Mesh Stations provides the basic communication and storage infrastructure to the community cluster, they form the core network that all other stations rely on for communication and storage.
Mesh Stations give your Private Cyberspace communication bandwidth at revolutionary price points by combining free yet featureful software (e.g. OpenWrt) with low cost yet powerful hardware (e.g. Raspberry Pi).
**Mesh Station Type 1 are Single Board Computers using OpenWrt based operating system e.g. hardware from Raspberry Pi Foundation.
Mesh Station Type 2 are WiFi Routers with its original factory firmware replaced with OpenWrt based firmware e.g. hardware from GL.inet.
Like most Private Cyberspace hardware, there is normally a buy back scheme available for your Mesh Station, so others can benefit from it when you have finished with it. Check with your supplier.
2. Mesh Station WiFi
WiFi routers can become very cheap and very small Mesh Stations , the MW1 (58x58mm) is SMALLER than a credit card (85x35mm) looking from top, and low cost at only AU$33.06 shipped.
The WiFi on all Mesh Stations have the dual purpose of letting you access the Internet (as an Access Point) as well as being relaying neighbourhood data traffic (as a Mesh Node).
Details:
2. Bluetooth Beacon
Mesh Stations can act as both a Beacon sending out bluetooth UUIDs as well as bluetooth Detector identifying Bluetooth signals closed by.
Detect:
Broadcast Beacon:
3. Access Router
4. File Server
A SMB based disk server backed by the power of infinite disk.
There is NO power supply (available separately for about AU$12). This is great for plugging into USB ports in the car or laptop.
Note there is another GL-AR300M16 model with external antennas, so has "Ext" at the end of the model name (GL-AR300M16-Ext). Although its removable antennas enables higher gain antennas to be swapped in to reach more neighbours when placed outdoors, in such a situation we prefer to add an extra high gain USB WiFi Adapter to the plain GL-AR300M16 model instead.
1. Purchase
Look out for frequent special deals, we bought a few at ONLY AU$33.06 in Jan-2023. If you are not a Prime member, ordering one more unit will get you free transport.
2. Price Performance
Unless you really need GL-AR300M16's small size and low power, the GL-AR750 (MS23) is a better deal with power supply, microSD slot and 5GHz radio.
GL.iNet GL-B1300 is used in the reference implementation of a medium-cost Mesh Station in year 2022 (MS22).
The USB 3 port allows portable harddisks and other high current devices to be attached easily (e.g. reducing the need to use bulky USB desktop drives that require separate power supplies).
AR750's built-in USB2 ports allows the owner to add hardware peripherals easily through simple plug and play.
Thousands of USB peripherals from cameras to solid state disks to bluetooth adapters are supported.
Although MS23 comes with only one USB2 port, it can be expanded easily by non-technical owners with a powered USB hub.
Make sure it is a POWERED hub that has independent power supply. You can get either Low Power Hubs with 5V power supplies or High Power Hubs with 12V power supply.
Below image shows a MS23 driving four USB3 disks using its single USB2 port through a high power hub.
4. Radio Details
There are 2 radios: 5GHz (phy0) and 2GHz (phy1).
Wiphy phy1
wiphy index: 1
max # scan SSIDs: 4
max scan IEs length: 2257 bytes
max # sched scan SSIDs: 0
max # match sets: 0
Retry short limit: 7
Retry long limit: 4
Coverage class: 0 (up to 0m)
Device supports AP-side u-APSD.
Device supports T-DLS.
