Hi Bruce,

This reply is for you and anyone else interested in dipping their toe into the MESH.  Yes the Microtik is a good training device and will help you figure out some basic networking skills you’ll need to plan out an RF network.  The minimum requirement is a decent internet connection (I would say at least 10mb down and 1mb up as a low minimum) and a router which you can do port forwarding on. Port 5525 is used for connections to other “nodes”. Your Microtik would be one of there “nodes”.  Next you need a tunnel which is sort of like a VPN tunnel except that unlike VPNs it’s not “secure”. In fact nothing is allowed to be secured or encrypted on the MESH to be in compliance with FCC rules (generally).  We’ll get into some possible exceptions later. 

The AREDN mesh operates on ham frequencies. Although your connection will initially be via the Internet, most of the nodes on the other side of that connection are communicating via RF. 

You can do a lot with just a tunnel abs you can be useful to DST even without a full RF link. For example, you can have an IP phone. Your OOMA device is an IP -based phone device. The concept is nearly the same.    You can also send Winlink messages via the MESH.  So there’s just a couple of many things you can do. You can read the docs in the Aredenmesh.org for more ideas. 

Don’t worry so much about building out a network of your own just yet.  Get the fundamentals down first. Explore the mesh and I’m certain you’ll start to see the light.

I’m willing to provide a brief tour of the MESH if you want to see it without investing anything  

—-mark 

 

Hi Bruce,

I recommend you get a Microtik HAP and ask for a tunnel.  That way you can "see" what's on the MESH.  You can also use your phone as a hot spot in case the Internet goes out - you'll still have access to the MESH and all of its resources which may otherwise be unavailable during a wide scale internet and/or power outage.  

I am a firm believer that the big cellular companies will be the first to repair their communication systems and/or roll trucks out to areas to provide coverage.  You won't be able to expect that kind of service from cable internet and DSL companies.  And if you get onto AT&T FirstNet, even if the general cell coverage goes out, you'll still be able to call and get data services.  

Get this device, flash it with the AREDN firmware and then I'll be happy to provide you with an Internet tunnel:
https://www.amazon.com/d/Wireless-Access-Points/MikroTik-Dual-concurrent-Access-Point-RB952Ui-5ac2nD-US/B019PCF3QY/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&qid=1542424142&sr=8-1&keywords=hap+ac+lite&linkCode=sl1&tag=arednmesh-20&linkId=c63c6837b88b3c518c349dea517aea2a&language=en_US

Or if you can't figure out the flashing part, we can probably make a deal wherein I buy it for you, configure it and ship it to you pre-configured.

---mark, KM6ZPO

[Edited Message Follows]

Excellent, Nat, you're on the AREDN MESH.  I agree that if you find a better mount point for that dish, you'll get better results.  But 7 Mbps is not too shabby.  That's plenty enough for voice and video calls.

http://n6brv-qth.local.mesh:8080/cgi-bin/mesh

Now that you're here, drop by my home node (KM6ZPO-HAP-LITE) to see some services that are common on the MESH:

http://km6zpo-hap-lite.local.mesh:8080/cgi-bin/mesh

You will find:

1. A voice over IP PBX (you can't login - but you'll see the admin screen)
2. An email server (useful for hams to communicate with non-hams) - Non hams can login from the non-ham (Internet) side: http://mail.km6zpo.com/Mondo/lang/sys/login.aspx
3. MeshChat (simple, common "chat" service) http://km6zpo-pi.local.mesh/meshchat/ 
4. A MeshMap http://km6zpo-pi.local.mesh//meshmap/webpage/map_display.php 
5. A TeamTalk Server (voice, chat, file sharing, etc.)   http://km6zpo-pi.local.mesh:10333/   u:guest p:guest
6. A Mumble Server (voice and text chat) http://km6zpo-mumble-server.local.mesh:64738/  u:guest p:password
7. An IP phone (direct IP dial 10.95.79.46 - or dial via the PBX - Xtn. 5000 or dial via an outside POTS line (ask me for the number) or Ham Shack Hotline 50160
8. A simple website: http://km6zpo-website.local.mesh/wordpress/
9. And finally, you'll see a Winlink Relay there.

