Assuming good RSSI and LQ, you should be seeing in excess of 2.5 - 3 megabit on the wireless network. We had a link a while back that was 6 miles away getting 3.9 megabit.
We're using Windows based RADIUS with MikroTik. It works, although I wish there were more options for parameters that you could assign to users when you are authenticating off of a database source. The only real advantage to putting a backhaul node into AP mode is so it can serve clients within it's range. The downside is that now the clients and that backhaul leg are sharing that AP. It doesn't take very many hops to start needing a routed as opposed to a bridged network. I have a tower now that is 2 hops away and it's already slowing the entire network down whenever this one guy starts his VPN session for telecommuting. We'll be working towards routed segments over the next few months. :-) Kevin Summers KISTech Internet Services Inc. www.kistech.com > -----Original Message----- > From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] > [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] Behalf Of Paul Clark > Sent: Thursday, October 02, 2003 7:49 PM > To: [EMAIL PROTECTED] > Subject: Re: [smartBridges] Looking for some advice. > > > > > 1. Entirely bridged network: > > Your current configuration allows any one customer to bring down > > your whole network. Consider changing the switches to routers at sites > > 4 > > and 5. By creating logical segments (subnets) in your network, you > > limit > > the effects of broadcasts and packet storms. > > This is indeed a very good point and something that I was considering, > as always one must balance the costs. At the moment I have no live > customers and am very much in a development and soak testing phase and > as such have to keep the costs down. I am developing a bespoke router > for use in this type of location and have been carrying out testing > using switches more as a proof of concept as opposed to anything else. > > > 2. Internet and Customers on same side of Main Router: > > Having two internet feeds and most of your customers on the same > > AP can have serious consequences. This setup hinders proper bandwidth > > management, reliability and security. Consider using 3 or 4 APs instead > > of two at your NOC. Use the site 3 APPO to feed site 4 then add another > > AP as a backhaul for site 1 and 2. Connect all units to the Mikrotik > > router so that all of your customers must pass through the router. > > Again I have no live customers and as such this is really a cost > reduction measure to prove the viability of the links. I had intended > to have as you suggest 3 APs at the NOC before any customers are > connected to the network. > > > 3. Asking for help and asking for advice: > > <soap box> > > At the risk of sounding too harsh, don't ask a peer group such > > general questions as "What do I do now?" if you can avoid it. Of > > course, > > we are here to help, but you should not build your network based off of > > our advice. The best way to build a solid, scaleable network > > infrastructure is to study the technologies and research you options. > > When you can ask questions like "I would like to segment my network and > > have decided to use a routed infrastructure, what are some options too > > look at that will also allow BW management and usage tracking?" then we > > know your are really trying. > > </soap box> > > This was most definitely not a general question as you suggest but > merely a concluding comment after my questions inviting anyone that may > have any advice on the questions that I asked to respond. Quote: "Any > help and advice would be most welcome, I would love to avoid making any > mistakes that I will regret as my customer base grows." hardly > qualifies as a question and I do not believe that my other questions > could be grouped together in the same category as "What do I do now?". > I totally agree with your comments that people should not ask such > general questions and act solely upon the advice of others but feel it > is unwarranted for you to adopt a soap box position with no tangible > grounds for such comments. > > I have no intention of building my network based solely on others > advice but intend to utilize my own knowledge and expertise. I have a > very clear idea of exactly what I want to achieve and indeed how I > intend to achieve it. I fully intend to segment my network and to > implement bandwidth management, usage tracking, and various monitoring > and security systems that I will require to serve some of my customer > base that have such concerns, and already have these solutions under > development and testing in my lab environment prior to real world > deployment. > > I have found from experience it is often useful to ask one's peer group > questions in which you do not divulge your proposed solution in order > not to influence the answer in any way. As such the answers will then > either confirm your original plan as being not far off the mark or > alternatively identify a possible alternative that may or may not be a > better solution that may not have been considered and needs further > investigation. I would site your first two concerns as being a case in > point for this. You have confirmed in your replies that the options > that I have been considering in both cases are indeed worth doing and > in the absence of any further replies to the contrary would appear to > be the way to proceed so after further investigation and testing my > original plan will stand. > > My principle questions however remain unanswered: > > Is their any advantage to putting the backbone nodes into access point > >> client bridge mode as opposed to wireless bridge mode? > > What should the throughput be in KBytes between nodes assuming clear > LOS, good RSSI/Link Qual etc? I am fairly sure that I am not getting > the throughput that I should be and wanted to get some opinions. > > What Linux based radius server would you guys recommend for use with > the Mikrotik box and PPPoE? I was thinking freeradius but would be > interested in any opinions from people that have done this before. > > I would appreciate comments based on others experiences specifically > with smartbridges equipment. This is the smartbridges mailing list > after all. :-) > > Paul Clark > _________________ > UFCnet > (+44) 07776 203768 > (+44) 01436 679988 > http://www.ufcnet.co.uk > > > -- > This message has been scanned for viruses and > dangerous content by UFCnet, and is > believed to be clean. > > ----------ANNOUNCEMENT---------- > Don't forget to register for WISPCON IV > http://www.wispcon.info/us/wispcon-iv/wispcon-iv.htm > > The PART-15.ORG smartBridges Discussion List > To Join: mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] (in the body type subscribe > smartBridges <yournickname> > To Remove: mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] (in the body type > unsubscribe smartBridges) > Archives: http://archives.part-15.org ----------ANNOUNCEMENT---------- Don't forget to register for WISPCON IV http://www.wispcon.info/us/wispcon-iv/wispcon-iv.htm The PART-15.ORG smartBridges Discussion List To Join: mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] (in the body type subscribe smartBridges <yournickname> To Remove: mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] (in the body type unsubscribe smartBridges) Archives: http://archives.part-15.org