Available Antennas: TX 0x3 RX 0x3
Configured Antennas: TX 0x3 RX 0x3
Supported interface modes:
* IBSS
* managed
* AP
* AP/VLAN
* monitor
* mesh point
* P2P-client
* P2P-GO
* outside context of a BSS
Band 1:
Capabilities: 0x11ef
RX LDPC
HT20/HT40
SM Power Save disabled
RX HT20 SGI
RX HT40 SGI
TX STBC
RX STBC 1-stream
Max AMSDU length: 3839 bytes
DSSS/CCK HT40
Maximum RX AMPDU length 65535 bytes (exponent: 0x003)
Minimum RX AMPDU time spacing: 8 usec (0x06)
HT TX/RX MCS rate indexes supported: 0-15
Frequencies:
* 2412 MHz [1] (23.0 dBm)
* 2417 MHz [2] (23.0 dBm)
* 2422 MHz [3] (23.0 dBm)
* 2427 MHz [4] (23.0 dBm)
* 2432 MHz [5] (23.0 dBm)
* 2437 MHz [6] (23.0 dBm)
* 2442 MHz [7] (23.0 dBm)
* 2447 MHz [8] (23.0 dBm)
* 2452 MHz [9] (23.0 dBm)
* 2457 MHz [10] (23.0 dBm)
* 2462 MHz [11] (23.0 dBm)
* 2467 MHz [12] (disabled)
* 2472 MHz [13] (disabled)
* 2484 MHz [14] (disabled)
valid interface combinations:
* #{ managed } <= 2048, #{ AP, mesh point } <= 8, #{ P2P-client, P2P-GO } <= 1, #{ IBSS } <= 1,
total <= 2048, #channels <= 1, STA/AP BI must match, radar detect widths: { 20 MHz (no HT), 20 MHz, 40 MHz }
HT Capability overrides:
* MCS: ff ff ff ff ff ff ff ff ff ff
* maximum A-MSDU length
* supported channel width
* short GI for 40 MHz
* max A-MPDU length exponent
* min MPDU start spacing
max # scan plans: 1
max scan plan interval: -1
max scan plan iterations: 0
Supported extended features:
* [ RRM ]: RRM
* [ FILS_STA ]: STA FILS (Fast Initial Link Setup)
* [ CQM_RSSI_LIST ]: multiple CQM_RSSI_THOLD records
* [ CONTROL_PORT_OVER_NL80211 ]: control port over nl80211
* [ TXQS ]: FQ-CoDel-enabled intermediate TXQs
* [ AIRTIME_FAIRNESS ]: airtime fairness scheduling
* [ SCAN_RANDOM_SN ]: use random sequence numbers in scans
* [ SCAN_MIN_PREQ_CONTENT ]: use probe request with only rate IEs in scans
* [ CAN_REPLACE_PTK0 ]: can safely replace PTK 0 when rekeying
* [ CONTROL_PORT_NO_PREAUTH ]: disable pre-auth over nl80211 control port support
* [ DEL_IBSS_STA ]: deletion of IBSS station support
* [ MULTICAST_REGISTRATIONS ]: mgmt frame registration for multicast
* [ SCAN_FREQ_KHZ ]: scan on kHz frequency support
* [ CONTROL_PORT_OVER_NL80211_TX_STATUS ]: tx status for nl80211 control port support
Wiphy phy0
wiphy index: 0
max # scan SSIDs: 16
max scan IEs length: 199 bytes
max # sched scan SSIDs: 0
max # match sets: 0
Retry short limit: 7
Retry long limit: 4
Coverage class: 0 (up to 0m)
Device supports AP-side u-APSD.
