• MississippiNetworkDiagram

Mississippi Network Diagram and Configuration

Buick serves DHCP, and does round-robin load-balancing between 2 DSL lines. (It doesn't actually, someone needs to set up the link to the second line and configure this)

All of the metrix boxes run STP. (We should probably pick a root bridge, and configure it. The SW NAYA metrix looks good. The commons metrix got elected by default.)

The whole network is bridged, and in the 10.11.104.0/22 network.

TODO:

• Cecily's metrix is dysfunctional (needs a swapout) and needs to have its ath0 antenna replaced with a 17dBi 11a backfire. A replacement metrix is already configured and ready to install with the 11a antenna. Also need to install the new-and-improved-stays-crunchy-in-milk chimney mounting straps.
• Ed's is mounted on the chimney, plugged in, but is currently non-operational. Need to investigate.
• Metrix-naya-sw currently does not have line-of-sight from Commons mast due to vegetation, but still a reasonable signal, probably want to use metrix-naya-nw for 11a backhaul instead for better line-of-sight, perhaps even replacing metrix-naya-sw with a single-radio device. Another option is to leave both metrixes pointing at Commons. The spanning-tree protocol (STP) should pick one to use and self-heal if one goes down.
• Metrix-naya-nw's ath0 is configured as a client on the 11a backhaul network, but turned off. When briefly tested, was surprised to see a 7-14 dB SNR to Commons, even though the antenna is pointing in completely the wrong direction (about 165 degrees away) at a range of about 1100 feet. Next time on NAYA roof, repoint metrix-naya-nw at Commons and turn on ath0.
• The cisco at 10.11.104.4, supposedly in the SE corner of the NAYA roof, is not reachable from buick. Need to investigate.
• Complete table of MAC addresses below, particularly Ed's.
• When last rebooted, metrix-naya-sw failed to bring up its radios automatically. Manual remediation of modprobe'ing ath_pci and ifdown/ifup'ing the ath0 and ath1 interfaces got it working. Not sure why ath_pci didn't load initially. Needs investigating.

Access points

MAC addresses

Firmware Image

The image for the Metrix boxen is at http://cornerstone.personaltelco.net/~brj/metrix-missnet.img It is setup with all 3 interfaces bridged, and br0 set to 10.11.104.5/22.

To flash:

• Setup a sarge installer pxeboot environment.

  • Instructions at http://www.debian.org/releases/stable/i386/ch04s06.html.en

  • The pxelinux included with debian tries to use both the VGA emulation and the serial console. This causes problems. Use pxelinux.0 from http://centerclick.org/net4801/pxelinux/ instead.

  • Use the serial console pxeboot config.
  • Change all the 9600 to 19200 in the config.
  • You probably want to add DEBIAN_FRONTEND=text to the boot options of the kernel you'll use. Use expert26.
• Netboot the metrix into the installer
  • Attach a serial terminal.
  • 19200 baud, 1 bit parity, no flow control
  • Press ctrl+p at the prompt to get to the BIOS

  • boot f0

  • Use expert26. You don't need any extra options.
• Go through the installer up through step 9 (Download installer components). This is where device drivers are loaded.
• After the drivers are loaded, go to a shell.

• wget -O - http://somewhere/foo/metrix-missnet.img | dd of=/dev/discs/disc0/disc bs=1M (don't get it straight from cornerstone, copy it to your machine first)

• Reboot

Note: as of 2005-10-11 this process isn't working for me. The Metrix stalls during the PXELINUX stuff. I think it's probably just an issue with my setup but I've got it working fine using the documentation from Metrix. (- KeeganQuinn)

The way the Metrix website says to do it is actually better. When I was working on the metrixes, though, that documentation didn't exist, to my memory. The debian netboot was simply the easiest way I could find to get a shell netbooted. (- BenjaminJencks)

Can KeeganQuinn or BenjaminJencks please point at or reiterate the referred-to Metrix documentation here? --RussellSenior

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