Just a note to anyone else playing with these - I was able to get OLSRD working and talking to my WRT54G nodes, using the development HSMM-MESH firmware on the WRT's.  I compiled the 0.6.3 version but there is a 0.6.2 package that may work as well.  I'm using a realtek based wifi dongle and it is running okay (so far) from the USB on board, not running a powered hub.  I don;t have a keyboard or mosue hooked up, either, though, coming in via ethernet, so that may help the power equation.

Any chance you could do a quick and dirty write p on exactly the steps you used to set up the

Pi?

Interested in getting one but waiting for a little because I want to get some cameras to hook up.

With the Pi being so cheap (around 35 dollars before SD card), its an interesting idea to have

everything installed on one item.

James W8ISS

I've started a project called HSMM-Pi that configures a Raspberry Pi to work as an HSMM mesh node.  From my own experience, the HSMM-Pi node is compatible with HSMM-MESH nodes running on a Linksys WRT54G platform.  The HSMM-Pi node runs on the Raspbian Linux distribution with many of the same tools used on the HSMM-MESH (OLSRD, etc).

Here's a link to the project:
https://github.com/urlgrey/hsmm-pi

73,

--
Scott Kidder
KK6DCI

What are the advantages of using a Raspberry Pi as a mesh node?

Just think of the multitudes of web services that can be offered. The WRT54G's can only hold so much space. By adding a RPi to the BBHN (or...for that matter...any computer) either by plugging it in to the BBHN through a BBHN node or having it be a BBHN node, you can host services that the BBHN Node would not be capable of. You could host a samba, irc, fully-featured asterisk, email, or motion detection and tracking with a camera(opencv) server...just to name a few.  You could also have them act as mini-repeaters or even log telemetry data that can be pulled from another computer (or phone) in some remote location.  The limit is your imagination. If there is a need for a service, there is a way.

Those are a lot less expensive than the standalone amps I've purchased to use with my WRT54G nodes.  In an application where you need higher output power the cost of a Raspberry Pi + one of these adapters is going to be quite a bit less than the cost of a WRT54G + a standalone amp even if you find good prices on eBay.  And as noted above, the Raspberry Pi gives you a more capable computer for running applications.

Does anyone know how the power consumption of a Raspberry Pi compares to the power consumption of a WRT54G?

I had to build a stand-alone power supply for the RPi for a College Senior Design Project at the beginning of this year. The RPi needs 5.2V and 1A in order to fully boot and be functional. Any less, it starves, cannot turn on devices and reboots. Though the WRT54G* routers come with 12V/1A power supply, they only require ~0.25A

And the Alfa AWUS036NH uses the Atheros chipset!  Horray

AC2IE,

Did you run across any issues using the HSMM-Pi admin application?

I can't seem to get past the initial Save of the admin application.  I lose 'wlan0'.  I'm using an Alpha AWUS036H wifi adapter plugged into a Pluggable 7 hub. The Pi is plugged into the Pluggable for power and a second time for the 7 USB ports. I can get into the admin application right after "sh install.sh".  However, after the first Save and Reboot, wlan0 is lost and so is access to the application.  (Using 'WiFi Config' in Pi's browser (Midori) to look for wlan0.)

It's probably something simple I'm doing wrong, but since it's my first use of Raspberry Pi, I don't know what that might be.  I'm running the admin application through Midori, and SSH from Ubuntu on my laptop.  Same problem either way.

Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks.

Dan