Available Antennas: TX 0x1 RX 0x1
Configured Antennas: TX 0x1 RX 0x1
Supported interface modes:
* IBSS
* managed
* AP
* AP/VLAN
* monitor
* mesh point
* P2P-client
* P2P-GO
* P2P-device
Band 2:
Capabilities: 0x196f
RX LDPC
HT20/HT40
SM Power Save disabled
RX HT20 SGI
RX HT40 SGI
RX STBC 1-stream
Max AMSDU length: 7935 bytes
DSSS/CCK HT40
Maximum RX AMPDU length 65535 bytes (exponent: 0x003)
Minimum RX AMPDU time spacing: 8 usec (0x06)
HT TX/RX MCS rate indexes supported: 0-7
VHT Capabilities (0x33800132):
Max MPDU length: 11454
Supported Channel Width: neither 160 nor 80+80
RX LDPC
short GI (80 MHz)
RX antenna pattern consistency
TX antenna pattern consistency
VHT RX MCS set:
1 streams: MCS 0-9
2 streams: not supported
3 streams: not supported
4 streams: not supported
5 streams: not supported
6 streams: not supported
7 streams: not supported
8 streams: not supported
VHT RX highest supported: 0 Mbps
VHT TX MCS set:
1 streams: MCS 0-9
2 streams: not supported
3 streams: not supported
4 streams: not supported
5 streams: not supported
6 streams: not supported
7 streams: not supported
8 streams: not supported
VHT TX highest supported: 0 Mbps
Frequencies:
* 5180 MHz [36] (23.0 dBm)
* 5200 MHz [40] (23.0 dBm)
* 5220 MHz [44] (23.0 dBm)
* 5240 MHz [48] (23.0 dBm)
* 5260 MHz [52] (24.0 dBm) (radar detection)
* 5280 MHz [56] (24.0 dBm) (radar detection)
* 5300 MHz [60] (24.0 dBm) (radar detection)
* 5320 MHz [64] (24.0 dBm) (radar detection)
* 5500 MHz [100] (24.0 dBm) (radar detection)
* 5520 MHz [104] (24.0 dBm) (radar detection)
* 5540 MHz [108] (24.0 dBm) (radar detection)
* 5560 MHz [112] (24.0 dBm) (radar detection)
* 5580 MHz [116] (24.0 dBm) (radar detection)
* 5600 MHz [120] (24.0 dBm) (radar detection)
* 5620 MHz [124] (24.0 dBm) (radar detection)
* 5640 MHz [128] (24.0 dBm) (radar detection)
* 5660 MHz [132] (24.0 dBm) (radar detection)
* 5680 MHz [136] (24.0 dBm) (radar detection)
* 5700 MHz [140] (24.0 dBm) (radar detection)
* 5720 MHz [144] (24.0 dBm) (radar detection)
* 5745 MHz [149] (30.0 dBm)
* 5765 MHz [153] (30.0 dBm)
* 5785 MHz [157] (30.0 dBm)
* 5805 MHz [161] (30.0 dBm)
* 5825 MHz [165] (30.0 dBm)
* 5845 MHz [169] (27.0 dBm) (no IR)
* 5865 MHz [173] (27.0 dBm) (no IR)
valid interface combinations:
* #{ managed, P2P-client } <= 16, #{ P2P-GO } <= 3, #{ AP } <= 16, #{ IBSS } <= 1,
total <= 16, #channels <= 1, STA/AP BI must match, radar detect widths: { 20 MHz (no HT), 20 MHz, 40 MHz, 80 MHz, 80+80 MHz, 160 MHz }
HT Capability overrides:
* MCS: ff ff ff ff ff ff ff ff ff ff
* maximum A-MSDU length
* supported channel width
* short GI for 40 MHz
* max A-MPDU length exponent
* min MPDU start spacing
max # scan plans: 1
max scan plan interval: -1
max scan plan iterations: 0
Maximum associated stations in AP mode: 0
Supported extended features:
* [ VHT_IBSS ]: VHT-IBSS
* [ RRM ]: RRM
* [ SET_SCAN_DWELL ]: scan dwell setting
* [ FILS_STA ]: STA FILS (Fast Initial Link Setup)
* [ CQM_RSSI_LIST ]: multiple CQM_RSSI_THOLD records
* [ CONTROL_PORT_OVER_NL80211 ]: control port over nl80211
* [ TXQS ]: FQ-CoDel-enabled intermediate TXQs
* [ AIRTIME_FAIRNESS ]: airtime fairness scheduling
* [ AQL ]: Airtime Queue Limits (AQL)
* [ CONTROL_PORT_NO_PREAUTH ]: disable pre-auth over nl80211 control port support
* [ DEL_IBSS_STA ]: deletion of IBSS station support
* [ SCAN_FREQ_KHZ ]: scan on kHz frequency support
* [ CONTROL_PORT_OVER_NL80211_TX_STATUS ]: tx status for nl80211 control port support
If there is no major problem found, a new built for MS23 will be made by end of 2023-02 and over-the-air (OTA) updates to all opt-in MS23 in will finish by end of 2023-03.
