronics.com/ProductDetails.aspx?Product=7&title=Direct+Connect+Cell+Phone+Boosters+(811201%2f811701%2f811901)&Category=8), which covers CDMA, TDMA and GSM (800MHz or 1900MHz ranges), and thus most service providers in the US and Canada including AT&T, Rogers, Sprint, T-Mobile, Verizon and others.
As noted earlier, we have also used amplifiers (up to 3 watts, or 3000 mW) in conjunction with external antennas. However, despite the usefulness of greatly improved signal quality at a distance, there are at least three downsides in using amplifiers such as the Wilson unit:
1) Extra cost, which we’ve found to be about $220 on the street (http://www.alternativewireless.com/catalogsearch/result/?q=811201).
2) Extra power is required (12V@ 0.5A to 1.5A = 6 to 18 watts), and must be accounted for, especially in off-grid configurations.
3) No power-off amplifier bypass available in the current Wilson Electronics designs (if the amp is powered down, there’s no signal)
To deal with item 3) above, we would very much like to see an embedded RF bypass that directly connects the amplifier’s RF input and output to each other (bypassing the amp electronics) whenever power is removed relay (i.e., normally closed = bypassed). Failing that, in the usual case where an amplifier is used (but not needed if the nearest tower is still up), the amplifier typically idles along at its lowest power usage (6 watts), which is only a third of the maximum power it would consume if it had to reach a distant tower. Note that this sort of configuration typically is used in conjunction with an omnidirectional antenna, because it is unlikely that the next closest cell tower is conveniently in reasonably close alignment with a failed tower (meaning that a directional antenna may be a less-than-useful option in an emergency situation where the directional antennas cannot be repointed because the infrastructure is unmanned, which is certainly the norm for us).
As a strategy, however, it certainly makes sense to intentionally place 3G/4G gateways so that a single directional antenna is aligned with at least two of the carrier’s towers, if possible. Doing so may enable a high-gain antenna to reach the more distant tower even without an amplifier, which is the ideal solution.
IMPORTANT NOTE ON MULTIPLE GATEWAYS
Most of our meshes are bridged, even between different radio frequencies, which means that care must be taken in the assignment of IP addresses via DHCP. The key idea is to set up DHCP on various gateway devices to emulate a configuration where there is only ONE DHCP server for the whole mesh, even though there are actually many. This can be easily accomplished by opening up the IP address space so that any DHCP-assigned client address is compatible with any gateway, and can be handled by whatever gateway is reachable, even if that gateway did not actually assign the DHCP address.
First, it is important to ensure that the net mask at each gateway allows the full range of addresses assignable by ANY of the cooperating gateways (e.g. 255.255.0.0 for 192.168.x.y, 255.0.0.0. for 10.x.y.z, etc.). Second, it is necessary to ensure that each DHCP server assigns a non-overlapping (i.e., mutually exclusive) subset of the total DHCP address space. We’ve seen advice that says different gateways should be on different subnets, but so far we have found the two requirements above to be more than sufficient, and it allows roaming between gateways. As usual, your mileage may vary.
THE WAY FORWARD
When I analyze the capabilities of Cradlepoint’s various routers, it becomes very clear that there may be valuable implications for what the next-gen MP ought to look like. To keep it as simple as possible, one set of quasi-minimalist requirements would be to make it as interchangeable as possible with current MP devices, while adding some much-needed features. The idea is to avoid the need for external gateway routers, etc., while having a better integrated overall system.
One of those features would be to enable any mesh node to have a built-in USB port intended to support 3G/4G/xG radios (which also means ensuring that sufficient power is delivered to the USB port).
It would be most useful to have more power in the radio (e.g., 200 to 400 mW) and a second built-in mesh radio in a different band (e.g., 5 GHz, like the Open-Mesh MR-500, although possibly more powerful and fully interoperable).
I’d also like to see a separate unpopulated mini-PCI slot for an optional radio, which could be operated as a third radio on any legal band (900 MHz, 2.4 GHz, 3.65 GHz, 5 GHz, etc.) with the same mesh software. Ubiquiti radios would be our favorite target, due to their raw power, carrier-grade quality, and multi-band product range.
It would be most valuable to ensure that all mesh radio antenna connections (including the built-in radios) are at least internally accessible on PCB connectors (e.g., u.FL, IPEX, etc.), if not via external RP-SMA connectors.
Furthermore, I would software-enable a 2.4 GHz radio (i.e., the ones built in, or an optional one in the mini-PCI slot) to be able to acquire external Wi-Fi sources for use by the mesh (the sources need not be open, assuming permission can be obtained).
There’s much more to say on this topic, regarding both software and hardware, but it’s mostly outside the scope of a 3G/4G gateway discussion. I hope this info was at least somewhat interesting, if not helpful.
Cheers,
Dave Duchesneau
CRISIS-FORCE Emergency Network
Rael Lissoos
Hi
I have used the 2n and it works really well. Not sure abour the other solutions. The 2n also allows for multiple sims so you can lcr across networks. Have not used it for data.
Rael
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Pascal Laurent
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Sjur Eivind Usken
How much is this unit cost to be shipped to the US? Thanks (IP2G4A)
VoIPtel We ship worldwide