• SkyPilotPlayDay2010

Location: NodeKlickitat
Date and Time: Sunday, May 2, 2010, 1:00 - 4:00 p.m.
Scribe: RussellSenior
Roll Call: RussellSenior, StanleyAmes, EricWilcoxson, MichaelWeinberg, SteveTree

Agenda

• Investigate the operating properties of the SkyPilot SkyGateway and SkyExtenderDualBand devices

  • Mechanical mounting needs
  • Power needs
  • Configuration/provisioning

Notes

• MichaelWeinberg agrees to bring a growler of beer

• Ordered pizza from American Dream Pizza (4620 NE Glisan), $21.85 charged to PTP debit card
• Started out with a tour of the facilities

• Worked on factory resetting the SkyExtenderDualBand on loan to Eric

  • To the degree that it's necessary to work outside, where GPS is available, it sucks for seeing your screen to do the recovery

  • Had some trouble with resetting the ap, tried about 10 times without success, also could not get access to the web interface (weird error at login to http://<ipaddr>/admin)

  • Eventually decided to try to factory reset the main board again, this time we got the web interface, which led us to the AP's web interface (apparently some kind of port forwarding, https://<ipaddr>:4433/ forwards to the AP), was able to delete the MetroFi-Free, MetroFi-Premium and capture SSID's and add one for www.personaltelco.net/netyot.

  • Now, the "set factoryap" finally worked, we added the ptp ssid again and observed how it worked
  • Determined that client-to-client traffic did not work if clients were on different APs, not sure why, but it makes it less useful, this needs further investigation. I recall reading something about it in a manual.

• With about 30 minutes left, we decided to retrieved remaining intact SkyExtenderDualBand from the basement and try to reset it

  • Again, the outdoor light was not friendly to laptop reading
  • However, things went quite smoothly this time, and within about 10 minutes it was operational
• Reset procedure something like this:
  • attach serial console

  • if needed, install minicom and an appropriate minirc file to /etc/minicom (N81, 38400 baud, no flow control)

  • start minicom, using the prepared minirc file: $ minicom skypilot 

  • at a password prompt (there is no username prompt), type the password: !!!skypilotfactory!!!

  • SkyExtenderDualBand will reset the main board and reboot, at the password prompt this time, type the password: public

  • configure for manual provisioning:

    > set prov manual

  • reset the access point to factory defaults:

    > set apwatchdog off
    
    > set factoryap
    Are you sure you want to reset the access point(s) to factory settings?  no, yes <n|y>: y
    Access point(s) will now be set to factory settings.

  • configure the domain:

    > set prov domain
    -> Enter domain ID (1-10000 or all) [all]: 1
    Domain ID changed: 1

  • configure the frequency:

    > set prov freq
    
    22 available frequencies are the following:
     5735 5740 5745 5750 5755 5760 5765 5770 5775
     5780 5785 5790 5795 5800 5805 5810 5815 5820
     5825 5830 5835 5840
    
    -> Select a Frequency action: quit, primary, allow, deny, list,
       region, dwell time <q|p|a|d|l|r|t>: p
    
    -> Enter primary frequency [0]: 5735
    
    -> Select a Frequency action: quit, primary, allow, deny, list,
       region, dwell time <q|p|a|d|l|r|t>: l
    
    Region                         : ALL-HI
    Primary                        : 5735
    Allowed                        : 5735 5740 5745 5750 5755 5760 5765 5770 5775
                                     5780 5785 5790 5795 5800 5805 5810 5815 5820
                                     5825 5830 5835 5840
    Dwell time (minutes)           : 15
    
    -> Select a Frequency action: quit, primary, allow, deny, list,
       region, dwell time <q|p|a|d|l|r|t>: q

  • configure a unique ip address:

    > set prov ip
    
    -> Use DHCP to obtain IP <y|n> [n]: 
    DHCP state not changed.
    -> Enter IP address [192.168.0.2]: 192.168.0.63
    IP address changed: 192.168.0.63
    
    -> Enter subnet mask [255.255.255.0]: 
    Subnet mask not changed: 255.255.255.0
    
    -> Enter default gateway [192.168.0.2]: 192.168.0.1
    Default gateway changed: 192.168.0.1

  • set ap power level down a bit, no need for 400 mW in most cases:

    > set appower 100
    2.4GHz access point transmit power set to 100 milli-Watts.

  • reboot the main board:

    > reboot

  • when main board comes back up, connect to the web interface of the ap:

    • https://<ipaddr>:4433/

    • username: admin
    • password: public
  • under the WLAN tab, add an SSID as needed, then "Save to flash and activate"
  • done
• TODO next time:
  • Some distance testing ... initial idea was to put the gateway out next to the street and drive progressive distances east up Klickitat Street and see how the signal quality degrades.

  • Disassemble a SkyGateway and determine how the main boards differ from SkyExtenderDualBand devices.

[CategoryMeetingNotes]