[ale] Hardware recommendation for Proxy

[Brian Pitts]

John Burdell wrote:
> I'll probably get a WRT-54GL from newegg.com.  I'm thinking
> about getting more than one of these things.  Right now, I have
> a Belkin piece of junk wireless router.

If you're looking to buy multiple routers and want to support an 
open-source project, you ought to look at the Accton MR3201A's [0] 
available from the open mesh project [1]. They ship with a firmware 
based on OpenWRT that incorporates the RO.B.IN mesh networking software, 
but I assume you could reflash them with anything that supports Atheros.

> Can OpenWRT/DDWRT make the WRT-54GL act in both
> client and AP mode?  Suppose I have a WPA wireless network
> at home and I want to temporarily give people WiFi without
> doing anything to my wireless router.  Can I set the WRT-54GL
> so that it is a client of my existing network and I put in the
> passphrase, etc. into it and it then broadcasts an open network?

I think this might depend on the hardware. The Accton above has two 
wireless interfaces, so I don't see why it couldn't.

I know OpenWRT can act as a bridged or routed client. I know it can act 
as a node in a WDS network. I know it can act as a node in a OLSR or 
BATMAN/ROBIN mesh network. I know it can act as a captive portal using 
WifiDog or CoovaChilli.

If you're interested in running a captive portal system, there's a 
derivative of OpenWRT called CoovaAP [2] that integrates a lot of the 
necessary software.

[0] http://www.accton.com/products/product_range/21_weap/MR3201A.htm
[1] http://www.open-mesh.com/
[2] http://coova.org/wiki/index.php/CoovaAP

-Brian