View Full Version : Mini PCI cards in customer computers
pwmaclean
06-12-2006, 09:53 AM
Has anyone ever setup the cpe using the customer's workstation to put the wireless card in instead of a WAR or WRAP board? (This may be the wrong place to ask such a question...we'll see)
lonnie
06-12-2006, 01:48 PM
What you are asking about is the way everything started. In the good old days we did not have nice client Ethernet units, so we messed around with PCMCIA controllers and PCMCIA cards and we played with drivers and it was generally better than dialup. If done carefully it can be quite good.
The along comes windows update and they decide they have a better driver. They also change some default settings to seek best connection and choose based on encryption, etc, etc, etc. Now all of a sudden your customer is not working and you are faced with having the customer work to roll it back and get the settings back to your carefully set values. It is the most frustrating task my guys face.
We prefer the Ethernet client connections since it gives us lots of control and it is way more reliable.
Has anyone ever setup the cpe using the customer's workstation to put the wireless card in instead of a WAR or WRAP board? (This may be the wrong place to ask such a question...we'll see)
pwmaclean
06-12-2006, 02:10 PM
Thanks Lonnie, interesting...
nataniel
06-12-2006, 08:15 PM
lonnie,
What do you mean with "ethernet client connections"? Do you talk about using some ethernet converter in client side? I am using many Wireless PCI cards in my clients (Edimax, Orinoco, Avaya, Samsung, Ovislink, LG, Gi-Link, D-Link, Cisco, Linksys and so many others). For now I am trying to use Ovislink WL5460 (with a linux minidistro inside) but it is a proxy-arp and not working fine for my PPPoE customers...
What can you advice me to use in client side? Please, let in mind that I am in Brazil and here 1 R$ is not equal to 1 U$... its many times more hard to have 1000 R$ than 1000 U$ for other "richier" coutries...
lonnie
06-12-2006, 10:28 PM
We build all of our clients with 266 MHz WAR boards and 15 dB Rootennas to make the WarTenna. If the customer has a weak signal (it can happen) then we upgrade to the 19 dB WarTenna.
I do understand your financial situation, but on the other hand I also know that the other thigs you are trying simply are not good enough and you are wasting your money, and likely a whole lot of time. Your time is probably just as scarce as your money. Buy fewer clients and get them working flawlessly and then buy some more. It sure beats chasing stupid problems and having angry customers.
The thing you have to decide is this -> Is this a hobby or a business for you? If it is a business then you simply must invest in proper tools. I am sorry, but there is no other way.
Nataniel, in new official firmware you have wisp option, which makes pppoe connection at wan and does nat on other side... or you can try one of unofficial firmwares, there are few versions from Brasil, or search for SDK and compile your own.