Re: Grase Hotspot working with DD-WRT routers in remote locations.

[Bob Hunt]

Hi Norberto,

Thanks so much for your efforts. This looks like it might solve Development Issue #56 https://github.com/GraseHotspot/grase-www-portal/issues/56

One issue I noticed with your tutorial...

Shouldn't "dhcpend 299" really read  "dhcpend 255"?

Also I think that standard openwrt based CoovaAP firmware ( http://coova.org/CoovaAP ) should work out of the box as client access controller.

Cheers,

Bob

On Mon, Dec 8, 2014 at 7:25 AM, Norberto Esteves <norb...@gmail.com> wrote:

Other thing that was missing,

If you want to use computer accounts you need to add the option "macauth" to Advanced Chilispot Options:

defidletimeout 600

interval 600

macauth

macpasswd password

nousergardendata

uamlogoutip 1.0.0.0

coaport 3779

dhcpstart 200

dhcpend 299

Regards,

Norberto

Domingo, 7 de Dezembro de 2014 10:14:38 UTC, Norberto Esteves escreveu:

Hi Drazen,

Router is connected at WAN side, all remote sites connect to Grase trough the WAN interface:

  Remote hotspot users <=> DD-WRT <=> Internet <=> Router <=> (WAN) GRASE (LAN) <=>Local hotspot users

 

Yes, OpenWRT or other firmware with Coova Chilli built-in should work fine.

Best Regards,

Norberto 

Domingo, 7 de Dezembro de 2014 8:36:03 UTC, drazen.zuvela escreveu:

Hi Norberto
This is great manual, and great solution for schools and companies local
wifi network.

Still I have some questions:
1. Which side of grase you have conneted to corporate router or network?
2. Assume Openwrt should also work.

Rgds,Drazen




On 12/06/2014 02:59 AM, Norberto Esteves wrote:
> Hi all,
>
> As promised, here is the information you need to setup Grase Hotspot
> on Multiple-locationst (please Tim, feel free to move this to the wiki
> if you wish).
>
>

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[Dražen Žuvela]

Dana 8.12.2014. 1:58, Bob Hunt je napisao:
>
> Also I think that standard openwrt based CoovaAP firmware (
> http://coova.org/CoovaAP ) should work out of the box as client access
> controller.
>

Not sure. It depends of particular router, model-hardware version and
memory capacity. Recently I flash TP-link 74x something.. (can't find
right model right now). It was neccesseary to find out exact firmware,
but none of chilly or radius components installed by default. It is
neccesseary to do it manually. In fact I am not sure if memory will suffice.
In contrary, my previous installation on Linksys WRT 54GL results with 3
different portals Coova included and many other goodies.

Since Liksys is a legend but kind of outdate hardware (54Mbps only), it
is normal today that we are choosing 150 and 300 Mbps models. They gives
better signal/distance but also more concurrent users.

So, my suggestion is to study carefully openwrt or DDwrt hardware
compability tables as well other available informations regarding
flashing certain models, before purchasing.
Additionaly , makers today often making plenty hardware versions on same
model, so you can never be sure which version you will get when buying
online. Differences between hw versions are minor but sometimes are drastic.
Drazen

[Norberto Esteves]

Hi Bob,

dhcpend is correct since it is a count starting from first IP (10.1.0.0) which means dhcpend 299 is the IP 10.1.1.43. An easier way to calculate this would be to have each entire subnet assigned to each site:

Site 1 (Master): dhcpstart 2 dhcpend 254 (range 10.1.0.1 -> 10.1.0.254)

Site 2 (Slave): dhcpstart 257 dhcpend 510 (range 10.1.1.1 -> 10.1.1.254)

Site 3 (Slave): dhcpstart 513 dhcpend 766 (range 10.1.2.1 -> 10.1.2.254)

Site 4 (Slave): dhcpstart 769 dhcpend 1022 (range 10.1.3.1 -> 10.1.3.254)

....

