[OLPC Networking] wireless access point?

[Jim Gettys]

I'm no expert in the area of which access points are best: I will note
that schools have many machines, and that therefore many/most of the
really cheap access point products on the market will often have
problems due to limitations they often have on # of addresses supported
well, and problems like that. Many/most of the cheap boxes are designed
for home use with an expectation of just a small number of clients.

I'd suspect that units like the Linksys WRT54GL (note the "L" on the
end: it means the Linux version that costs slightly more) would work
better than the really cheap versions (and you could choose to run the
Linux distro for it and play other games, if you needed to).

But as I say, I'm not a connoisseur of access points.

The other issue you may have in a school is wanting to segment your
network physically using directional antennae; this brings other
problems to the fore.

Michailis has certainly been worrying about getting people to build good
products for that problem, and also USB dongles of the Marvell chip we
use should be available soon, the last I talked to him.  That approach
will aid in making a smooth transition between traditional access point
behavior and the mesh.
                               - Jim
 

On Tue, 2007-02-27 at 16:31 +0530, Joshua N Pritikin wrote:
> In anticipation of XO rollout, I want to set up a wireless access point. 
> Are there any recommendations or guidelines about what router or kinds 
> of routers in which to invest? The school buildings have cement and 
> brick construction.
> 
-- 
Jim Gettys
One Laptop Per Child