2. Rapid Setup
Plug in power
Login to WiFi Signal using information printed on the back of the MS23 (e.g. GL-AR750-881)
Browse to the IP address printed on the back of the MS23 (e.g. 192.168.8.1)
Update Firmware from factory firmware to 88.io firmware.
If in doubt ask your Application Integrator or your Area Stewards for help.
3. MicroSD Support
We have assumed that all MS23 will have a microSD card with minimum capacity of 64GByte inserted.
System Partition
The first 32GB will be a fixed ext4 formatted partition, typically partitioned in the following way:
swap file - 2GB
root directory expansion- 6GB
infinite disk basic client - read mount cache - 6GB
infinite disk basic server - write sparse file - 8GB
infinite disk basic server - read sparse file - 8GB
infinite disk basic server - temp storage - 2GB
User Partition
The microSD normally have at least 32GB enough capacity more partitions can be created e.g. to provide additional storage to one of the usage types in the Fixed Partition.
By replacing the factory firmware with our own firmware, the factory limitation of 128GB microSD size no longer applies. The in-built GL857L chip's microSD 2TB capacity is now realised.
The remaining space on the microSD card must have another ext4 formatted partition to be used for:
infinite disk basic client - write sync storage (minimum 32Gbyte)
All files in this Storage Partition are encrypted and then synchronised to the infinite disk backend at least once a day - at night randomly between 12am to 5am.
Additional synchronisation can be requested manually at anytime through the Personal Console or automatic
4. Included Packages
remote management - based on openwisp
smb server - based on samba
bluetooth - based on bluez
infinite disk basic client
infinite disk basic server
virtual private mesh
5. Hardware Watchdog
Hardware Watchdog is turned on by default, but you can double check with ubus command:
For hardware hackers, I2C and UART headers inside the GL-AR750 enables it to be expanded with thousands of add-ons.
Accessing the built-in headers is NOT for the faint hearted, you have to pry open the case yourself.
Note location of the headers are just underneath the 5G antenna, so if you are attaching cables to them, then do NOT screw the cover back fully, leave a gap so the cables do NOT touch the antenna above it.
To access the headers jumper cables can be used and the lid needs to be risen so the 5GHz antenna does not touch the cables.
The 7mm vertical gap is enough to for the cables to not touch the 5GHz antenna at the underside of the cover.
Looks OK from the top, but still need sticky tape or cable ties to secure the now loose cover with the main unit.
Despite the manufacturer saying that the microSD in the GL-AR750 only supports up to 128GByte, the GL857L chip inside supports SDXC which can go up to 2TByte. MicroSD cards up to 1TByte has been tested to work.
9. SPI Flash
Macronix KH25L12835F - 16MByte internal serial flash memory.
Plug in the WAN port of the GL-AR750 to the network and power on the GL-AR750. Using your computer's WiFi, search for the GL-AR750 WiFi SSID, which is normally in the format of GL-AR750-xxx. The default WiFi password is goodlife.
Open your browser and go to http://192.168.8.1 or http://192.168.1.1 and you will be prompted to enter the **Admin Password" if this is your first time.
In the left sidebar, click on More Settings > Advanced and click on the install Luci on the right hand side. Do not close the browser or turn off the GL-AR750 until the pop-up window that shows Luci has been installed successfully is displayed.
If Luci has been installed successfully, the URL will be displayed. In the example below the Luci URL is http://192.168.8.1/cgi-bin/luci
Click on the URL and after entering the password and click on the Login button, go to System -> Backup/Flash Firmware -> Flash new firmware image, locate the openwrt-ath79-generic-glinet_gl-ar750-squashfs-sysupgrade.bin previously downloaded and Upload.