Got Winlink? Try a telnet post office connection to simulate the ability to send messages even with an Internet outage.  My Winlink Relay Server: km6zpo-winlink.local.mesh standard port 8772

---mark
KM6ZPO
Santa Ana

[Edited Message Follows]

Excellent, Nat, you're on the AREDN MESH.  I agree that if you find a better mount point for that dish, you'll get better results.  But 7 Mbps is not too shabby.  That's plenty enough for voice and video calls.

http://n6brv-qth.local.mesh:8080/cgi-bin/mesh

Now that you're here, drop by my home node (KM6ZPO-HAP-LITE) to see some services that are common on the MESH:

http://km6zpo-hap-lite.local.mesh:8080/cgi-bin/mesh

You will find:

1. A voice over IP PBX (you can't login - but you'll see the admin screen)
2. An email server (useful for hams to communicate with non-hams) - Non hams can login from the non-ham (Internet) side: http://mail.km6zpo.com/Mondo/lang/sys/login.aspx
3. MeshChat (simple, common "chat" service) http://km6zpo-pi.local.mesh/meshchat/ 
4. A MeshMap http://km6zpo-pi.local.mesh//meshmap/webpage/map_display.php 
5. A TeamTalk Server (voice, chat, file sharing, etc.)   http://km6zpo-pi.local.mesh:10333/   u:guest p:guest
6. A Mumble Server (voice and text chat) http://km6zpo-mumble-server.local.mesh:64738/  u:guest p:password
7. An IP phone (direct IP dial 10.95.79.46 - or dial via the PBX - Xtn. 5000 or dial via an outside POTS line (ask me for the number) or Ham Shack Hotline 50160
8. A simple website: http://km6zpo-website.local.mesh/wordpress/
9. And finally, you'll see a Winlink Relay there.

Got Winlink? Try a telnet post office connection to simulate the ability to send messages even with an Internet outage.  My Winlink Relay Server: km6zpo-winlink.local.mesh standard port 8772

---mark
KM6ZPO
Santa Ana

Update 9/14/21: AREDN N6BRV-QTH node

·         Updated the Firmware today 9/13/21 to v 3.21.4.0

·         Moving the AREDN dish around (still on the window sill) improved the data Rate from 7.5Mbps to ~14.0 to 19.6Mbps (doubled from 9/13/21)

·         Using my computer to access the internet via the RF 5GHz link to AI6BX-10-RM5-XW-WEST     (Sending this Email from Outlook)

·         Testing WinLink connectivity.

Reminder: Red Cross So. Cal Region Weekly DMR Net

When:
09/14/2021
8:30pm to 9:00pm
(UTC-07:00) America/Los Angeles

Where:
So. Cal Region DMR Talkgroup 311057

Organizer: Bob Birch Bob.Birch3@...

View Event

Description:
Net Control:   Bob KG6RGI

Quick summary:

 

Yesterday, I visited Andre K6AH QTH and exchanged my Homemade gourmet bread with his AREDN Antenna & Hardware.

I dully placed the Mikrotik 5GHz Antenna on my diminutive window and WOW, AREDN is running.

The 3 high Res (4Mb) pictures in the attachment were sent by RF AREDN through 5 GHz MikroTik. Looks like the original. Handshake – flawless.

 

In summary,

1.      The one hop to AI6BX node worked well with 7.5Mbps (7,500Kbps) rate.  Actual speed test (tunnel through Los Angeles server, I’m in Carlsbad now) yielded ~ 0.4Mbps (400Kbps). Without optimized antenna direction.  Will retest when the antenna direction is optimized with San Diego server.

2.      Everything is done by the AREDN software, just have to configure the setup appropriately.

3.      Sending and receiving eMails, Browsing the Internet were as transparent as if I was using commercial WAN attached to my LAN.

 

Overall, I’m excited to learning more and grow with AREDN.

And many thanks again to Andre K6AH and the AREDN team. They’ve done an excellent job so far to say the least.

 

73' N6BRV Nat S.