22Mbps point-to-point under Linux

[Bob Edwards]

I don't know if this has been mentioned on this list before, or not, but the 
D-Link DWL-900+ AirPlus access points are available from Everything Linux and 
Harris Technology (amongst other vendors) for about $300 each. They are 
capable of 22Mbps (although you don't actually get that in practice). The 
reason I mention them is that they can do "bridge-bridge" mode - joining two 
LAN segments together seemlessly at 22Mbps and with 256bit encryption (but, I 
don't know if this newer encryption scheme suffers from the same weakness as 
earlier WEP implementations).

With two of these units, I can simultaneously FTP a kernel source tree at 
580kbytes/sec and NFS copy a 1.5MB file between two other hosts at over 
700kBytes/sec, so that is not too bad. FTP'ing without any other traffic can 
be done at up to 755kbytes/sec with 256 bit encryption turned on.

Both suppliers listed above also have the D-Link reverse SMA - N-type 
connector pig-tail (about 40cm long) available, so it is relatively easily to 
interface to your favourite outdoor higher gain antenna.

I haven't actually tried mine with the high-gain antenna's yet, so I don't 
know what sort of range I can expect, but I only need about 400m or so.

Just thought some of you might like to know. $300 for each end is not a lot 
more than a PCMCIA card and PCI adaptor, plus these things are standalone and 
would use a lot less power than a whole PC motherboard etc. running Linux.

Unfortunately, there are, at this time, still no Linux drivers for the D-Link 
AirPlus PCI and PCMCIA cards. But that is not such a problem with these Access 
Points so cheap and able to work in bridge-bridge mode.

Cheers,

Bob Edwards.