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+ <title>Petter Reinholdtsen: A Raspberry Pi based batman-adv Mesh network node</title>
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+ <h1>
+ <a href="http://people.skolelinux.org/pere/blog/">Petter Reinholdtsen</a>
+
+ </h1>
+
+</div>
+
+
+ <div class="entry">
+ <div class="title">A Raspberry Pi based batman-adv Mesh network node</div>
+ <div class="date">21st October 2013</div>
+ <div class="body"><p>The last few days I have been experimenting with
+<a href="http://www.open-mesh.org/projects/batman-adv/wiki">the
+batman-adv mech technology</a>. I want to gain some experience to see
+if it will fit <a href="https://wiki.debian.org/FreedomBox">the
+Freedombox project</a>, and together with my neighbors try to build a
+mesh network around the park where I live. Batman-adv is a layer 2
+mesh system ("ethernet" in other words), where the mesh network appear
+as if all the mesh clients are connected to the same switch.</p>
+
+<p>My hardware of choice was the Linksys WRT54GL routers I had lying
+around, but I've been unable to get them working with batman-adv. So
+instead, I started playing with a
+<a href="http://www.raspberrypi.org/">Raspberry Pi</a>, and tried to
+get it working as a mesh node. My idea is to use it to create a mesh
+node which function as a switch port, where everything connected to
+the Raspberry Pi ethernet plug is connected (bridged) to the mesh
+network. This allow me to hook a wifi base station like the Linksys
+WRT54GL to the mesh by plugging it into a Raspberry Pi, and allow
+non-mesh clients to hook up to the mesh. This in turn is useful for
+Android phones using <a href="http://servalproject.org/">the Serval
+Project</a> voip client, allowing every one around the playground to
+phone and message each other for free. The reason is that Android
+phones do not see ad-hoc wifi networks (they are filtered away from
+the GUI view), and can not join the mesh without being rooted. But if
+they are connected using a normal wifi base station, they can talk to
+every client on the local network.</p>
+
+<p>To get this working, I've created a debian package
+<a href="https://github.com/petterreinholdtsen/meshfx-node">meshfx-node</a>
+and a script
+<a href="https://github.com/petterreinholdtsen/meshfx-node/blob/master/build-rpi-mesh-node">build-rpi-mesh-node</a>
+to create the Raspberry Pi boot image. I'm using Debian Jessie (and
+not Raspbian), to get more control over the packages available.
+Unfortunately a huge binary blob need to be inserted into the boot
+image to get it booting, but I'll ignore that for now. Also, as
+Debian lack support for the CPU features available in the Raspberry
+Pi, the system do not use the hardware floating point unit. I hope
+the routing performance isn't affected by the lack of hardware FPU
+support.</p>
+
+<p>To create an image, run the following with a sudo enabled user
+after inserting the target SD card into the build machine:</p>
+
+<p><pre>
+% wget -O build-rpi-mesh-node \
+ https://raw.github.com/petterreinholdtsen/meshfx-node/master/build-rpi-mesh-node
+% sudo bash -x ./build-rpi-mesh-node > build.log 2>&1
+% dd if=/root/rpi/rpi_basic_jessie_$(date +%Y%m%d).img of=/dev/mmcblk0 bs=1M
+%
+</pre></p>
+
+<p>Booting with the resulting SD card on a Raspberry PI with a USB
+wifi card inserted should give you a mesh node. At least it does for
+me with a the wifi card I am using. The default mesh settings are the
+ones used by the Oslo mesh project at Hackeriet, as I mentioned in
+<a href="http://people.skolelinux.org/pere/blog/Oslo_community_mesh_network___with_NUUG_and_Hackeriet_at_Hausmania.html">an
+earlier blog post about this mesh testing</a>.</p>
+
+<p>The mesh node was not horribly expensive either. I bought
+everything over the counter in shops nearby. If I had ordered online
+from the lowest bidder, the price should be significantly lower:</p>
+
+<p><table>
+
