[MLB-WIRELESS] MW Services/Content was (Re: World of Warcraft anyone?)

[mw at freenet.net.au]

G'day Russell,

> 1. DNS - Currently there is no network wide DNS server that allows you
> to easily put http://www.kct/ and get a website.  I'd like that to
> change and I'll be working to see if I can change it.  This includes
> reverse DNS.  IP 10.10.41.8, what nodes does that belong too?  a nicely
> labelled PTR record would give you kct.melbourne.wireless.org.au.

I reckon that is a very good idea, but there are some implementation issues
that need to be worked through.

Since MW addresses are private, you can only resolve them with a private
(i.e. internal/local) name server.  Everyone who wants to take advantage of
this service must set their default dns lookup resolver to that same system.

If they run their own DNS system, it is possible to refer requests for
10.10.x.x to your server, but otherwise they would have to use your DNS for
*all* resolution requests - i.e. even google.com and yahoo.com etc etc.

The other way around is not so hard - like resolve
kct.melbourne.wireless.org.au to an ip address. Actually, I'd suggest that
it would be something more like:  kct.node.melbournewireless.org.au

This way, the node lookup database can be independent of the main DNS zone.
Which leads to the next question: Who manages the MelbourneWireless DNS
anyway?

Can anyone Answer?

> 2. Service listings.  Currently in the node database you can put up
> services.  There is no way to easily find them.  GUR (melp_ap) has the
> best services listing I've found in my short time.  I don't know if it's
> updated regularly with new nodes or not but it's something.  Integration
> between a service listing, DNS and checking to ensure services are
> active would be great.  It will be much easier when all game servers in
> the node db are automatically listed in the right place with extra work
> or manually searching.  The same goes for FTP and WWW services.

I agree.  This is something that I have been working on with the SNMP
manager I have set up:

http://203.208.92.100:8082/ - username 'mw' password 'wireless'

At the moment, it is only probing for http and ping, but it can just as
easily test for other services if set up for them.

> 3. Node up-to-date checks.  When a node says it's operational and
> connected to the network, we don't really know that.  I've seen at least
> 2 recent incidents saying node XXX really isn't alive anymore or down.
> For people to be able to seriously look at whether there are active
> nodes in their area, they need up to date information about what nodes
> are really running.  People generally don't update node information if
> they take their node down when they become disinterested.

Again, something that I would love to see happen.  At the moment, the big
stumbling block is that whoever holds the keys to the web site does not
appear to be interested.  I am yet to discover who it is.  I think that if
more of us show an interest in getting something done along these lines,
then we are more likely to see it happen.

> 4. It is my understanding that Melbourne wireless does peer into some
> networks that give you content not directly on the network.  eg There
> will soon be a link into the Melbourne PC User group servers which has a
> large amount of content.  We need to be able to advertise that content
> easily to members of Melbourne Wireless so they know it's available on
> the network.  So services listings for services available from the
> network, but not On-net as such.  The original dream of providing a free
> data network by MW's founders may be reduced given the commodity price
> of the Internet but there is still great value in the gaming network,
> file mirrors and other content.  Being a linux buff, getting updates/iso
> much faster than through my ADSL is great.  Let alone those poor soles
> who can't get ADSL.  I think the content is growing, people just need to
> know about it.

Correct amundo.  Perhaps a wiki page for that sort of thing?  This is
something that can be worked on right now if you wanted to.

> 5. It may be possible to present some internal content to the Internet
> in the future.  eg my http://www.kct/ is available on the internet as
> http://www.kct.melbourne.wireless.org.au/  now that would be cool.

That can be done, but again I would suggest a subdomain like:
http://kct.live.melbourne.wireless.org.au/  so that these hostnames can be
managed independently of the primary zone.

> 6. Network search.  I have no idea about search, but being able to
> google Melbourne Wireless WAN would be very exciting!  I have no idea
> how to achieve this at the moment.  I'm also sure non-pie in the sky
> projects will keep me busy enough.
>  </end pie in the sky thoughts>

That can be done using one of a great many web indexing systems.  In order
to prime it, we would first need to get something like an snmp manager to
trawl 10.10.0.0/16 and discover web servers, and then let the indexer crawl
from that list.

> All that said, my short time being involved in MW still leaves me with
> the question of whether the original reason for setting up MW is still
> valid.  There are a number of wireless/radio buffs who love playing with

That is an entire discussion by itself - best to start a whole new thread
for THAT one! ;-)

> For me, the access to peer content like linux updates/iso's is a key
> draw card.  I don't want to spend $100+ per month on Internet just for
> those files.  Sure the radio stuff is fun, but I don't see myself as a
> continual fiddler in that field.  I'm a server/linux guy and they ain't
> really doing to change.   Playing with the server based services we
> provide is much more fun for me.  And thats the area I hope I can
> contribute in.

Cool - can you write code in any language/s?

> I'd also say I have big dreams for myself given what I've listed above.
> We will see if I can deliver on what I've mentioned and help always
> appreciated if people think the ideas are good.  I hope I can start to
> as I think it will make a difference.  We will see...

I can help you out with a lot of those projects.  Some of them I have made a
start on, so feel free to keep talking!

Cheers,  Mike.