FAQ: Routers of All Types (And Antennas)

This is the one place where we can't give you assisting automation.  Every manufacturer has their own setup and configuration process, and you must use that to set the router into Access Point mode (sometimes known as Gateway and/or Passive mode).  In this mode, the router is using the attached computer for addresses and names.

Putting a router into Access Point mode is usually simple, but the experience varies widely by manufacturer.

Run an Ethernet wire from the Ethernet port on the host computer to a non-WAN port on the router.  It is imperative that the wire go into a non-WAN port on the router.

This, unfortunately, varies from router to router.  For most, you will need to download a phone app, then do a factory reset on the router, wait for it to come up, then connect and configure the device.

Normally, a factory reset will cause the router to start broadcasting a setup network that you connect your phone or laptop to. If you're using your phone, you'll probably use an app from the manufacturer, while if you're using a computer, you'll probably navigate to HTTP://192.168.1.0 or HTTP://192.168.1.1/. See your router manufacturer for more information.

For most routers, you will use the username and password printed on the bottom of the router to connect.  From there, you will need to find a Settings or Setup page, although it might be called WiFi Settings.  In that section, there will probably be something like "mode" or "access type," which is probably set to something like DHCP.  Change it to Access Point, then save the router config and reboot it.

If you have trouble with a specific router, please post about it in the forums under Router Configuration.

Once you're configured the router, connect it to the computer and run the Installation Instructions.  When your FrogNet comes back up, you can check that it's properly configured in two ways:

1. Log into the computer and bring up a Bash shell. Enter the command "ip a" and look for the ethernet device in the output (eth0, or whatever it is set to on your machine). The device's IP address should be the IP address you gave the network.
2. Attach a phone, laptop, or other computer to the network projected by the Router and check your IP address.  The first number should be a 10, followed by the two numbers you entered, followed by a third number that is between 2 and 254.

Example:

2: eth0: <BROADCAST,MULTICAST,UP,LOWER_UP> mtu 1500 qdisc mq state UP group default qlen 1000

    link/ether e4:5f:01:07:80:9f brd ff:ff:ff:ff:ff:ff

    inet 10.101.20.1/24 brd 10.101.20.255 scope global noprefixroute eth0

       valid_lft forever preferred_lft forever

    inet6 fe80::82e2:d842:2737:1fd8/64 scope link noprefixroute

       valid_lft forever preferred_lft forever

There are differences between routers that can have a big impact on price and performance, but for the most part we''re not looking for highly advanced features on our routers for the simple reason that we won't be using them.  Once we place the router in Access Point mode, all of the advanced features of most routers are turned off.

That being said, these are the general classifications of routers as we see them:

1. Travel or other tiny router:  Small and uses little power, but has a limited range and may not be able to handle a large number of connections
2. Small mesh routers (Orbi, Velop, Deco, etc.):  If you want to use them as mesh routers, that's fine.  Just configure the first one, then add the others at the end of the manufacturer setup process.  You may also separate the mesh and make each router a new FrogNet.  These may also have limitations on the number of connected devices.
3. Medium to large gaming-style routers (may also be mesh):  Larger, more powerful routers that aren't expected to have problems with large numbers of devices.  Often dual or tri-band devices.  These can consume significant power and have a larger footprint.
4. Long-range (farm) routers:  These devices often have Power over Ethernet requirements and may feature parabolic antennas.  These are intended for long-range communication.

The first antenna is usually the computer's built-in Wi-Fi. If your FrogNet doesn't connect to any other FrogNets, then this is the antenna you connect to the Internet. Otherwise, connect it to another FrogNet and start building your FrogNet Network!

The second antenna is optional and is used for network flexibility and reliability. If present, it may be connected to another FrogNet or the Internet.

Using the second antenna to connect to another FrogNet gives the FrogNet Network options for routing through or around network failures in complex network topologies.  

Remember that FrogNets connect to each other, with one FrogNet using its WiFi connection to join the WiFi network projected by another FrogNet.  When that happens, the second computer (the one connecting) becomes a "downstream client" of the first computer.  If the first computer also has downstream clients for two other FrogNets, and if the first computer crashes, then connectivity between the tree downstream clients is broken.

On the other hand, if the downstream clients used their second antenna to connect to other downstream clients, then when the first computer crashes, the rest of the network, including any Internet access, stays up and available.

Using an external antenna without using the internet one is fine.  Just leave the wlan0 device disconnected.

Although you are required to have a router on the eth0 interface, you are not required to use the WiFi interfaces to communicate with other FrogNets.  

Let's say you're on FrogNet Alpha and you want to connect to FrogNet Beta.  The two networks are close to each other,  but interference is preventing us from connecting to the the WiFi network Beta is projecting.  Instead, we will use Ethernet.

Start with a USB to Ethernet converter.  Connect an Ethernet wire from the converter to the router on Beta, then plug the converter into Alpha.  Log into Alpha and execute the command "IP r" at the bash prompt.   You will see a new network appear (eth1 on Debian).  This is the ethernet wire to Beta.

Edit file /usr/local/bin/mapInterfaces and change the "wlan0name" value from "wlan0" to "eth1" or whatever your "ip a" said.  Reboot the FrogNet.

When you come back up, Alpha and Beta will be connected and communicating over the Ethernet wire

We have tested this with Ethernet and FDDI adapters. The instructions still apply if you are using a desktop with dedicated cards.