+<tr><th>Supplier</th><th>Model</th><th>NOK</th></tr>
+<tr><td>Teknikkmagasinet</td><td>Raspberry Pi model B</td><td>349.90</td></tr>
+<tr><td>Teknikkmagasinet</td><td>Raspberry Pi type B case</td><td>99.90</td></tr>
+<tr><td>Lefdal</td><td>Jensen Air:Link 25150</td><td>295.-</td></tr>
+<tr><td>Clas Ohlson</td><td>Kingston 16 GB SD card</td><td>199.-</td></tr>
+<tr><td>Total cost</td><td></td><td>943.80</td></tr>
+
+</table></p>
+
+<p>Now my mesh network at home consist of one laptop in the basement
+connected to my production network, one Raspberry Pi node on the 1th
+floor that can be seen by my neighbor across the park, and one
+play-node I use to develop the image building script. And some times
+I hook up work horse laptop to the mesh to test it. I look forward to
+figuring out what kind of latency the batman-adv setup will give, and
+how much packet loss we will experience around the park. :)</p>
+</div>
+
+ <div class="tags">Tags: <a href="http://people.skolelinux.org/pere/blog/tags/english">english</a>, <a href="http://people.skolelinux.org/pere/blog/tags/freedombox">freedombox</a>, <a href="http://people.skolelinux.org/pere/blog/tags/mesh network">mesh network</a>, <a href="http://people.skolelinux.org/pere/blog/tags/nuug">nuug</a>.</div>
+
+
+ </div>
+
+
+
+
+ <div id="sidebar">
+
+
+
+<h2>Archive</h2>
+<ul>
+
+<li>2013
+<ul>
+
+<li><a href="http://people.skolelinux.org/pere/blog/archive/2013/01/">January (11)</a></li>
+
+<li><a href="http://people.skolelinux.org/pere/blog/archive/2013/02/">February (9)</a></li>
+
+<li><a href="http://people.skolelinux.org/pere/blog/archive/2013/03/">March (9)</a></li>
+
+<li><a href="http://people.skolelinux.org/pere/blog/archive/2013/04/">April (6)</a></li>
+
+<li><a href="http://people.skolelinux.org/pere/blog/archive/2013/05/">May (9)</a></li>
+
+<li><a href="http://people.skolelinux.org/pere/blog/archive/2013/06/">June (10)</a></li>
+
+<li><a href="http://people.skolelinux.org/pere/blog/archive/2013/07/">July (7)</a></li>
+
+<li><a href="http://people.skolelinux.org/pere/blog/archive/2013/08/">August (3)</a></li>
+
+<li><a href="http://people.skolelinux.org/pere/blog/archive/2013/09/">September (5)</a></li>
+
+<li><a href="http://people.skolelinux.org/pere/blog/archive/2013/10/">October (5)</a></li>
+
+</ul></li>
+
+<li>2012
+<ul>
+
+<li><a href="http://people.skolelinux.org/pere/blog/archive/2012/01/">January (7)</a></li>
+
+<li><a href="http://people.skolelinux.org/pere/blog/archive/2012/02/">February (10)</a></li>
+
+<li><a href="http://people.skolelinux.org/pere/blog/archive/2012/03/">March (17)</a></li>
+
+<li><a href="http://people.skolelinux.org/pere/blog/archive/2012/04/">April (12)</a></li>
+
+<li><a href="http://people.skolelinux.org/pere/blog/archive/2012/05/">May (12)</a></li>
+
+<li><a href="http://people.skolelinux.org/pere/blog/archive/2012/06/">June (20)</a></li>
+
+<li><a href="http://people.skolelinux.org/pere/blog/archive/2012/07/">July (17)</a></li>
+
+<li><a href="http://people.skolelinux.org/pere/blog/archive/2012/08/">August (6)</a></li>
+
+<li><a href="http://people.skolelinux.org/pere/blog/archive/2012/09/">September (9)</a></li>
+
+<li><a href="http://people.skolelinux.org/pere/blog/archive/2012/10/">October (17)</a></li>
+
+<li><a href="http://people.skolelinux.org/pere/blog/archive/2012/11/">November (10)</a></li>
+
+<li><a href="http://people.skolelinux.org/pere/blog/archive/2012/12/">December (7)</a></li>
+
+</ul></li>
+
+<li>2011
+<ul>
+
+<li><a href="http://people.skolelinux.org/pere/blog/archive/2011/01/">January (16)</a></li>
+
+<li><a href="http://people.skolelinux.org/pere/blog/archive/2011/02/">February (6)</a></li>
+
+<li><a href="http://people.skolelinux.org/pere/blog/archive/2011/03/">March (6)</a></li>
+
+<li><a href="http://people.skolelinux.org/pere/blog/archive/2011/04/">April (7)</a></li>
+
+<li><a href="http://people.skolelinux.org/pere/blog/archive/2011/05/">May (3)</a></li>
+
