TableOfContents back to MeshNetworking
DHCP assignment[]
* dhcpd.leases file tels what leases have been handed out to meshboxes. * IpaddressTomeshbox * LeaveDhcpOff * NetWork192.168.1.0
DHCP mesh assignment The meshbox is plugged into your ethernet network, and will pick up an IP address via DHCP if you have a DHCP server, or you can decide upon what IP address it has and configure the meshbox with that StaticIP address. The meshbox routes between the two ranges, not your network. As far as your network is concerned, all traffic is with the IP address of the meshbox ethernet interface.
We have a computer dialed in or satellite linked to the Internet set up as a gateway so it is serving the internet connection over the network in the site office. This gateway is running a DHCP providing ip addresses to all it's clients - including the first MeshBox. The Meshbox is providing a similar service to its clients. BR Presumably we use different ranges to avoid confusion. Then if a client with a LAN attaches wirelessily to the a meshBox AP] somewhere in the Mesh, his gateway computer gets an IP address in the mesh assigned by the DHCP in the first meshbox. So each of the gateway PCs - the one in the site office and the one at the client'office are part of two networks and have two adaptors. The IP BR addresses in the clients LAN and the mesh network are private - ie non-routable. There is only one proper Internet IP address (assigned by the ISP). I am imagining a client using a computer attached to his lan attached to the mesh via his gateway attached to the internet. - It seems like the IP addresses need to be fudged somehow in each of the gateway PCs so his httprequest can go out to the internet, then the response come back in. Is this what NAT does?
DHCP services: If you connect a mesh box to a DHCP server the Mesh box in question will automatically pick up a IP from the server act as a Gateway to other Mesh boxes or WiFi clients Each Mesh box will dish our IP's 192.168.xxx(Cell Id 1 of Mesh Box).xxx (to clients) We set Cell Id to same or similar to last number of Mesh Box IP to help identification This is the default behaviour Not sure how you set them to act as transparent bridges so that your DHCP server allocates IP's to each client? There is a Never Act as a Gateway option in the Mesh Box Core Settings just hit my knowledge ceiling on this, so interested to hear from others on the list if it will work beyond one hop? QUES: I am going to install a mesh into an existing network, which already has an existing DHCP server. If I turn off the DHCP services on the mesh I install will it pass out addresses from the currently existing DHCP server. This server will be between the mesh box and the internet, and will provide the address for the meshbox as well. If this isn't the default behaviour, does anyone know of any work arounds I can use to get this working? }
DHCP Leases and Roaming[]
* DhcpLeasesAndRoaming
Bridged Wireless network[]
Did anyone tried using DHCP server of 1 Gateway only, ie turning off repeater nodes' and other gateways' dhcp server on the same network off so everyone could get an ip address in the same range ie 192.168.x.y ? I don't think this would work, as the routing would fail to find where the boxes are. You are describing a bridged wireless network, and the LW one is a routed network.I asked about how to roam between nodes seamlessly or at least using the same ip so client do not have to renew ip address each time it >changes the node it connected to.
Main aim doing so is not only to make mobile clients roam seamlessly but also if a fixed client getting signals more than one direction then wi-fi adapter changes the node it connected time to time causing to lose ip and renewing it takes time again and this happens sometime annoyingly often. can anyone offer a solution or offer and idea how to test it? MobileIP http://www.ietf.org/html.charters/mobileip-charter.html http://www.mobileip.org/index.php?name=EZCMS&menu=3&page_id=1 is designed to get around this problem, or you can have a look at the work they are doing at SOWN http://www.sown.org.uk/index.php/TransparentMobility
{{{ DHCP SERVICES BR QUES: BR >Not sure how you set them to act as transparent bridges so that your BR >DHCP server allocates IP's to each client?. There is a Never Act as aBR
>Gateway option in the Mesh Box Core Settings > BR
>just hit my knowledge ceiling on this, so interested to hear from BR >others on the list if it will work beyond one hop? BR > The meshbox is a routed system. BR ANSW: BR The point of it is that the meshbox clients use the meshboxBR as their default router, and thus do not need to know about the number of hops BR involved. The meshbox therefore needs to offer dhcp services to the clients. BR However, if you particularly want your PCs to have local IPs on your network, BR for general usage, set up a VPN server on your LAN, and have the meshbox clientsBR connect through to that machine as VPN clients. They will then be offered a DHCPBR address from your LAN DHCP server, and will talk on the LAN as that IP address. BR }}}
SIP services and DHCP[]
Leases from D-link AP for DHCP. I have tried Netgear x 1 Dlink x 2 simple ones that come on the AP to 8db omni (that I could pick up ½ mile away) The AP is only about 3000 yrds from one node with direct line of sight and 3 houses from another on the gable end. Which AP are you using? I have seen some Dlink AP’s that do not work properly when it comes to passing an IP Address on to clients. It is like the DHCP relay is broken in the AP itself. Anyone else have this experience?
