[MLB-WIRELESS] Need some help understanding a few things

[Tristan Gulyas]

Howdy,

> I know you all just read that title and though - fuck me, another newbie,
> who is going to ask us about nic's and 802.11b and how they set up a
> connection to melbourne wireless - or you're ready to tell me to read the
> FAQ - but before you flood my inbox with abuse - hear me out.

You have to start somewhere! I was a newbie once, although I deny it most of
the time.

> I live a small bumfuckwest town called monbulk - now i am wanting to set
> up a link to communicate with mkates in moorlbark (if you don't where this
> is - it's at the base of mount dandy just past lilydale and kilsyth) now
> the only problem with this- i  do not have line of site, as there is a
> huge fuck off mountain (mount dandy) in my way of seeing melbourne - can i
> use the communication towers on mount dandy to relay my signal to them? or
> if i don't have LOS am i fucked?

Sadly, you're in the same position I was in with respect to GHO (the node on
Mount Dandy) where you'll be too far north.  I'm in Croydon.  Yes, there's
an active wireless node running up there that Darren organised for us, but
not everyone can reach it.

Unfortunately you need LOS to both points of the link.  If you have access
(i.e. permission) to dump gear on a high place like a comms tower, then seek
it out.  You won't be able to use any of the gear up there as a passive
repeater sadly.

Don't give up, though.  You may find someone else out there with a similar
situation to you.  Or you might find someone on a ridge with good
visability - it's only a matter of time.

> And how come i can;t just chuck an 802.11b device onto my computer
> (desktop), an antenna on my roof and connect? what's this shit about
> setting up clients and linux got to do with anything? I only want to
> connect firstly - then i will set up a server to host and serve shit.

You can. Just plug it in, run a cable from the card to an antenna on a roof
and connect.  You don't need to worry about the Linux stuff at all.  Linux
will be used throughout the backbone of the network, so unless you're
routing network traffic to multiple people, you need not worry (and if you
are in a good location for a routing node, then people will probably help
you out).  We do encourge people just to get their links going first.

The regional groups are a good place to start.  Outer Eastern/Foothills is
the one you'll be interested in.

Come along to our meetings!  There's plenty of information on the website
about them.

.t


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