+<li><a href="http://people.skolelinux.org/pere/blog/archive/2011/06/">June (2)</a></li>
+
+<li><a href="http://people.skolelinux.org/pere/blog/archive/2011/07/">July (7)</a></li>
+
+<li><a href="http://people.skolelinux.org/pere/blog/archive/2011/08/">August (6)</a></li>
+
+<li><a href="http://people.skolelinux.org/pere/blog/archive/2011/09/">September (4)</a></li>
+
+<li><a href="http://people.skolelinux.org/pere/blog/archive/2011/10/">October (2)</a></li>
+
+<li><a href="http://people.skolelinux.org/pere/blog/archive/2011/11/">November (3)</a></li>
+
+<li><a href="http://people.skolelinux.org/pere/blog/archive/2011/12/">December (1)</a></li>
+
+</ul></li>
+
+<li>2010
+<ul>
+
+<li><a href="http://people.skolelinux.org/pere/blog/archive/2010/01/">January (2)</a></li>
+
+<li><a href="http://people.skolelinux.org/pere/blog/archive/2010/02/">February (1)</a></li>
+
+<li><a href="http://people.skolelinux.org/pere/blog/archive/2010/03/">March (3)</a></li>
+
+<li><a href="http://people.skolelinux.org/pere/blog/archive/2010/04/">April (3)</a></li>
+
+<li><a href="http://people.skolelinux.org/pere/blog/archive/2010/05/">May (9)</a></li>
+
+<li><a href="http://people.skolelinux.org/pere/blog/archive/2010/06/">June (14)</a></li>
+
+<li><a href="http://people.skolelinux.org/pere/blog/archive/2010/07/">July (12)</a></li>
+
+<li><a href="http://people.skolelinux.org/pere/blog/archive/2010/08/">August (13)</a></li>
+
+<li><a href="http://people.skolelinux.org/pere/blog/archive/2010/09/">September (7)</a></li>
+
+<li><a href="http://people.skolelinux.org/pere/blog/archive/2010/10/">October (9)</a></li>
+
+<li><a href="http://people.skolelinux.org/pere/blog/archive/2010/11/">November (13)</a></li>
+
+<li><a href="http://people.skolelinux.org/pere/blog/archive/2010/12/">December (12)</a></li>
+
+</ul></li>
+
+<li>2009
+<ul>
+
+<li><a href="http://people.skolelinux.org/pere/blog/archive/2009/01/">January (8)</a></li>
+
+<li><a href="http://people.skolelinux.org/pere/blog/archive/2009/02/">February (8)</a></li>
+
+<li><a href="http://people.skolelinux.org/pere/blog/archive/2009/03/">March (12)</a></li>
+
+<li><a href="http://people.skolelinux.org/pere/blog/archive/2009/04/">April (10)</a></li>
+
+<li><a href="http://people.skolelinux.org/pere/blog/archive/2009/05/">May (9)</a></li>
+
+<li><a href="http://people.skolelinux.org/pere/blog/archive/2009/06/">June (3)</a></li>
+
+<li><a href="http://people.skolelinux.org/pere/blog/archive/2009/07/">July (4)</a></li>
+
+<li><a href="http://people.skolelinux.org/pere/blog/archive/2009/08/">August (3)</a></li>
+
+<li><a href="http://people.skolelinux.org/pere/blog/archive/2009/09/">September (1)</a></li>
+
+<li><a href="http://people.skolelinux.org/pere/blog/archive/2009/10/">October (2)</a></li>
+
+<li><a href="http://people.skolelinux.org/pere/blog/archive/2009/11/">November (3)</a></li>
+
+<li><a href="http://people.skolelinux.org/pere/blog/archive/2009/12/">December (3)</a></li>
+
+</ul></li>
+
+<li>2008
+<ul>
+
+<li><a href="http://people.skolelinux.org/pere/blog/archive/2008/11/">November (5)</a></li>
+
+<li><a href="http://people.skolelinux.org/pere/blog/archive/2008/12/">December (7)</a></li>
+
+</ul></li>
+
+</ul>
+
+
+
+<h2>Tags</h2>
+<ul>
+
+ <li><a href="http://people.skolelinux.org/pere/blog/tags/3d-printer">3d-printer (13)</a></li>
+
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+
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+
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+ <li><a href="http://people.skolelinux.org/pere/blog/tags/bitcoin">bitcoin (7)</a></li>
+
+ <li><a href="http://people.skolelinux.org/pere/blog/tags/bootsystem">bootsystem (12)</a></li>
+
+ <li><a href="http://people.skolelinux.org/pere/blog/tags/bsa">bsa (2)</a></li>
+
+ <li><a href="http://people.skolelinux.org/pere/blog/tags/debian">debian (87)</a></li>
+
+ <li><a href="http://people.skolelinux.org/pere/blog/tags/debian edu">debian edu (142)</a></li>
+
