Hello All,
I am with the Lake Monroe Amateur Radio Society in Seminole County, FL. We are looking to deploy AREDN at our Field Day site in 2024 in order to deploy a network to facilitate N3FJP's networked logging functionality across all of our stations. Our network will be completely air-gapped from the internet.
I am looking to deploy a cost effective and relatively simple network with nodes that are located between 200-500 feet between each node spread out over a local park, and with as many as 7 nodes in the future. Based on the documentation I've read related to AREDN, our ideal network looks to be a hybrid between a hub-spoke and that of a true mesh network.
I'm here to seek advice as to hardware purchase decisions and best practices in implementation. At the moment, I've determined that 4-5 TPLINK CPE210 access points seem to be solid options for the "spokes", both in their cost effectiveness as well as needed the throughput for a simple logging setup. Our club operates out of metal skinned trailers, so the faraday effects warrant a solution that can easily be deployed externally to the trailer and powered via POE.
I'm looking suggestions on an inexpensive AP that is both supported as well as can act as the "hub" in which all the CPE210s communicate with.
To recap, the major project objectives are:
Thanks,
Sean
KK4RYN
I am with the Lake Monroe Amateur Radio Society in Seminole County, FL. We are looking to deploy AREDN at our Field Day site in 2024 in order to deploy a network to facilitate N3FJP's networked logging functionality across all of our stations. Our network will be completely air-gapped from the internet.
I am looking to deploy a cost effective and relatively simple network with nodes that are located between 200-500 feet between each node spread out over a local park, and with as many as 7 nodes in the future. Based on the documentation I've read related to AREDN, our ideal network looks to be a hybrid between a hub-spoke and that of a true mesh network.
I'm here to seek advice as to hardware purchase decisions and best practices in implementation. At the moment, I've determined that 4-5 TPLINK CPE210 access points seem to be solid options for the "spokes", both in their cost effectiveness as well as needed the throughput for a simple logging setup. Our club operates out of metal skinned trailers, so the faraday effects warrant a solution that can easily be deployed externally to the trailer and powered via POE.
I'm looking suggestions on an inexpensive AP that is both supported as well as can act as the "hub" in which all the CPE210s communicate with.
To recap, the major project objectives are:
- Hybrid Hub-and-spoke/ Mesh architecture
- Total cost of ~$300 or ~$50/AP – current thought is purchasing the CPE210
- Weatherproof
- Effective range of at least 300 feet
- POE
- Flexible Implementation for future Field Day's or other contesting/emergency events
- No current plans for connection to any other networks or the broader internet
Thanks,
Sean
KK4RYN
The issue with that many nodes co located will be that you have too much rf. You could put one omni in the middle and have everything point towards that, but then it's all sharing one channel and can make a mess of things. I'd avoid buying ANY equipment 2.4 ghz most folks only use 5 these days.
Frankly, you could serve the entire event better with part 15 wifi? But if you want to demonstrate using AREDN then put only a few nodes (not seven) and then serve wifi from those point so folks don't have to have a cable to connect to the network.
Most likely you will have to decrease Tx power to make nodes so close to each other work properly.
Ed
You need (near) line of sight...no matter the architecture of the network topology.
What device is going to be the hub?
With 2.4 GHz, there is only 1 (ham radio) clear channel and that channel is 1/2 bandwidth.
Ed was on the right track except for
"Most likely you will have to decrease Tx power to make nodes so close to each other work properly."
These devices will work fine at full power and co-located as long as they are
not on the same or overlapping channels.
I have 7 nodes spanning no more than 6 feet separation.
73, Chuck
- Each node is spaced approximately 200-500 feet apart as this is planned to be implemented at a multi transmitter Field Day activation.
- " With 2.4 GHz, there is only 1 (ham radio) clear channel and that channel is 1/2 bandwidth.", what's the realistic throughput of this combination of channel/bandwidth in mbps?
Actually:
"I'm here to seek advice as to hardware purchase decisions and best practices in implementation."
Purchase decisions:
Ed and I suggested that you use 5.8 GHz instead.
Best practices:
It may have been somewhat obscure, but Ed and I suggested that you avoid putting many nodes on the same channel.
After reading your followup post, I now suggest that you remove:
"Flexible Implementation for future Field Day's or other contesting/emergency events" from your "major project objectives".
The maximum throughput of a 802.11n 2.4 GHz 10 MHz bandwidth in half duplex is ~20 Mbps.
The realistic throughput might be close to that speed times
1 divided by (number of nodes on the same channel minus 1) squared.
Hidden transmitters and exposed nodes will also reduce throughput.
Example: 5 nodes ~= 1/16 of throughput of 2 nodes.
However, this should easily be fast enough for contest logging.
Going forward...use the same device for the hub and place the hub within line of sight of the spokes.
This 'hub and spoke wheel' might need to be a <= 20 degree arc of a circle.
I hope this helps,
Chuck
For me I guess what isn't clear is if this is a need for a network, or if it is a need to demonstrate AREDN specifically. If all that is needed is a network there are simpler ways to accomplish this. Also, if Sean isn't already experienced with AREDN he might find out that not all network service types are available or can be deployed using AREDN nodes. Might not be a good learning experience if at a large event ...
Ed