routers

[jack...@fastmail.fm]

I just bought one of these routers for $25 to mess around with, which
can run opwnWRT:
http://wiki.openwrt.org/toh/tp-link/tl-wr703n

I plan to use it as backup internet at Startup Weekend, but also to
build a file-sharing appliance:
http://wiki.daviddarts.com/PirateBox_DIY_OpenWrt#Install_PirateBox

I've seen clones of this as cheap as $13. It's a 400MHz mips-based cpu,
and might be good as the brains, and wifi connectivity, for hardware
projects (like DIY drones), by sticking a USB-capable arduino in the USB
port. Much cheaper than an arduino wifi shield which go for as much as
$90 (http://www.sparkfun.com/products/9954).


Anyway, we also talked on Tuesday about routers, quality of service, and
how the HackerspacePP internet has been choppy the last couple of weeks.
This article came up on the feeds:
http://www.codinghorror.com/blog/2012/06/because-everyone-still-needs-a-router.html

If we wanted to improve the hackerspacepp internet (eg QoS,
traffic-shaping, local dns server, traffic monitoring etc), openWRT or
one of the others would be the way to go. There are a couple of other
recommendations for actual hardware in the comments, I know this one is
available in PP for about $55:
http://wiki.openwrt.org/toh/tp-link/tl-wr1043nd

Plus I now have some (hair-pulling) experience with openWRT!
Just sayin'

Jack.

[Justin Pearce-Neudorf]

It seems like a good use of $55. At the least we'll be able to see the hackerspace site from inside the place!

[jack...@fastmail.fm]

Of course it wouldn't help when ezecom go down, which seems to be the case now.

But it looks like someone has already "donated" a tp-link WR-740N router, and a switch, both sitting on the shelf by the door.  Anyone know who's they are?

Jack.

[Eduardo Jezierski]

I knew I was forgetting something - I have a couple of trusty WRT54G's (they are awesome for this sort of stuff) I was going to take to the hackerspace. sorry. I'll try to remember next time.

The best use of programming them I have seen is simply running TOR on them - normal WIFI router to clients, but all traffic gets into TOR as it goes out the wan side. Creative & useful work by our burmese neighbors in times of firewalls.

~ ej