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 OpenWrt software with low cost yet powerful WiFi router hardware:
1. Mesh Station Positioning
2. Reference Implementation
Mesh Stations are currently based on the Openwrt software, which supports more than 2000 devices, each year we select some as our Mesh Station reference implementation:
Mesh Stations can be very small in size, the MS21 (58x58mm) is SMALLER than a credit card (85x35mm) looking from top, and very low cost at only AU$33.06 shipped.
All Reference implementations are supported worldwide indefinitely (even if they are no longer being manufactured) and can participate in our buy back scheme so some one else can benefit from them when you have finished with them.
Openwrt supports more than 2000 devices, beyond the reference mesh stations above, there are many hardware options for different applications and markets.
The idea is for everyone to participate and more importantly OWN a part of the community's communication and storage infrastructure.
Model
Processor
Ram
Rom
WiFi
Ethernet
USB
Price
GL.iNet GL-AR300M16
QCA9531 650MHz
128M
16M
300M
2 x 100M
1 x USB2
33.06
GL.iNET GL-AR300M16-Ext
QCA9531 650MHz
128M
16M
300M
2 x 100M
1 x USB2
37.31
GL.iNet GL-AR750
QCA9531 650MHz
128M
16M
300M + 443M
3 x 100M
1 x USB2 + 1 x uSD
44.90
GL.iNet GL-AR750S
QCA9563 775MHz
128M
16M
300M + 443M
3 x 1G
1 x USB2 + 1 x uSD
71.39
TP-Link A6 v3
MT7621DAT 880Mhz
128M
16M
400M + 867M
5 x 1G
78.80
GL.iNet GL-B1300
IPQ4028 717MHz
256M
32M
400M + 867M
3 x 1G
1 x USB3
89.90
GL.iNet GL-MT1300
MT7615D 880Mhz
256M
32M
400M + 867M
3 x 1G
1 x USB3 + 1 x uSD
95.20
Prices above in Australian Dollars are on 22-Dec-2022 at amazon.com.au with free delivery for all orders above AU$39.
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
AU$44.90 - the price includes tax, transport and USB cable (no power supply). https://shop.oztralia.com/
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.
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.