[Mesh] Inquiring on weatherproof equipment in #OTI

[Jenny Ryan]

I chatted in #OTI today re: weatherproof equipment. OTI (Open Technology
Institute) is the org supporting the Commotion project. It was suggested
that more support could be garnered through joining the commotion-dev
mailing list: https://lists.chambana.net/mailman/listinfo/commotion-dev

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(12:32:35 PM) tunabananas1: I am seeking suggestions for outdoor
weatherproof equipment for mesh setups! ping jrbaldwin1
(12:42:52 PM) andygunn: tunabananas1: What info do you need about mesh
equipment?
(12:43:15 PM) andygunn: We usually use Ubiquiti equipment, since it is our
development platform for Commotion stuff
(12:52:54 PM) tunabananas1: andygunn: so in the wild ubiquiti APs need no
additional weatherproofing?
(12:53:16 PM) andygunn: Nope. If you use the outdoor rated equipment from
Ubiquiti, they are fine
(12:53:27 PM) andygunn: Most of their gear is outdoor, they only have a few
things that are indoor
(12:53:36 PM) andygunn: Such as some switches, routers, a few access points
(12:53:54 PM) andygunn: All PicoStations, Rockets, Nano_ units are outdoor
rated
(12:54:21 PM) andygunn: As long as outdoor rated Ethernet cable is used as
well, most installs are fairly weatherproof
(12:54:46 PM) andygunn: In fact, additional weatherproofing (such as mastic
or caulk) can cause issues with water ingress
(12:56:07 PM) andygunn: One caveat: Ubiquiti Bullet equipment may require
additional weatherproofing
(12:56:07 PM) tunabananas1: good to know! i will share with the 510pen team
(12:56:17 PM) andygunn: depending on the antenna they are attached to
(12:56:27 PM) andygunn: the N-type connector isn't 100% waterproof
(12:56:35 PM) andygunn: Though it is pretty good
(12:57:31 PM) andygunn: Sure. Who is the 510pen team?
(12:57:52 PM) andygunn: You can put them in contact with me directly if you
want
(12:58:50 PM) tunabananas1: 510pen is an East Bay (SFBay) mesh network
project that began in 2009
(12:59:04 PM) andygunn: Cool, good to know.
(12:59:26 PM) tunabananas1: but they didn't secure funding and kinda
stalled in 2011
(12:59:50 PM) andygunn: Word. That would be a problem.
(01:00:14 PM) tunabananas1: since i started interning with oti/tidepools
i've been helping to resuscitate it, so i'm doing a lot of the comms /
project management - personally less on the technical side of things
(01:00:47 PM) tunabananas1: https://510pen.org &&
http://sudoroom.org/wiki/Mesh
(01:01:30 PM) tunabananas1: ah, i see legind is in here. he's part of the
crew. o/
(01:02:00 PM) andygunn: I will check out those sites. Glad to hear there is
a "new" network in the works!
(01:02:33 PM) tunabananas1: yeah! mesh the planet!
(01:03:52 PM) tunabananas1: and thanks for your advice. there's definitely
interest in working with the commotion
(01:03:54 PM) tunabananas1: firmware*
(01:04:13 PM) andygunn: Excellent. Folks should hop on the Commotion Dev
list if they have questions about implementation
(01:04:27 PM) andygunn: Do you need the link?
(01:06:05 PM) tunabananas1:
https://lists.chambana.net/mailman/listinfo/commotion-dev cc legind
(01:06:20 PM) andygunn: Yep, that's it.
(01:06:23 PM) andygunn: Thanks!
(01:07:34 PM) tunabananas1: so we are planning to do some rooftop testing
soon before the weather gets too nice
(01:08:08 PM) tunabananas1: but in crappy conditions what's the range of a
directional ubiquiti antenna
(01:08:09 PM) tunabananas1: ?
(01:08:38 PM) tunabananas1: based on your experience...
(01:08:39 PM) andygunn: Depends on the Antenna
(01:08:51 PM) tunabananas1: DotA
(01:08:58 PM) grady: lol
(01:09:09 PM) andygunn: If you are using a NanoStation M2, about a mile
(01:09:16 PM) andygunn: also depends on interference
(01:09:21 PM) grady: I've found the range on picos goes way down in bad
weather
(01:09:37 PM) andygunn: Yes, omnidirectional units have much less range
(01:09:44 PM) andygunn: about 1000 feet outdoors in clear weather
(01:09:57 PM) andygunn: Also, pure RF range is deceptive
(01:10:11 PM) andygunn: Since low signal may be fine if there is no
interference
(01:10:20 PM) andygunn: but in the presence of interference, your link
quality will go in the crapper
(01:10:32 PM) hawkinsw-laptop: is anyone on a college campus that can help
me with access to jstor?
(01:10:52 PM) andygunn: So for critical links over a long distance, I
recommend using 5GHz equipment
(01:11:05 PM) andygunn: It can bridge to the mesh via Ethernet
(01:11:14 PM) andygunn: With some extra configuration
(01:12:05 PM) andygunn: There is also a question of TCP ack round-trip time
with long links, that I'm not sure is implemented in mesh firmware yet
(01:12:14 PM) andygunn: I was going to start a thread on Commotion Dev
about it
(01:14:29 PM) areynold: I can almost guarantee that Ben is going to be your
best bet in getting that question answered
(01:14:55 PM) tunabananas1: what would the distance range be on 5ghz
equipment?
(01:15:04 PM) andygunn: DotA
(01:15:08 PM) tunabananas1: lol
(01:15:24 PM) andygunn: But for a NanoStation, again a mile or so, maybe
further
(01:15:39 PM) andygunn: If you have very long links there are various
dishes that are made for longer distances
(01:16:08 PM) andygunn: http://www.ubnt.com/airmax#nanobridgem
(01:16:14 PM) andygunn: http://www.ubnt.com/airmax#airgrid
(01:16:31 PM) andygunn: These and other pieces of equipment are more geared
towards point-to-point setups
(01:16:50 PM) andygunn: Or for receiving a more powerful signal from
further away, such as in a "cell tower" style install
(01:16:59 PM) andygunn: Also called Point-to-Multipoint
(01:19:41 PM) grady: I sat in on a two-hour long lecture on setting up
ubiquiti networks at the CTS in Tunis
(01:19:56 PM) grady: I can dig up the notes and send them to you tunabananas
(01:20:17 PM) tunabananas1: that'd be great, grady, thanks! i'm
jenny at thepyre.org
(01:20:50 PM) andygunn: Grady - please share that with the field and tech
teams as well
(01:21:03 PM) grady: sure no problem
(01:21:07 PM) andygunn: Thanks
(01:21:30 PM) grady: also, I know a distributor that gives pretty sweet
discounts to non-profits
(01:22:46 PM) andygunn: Distributor of what? Wireless equipment?
(01:22:57 PM) grady: yeah, mostly ubiquiti
(01:23:13 PM) andygunn: Which vendor?
(01:23:20 PM) grady: streakwave
(01:23:39 PM) andygunn: Yea, we don't have an account with them yet, but
probably should
(01:23:48 PM) tunabananas1: haha, wasn't going to mention it but yeah,
equipment is pricey. we're thinking of applying for openitp funding. we're
not a nonprofit, just an amorphous grassroots group atm.
(01:24:46 PM) andygunn: Yep - some of the equipment is pricey, but you
should see the prices for proprietary mesh equipment
(01:25:21 PM) andygunn: It's hilarious:
https://www.tessco.com/products/displayHierarchySkus.do?groupId=595&subgroupId=46&showFilterItems=true&eventGroup=4&eventPage=1
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