+ <li><a href="http://people.skolelinux.org/pere/blog/tags/digistan">digistan (10)</a></li>
+
+ <li><a href="http://people.skolelinux.org/pere/blog/tags/docbook">docbook (10)</a></li>
+
+ <li><a href="http://people.skolelinux.org/pere/blog/tags/drivstoffpriser">drivstoffpriser (4)</a></li>
+
+ <li><a href="http://people.skolelinux.org/pere/blog/tags/english">english (222)</a></li>
+
+ <li><a href="http://people.skolelinux.org/pere/blog/tags/fiksgatami">fiksgatami (21)</a></li>
+
+ <li><a href="http://people.skolelinux.org/pere/blog/tags/fildeling">fildeling (12)</a></li>
+
+ <li><a href="http://people.skolelinux.org/pere/blog/tags/freeculture">freeculture (12)</a></li>
+
+ <li><a href="http://people.skolelinux.org/pere/blog/tags/freedombox">freedombox (4)</a></li>
+
+ <li><a href="http://people.skolelinux.org/pere/blog/tags/frikanalen">frikanalen (11)</a></li>
+
+ <li><a href="http://people.skolelinux.org/pere/blog/tags/intervju">intervju (37)</a></li>
+
+ <li><a href="http://people.skolelinux.org/pere/blog/tags/isenkram">isenkram (7)</a></li>
+
+ <li><a href="http://people.skolelinux.org/pere/blog/tags/kart">kart (18)</a></li>
+
+ <li><a href="http://people.skolelinux.org/pere/blog/tags/ldap">ldap (8)</a></li>
+
+ <li><a href="http://people.skolelinux.org/pere/blog/tags/lenker">lenker (6)</a></li>
+
+ <li><a href="http://people.skolelinux.org/pere/blog/tags/ltsp">ltsp (1)</a></li>
+
+ <li><a href="http://people.skolelinux.org/pere/blog/tags/mesh network">mesh network (2)</a></li>
+
+ <li><a href="http://people.skolelinux.org/pere/blog/tags/multimedia">multimedia (25)</a></li>
+
+ <li><a href="http://people.skolelinux.org/pere/blog/tags/norsk">norsk (235)</a></li>
+
+ <li><a href="http://people.skolelinux.org/pere/blog/tags/nuug">nuug (156)</a></li>
+
+ <li><a href="http://people.skolelinux.org/pere/blog/tags/offentlig innsyn">offentlig innsyn (8)</a></li>
+
+ <li><a href="http://people.skolelinux.org/pere/blog/tags/open311">open311 (2)</a></li>
+
+ <li><a href="http://people.skolelinux.org/pere/blog/tags/opphavsrett">opphavsrett (45)</a></li>
+
+ <li><a href="http://people.skolelinux.org/pere/blog/tags/personvern">personvern (66)</a></li>
+
+ <li><a href="http://people.skolelinux.org/pere/blog/tags/raid">raid (1)</a></li>
+
+ <li><a href="http://people.skolelinux.org/pere/blog/tags/reprap">reprap (11)</a></li>
+
+ <li><a href="http://people.skolelinux.org/pere/blog/tags/rfid">rfid (2)</a></li>
+
+ <li><a href="http://people.skolelinux.org/pere/blog/tags/robot">robot (8)</a></li>
+
+ <li><a href="http://people.skolelinux.org/pere/blog/tags/rss">rss (1)</a></li>
+
+ <li><a href="http://people.skolelinux.org/pere/blog/tags/ruter">ruter (4)</a></li>
+
+ <li><a href="http://people.skolelinux.org/pere/blog/tags/scraperwiki">scraperwiki (2)</a></li>
+
+ <li><a href="http://people.skolelinux.org/pere/blog/tags/sikkerhet">sikkerhet (31)</a></li>
+
+ <li><a href="http://people.skolelinux.org/pere/blog/tags/sitesummary">sitesummary (4)</a></li>
+
+ <li><a href="http://people.skolelinux.org/pere/blog/tags/skepsis">skepsis (4)</a></li>
+
+ <li><a href="http://people.skolelinux.org/pere/blog/tags/standard">standard (43)</a></li>
+
+ <li><a href="http://people.skolelinux.org/pere/blog/tags/stavekontroll">stavekontroll (3)</a></li>
+
+ <li><a href="http://people.skolelinux.org/pere/blog/tags/stortinget">stortinget (8)</a></li>
+
+ <li><a href="http://people.skolelinux.org/pere/blog/tags/surveillance">surveillance (19)</a></li>
+
+ <li><a href="http://people.skolelinux.org/pere/blog/tags/sysadmin">sysadmin (1)</a></li>
+
+ <li><a href="http://people.skolelinux.org/pere/blog/tags/valg">valg (8)</a></li>
+
+ <li><a href="http://people.skolelinux.org/pere/blog/tags/video">video (39)</a></li>
+
+ <li><a href="http://people.skolelinux.org/pere/blog/tags/vitenskap">vitenskap (4)</a></li>
+
+ <li><a href="http://people.skolelinux.org/pere/blog/tags/web">web (28)</a></li>
+
+</ul>
+
+
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