Hi,
I need help configuring a Ubiquity 8 port Tough switch for use in a mobile deployment situation. I am an Oral & Maxillofacial surgeon and have very little expertise with computers and networking. We are just getting started in my area.
I have 2 nodes with the AREDN firmware; a BM2-Ti/HG-2415U-Pro and an Air Grid (AG-HP-213G) which I hope to use independently or together for a mobile deployment. I hope to use a dedicated ASUS laptop with 4G RAM, a Raspberry Pi2 1G with an external hard drive 1T as a LAMP stack server, and a Verizon hotspot through my IPhone 6+ for Internet access through the BM2-Ti, and finally I have a Grandstream GXP-1610 which I would like to use.
Can someone "hold my hand" and help?
73
scott ac8pt
I need help configuring a Ubiquity 8 port Tough switch for use in a mobile deployment situation. I am an Oral & Maxillofacial surgeon and have very little expertise with computers and networking. We are just getting started in my area.
I have 2 nodes with the AREDN firmware; a BM2-Ti/HG-2415U-Pro and an Air Grid (AG-HP-213G) which I hope to use independently or together for a mobile deployment. I hope to use a dedicated ASUS laptop with 4G RAM, a Raspberry Pi2 1G with an external hard drive 1T as a LAMP stack server, and a Verizon hotspot through my IPhone 6+ for Internet access through the BM2-Ti, and finally I have a Grandstream GXP-1610 which I would like to use.
Can someone "hold my hand" and help?
73
scott ac8pt
73,
Randy WU2S
I also have a RM2/AMO-213G which I want to install at my QTH as the mesh develops using my home Netgear/TWC cable internet, but that can wait. I was hoping to get by with a 5 port Tough switch for that later.
What is the best way to get started? Off of the forum or on the forum?
Scott
(Also, I wouldn't bet on cell service being available in a EMCOMM situation).
Your plan seems reasonable and there are few things for you to consider. A good place to start is with the How-Tos on this site which explain VLANs. Another good resource is Clint Anderson's information on setting up a Netgear GD108E on his website at ae5ca.com
Your considerations include:
Let's keep the conversation going in the Forum so that others can learn and contribute.
Randy
-1. I would like both of the mobile nodes to be powered off of the Toughswitch to decrease cable clutter.
-2. Yes, I wish to have an Internet connection to the BM2-Ti node. I had hoped to access the Internet through my dedicated laptop (I had also hoped to have the laptop support RMSexpress/Winlink and my VOIP phone on the mesh network only).
-3. I had hoped to always attach my laptop (and eventually a video camera) to the Toughswitch.
-4. It will be accessible, although I am trying to conjure up a go box type of container solution to house the Toughswitch, the Raspberry Pi, and the Pi's external hard drive.
scott
Thanks so much. I have been reading a lot lately and I want to digest this.
Scott
What are the relative advantages/disadvantages with regard to the choice of DHCP STATIC vs DHCP ON for my laptop connection? Is it just a matter of setting an IP address as I did to load firmware into the Ubiquity devices each time I want to change parameters on the switch when set STATIC (remember I am a beginner)?
Scott
Yes, you understand correctly. With Static you have to manually set your laptop IP to something like 192.168.1.22 and connect it to the TS-8 management port. If you select DHCP, the TS-8 will get an IP from the Bullet (eg. 10.208.17.51) and with a laptop already connected in Port 2, you can open a browser window and see the TS-8 web page at the 10.x.x.x address
I did find a 400W "cigar plug" inverter in a coffee cup shape with 3 USB ports and 2 AC outlets.
- I had thought to put Asterisk/PBX for the VoIP phone on the Raspberry Pi, but would it be better to have it running in the background on my dedicated laptop?
- Will my laptop, Raspberry Pi, the VoIP phone, or a video camera be powered off of the switch or through separate power cords?
- I am confused about my internet access issues. My laptop easily connects to my Verizon iPhone hotspot. Why is that not a way to provide Internet to the switch OR is it just easier to use a "Cradlepoint" type device?
scott
Randy
This little mesh network project is turning into a relatively expensive undertaking and I am rapidly getting buried in this or that gear/equipment. I suppose, in this instance of wanting a useful mobile system to support emcomm, having internet connectivity may not be that important (maybe the Internet wouldn't be available or if my node is linked to the mesh the Internet could be reached through another node).
Nevertheless, could you provide a recommendation for the provision of Internet connectivity with an emphasis on a smaller form factor, a consideration towards cost, and a bias towards fewer cords & cables?