The rule is: Next Site will start 3 hosts away from last one and end 253 hosts away from start

This way Chillispot IP is always 10.1.0.1 and  we can easily identify which sites the clients belong to.

Before coming up with this solution I used a different method assigning different networks to each site (Master = 10.1.0.0/24, Slave 1 = 10.1.1.0/24 ....) this means each Chillispot would have a different IP which means it is harder to do because involves more modifications to original code and I don't think it worth it.

Next thing to do in order to solve Development Issue #56 is to add a new menu in Grase admin to manage and customise the remote sites and modify portal page to identify and adapt to each site, including different logos, Names, etc... also ticket printing could be adapted to reflect each site information.

Regarding to DD-WRT Routers, I use for testing D-Link Dir-615 (hardware version H2) And Netgear WNDR3700 V4 for the remote sites.

WNDR3700 can support hundreds of concurrent users.

Regards,

Norberto 

[Dražen Žuvela]

Hi Norberto,

I just expanding local WiFi network based on your receipt for remote Grase access. Finally I got MACAUTH working over remote routers. Target clients are smartphones/tablets of employers/students, and guests. Most are MAC based authentication while guests and students will get limited vouchers.

I did segmentation in Grase/Chili IP range as per your advice, so every DD-WRT router supply clients in different range: 10.1.1.0/24; 10.1.2.0/24, 10.1.3.0/24 ...and so on.

Whole idea is to cover wider area  inside same site (Eg. school, single site factory/company) using existing LAN infrastructure. So all APs are set to the same SSID. Some of WiFi signals are overlapping each other (different channels are applied. I mean on pure radio signal intensity overlap). I assume that roaming will happen automatically.

Well, seems that roaming does not happen smoothly because when changing AP connection client will not get new IP so it will not connect to closer AP, while previous got IP remains.  If fully radio disconnection occur, next connection attempt will succeed (client will get new IP )

When more APs connected to same Chilly (as originally is to grase LAN side) roaming goes smoothly because no IP changes needed.

Do you have any experience with this, or advice how to solve this?

My set up is based on TP link WR 842ND ver.2 and firmware: DD-WRT v24-sp2 (04/09/15) for this router.

Rgds.

Drazen

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[Norberto Esteves]

Hi Drazen,

 

Rooaming between Routers with different Chilli is not possible. You always get a new IP when moving from one chilli to another.

 

I use this configuration with several sites, each site has only one Chilli (DD-WRT) runing (I use Netgear WNDR3700V4 And R7000). I use several APs on the LAN side, all of them in bridge mode, this way Chilli assigns IPs to every client. This configuration allow roaming between APs so you can move inside the site without loosing connection.

If you move to another site you will get a different IP and you will need to login again.

Regards,

[drazen]

Norberto,
thank you for answer.
I was using roaming between close APs all pluged at Grase LAN side. Never think that would be a problem in remote scenario.
Well, today I realized the truth.
As said before, it is not a problem if client temporary loose connection when walking from one AP to another when two APs are out of distance range between.

Need to find a solution now.

rgds
Drazen

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[Henry Terkura Swende]

If you want to cover a wider area with wifi I think you should lookup wireless mesh with openwrt I've implemented it in my facility, one ssid on multiple routers though I'm now testing performance. I have grase run on my server and just create ap with single ssid. Grase gives out IP address transparently. Seems to be working pretty OK, and wireless roaming too. I could connect to one router, obtain IP from my remote grace and ping grase continuously while hopping from router to router.

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[drazen]

Hi Henry,
mesh sounds promising.
Whenever you are ready, please make draft of your network topology.
I will explore for wrt mesh setup options too.
rgds.
Drazen

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[darnalis]

Hi henry, drazen and others,

Very interesting topic.  For years I have been looking forward to configure mesh with openwrt but it seems too difficult.  Would be pleased if you guys can work some sort of easy to follow documentation/tutorial, it would be an affordable solution for my application. For the meantime I am using WDS but it lack the healing properties of a mesh network.

regards,

darnalis

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