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Spelling: AP-2000
* So, whats inside? [1]
* Software [2]
* Serial port [3]
* How to use it? [4]
* WDS [5]
* Comments [6]
The AP-2000 is not all that new but for the price we are getting them
at the moment they represent great value.
SO, WHATS INSIDE?
open up the case ( 4 screws and you have the solder side of the board
with 2 pcmcia sockets.
Remove the 4 3mm hex bolts and flip the board out and you see 4 IC's,
(l->r)looks like an ethernet controller, the northbridge ( BGA ) and
the processor. At the other end of the board is what looks like a PCI
bus glue logic chip ( for interfacing the 2 x pcmcia sockets). 2 X
SDRAM chips and 2 X Flash towards the top of the board.
Sorry blurry photo - will retake soon.
125 x245 cm circuit board.
Processor: Intel 21281 strongarm SA - 110 @ 233 Mhz
Northbridge: Intel 21285
SRAM:
FLASH:
Ethernet:
pcmcia control: Texas Inst PCI1225 - don't know if this is pcmcia or
cardbus
Processor documentation: sa_110doc [7]
The SA-110 is an old core. In this implemetation it needs the 21285
companion chip. Later incarnations (SA-1100, SA-1110 ) moved more and
more of the peripheral logic into the processor die. The latest
incarnation is the Intel X-Scale processors.
21285 FAQ [8]
That's about it.
SOFTWARE
I think it runs windriver VXWorks RTOS.
There is a number of Linux ports for the Arm processor, time to get
the toolchain installed...
SERIAL PORT
It's an 8 pin Din connector similar to the serial port on older
MAC's. You can use a standard Macintosh serial cable ie 8 pin Mini-DIN
to DB25 followed by a DB25 to DB9 adapter and a standard PC DB9F to
DB9F serial to access the serial console - or make up your own.
HOW TO USE IT?
The AP-2000 was used to establish campus wide type networks and as
such was probably deployed as a simple AP. Because it can control 2
wireless cards it is especially suitable for setting up MW nodes, one
card configured as an AP and the other as a link to the backbone.
The software does not give you complete control of the device, for
instance it does not look like you can configure one of the cards in
client mode.
WDS
WDS "Wireless Distribution System" is a protocol that is found on a
lot of AP's nowdays. It essentially allows you to run an AP as bot
access point and link. This is not such a good thing with only one
wireless interface due to multiple pandling of data packets but with
two interfaces one can be dedicated to the link function. Up to 6 WDS
"peers" can be configured in this unit.
WDS is configured by entering the MAC address of the peer nodes at
each end. The AP's then form part of the same ESS and would share a
ESSID ??
COMMENTS
14/05/05 - Steve: Is there a way to put one of these cards into
Client Mode? I'm looking at using one of these to uplink to GHO, but I
can't find the option
dna- I also can't find any way to configure client mode. It must be
possible on the card but the OS/Application doesn't expose it. It
looks like you need to use WDS at both ends if you want to use these
for a link.
Links:
------
[1] http://www.melbournewireless.org.au/#so__whats_inside_
[2] http://www.melbournewireless.org.au/#software
[3] http://www.melbournewireless.org.au/#serial_port
[4] http://www.melbournewireless.org.au/#how_to_use_it_
[5] http://www.melbournewireless.org.au/#wds
[6] http://www.melbournewireless.org.au/#comments
[7]
http://www.intel.com/design/pca/applicationsprocessors/strong/sa_110doc.htm
[8] http://www.intel.com/design/bridge/faq/core_logic.htm
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