How would a Ubiquiti Security Gateway (USG) fit into a mesh network scheme? Does it just act as a "firewall"?
scott
For Internet connectivty via a cellular modem, the Cradlepoint solution is one that I know works, although at $300 plus it is pricey. Adding on top of that an external antenna for the cell modem such as the Wireng Aerialight to enable better reception in remote areas, and the ham treasury starts complaining. Since I have not tried it, I cannot recommend it, but one of the very few alternatives that seem to provide a failover capability using a cell modem is the Netgear DGN2200 for about $80. This is intended as a DSL router, but it seems it could be used just with a cell modem all the time.
Since I am not familiar with the Ubiquiti USG, I can't offer many comments, other than to ask what kind of network are you designing and where are firewalls needed?
If you do assemble your Toughswitch and other gear into a mobile package, I would like to see a picture or two and a bill of materials, with some commentary on why you chose what you did. Your shared ideas and experience will surely help the community grow.
73,
Randy
I am concerned I am making foolish choices with such a limited background in this field. I originally started this project to help another ham with his mesh setup. I however cannot link with the mesh unless I build a 300 ft tower (wife says NO, hi hi). I felt I could setup a mobile node, but I wanted it to be useful to his mesh.
Thanks for your help.
73
Scott ac8pt
Randy,
- I am still sorting out how to in expensively solve my issue with using my Verizon hotspot for mobile internet access. I have found 2 devices which to my limited knowledge should act as Ethernet bridges. Would you be kind enough to give me your thoughts?
IOGEAR GWU627 & Ubiquiti airGateway (the data sheet says it can be configured in 3 modes, one of which is as an Ethernet bridge). Both are cheap.
73
Scott
How do I do this? If I have my Toughswitch configured per WU2S instructions, I had hoped to configure it as an Ethernet bridge. The user guide indicates that I need to connect it to the POE on one of my devices. I had hoped to connect it to the WAN port with a patch cable once configured.
scott
Gentlemen:
Thank you for having this discussion.
Listening and learning.
73
...dan wl7coo
You will need to set an admin password, set wireless SSID and passport, and put it in BRIDGE mode.
Once that's done, you should be able to plug your node into it and wirelessly connect to it.
Presently, it is attached as originally to a POE that isn't connected to a radio/antenna. The airOS page comes up and asks for a user name and password. I have no clue which one. I use the same password on all of my Ubiquity nodes. They all have names but the AirGateway does not.
Geez, I am feeling kind of dumb.
scott
If a guy had an AR-HP configured as a node and wanted to be tunneled to; how would most folks provide Internet to it (it was my impression that internet was a necessity for a tunnel client relationship to exist on the device/node)? The AR-HP has 5 ports: the port that connects to the POE and 4 other LAN ports.
Let start over.
You want to provide internet to your "non-AirRouter" node....
1) buy a VLAN capable switch like the Netgear GS105E
2) configure it with a few ports on VLAN1.
3) connect "internet" to a VLAN1 port.
4) connect node to a VLAN1 port.
OR
If you use an AirRouter:
1) connect PoE adapter to power
2) connect PoE side of adapter to the WAN port on the AirRouter
3) connect "internet" to LAN side of the PoE adapter
NEXT:
If you want to access your mesh over standard wifi from a PC or tablet or phone....
1) buy an AirGateway
2) connect the AG into the PoE adapter
3) connect your PC to the LAN side of the AG
4) connect the node to the PoE side of the AG
5) connect via wifi to the AG
6) configure it into BRIDGE mode
7) connect PC to wifi of AG to access the mesh.
I hope that clears it up.
Darryl
Daryl,
I connected the AR-HP as you had described to my home router, download of the tunnel client software was successful. The fellow who wanted to act as a tunnel server was unsure of what information I needed to type in the server name box (I thought it should be the name of his node that is acting as the server); the password (we both thought was my password for the AR-HP); and the network connection box (he was unsure but thought it was his IP address for his server device). The line for entering the info showed a "small cloud". After we saved changes and went back to node status->mesh status, nothing showed up (shouldn't I have seen nodes in his mesh?)
Good news is that my Toughswitch functions as devised!
Bad news is that I still don't know how to get to the configuration page for the AirGateway.
scott
I would still like to figure out how to reach the AirGateway configuration page, though.
I was able to download the tunneling software but unable to form a tunnel with my friend. He felt I did not have have internet connectivity. He asked me to go to the administration page and "refresh" for updates to check for Internet connectivity. When I did that, I receive a 404 message. I assumed I did not have Internet access.
What is likely up?