Re: [PLUG] OT: Large Wireless Network on the Cheap

[Pat Regan <thehead@patshead.com>]

On Thu, 7 Oct 2004, Aaron Crosman wrote:

> To save money we started to setup a network outside our main network
> with a collection of Linksys base stations (WRT54g).  At $40-$50 a
> piece, even though I would need 10-12 (with signal boosting antenna) to
> do the job, the price is much nicer.  Also we get to skip out on the
> expensive management server, and stick with a simple firewall (Linux
> based).  The problem is that the Linksys units are proving to be
> unreliable over time.  We got 4 to get started, and it seems that every
> couple of weeks I have to reset one and set it up from scratch again.
> Without management software I only know they are failing when someone
> calls for support.
>

Are you using the stock or aftermarket firmware?

I have used 2 different aftermarket firmwares.  I am currently running the
latest Sveasoft beta, and before that I was running EWRT (based on an
older Sveasoft).  One of the problems I had with the stock firmware, and
with EWRT, was ip_conntrack_max being set too low.  On the EWRT and, I am
assuming, stock firmware ip_conntrack_max is set to 4096.  The default on
the latest Sveasoft is 16536.  If you are using NAT, you may be hitting
that limit.

If you are running the stock Linksys firmware, it might be worth it to try
Sveasoft or one of the other firmwares on one of the routers.

Pat

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