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Spelling: AP-2000
* So, whats inside? [1]
* JTag pinout [2]
* Software [3]
* Serial port [4]
* How to use it? [5]
* WDS [6]
* Cx Node [7]
* 3 easy steps to configure the link [8]
* Comments [9]
The AP-2000 is not all that new but for the price we are getting them
at the moment they represent great value.
SO, WHATS INSIDE?
open up the case ( 4 screws and you have the solder side of the board
with 2 pcmcia sockets.
Remove the 4 3mm hex bolts and flip the board out and you see 4 IC's,
(l->r)looks like an ethernet controller, the northbridge ( BGA ) and
the processor. At the other end of the board is what looks like a PCI
bus glue logic chip ( for interfacing the 2 x pcmcia sockets). 2 X
SDRAM chips and 2 X Flash towards the top of the board.
Sorry blurry photo - will retake soon.
125 x245 cm circuit board.
Processor: Intel 21281 strongarm SA - 110 @ 233 Mhz (144-pin TQFP)
Northbridge: Intel 21285
SRAM:
FLASH:
Ethernet:
pcmcia control: Texas Inst PCI1225 - don't know if this is pcmcia or
cardbus
Processor documentation: sa_110doc [10]
The SA-110 is an old core. In this implemetation it uses the 21285
companion chip. Later incarnations (SA-1100, SA-1110 ) moved more and
more of the peripheral logic into the processor die. The latest
incarnation is the Intel X-Scale processors.
21285 FAQ [11]
JTAG PINOUT
Haven't traced these yet but the JTag pins on the processor are as
follows:
48 - TDO
49 - TDI
50 - nTRST
51 - TMS
52 - TCK
That's about it.
SOFTWARE
I think it runs windriver VXWorks RTOS.
There is a number of Linux ports for the Arm processor, time to get
the toolchain installed...
SERIAL PORT
It's an 8 pin Din connector similar to the serial port on older
MAC's. You can use a standard Macintosh serial cable ie 8 pin Mini-DIN
to DB25 followed by a DB25 to DB9 adapter and a standard PC DB9F to
DB9F serial to access the serial console - or make up your own.
HOW TO USE IT?
The AP-2000 was used to establish campus wide type networks and as
such was probably deployed as a simple AP. Because it can control 2
wireless cards it is especially suitable for setting up MW nodes, one
card configured as an AP and the other as a link to the backbone.
The software does not give you complete control of the device, for
instance it does not look like you can configure one of the cards in
client mode.
WDS
WDS "Wireless Distribution System" is a protocol that is found on a
lot of AP's nowdays. It essentially allows you to run an AP as both
access point and link. This is not such a good thing with only one
wireless interface due to multiple handling of data packets but with
two interfaces one can be dedicated to the link function. Up to 6 WDS
"peers" can be configured in this unit.
WDS is configured by entering the MAC address of the peer nodes at
each end. The AP's then form part of the same ESS and would share a
ESSID ??
from TomsNetworking [12]
''WDS stands for Wireless Distribution System. It is a special Access
Point mode that enables single-radio APs to be wirelessly connected
vs. relying on connection to an Ethernet network. WDS encompasses both
wireless bridging in which WDS APs communicate only with each other
and don't allow wireless clients or Stations to access them, and
wireless repeating in which APs communicate with each other and with
wireless Stations.
The downside of the repeating mode is that wireless throughput is cut
in half for each AP that data flows through before hitting the wired
network.
These Proxim [13] and Intersil [14] application notes (PDF) will give
you further details on WDS.''
And a technical thread from the personeltelco [15] list server
CX NODE
I have set one of these up as a Cx Node ( AP and one link to
backbone). The limitation of no supporting client mode made this seem
impossible unless you had a dedicated interface at the remote end but
it is not to difficult.
The WDS software creates an additional virtual interface for each
configured remote interface. The AP-2000 does not support routing but
will bridge between the three interfaces ( Card A, B and wired ).
3 EASY STEPS TO CONFIGURE THE LINK
* Update the AP-2000 software to the latest good version 2.5.3
(optional - only needed if you want to explicitly turn of repeating
later)
* Configure card A for WDS - enter the MAC address fo the remote
end, assign the DHCP address range and allocate one address to the
remote end of the link. Set to the same channel as the remote end.
Point the default gateway and DNS to that address. Configure card B to
the channel you want for the node. Reboot.
* At the remote end ( I used a WRT54G ) add the MAC of the AP-2000,
create a vlan for the address allocated from the AP-2000 space ( add
this step to your init scripts somewhere), Reboot.
Then if you want, go into the bridging menu on the AP-2000 and turn
off the AP repeater port so your new node is using card A only for the
link and will not accepting clients on that interface.
COMMENTS
14/05/05 - Steve: Is there a way to put one of these cards into
Client Mode? I'm looking at using one of these to uplink to GHO, but I
can't find the option
dna- I also can't find any way to configure client mode. It must be
possible on the card but the OS/Application doesn't expose it. It
looks like you need to use WDS at both ends if you want to use these
for a link.
Links:
------
[1] http://melbournewireless.org.au/#so__whats_inside_
[2] http://melbournewireless.org.au/#jtag_pinout
[3] http://melbournewireless.org.au/#software
[4] http://melbournewireless.org.au/#serial_port
[5] http://melbournewireless.org.au/#how_to_use_it_
[6] http://melbournewireless.org.au/#wds
[7] http://melbournewireless.org.au/#cx_node
[8]
http://melbournewireless.org.au/#3_easy_steps_to_configure_the_link
[9] http://melbournewireless.org.au/#comments
[10]
http://www.intel.com/design/pca/applicationsprocessors/strong/sa_110doc.htm
[11] http://www.intel.com/design/bridge/faq/core_logic.htm
[12]
http://www.smallnetbuilder.com/FAQ-16-Wireless+Networking-0.php#426
[13] http://www.proxim.com/support/techbulletins/TB-046.pdf
[14] http://www.intersil.com/data/an/AN1007.pdf
[15]
http://lists.personaltelco.net/pipermail/general/2002q1/005791.html
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