Industry Forums > Wireless Service Providers > Type of router at AP end?

reply to Airplane777

Re: Type of router at AP end?

reply to nwn
Ni nwn:

Wow. Seems like thats for computer geniuses.

There has to be an easier way for common people like me...LOL.

Are there courses taught on how to do what all you were just saying about Mikrotik?

So it seems like if I want a router from Mikrotik, I could do it two ways:

1. Buy the RouterOS package and put it on a PC. And run the PC to act as a router, at the AP location?

2. Or I could buy a Mikrotik RouterBoard and load RouterOS
onto the RouterBoard. It seems the RouterBoard is the closest thing to getting an appliance-based router from Mikrotik. I guess the RouterBoard has the Wan port and the Local port?

But with the PC, I will need WAN port and Local port connections. From what you were saying at the end of your previous posting, I guess I just add multi-port Ethernet cards to get these two connections?

Regarding running RouterOS to have an AP and CPE, I guess I would have to buy what I have heard you guys call "wrap boards". Seems like thats for computer genius people there...LOL. I'll just stick with Canopy for the AP and CPE part. I'm doing good if I can just figure out how to do the router part...LOL.

So now I guess I have to figure out if I can buy a cost-effective appliance based device to do all the WISP requirements. Or if I can figure out how to do RouterOS on a RouterBoard. Seems that the RouterBoard is the closest thing to an appliance based device from Mikrotik. And is probably much smaller and takes less power then a pc based device.

Thank you for all your input. I'm sure as I hear your further comments from you and others, routers for WISP operations will become more clear...I hope...LOL.

See »wisp-router.com for some MT bundles ready to go, RotuerBoard, RouterOS on flash.

reply to shamanfk
Hi shamanfk:

Regarding the router provided by the upstream provider, would that be an Adtran device (as an example) as is supplied by my local ISP provider? We have one in our office providing fractional T1 services. 4 phone lines and the rest broadband. We also have a business cable service for additioinal broadband for our servers.

Our networking people take care of the server stuff.

I'll try to "draw" what I think your hookup is:

Internet > Adtran router > MikroTik router > AP

That look right?

What are you referring to when you say "complex routing issues"? Why is it more advantageous to use the upstream provider's router to do the routing as opposed to letting the Mikrotik do all the routing? I'm sure there are advantages. I just don't know enough about routers to know what those advantages are...yet. So it must be worth the extra $50 a month to let the upstream provider do the routing.

When you say you are letting the upstream provider do the routing, do you mean NAT and DHCP? But if I'm only going to have one or two APs, wouldn't I just need a public static IP address for each AP, and therefore wouldn't need NAT or DHCP?

"The T-1 provider has been great and notifies us of any problems on the network."

By your previous quote, do you mean your provider pings their router constantly to make sure it is up and working properly?

Thank you so much. I appreciate your help and from you all.

That is my setup as well, though I do not have a managed router.

Internet (T1) -> Cisco 2611 -> Firewall -> Switch -> MT -> APs
                                   | DMZ
                               Mail&Web servers

reply to Airplane777
Airplane, you need to do a lot more research on your part. Go to the mikrotik website and read about it. Do a google on Wrap boards and read about them. Go to your local bookstore and buy the Cisco book on TCP/IP today.

You need to know networking cold, on many days it will be even more important than the RF side. Trying to make it easy on yourself will only hurt your customers.

The ISP industry as whole is not designed for "common people". WISP adds even more complications to this as you have RF to deal with as well. I've said it before, this isn't like a hotspot where you can plug in a hotspot gateway, setup and AP and away you go.

As to mikrotik, it is only software, yes you can buy prebuilt appliances that include everything and act just the same as any other AP or router, only with a lot more features. With Mikrotik any computer can be a router. To make it an AP, just add a wireless card, like you can buy at Circuit City for example.

reply to Airplane777
Your drawing is correct..
We only concern ourselves from the MT-AP-CPE.
We do not NAT or use DHCP..

The provider pings their router constantly, but also monitors traffic,,,once they Identify internet outage, they call us and tell us a restore time..

Personally, I think it is $50/month well spent..

Also, If you have a customer with virus etc..using bandwidth, they will ID the IP for you and give you a chance to get the customer to clean the machine, which in our case generates revenue as we are a repair shop as well.
--
Success is getting what you want; Happiness is wanting what you get.

reply to goldenspacek

reply to shamanfk
Hi shamanfk:

Thanks much.

I like the way you have your provider monitoring things for you. Thats a pretty good price for monitoring. It lets you do what you do best and lets your broadband provider do what they do best...and is cost-effective for you too.

Thanks for confirming my drawing. That makes me feel a little more knowledgeable. Although I do need to learn about TCP/IP, etc.

I bought the CD called Learn To Subnet. It looks pretty good. I just need to find more time to listen to more of it. I'll get through it.

Good luck in your WISP operation.