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.
Samba on Top
Rclone Underneath
To provide storage to Samba on top, we are using "Rclone Mount" to a s3 compatible Infinite Disk. But Rclone Sync can also be used to backup a local Samba directory to a s3 compatible Infinite Disk.
Rclone Storage Backends
s3 is the default:
but Rclone supports a large number of other remote storage systems:
You do NOT have to attach to Infinite Disk, you can attach your rclone to any of the above.
Rclone Addictive Backends
Show multiple remotes side by side at the top-level:
Merge multiple remotes top to bottom using rules:
5. Storage Node
You can offer any spare storage you have in your Mesh Station to Infinite Disk by acting as a storage node.
Currently ext4 file system with TRIM once a day is the default, although some tests are being performed using F2FS as an alternative (which unlike UBIFS operates with FTL in the middle).
There are 2 OpenWrt packages:
Infinite Disk Block Storage Module
For storing of blocks in separate read only and read write areas, in order to protect previous data versions.
Infinite Disk Block Link Module
For block read write operations on low bandwidth, high latency, high loss links.
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).
The I2C and UART interfaces inside the GL-AR750 enables it to be expanded with thousands of add-ons.
Adding header is NOT for the faint hearted, you have to 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.
