A special thanks goes out to the AREDN development team for adding support for the TP-LINK CPE 210 Ver. 2.0.
I purchased this access point before the hardware compatibility matrix had listed problems with Ver 2.0. It would not work for AREDN at the time, so I used it as a wifi extender.
Upon discovery that it was being supported by OpenWRT 18.06, I had to check it's AREDN status again. I found the Nightly build section, read the changelog, and installed build 59. It was simple to install from the factory Pharos interface. Currently, it is on build 112.
Due to poor signal availability at my QTH, it is now a mobile AREDN node.
Meshchat api is installed on the node and a raspberry pi 3 connects to the node. The pi is configured as a wireless access point and the file storage for the node. The node, meshchat, and pi administration is managed by the pi's wireless access point.
Thanks to AC7BR for the post of how to fix a meshchat lock/permissions error. https://www.arednmesh.org/comment/8326#comment-8326
Performance is acceptable while driving but really shines when stationary with good reception.
This is probably due to a missing dependency after the slimming down of the build.
I will find out which extra packages need installed to keep from breaking MeshChat API.
Back on 112 build for now.
For nodes with iPerfSpeed, the procedure I use for upgrading to a new Nightly Build is to install the new build then install the three packages below then reboot:
It works for me, even on my node with the API forr the RPI MeshChat. That one has 154-32b6fbc on it now.
73 - Mike ab4yy
I will continue to check updated builds.
I have a (my first) new TP-LINK CPE210 ver. 2.0 loaded with nightly #165. Everything at first looks real good as it is seen by other nodes and it sees them however I cannot go to any other node on the list and I can't even get to the CPE210 that shows up as a DTD link on my local switch.
I can get into it on a direct connected laptop and can also ssh into it. But I can't ping any other node and other nodes cannot ping it.
I've brought up a lot of Ubiquiti's and don't remember seeing this kind of problem. It's like Im missing something obvious or maybe Nightly #165 has a problem with this HW.
- Mike ab4yy
support data attached...
- Mike
I did notice the DtDlink interface counters show zero received packets. If there is supposed to be a DtDlink, then possibly something is amiss with the cat5 or switch config. It'll be sometime later today when I can load the nightly build on the cpe210v2 loaner I have.
A special thanks to Gary WB8LEA for loaning me a cpe210 v2 to help get AREDN working on this device.
Joe AE6XE
- Mike
Joe AE6XE
The problem went away and all is good now! It's a mystery why it fixed itself. However I found I had other network issues that I thought were unrelated. I had previously rebooted other devices here but even with the CPE210 working (accessible by my other node), there were still other things not working. I rebooted my AirGateway and all is working now.
I also put the CPE210 back onto the switch and DTD is now good too.
We've had thunderstorms around here that caused issues with one of my Internet routers and strangely seemed to change one parameter in the thing! Also my KPC-3 got jumbled or pulled out of KISS mode and I had to get that reinitialized. But those problems were a few days ago.
Thanks for all the help. Hopefully everything will continue to work.
73 - Mike ab4yy
Just to be clear... This was a real problem as running the CPE210 with a laptop and no other (DTD) ethernet connection, it would see other nodes (Mesh Status) yet I could not bring up the main screen for any other nodes. And on my main node (wired to my switch and desktop), I could see the CPE210 but also couldn't get into it. It makes no sense but all is well now. Thanks again for helping Joe.
73 - Mike ab4yy