So, a couple weeks ago someone at the place I work decided to Upgrade the network from wireless to wired for security reasons.  I spoke with the IT department and when they were done with the upgrade they gave me all the wireless routers instead of throwing them out.  I received 18 WRT54G3G-ST's, 11 power supplies and 5 stock antennas.  I've been playing around with them this weekend and after a few hiccups I can announce that I am the proud owner of 15 mesh nodes. 

A few of the problems I had as a newbie:

  The first 3 routers I tried were essentially non functional meaning, I can't get the Internet GUI to come up but I can ping them.  I don't know how to SSH (or whatever) into them...yet

  The first Internet GUI I found wouldn't let me upload the new firmware.  It took me a minute but I'm glad it wouldn't let me do it because I had been trying to upload to our home's wireless modem/router.  After that I disconnected from the wireless router whenever I was uploading to the soon to be node.

  Once into the Internet GUI the upload kept failing until I read that the hex file needed to be altered.  It was an easy alteration but I had to download a hex editor.

  Finally once I got the Firmware uploaded and got the node name and password set I lost the ability to talk to it except with a different computer.  It still acted as a node but Windows 7 kept calling it an Unidentified Network and had No Network Access.  After programming a few of them I used the computers troubleshooter and it told me I didn't have the DCHP.  I should have known that because the screen after Saving the update said I wouldn't.  Anyway the computer fixed the problem and now I have full access to all 15 nodes.

I think the next big step is going to be discovering ways to use them.  I am a member of the local RACES/ARES and I volunteer for some of the local foot and bike races.  I'm sure there will be numerous applications I just hope to make them useful now that I have them.

Regards,

Dale