Travis, There are many things I do not like about both products, But there are more things that I like about them, and I can tell you that they are both very different products, and we use each of them for different purposes. I could spend hours answering your question.
StarOS was a Rocky road, for a few version during their transition in bridging methods. But I can tell you that their later versions of Firmware are working great. We Bridge all our StarOS CPEs/APs today. The reason is we have a provisioning system at our master cell sites, so we use the STAROS boxes in a simple configuration, purposefully. We don't want "Feature" when we use it. We wanted reliabilty and simplicity. StarOS has accomplished that rather well. The new certified Lucaya systems pretty much sealed the deal, on the value it delivers. It is so rediculaously low priced now, for a 4 port system, its not even funny. The secret was 533Mhz 4-port boards board, and NOW THEY HAVE THEM. The value of STAROS is that it now does do rock solid True Bridging that you can count on. It does it with Auto-WDS. So it figures out on its own whether to WDS or Not. Its our preferred choice for a AP and CPE, without a unique need otherwise. First thing to realize is that Radio software brands will NOT be interchangable in the new generation, because of the trend of using true bridging via WDS. All the manufactuerers do it differently. Sure you can use another brand to connect as a WIFI CPE, but for Bridging, you are stuck on the software platform. But thats no different than Mikrotik and Nstreme. What StarOS does is allows many many choises in hardware platforms. Its a happy day to know WARs, ADI, Lucaya, and many more are available. Where StarOS has failed is that they have not yet realized the value of 3-10 port Ethernet CPE systems. NOr have they realized the need for two Etherent ports on a low cost CPE. Mikrotik clearly has. Hardware defines when I use StarOS or MIkrotik, not Software. What about the 1 story warehouse building type business parks? Or Shopping center? With no conduit or path from central telecom closet to suites, or for that matter no central closet. The only way to share CPE, is down through the roof. Usually through inside rooftop AC Compressors. Its a pain, finding an outdoor enclosure big enough for a switch, rated for outdoors, and AC power, etc. But wit hMikrotik it a turn key system ready to go with no hassle and no added cost. THIS IS INVALUABLE. THANK YOU MIKROTIK. Mikrotik was behind because they did not have fast enough mainboards. StarOS would outperform them. However, that is changing. The 400Mhz 532board performs much better. As do their new processor boards, so I hear. Mikrotik has a hidden cost. They give you their firmware, but you have to buy it in one year to keep getting upgrades. However StarOS, really give it for Free. Mikrotik is clearly the winner on having the most software features, and full fledged graphical interface, making them easy to configure. (PS I prefer not haviong the graphic interface for basic CPEs and APs). Its really easy to misconfigure Mikrotik. But Mikrotik can be a best of clss full fledge Cell router. (not saying that StarOS cant) I really like that StarOS has Iperf built in on the command line interface. Thats saved my but many a time, in finding where problems were with quality.. STAROS has OLSR for those that want more than just OSPF. Mikrotik now has MPLS, for those that want a bit more than OLSR and OSPF. I'd like to point out, one flaw in the Internet is the industry decided on destination based routing. There can be benefits to routing packets based on where they came from or any other criteria. MPLS helps solve that. I personally think its REAL BIG that Mikrotik is stepping up first to offer a MPLS implementation. StarOS is easier to managem, because its interface can be gotten to from anty device any where with SSH. Mikrotik's Winbox is really nice, but you need to be at a graphical PC to use. Although it has command line option, its a bit clunky, compared to StarOS's nice menu driven console. I think Mikrotik does a better job at getting the radio cards to put out the power you are configuring them to put out. With StarOS, never really know what the cards are really putting out, if the hardware or software is setting the actual speed. Doing feature to feature comparisons are jsut to encumbersome now, they both support to many features :-) I make the dsecssions based on the primary basic features. I will tell you, LigoWave still puts out the very best quality hardware system for 4 port system. Ligo software is comming around, and getting powerful, but still much more slower to use the configuration console. Tom DeReggi RapidDSL & Wireless, Inc IntAirNet- Fixed Wireless Broadband ----- Original Message ----- From: "Travis Johnson" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> To: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>; "WISPA General List" <[email protected]> Sent: Wednesday, February 06, 2008 7:55 PM Subject: [WISPA] MT vs StarOS > Hi, > > Anyone care to help "compare" a Mikrotik based bridged AP/CPE solution > to StarOS? > > Here is a quick list I have come up with. I would love to have everyone > add their thoughts... > > Mikrotik features: > graphical user interface (Winbox) > more features (Torch, etc) > more hardware choices (RB532, RB411, RB600, etc.) > Nstreme protocol > very reliable > > StarOS features: > FCC certified CPE > lower price > 'Sync' feature (reconfigure all CPE from the AP side with a single > change, such as frequency) > OLSR feature > VoIP priority with minimal config > 200 CPE per wireless card (capable) > > Travis > Microserv > > > -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- > WISPA Wants You! Join today! > http://signup.wispa.org/ > -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- > > WISPA Wireless List: [email protected] > > Subscribe/Unsubscribe: > http://lists.wispa.org/mailman/listinfo/wireless > > Archives: http://lists.wispa.org/pipermail/wireless/ -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- WISPA Wants You! 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