Repeating Ricochet Wireless onto 802.11x Using Router, Lap..

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I have some new and old Ricochet cards, slow speed dial-up, and a hill
that can reach the Ricochet wireless network. No DSL or slower
variant, no cable, and 21,000 feet of copper on my dial-up. Ricochet
Wireless is now down to $25 a month unlimitted. I'm exploring a
router, laptop, or desktop relay solution and need lots of help. So...

Linksys made a router (BEFSR41W-RN) for a Merlin (Novatel) PC Card
that shoved into the back of the router but I haven't been able to
find one of these discontinued routers. That and an 802.11 access
point and I'd have a simple solar powered mini-broadband solution.
Next best would be a laptop running on Linux over windows or
single-board running Lixux. I have the USB/Serial Ricochet modem, the
AirCard PC Card, and an old Merlin PC Card on hand so am flexible in
the platform. I only have drivers for theses 3 devices in windoZe
versions unfortunately. I've heard that the Ricochet stuff has been
made to operate under Linux.

I live out in the weeds, in a high valley. There is no cable or DSL
available. My dial-up is at best 28.8k as I'm about 21,00 feet out
from my CO. I want to explore placing a Ricochet card up on a a hill
at the top of my property to snag the Ricochet's 250k connection and
then 802.11g/b it down from there to my house. Oh one other wrinkle is
that it must be solar-powered.

Space is not an issue, so could use a junker laptop, single-board
computer (IE: Soekris) or a small factor mini-tower with a cheap slow
486 or 586 board. Linux is fine, would like to keep the HD out of the
picture and go floppy or CF card. Power consumption is a concern but
my plan would be to use a cheap UPS with the solar panel feeding the
UPS's batteries directly, likely with external batteries for more
backup at night and cloudy days.

But am wide open to suggestions, hardware and software. Am trying to
keep the costs way down also. See want everything, want it now, and
don't want it to cost. I am researching also but reinventing the
wheel is not high on my list at this point. <g>

Sure would like to find that Linksys modem that was discontinued 5
months ago.

Thanks ahead....

Mike
Muth Valley, San Diego County, CA
mikes92040@gmail.com

 

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Archived from groups: comp.os.ms-windows.networking,alt.internet.wireless (More info?)

Mike Shirley wrote:
> I have some new and old Ricochet cards, slow speed dial-up, and a hill
> that can reach the Ricochet wireless network. No DSL or slower
> variant, no cable, and 21,000 feet of copper on my dial-up. Ricochet
> Wireless is now down to $25 a month unlimitted. I'm exploring a
> router, laptop, or desktop relay solution and need lots of help. So...
>
> Linksys made a router (BEFSR41W-RN) for a Merlin (Novatel) PC Card
> that shoved into the back of the router but I haven't been able to
> find one of these discontinued routers. That and an 802.11 access
> point and I'd have a simple solar powered mini-broadband solution.
> Next best would be a laptop running on Linux over windows or
> single-board running Lixux. I have the USB/Serial Ricochet modem, the
> AirCard PC Card, and an old Merlin PC Card on hand so am flexible in
> the platform. I only have drivers for theses 3 devices in windoZe
> versions unfortunately. I've heard that the Ricochet stuff has been
> made to operate under Linux.
>
> I live out in the weeds, in a high valley. There is no cable or DSL
> available. My dial-up is at best 28.8k as I'm about 21,00 feet out
> from my CO. I want to explore placing a Ricochet card up on a a hill
> at the top of my property to snag the Ricochet's 250k connection and
> then 802.11g/b it down from there to my house. Oh one other wrinkle
> is that it must be solar-powered.
>
> Space is not an issue, so could use a junker laptop, single-board
> computer (IE: Soekris) or a small factor mini-tower with a cheap slow
> 486 or 586 board. Linux is fine, would like to keep the HD out of the
> picture and go floppy or CF card. Power consumption is a concern but
> my plan would be to use a cheap UPS with the solar panel feeding the
> UPS's batteries directly, likely with external batteries for more
> backup at night and cloudy days.
>
> But am wide open to suggestions, hardware and software. Am trying to
> keep the costs way down also. See want everything, want it now, and
> don't want it to cost. I am researching also but reinventing the
> wheel is not high on my list at this point. <g>
>
> Sure would like to find that Linksys modem that was discontinued 5
> months ago.
>
> Thanks ahead....
>
> Mike
> Muth Valley, San Diego County, CA
> mikes92040@gmail.com

If Ricochet has discontinued these modems in favor of another access
point, they have these in a warehouse somewhere, gathering dust. I
would speak to one of their roving techs, if you can find one on the
other side of the hill. Most of these people are more than happy to
discuss, at least, and maybe you could get lucky and pick one up from
assets management or ???

Q