Problems connecting AP's. Has anybody got any ideas as I am having problems connecting AP’s to the wireless network, Usb, go straight on and so does any other client devise pci, laptops etc. The AP’s gets an ip address and the client also gets an ip from the dhcp but that’s it. Cant ping the DHCP or the gateway. The AP’s show in Wiana on the ip listing and SigSpy reports the client. And refreshes the signal taken my laptop to same place as AP and I get a signal and works fine. Have tried many AP’s on to different nodes but with no luck all have the same problem. So the question is. Is there a setting somewhere to stop AP’s linking to the mesh box? In Wiana the setting Mesh with any ESSID is set to NO . but have changed this to yes and still nothing.Have changed the ssid on client to same as meshbox but no change still cant ping = I have been doing some work on VoIP and using SIP Telephony. I haven't started using SIP over LW as of yet however the problem of not getting a message sound like the SIP telephone requires an upgrade and that you have to open the ports up in your router. Try to connect and get your SIP client working through your router first, not using LW. When it works then try adding the mesh. In the advent that you have done this and are still having problems please recheck your configuration and ensure that you have followed the direction as per Jon's instructions. I too was having the same problem and found that my router changed the DHCP on me and the ports that I opened for a specific address went astray. So I had to reconfigure the Client to a static IP and change the ports on the router accordingly. I have seen a few messages stating that incoming calls are failing due to what seems to be a IP address Leasing/DHCP issue. Has anyone else had this problem and/or have any fixes been created and successfully applied that overcome the problem. It seems to me the only way at the moment is run end users with a Fixed IP address and discard the use of DHCP ?? Regards, Did anyone tried using DHCP server of 1 Gateway only, ie turning off repeater nodes and other gateways dhcp server on the same network off so everyone could get an ip address in the same range ie 192.168.x.y ? I don't think this would work, as the routing would fail to find where the boxes are. You are describing a bridged wireless network, and the LW one is a routed network. I asked about how to roam between nodes seamlessly or at least using >the same ip so client do not have to renew ip address each time it >changes the node it connected to. Main aim doing so is not only to make mobile clients roam seamlessly >but also if a fixed client getting signals more than one direction >then wi-fi adapter changes the node it connected time to time >causing to lose ip and renewing it takes time again and this happens >sometime annoyingly often. > >can anyone offer a solution or offer and idea how to test it? designed to get around this problem, or you can have a look at the work they are doing at SOWN http://www.sown.org.uk/index.php/TransparentMobilit I'm not sure if your client's office network is on the mesh?? It almost sounds as if it is not. However, if it is, then I'm agreeing with G on that advice. To give you some more information on that setup, the LW software will start handing out IP's at the 192.168.1.210 address (on eth0), and proceed down (numerically) from there. So, the 2nd client would get the 209 address, then next one will get 208, and so on. That leaves you 210 to 253 free to use on the office block of IPs. If the office network is not on the mesh (and the client doesn't want it to be), then he could replace his switch with a router and use it to route traffic appropriately. So you have two subnets running on the same wire? Have you tried setting up the MeshAP so that it issues wired IPs/Netmasks in the range of the office. Then make sure it only issues IPs not being used statically. Got fou MeshAPs based on WRAP boards and one PC as a gateway. I have a client connected to Mesh AP's via eth0 over a hub/switch to his home hub/switch where he has and AP wirelessly connected to his office AP. Both APs have static IPs. The problem is: every time the client wants to connect to his office he has to manually change the TCP/IP settings on his PC. When he wants to get on internet he has to change the TCP/IP settings back to obtain and IP and DHCP lease from Mesh AP. Is there any way to make this easier for him to access both the internet Mesh WLAN and his WLAN at the same time with out making any TCP/IP changes on his PC. Appreciate your help everybody. If you connect a mesh box to a DHCP server the Mesh box in question will automatically pick up a IP from the server act as a Gateway to other Mesh boxes or WiFi clients Each Mesh box will dish our IP's 192.168.xxx(Cell Id 1 of Mesh Box).xxx (to clients) We set Cell Id to same or similar to last number of Mesh Box IP to help identification. This is the default behaviourNot sure how you set them to act as transparent bridges so that your DHCP server allocates IP's to each client? There is a Never Act as a Gateway option in the Mesh Box Core Settings just hit my knowledge ceiling on this, so interested to hear from others on the list if it will work beyond one hop? I am going to install a mesh into an existing network, which already has an existing DHCP server. If I turn off the DHCP services on the mesh I install will it pass out addresses from the currently existing DHCP server. This server will be between the mesh box and the internet, and will provide the address for the meshbox as well. If this isn't the default behaviour, does anyone know of any work arounds I can use to get this working? Tom Williams
Shorten the leasing cycle[]
What was happening is that the PC was reassociating happily, bnut was not picking up a new lease. Try shortening the lease issued by the mesh box to 1 minute, which means that the DHCP client will be renewing every 30 seconds.This may solve the issue. Alternatively - if this is only required for a couple of mobile users, install a mesh box in the car, laptop associates to that, and the meshbox controls seemless handover from box to box to such a degree, that a good Voip call is feasible at speed. - This has been tested and is known to work.
We've installed 28 meshboxes up our local motorway bypass, they're installed on top of the speed warning signs. The mesh works well, and all nodes are checking in quite happily, as well as most of the Holiday Inn customers trying to get to the Internet (Now we've turned off guest access it should be a bit harder for them..). There are six gateways, all connected to the same subnet. Our chaps want to be able sit in a car, connect a laptop at one end of the motorway and be able to continue to use the internet for the length of the coverage (which is about 10 miles) whilst the car is moving at about 70 miles per hour. It's fairly blanket coverage, but I am not sure of what settings to use for allowing this to work.. At the moment it doesn't. I am assuming the reason for this is each node will want to reallocate their own cellid range for dhcp. Is there a way of getting roaming between nodes working. The laptops have XP Pro on it. I can get the mac addresses into the realm if that is an issue.