WIFI AUTOMATICALLY DISABLED AFTER FIRMWARE UPGRADE - MORE TESTS NEEDED
IMPORTANT: you must tick the Keep settings and retain the current configuration otherwise the WiFi will be disabled after the firmware upgrade has been completed. DO NOT turn off or disconnect the power until the firmware upgrade has been completed which normally takes approximately for 5 minutes. During the firmware upgrade, Power LED blinks first for some time, then it alternates between steady and blinking until it finally steadies.
If the GL-AR750 WiFi is not detected after the firmware upgrade, you will need to plug in a LAN cable from your computer to one of the LAN ports on the GL-AR750.
Step 2: Set up OpenWISP (can also be built into the firmware)
To install the packages needed, login using the LuCI web interface, click on System -> Software -> Update lists button. There are three software packages needed:
openwisp-config
openwisp-monitoring
luci-app-openwisp
Once the "Update Lists" process has been completed, in the "Filter" field, type in "openwisp" and the three openwisp packages will be shown. Click on the Install button and once the installation for the package has been completed, the button will be greyed out.
Once all the three packages have been installed, reload the page, and go to System -> System to change the Hostname according to your preference. Then go to Services -> OpenWISP
Enter the Shared Secret: you can retrieve this from OpenWISP admin panel (same as Server URL above), in the Organization settings or contact your network administrator.
Click on the Save $ Apply button.
The router should be automatically detected by the server. If the router is not shown, please reboot the router. In the example below, three routers are detected.
Step 3: Adding a USB drive
Use your laptop/desktop computer to format your USB device. Use the default name and format options. This prepares the USB drive for the process below, which will erase those settings (again). Warning: This initial formatting will erase the entire USB drive.
SSH into the router and enter the following command into the SSH window to install the required packages: opkg update && opkg install block-mount e2fsprogs kmod-fs-ext4 kmod-usb-storage kmod-usb2 kmod-usb3
Enter ls -al /dev/sd* to show the name of all attached USB devices. The list may be empty if there are no USB devices.
Insert the USB drive into your router. Enter ls -al /dev/sd* again, and this time you should see a new /dev/sdXX device. sdXX is the device name of your new USB device. In the example below, the USB drive is sda1.
Make an ext4 filesystem on the USB device using the device name you just discovered. Note: Be certain you enter the proper device name - this step will completely erase the device. Based on the USB drive detected above, the command is mkfs.ext4 /dev/sda1
Create the fstab config file based on all the block devices found by using the command: block detect | uci import fstab
Update the fstab config file to mount all drives at startup by using the command: uci set fstab.@mount[0].enabled='1' && uci set fstab.@global[0].anon_mount='1' && uci commit fstab
Mount the device by using the command: /etc/init.d/fstab boot
To confirm whether the USB device has been detected and mounted, open OpenWrt web interface, select System -> Mount Points. If correctly configured, it will be shown in the Mounted file systems menu. If the USB device is not detected, the router may need to be rebooted.
Mesh Stations are very reliable when in production, however if you "bricked" your Mesh Station during development or at any other time, it can be debricked easily with its uboot failsafe feature.
Connect only one cable to the router, and leave the other port (LAN or WAN) unconnected .
4. Test
Open the terminal of your computer, e.g: the MS-DOS Command Prompt and type "ping 192.168.1.1 -t"
There should be NO response, as the device is bricked.
5. Press
Press and hold the Reset button firmly on the router first and then power on.
6. Release
The 5G LED will blink 5 times before becoming steady, at which time the 2G LED shows up steady as well. Now release the finger, the terminal will show Reply from 192.168.1.1 from the previous "ping" command.
7. Browser
Use Firefox or Chrome and go to http://192.168.1.1. to enter the Uboot Web UI, browse to the location of the firmware downloaded and click on the Update firmware button.
8. Wait
Wait for around 5 minutes.
DO NOT power off your device while upgrading.
Note During this process, 5G LED initially blinks for a while, followed by both 5G and 2G rapidly blinking. Then only power LED remains steady for a while, followed by some blinking on power LEDs again, until it finally remains steady. Only then you will be able to access the router via 192.168.1.1 or 192.168.8.1 again.
