[Tfug] Wi-Fi deployment

[Eric Gearhart]

> I've been reading about open source firmware projects for Linksys
> routers, and I am considering experimenting with them.  I've also heard
> about authentication systems ( e.g. RADIUS ) that are used in this
> context.  I envision ( perhaps naively ) being able to do this upgrade
> with a handful of inexpensive APs/Routers installed with opensource
> firmware, and perhaps a crusty old Linux box running a RADIUS server.
> 
> Does anyone have any suggestions or references for this kind of thing?
> 
> TIA,
> 

Well on the whole "cheap flexible APs" I know firsthand that for the
newer Linksys access points you can find a WRT54GL (note the L) for
around $65 online.
http://www.google.com/search?q=wrt54gl

They're very flexible - you can throw different distros of Linux on them
 like OpenWRT, dd-WRT, etc. They support RADIUS auth, VPN servers built
into the AP, etc.

MAKE SURE YOU GET EITHER THE OLDER WRT54G (the ones before version 5) or
the WRT54GL.

The newer ones have very limited hardware, and while you can get dd-wrt
micro booted on them they aren't very useful or flexible for doing what
you describe. With the version 5+ WRTs Linksys ditched Linux and started
using vxWorks to go cheaper on the hardware (and it really shows - I
/had/ to throw dd-wrt micro on my v5 becauase the thing wouldn't stay up
without a hard reset after a day)

Hope that helps some,
Eric G